PhD in English in Bethlehem United States | Lehigh University

Lehigh University mandates that doctoral candidates earn either 42 credits (for those with Lehigh M.A. degrees) or 48 credits (for M.A. holders from other institutions). Typically, Ph.D. candidates should plan to complete a minimum of 8-9 courses or 24-27 semester hours of coursework beyond their master's degree. Those with Lehigh M.A.s must complete at least 8 courses or 24 credit hours, while students entering with external M.A. degrees need to take 9 courses or 27 credit hours, with possible additional distribution courses to ensure comprehensive knowledge. The English Ph.D. program requires proficiency in one foreign language, typically French, German, Italian, Latin, or Spanish, though alternative languages may be approved by the graduate studies coordinator. This language requirement must be fulfilled before attempting the Ph.D. comprehensive examination.