phd english education online

• English Education

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Advance Your Career

Students typically—though not exclusively—seek a Ph.D. in English Education as a means to a career in higher education. Graduates of our program are prepared to teach, conduct research, and/or serve in an upper-level administrative capacity at any institution of higher education, both teaching- and research-intensive. Doctoral students work with their faculty advisor to devise a plan of study that is tailored to their needs and interests. This plan includes approximately 60 credit hours beyond the Master’s degree, including coursework in language and literacy, research methodologies, and foundational principles of the College, such as social justice and culturally relevant pedagogies. All students are required to take a preliminary examination and complete a dissertation working under the direction of a committee of graduate faculty led by their advisor.

This residential program has rolling admission . Applications must be fully complete and submitted (including all required materials) and all application fees paid prior to the deadline in order for applications to be considered and reviewed. For a list of all required materials for this program application, please see the “ Admissions ” tab.

Application Deadlines

July 1 * is the deadline for Fall applications.

November 15 is the deadline for Spring applications.

March 15 is the deadline for Summer applications.

*Those applicants interested in being considered for any available PhD funding should submit completed applications by December 1 for the following Fall semester.

Program at a Glance

• Major/Department: Curriculum and Instruction
• Research Area: English Education
• Degree Objective: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Program Delivery: Residential
• Does this program lead to licensure? * No , this is a non-licensure program

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Curriculum and Instruction Foundations Core

15 credit hours

• EDCI 50000: Foundations of Literacy
• EDCI 58000: Foundations of Curriculum
• EDCI 58500: Multicultural Education
• EDPS 53000: Advanced Educational Psychology
• EDPS 53300: Introduction to Educational Research I: Methodology

Curriculum and Instruction Research Core

Minimum of 12 credit hours

• EDCI 61500: This course provides a foundation for understanding the philosophical and theoretical underpinnings and procedures used in conducting qualitative research.
• STAT 50100 or 51100: Introduction to Statistics. This course provides a foundation for understanding and applying basic concepts of descriptive and inferential statistical research design and analysis. PSY 60000 and SOC 58100 are also acceptable research courses. Consult with your major professor to choose the course most appropriate for your program of study.
• Qualitative research courses include EDCI 61600: Advanced Qualitative Research Methods in Education, COM 58300: Research And Assessment In Organizational Communication, ANTH 51900, ANTH 56500, ANTH 60500, SOC 60900
• Quantitative research courses include STAT 50200, STAT 51200, PSY 60100
• EDPS 63000: Research Procedures in Education is taken when students are ready to write their dissertation proposal. This course focuses on the design and presentation of educational research. Seminars which focus on qualitative or quantitative studies are offered under the same course number. Students should elect the option that is most suited to their research interests.
• Theoretical or mixed methods research courses include EDCI 62000: Seminar in Mathematics Education; EDCI 67300: Issues and Methods in Educational Technology Research; ANTH 60500: Seminar in Ethnographic Analysis; ENGL 61800: Research Design; ENGL 62400: Rhetorical History and Theory; ENGL 62500: Empirical Research on Writing; ENGL 63200: Critical Theory; ENGL 68000: Qualitative Research Methods; STAT 51400: Design of Experiments

Education Cluster Area

English Education students are required to take 12 credits of coursework focused on English education or related topics of study. Students typically draw from graduate courses offered by Language & Literacy faculty (EDCI courses at the 500 or 600 level) or seminars of interest in the English Department (ENGL courses at the 500 or 600 level). Students can also take undergraduate English methods courses at the graduate level by completing extra projects that are grad-level-worthy and/or serving as a TA for the course for course credit if they have teaching experience (see English Education flyer for a description of these courses). These classes are selected in consultation with your major professor.

In addition to a submitted application (and any applicable application fees paid), the following materials are required for admission consideration, and all completed materials must be submitted by the application deadline in order for an application to be considered complete and forwarded on to faculty and the Purdue Graduate School for review.

A completed master’s degree is required prior to admission.

Application Requirements

Here are the materials required for this application

• Transcripts (from all universities attended)
• Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• 3 Recommendations
• Academic Statement of Purpose
• Personal History Statement
• International Applicants must meet English Proficiency Requirements set by the Purdue Graduate School

We encourage prospective students to submit an application early, even if not all required materials are uploaded. Applications are not forwarded on for faculty review until all required materials are uploaded.

How to Apply

When submitting your application for this program, please select the following options:

• Select a Campus: Purdue West Lafayette (PWL)
• Select your proposed graduate major: Curriculum and Instruction
• Please select an Area of Interest: English Education
• Please select a Degree Objective: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Primary Course Delivery: Residential

This program does not lead to licensure in the state of Indiana or elsewhere. Contact the College of Education Office of Teacher Education and Licensure (OTEL) at [email protected] before continuing with program application if you have questions regarding licensure or contact your state Department of Education about how this program may translate to licensure in your state of residence.

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English Education PhD

Doctor of philosophy (75 points).

The primary purpose of the doctoral programs in English Education at Teachers College is to advance knowledge relevant to the teaching and learning of English and to prepare expert teachers of English for careers as scholars, researchers, and teacher educators in the field of English education. ​​ The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program in English Education is open to a wide array of scholarly interests and thrives on the diversity of backgrounds and experiences students bring with them. As a Ph.D. student, you will become conversant with the principal theories, research methods, and pedagogical traditions of the field of English education. The degree program leads to an original research project culminating in the development of a scholarly dissertation that contributes to knowledge in the field. Graduates often take up research careers in universities or other educational institutions upon completion of their Ph.D. 

Experiences and Exposures: 

• World-class faculty come together with a collaborative group of students from around the world to critically engage with theoretical and pedagogical stances that underpin English Education. 
• Engagement in the scholarly community via coursework, research experiences, and opportunities to write and present at scholarly conferences. 
• Supported by faculty mentors, students take on individual exploration of enquiries and conduct original research into issues of critical importance to the field of English Education.

Final Admissions Deadline:  January 15th

The final deadline for doctoral program applications is January 15th (with a December 1st as a priority deadline).

If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to a faculty member regarding the admissions process for this program.

Admissions Information

Displaying requirements for the Spring 2025, Summer 2025, and Fall 2025 terms.

Doctor of Philosophy

• Points/Credits: 75
• Entry Terms: Fall
• Enrollment Formats: Full-Time, Part-Time

Application Deadlines

Select programs remain open beyond our standard application deadlines , such as those with an extended deadline or those that are rolling (open until June or July). If your program is rolling or has an extended deadline indicated above, applications are reviewed as they are received and on a space-available basis. We recommend you complete your application as soon as possible as these programs can close earlier if full capacity has been met.

Application Requirements

Requirements from the TC Catalog (AY 2023-2024)

Displaying catalog information for the Fall 2023, Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 terms.

View Full Catalog Listing

Doctor of Philosophy in English Ed

The Doctor of Philosophy (75 credits) degree is designed to prepare candidates for positions in higher education as teachers and researchers whose scholarly activity is focused on the theoretical, philosophical, and pedagogical questions that define English education as a discipline for teaching and inquiry.

Required courses for ALL English Education/Teaching of English doctoral candidates:

A&HE 5510 Seminar in Foundational Texts 1 

A&HE 5504 Research Paper: Teaching of English (co-requisite with A&HE 5149)A&HE 5149 Writing Research: Methods and Assumptions (co-requisite with A&HE 5504)

A&HE 6504 Doctoral Seminar: Teaching of English

A&HE 7504 Dissertation Seminar: Teaching of English

A&HE 8904 Dissertation Advisement in the Teaching of English

A range of electives in literary and rhetorical studies

Four research methods courses for a total of at least 12 credits. It is recommended that candidates include at least two of the following:

A&HE 5150 Research in Practice

A&HE 5160 Qualitative Methodologies & Theoretical Frameworks

A&HE 6151 Narrative Research in English Education

A&HE 6152 Advanced Narrative Research in English Education

Students may also satisfy the requirement for research methods courses by completing approved courses in other programs and departments across the College.

Credit Requirements and Transfer Credits for the Ph.D. in English Education

The number of courses students take depends in part on the number of credits students transfer from previous graduate work at Teachers College. Students working toward the Ph.D. degree (75 credits) may transfer a maximum of 30 credits and will thus complete at least 45 credits while in the Ph.D. program. Approval of transfer of credits is always at the discretion of the advisor.

Coursework Restrictions

An academic advisor must approve all coursework in a student’s program plan, especially to ensure enforcement of the following College and Departmental policies:

No course that is “R” (attendance) credit or that is “P” (pass/fail) may be counted toward the Ph.D. aside from A&HE 6504 and A&HE 7504.

Students must consult their academic advisors when they undertake an independent study, an internship, fieldwork courses, or graduate courses in other colleges (usually GSAS) of Columbia University or at other universities within the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium.

Doctoral students are generally discouraged from taking 4000-level courses and must consult with their academic advisors before registering for these courses.

Candidates should take a minimum of two courses outside the English Education Program (Courses not designated A&HE).

Doctoral Program Milestones Program Plan

During their first year of study, students in consultation with their advisor should complete, and file with the Office of Doctoral Studies, a program plan (the forms are available in the English education office and in the Office of Doctoral Studies) anticipating all the courses they will need to complete within the scope of their doctoral studies. This program plan should then be reviewed annually with the student’s advisor (and revised as necessary) giving student and advisor an annual measure of the student’s progress through the program

A&HE 5504: Research Paper in the Teaching of English

Before enrolling in A&HE 5504, students must have completed at least two research methods courses, have successfully completed the Certification 1 Examination, have discovered an area or problem of interest that they wish to study for their 5504 project, and have familiarized themselves with some of the available research literature on the topic or problem they propose to investigate. The research paper completed in A&HE 5504 allows a doctoral student to demonstrate the capacity to complete independent research and produce a research paper at a level of sophistication that promises success in undertaking a doctoral research project and doctoral dissertation. The completed A&HE 5504 research paper must be approved by faculty as qualifying the student to proceed to the next milestone in the doctoral program, the Certification 2 Examination.

Certification Examinations

Certification examinations certify a student’s expertise in the foundational texts, research traditions, and theoretical perspectives that represent the history of English Education as an academic discipline and that inform research in the more specialized field of study defined by a student’s anticipated dissertation project. Doctoral students in the English Education Program must pass two separate certification examinations. Examination 1 is a take-home examination, seven days in duration, covering the history of English education with a focus on one of the major curricular strands within the discipline. Examination 2, covering a specialized disciplinary area related to the student’s dissertation topic, is a take-home written examination to be completed within a time frame (up to one semester) set by the student’s faculty advisor. The topics and texts to be covered by the two examinations and the examination questions are determined by each student’s advisor in consultation with the student who will be examined.

Foreign Language Requirement

Candidates for the Ph.D. degree in English education must demonstrate reading proficiency in at least one foreign language at a level of competence sufficient to read scholarly or professional work relevant to their own field of study. Students should contact the Office of Doctoral Studies for the current policy regarding satisfying this requirement. Courses in statistics or other past substitutes for a foreign language will not be accepted.

Dissertation Proposal (A&HE 7504)

The doctoral dissertation proposal consolidates the work candidates have done in courses, professional reading, and the two certification examinations. It is usually a 60 to 100-page document, which outlines a coherent account of the work a candidate wants to undertake for dissertation research, usually presenting drafts of early chapters for the dissertation. Typically a proposal includes an introductory chapter describing the origins and aims of the project, a fairly complete review of the literature, a chapter on research methods, and some preliminary data and data analysis. The dissertation proposal must be accepted at a formal or informal hearing where at least two faculty members function as examiners. Students may not undertake the dissertation proposal until both certification exams have been completed successfully.

Award of the Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) degree

Students become eligible to apply for the Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) degree upon completing 75 credits of coursework and fulfilling each of the previous doctoral program milestones. Upon being awarded the M.Phil. degree, doctoral students become “candidates” for the Ph.D. degree. Applications for the M.Phil. degree can be filed with the Office of Doctoral Studies.

Dissertation

The doctoral dissertation is the culminating research project of the doctoral program and constitutes a significant contribution to knowledge in the field of English Education. As candidates write their dissertations, they must enroll in A&HE 8904: Dissertation Advisement in Teaching English, which is designed to help them refine their thinking and revise their writing as they complete successive drafts of their dissertation.

The Advanced Seminar

What is known historically as the Advanced Seminar now functions as a pre-defense meeting of a portion (2-3 faculty members) of the Ph.D. candidate’s doctoral dissertation committee, which convenes to interrogate and advise the candidate on the dissertation in progress in order to ensure its successful completion. The committee may be convened at any point in a candidate’s progress toward completing the dissertation research, but is ordinarily convened for English education candidates at a point when the candidate can present a rough draft of the entire dissertation for scrutiny by the dissertation committee members. The committee is convened in response to a formal request filed with the Office of Doctoral Studies (ODS) by the candidate with the approval of the dissertation advisor. Candidates should consult the ODS early in the dissertation project to ensure that all procedural rules for convening the Advanced Seminar and reporting on its deliberations are properly observed.

Dissertation Defense

The dissertation defense offers the opportunity for members of the candidate’s dissertation committee, all of whom have carefully read the dissertation, to interrogate the candidate on any and all dimensions of the candidate’s research and the written dissertation that is the product of that research. In most cases the committee will suggest minor revisions that the candidate is expected to incorporate into the dissertation before filing the final version. A typical defense, however, is less an interrogation than it is a collegial discussion of the candidate’s research project and findings with attention to next steps in the candidate’s research agenda and possibilities for revising and publishing the dissertation or sections of it. A successful dissertation defense marks both a moment of certification and a ritual initiation. At the conclusion of a successful defense, authorized doctoral faculty officially certify a candidate’s accomplishment in completing a major research study that makes a significant contribution to knowledge in the field of English education broadly defined, and thereby welcome the doctoral candidate into the community of scholars.

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Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD), English Language Learning

Courses start every monday, take the first step in your national university journey, 240k+ alumni worldwide, phd in english language learning.

For education professionals with a desire to be an active scholar in the field of education and make significant contributions to the existing body of knowledge, the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Education program can take both your research skills and career options to a higher level. The program begins with a review of theoretical frameworks to support your understanding of the role of theory in a PhD degree. Coursework combines this strong base of theoretical knowledge with an individualized focus to conduct research in pre-K-12, post-secondary, and adult learning environments as you contribute new and innovative findings to advance your field of educational specialization.

Why Earn Your Ph.D. in English with National University?

The English Language Learning (ELL) specialization prepares you to be a research scholar in the field. You’ll build on your existing knowledge and skills in preparation for continued investigation around teaching, assessing, and developing curricula for English language learners. The final course considers significant issues in ELL education, one of which may inspire your dissertation. Throughout the program, you’ll have a support system of advisors, faculty, and tools to guide you through coursework, research, and your dissertation process. Please note: if you’re seeking ELL/ESL certification, you should verify with state officials that this specialization meets applicable requirements. 

Admission Requirements 

A conferred post-baccalaureate master’s degree or doctoral degree from a regionally or nationally accredited academic institution or an international institution determined to be equivalent through an approved evaluation service.

Dissertation Process

In addition to the foundational and specialization courses, each PhD student is required to complete a high-quality dissertation through a systematic process and sequential courses assisted by faculty. A PhD dissertation is a scholarly documentation of research that makes an original contribution to the field of educational study. The step-by-step process requires care in choosing a topic, documenting its importance, planning the methodology, and conducting the research. These activities lead smoothly into the writing and oral presentation of your dissertation.

Courses and Sequence

The PhD in Education program requires 60 credits for degree completion. Additional credit hours may be allowed as needed to complete your dissertation research. If granted, additional courses will be added to your degree program in alignment with the SAP and Academic Maximum Time to Completion policies. The estimated time needed to complete this program is 45 months.

Course Details

Course listings.

A PhD prepares you to make significant contributions to the body of literature within the education field. This course prepares you for understanding what theory is, recognizing theoretical frameworks within existing literature, connecting your research interests to existing theoretical frameworks, and justifying how your research will add to the wealth of current theories in the field.

Specialization Course 1

Your success as a scholarly professional will largely depend upon your communication skills, particularly in your written work. This course supports your development as a scholar who can publish in different types of research-based publications for a variety of audiences. You’ll practice synthesizing multiple sources, formulating arguments, and integrating feedback through iterative drafts of your work. These are key capabilities you’ll need as you submit your research in published manuscripts and presentations.

In this course, you’ll develop effective search and writing strategies to create a scholarly review of literature. The course emphasizes how to: (a) use effective literature search strategies; (b) develop a scholarly synthesis of research literature; (c) organize research literature around identified themes, including a study problem, purpose, and theoretical perspectives; and (d) focus on developing a scholarly exposition that reflects divergent viewpoints and contrasting perspectives. The overarching goal is for you to understand strategies for surveying scholarly literature that avoid bias, focus on educational, practice-based research problems, and address the requirements of a scholarly literature review.

Specialization Course 2

This course introduces you to the research process by exploring its underpinnings, examining its paradigms, and investigating the foundations of qualitative and quantitative methodologies used in educational studies. You’ll identify criteria for the development of quality research studies that are ethical, accurate, comprehensive, cohesive, and aligned. Specific course topics involve the ethics of conducting research; data collection and analysis techniques; and issues of feasibility, trustworthiness, validity, reliability, transferability, and rigor. The goal is to familiarize yourself with the concepts and skills associated with conducting theoretical and applied research.

Specialization Course 3

This course provides the foundational knowledge to become a critical consumer of statistical-based research and a skilled analyst of non-inferential quantitative data. Coursework focuses on understanding multivariate data, non-inferential and inferential statistical concepts, the conventions of quantitative data analysis, and interpretations and critical inferences in statistical results. You’ll use software applications to complete statistical computations and perform quantitative data analysis. The course culminates in a synthesis project to demonstrate your statistical skills and present your results using APA guidelines.

Specialization Course 4

Elective Course*

Specialization Course 5

A focus on qualitative research methodology and the designs and methods used to collect and analyze data in educational research. You’ll examine the principles of qualitative research and explore commonly used designs (also referred to as qualitative traditions or genres) with a focus on application and feasibility. Qualitative data collection and analysis methods will be examined for their suitability with regard to the research design selected. Alignment between qualitative designs and research methods, issues of trustworthiness, and the responsibilities of the qualitative researcher will also be explored.

Specialization Course 6

An exploration of quantitative research methodologies and associated designs and methods. You’ll examine paradigmatic perspectives along with the tenets and conventions of quantitative research. Topics for examination include feasibility, validity, reliability, variable operationalization, inferential designs, and analytic software applications used within the quantitative research paradigm. You’ll also look at the components of quantitative research designs that support meaningful studies within the field of education.

Select One of the Following Two Data Analysis Courses:

An exploration of advanced statistical principles and how to apply them to quantitative research. This course provides an overview of advanced statistical concepts used in empirical research, including inferential analyses. You’ll use SPSS software to perform advanced computations as you build independent, scholarly statistical skills. Coursework will emphasize multivariate data; the use, comprehension, and evaluation of sophisticated statistical concepts; and the proper presentation of statistical results.

This course builds on a foundational understanding of qualitative designs and measurements to focus on analyses of the data. Coursework takes you deeper into the skills and techniques necessary to ensure the appropriate analyses of qualitative data, including integrating relevant frameworks, verifying trustworthiness of the findings, and selecting suitable methods for presenting analyses and findings.

The doctoral comprehensive assessment is your opportunity to demonstrate your preparation for entering the dissertation phase as a PhD candidate. You’ll synthesize discipline-specific content with research designs and analysis methods to create a prospectus for a theoretically-based research study that focuses on furthering knowledge in the field of education. Whereas EdD research focuses on addressing a researchable problem with practical applications, PhD research has a focus on contribution to theory and the broader discipline of education. This course is begun only after all your foundation, specialization, and research courses have been completed, and your prospectus will likely become the foundation of your PhD dissertation. 

Students in this course will be required to complete chapter one of their dissertation proposal, including the following: a review of literature with substantiating evidence of the problem, the research purpose and questions, the intended methodological design and approach, and the significance of the study. A completed, committee-approved chapter one is required to pass the course. If you don’t receive approval to minimum standards, you’ll be able to take up to three supplementary eight-week courses to finalize and gain approval of chapter one.

In this course, you’ll work on completing chapters one to three of your dissertation proposal and receiving committee approval for the dissertation proposal (DP). Chapter two consists of the literature review, while chapter three covers the research methodology and design, including population, sample, measurement instruments, data collection and analysis, limitations, and ethical considerations. Completed, committee-approved chapters two and three are required to pass the course, as is a final approved dissertation proposal. If you don’t receive approval to minimum standards, you’ll be able to take up to three supplementary eight-week courses to finalize and gain approval of these requirements.

In this course, you’ll prepare, submit, and obtain approval of your Institutional Review Board (IRB) application. You’ll also collect data and submit a final study closure form to the IRB. If you’re still collecting data at the end of the 12-week course, you’ll be able to take up to three supplementary eight-week courses to complete data collection and file your IRB study closure form.

In this dissertation course, you’ll work on completing chapters four, five, and your final dissertation manuscript. Specifically, you’ll complete your data analysis, prepare your study results, and present your findings with an oral defense and a completed manuscript. A completed, committee-approved dissertation manuscript and successful oral defense are required to complete the course and graduate. If you don’t receive approval for either or both, you can take up to three supplementary eight-week courses to finalize and gain approval.

* The elective can be satisfied with any doctoral-level School of Education course. The course listed in the degree plan can be changed upon request. Contact your academic and finance advisor for assistance.

Specialization Courses

ESL-7100 Second Language Foundations

In this course, you’ll analyze how learning a new language differs from learning a first language, including learner experiences and processes that occur during second language acquisition. As you examine theories related to second language acquisition, you’ll also consider the role of reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in acquiring the second language. You’ll also assess best practices and principles in various learning environments and create instructional plans and materials based on those principles.

ESL-7200 Teaching English Language Learners

This course offers a deeper exploration of theories, models, practices, and strategies related to teaching English language learners. You’ll consider knowledge and skills related to listening, speaking, reading, and writing English as you develop sheltered content lessons for diverse learners. Given the collaborative nature of teaching, you’ll also assess opportunities to confer with other professionals around effective instruction for English language learners. Throughout the course, you’ll consider diversity, equity, and inclusion as you design culturally responsive instructional materials and accommodations.  

ESL-7300 Assessing Diverse Learners

In this course, you’ll explore the assessment of diverse English language learners in various educational contexts from the perspectives of a leader-practitioner and research scholar. Your studies will include assessment differences, tools, and strategies for both content-area learning and language learning. You’ll also evaluate the role of technology in the assessment of diverse English language learners and examine the roles of teachers and other professionals in the evaluation and accountability of English language services and programs.

ESL-7400 Developing Curriculum for English Language Learners

Here you’ll examine frameworks for curriculum development, including the development of unit plans for both content-area and language learning outcomes related to reading, writing, and speaking English. You’ll also consider strategies for differentiating curricula and evaluating proficiency standards and guidelines for English language learners.

ED-7009 Educating a Diversity of Learners

Because today’s learners differ in gender, sexual orientation, age, cultural background, experiences, and abilities, modern educators must be able to appraise, assess, and argue the best means to reach such a variety. In this course, you’ll explore different means to address the nature of cultural diversity, its sources, and its importance to educators. You’ll also consider how districts can plan and prepare to meet the needs of diverse students, taking into consideration epistemological and axiological perspectives unique to many cultures.

ESL-7600 Issues in ELL Education

In this course, you’ll analyze historical contexts for English language learning and the current political, social, and educational implications of teaching English learners. You’ll consider research regarding the education of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, as well as different ways to affirm students’ cultural identities. Along the journey, you’ll also evaluate strategies for teaching English language learners within contexts of English as a foreign language, English as a second language, and bilingual education.

Program Learning Outcomes

The PhD in Education program prepares you for making significant contributions to the body of knowledge in the broad field of education as well as a more narrowed area of instructional specialization. Learning outcomes include the ability to:

• Develop deep knowledge of educational systems, theories, and research in an area of expertise
• Interpret theories, research, and ideas for different audiences through multiple methods of communication
• Integrate ethical principles and professional standards for a specific discipline within the field
• Conduct autonomous or collaborative research using high-level analytical skills
• Contribute to the body of knowledge specific to a discipline within the field

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Successful completion and attainment of National University degrees do not lead to automatic or immediate licensure, employment, or certification in any state/country. The University cannot guarantee that any professional organization or business will accept a graduate’s application to sit for any certification, licensure, or related exam for the purpose of professional certification.

Program availability varies by state. Many disciplines, professions, and jobs require disclosure of an individual’s criminal history, and a variety of states require background checks to apply to, or be eligible for, certain certificates, registrations, and licenses. Existence of a criminal history may also subject an individual to denial of an initial application for a certificate, registration, or license and/or result in the revocation or suspension of an existing certificate, registration, or license. Requirements can vary by state, occupation, and/or licensing authority.

NU graduates will be subject to additional requirements on a program, certification/licensure, employment, and state-by-state basis that can include one or more of the following items: internships, practicum experience, additional coursework, exams, tests, drug testing, earning an additional degree, and/or other training/education requirements.

All prospective students are advised to review employment, certification, and/or licensure requirements in their state, and to contact the certification/licensing body of the state and/or country where they intend to obtain certification/licensure to verify that these courses/programs qualify in that state/country, prior to enrolling. Prospective students are also advised to regularly review the state’s/country’s policies and procedures relating to certification/licensure, as those policies are subject to change.

National University degrees do not guarantee employment or salary of any kind. Prospective students are strongly encouraged to review desired job positions to review degrees, education, and/or training required to apply for desired positions. Prospective students should monitor these positions as requirements, salary, and other relevant factors can change over time.

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Doctor of Philosophy English Education

Develop the research and writing skills you need to become an academic researcher or teacher educator in the field of English education. This doctoral program prepares you to build a career as a university researcher, English curriculum specialist in governmental and nonprofit educational organizations, or English teacher educator in post-secondary school systems.

Degree Details

Official degree title.

PhD in English Education: Secondary and College

New York City as Your Research Setting

Based in one of the most diverse urban settings in the world, NYU Steinhardt is an ideal location to conduct educational research. We partner with schools across New York City to provide opportunities for fieldwork, giving you a wide range of potential sites for conducting research. 

Small Classes and Doctoral Seminars

Courses in this program prepare you to conduct independent research in your area of interest. You'll design research proposals, implement a research agenda, and disseminate findings. You will also attend doctoral seminars that foster deep conversations on relevant texts and issues in the field. 

Work Closely with Our Renowned Faculty

Our faculty members are leading efforts in educational reform, and conducting research on issues like barriers to literacy acquisition and the relationship of public schooling to social, political, and economic contexts. With the guidance of your faculty mentor, you will research and prepare a doctoral dissertation.

Upon completion of your doctorate, you’ll be prepared for a career as a university researcher, Teacher educator in post-secondary school systems, and English education specialist in governmental and nonprofit educational organizations.

Funding for Full-Time PhD Students

NYU Steinhardt offers a competitive funding package for PhD students who study full time.  Learn more about our funding opportunities .

Online Info Session

In this session, NYU faculty share information about the PhD programs in the department of Teaching & Learning, including the PhD in Teaching & Learning, PhD in English Education, PhD in Bilingual Education, and PhD in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Faculty provide an overview of the programs and answer questions from potential applicants.

Questions 

If you have any additional questions about our degree, please feel free to contact Sarah W. Beck, Program Director at  [email protected] .

Take the Next Step

Advance your personal and professional journey – apply to join our community of students.

Doctor of Education : Doctorate Degree in Education

Johns Hopkins’ newly redesigned, global online Doctor of Education is at the forefront of education doctoral programs with the most innovative, challenging, and student-centered program of its kind.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the program continues to lead with the “EdD 2.0” offering, which is ideal for the busy education practitioner within any professional context. Our program recognizes that learning is both lifelong and occurs outside of formal schooling.

The vision of the Johns Hopkins EdD program is to prepare education-practitioners across the country and around the world to think critically about problems within their education environment and develop the insights and capacity to lead positive, sustained change.

Questions? Please reach out and we’ll be in touch soon.

Upcoming admissions events.

Have questions about our degree programs, the application, or financial aid and costs? Join us for an inside look at a graduate experience defined by innovation and driven by evidence-based research. Learn more about your area of interest or career path, meet some of our faculty, and connect to the Johns Hopkins School of Education community. Check out our admissions events and register for a virtual information session today.

Doctor of Education Info Session

Doctor of Education Student Panel

Doctor of Education Problem of Practice Webinar

Core Faculty

Yolanda abel, edd.

Associate Professor

Affiliation

Advanced Studies in Education

Administration, Organization & Leadership, Education Policy & Politics, Social Context of Education

Camille Bryant, PhD

Joshua travis brown, phd.

Assistant Professor

Administration, Organization & Leadership, Education Policy & Politics, Postsecondary Education, Social Context of Education

Marcia Davis, PhD

Associate Professor (Research) Co-Director, Center for Social Organization of Schools Director of Research, Baltimore Education Research Consortium

Center for Social Organization of Schools, SOE Leadership

Learning & Instruction, Research, Evaluation & Assessment

Christine Eith, PhD

Interim Department Chair, Advanced Studies in Education Assistant Professor

Keri M. Guilbault, EdD

Associate Professor Interim Director, Doctor of Education Program Faculty Lead, Gifted Education Programs

Counseling & Educational Studies

Gifted Education, Learning & Instruction

Ranjini Mahinda JohnBull, PhD

Learning & Instruction, Mind, Brain, & Teaching

Olivia Marcucci, PhD

Advanced Studies in Education, Center for Safe and Healthy Schools

Social Context of Education

James Diamond, PhD

Educational Technology, Learning & Instruction

E. Juliana Pare-Blagoev, EdD

Eric rice, phd.

Social Context of Education, Urban Education

Laura Flores Shaw, EdD

Assistant Professor Faculty Lead, Doctor of Education

Learning & Instruction

Henry M. Smith, EdD

Administration, Organization & Leadership, Education Policy & Politics

Program Overview

Exceptional education-practitioners will engage with an internationally renowned faculty to cultivate and practice curiosity, critical discourse, and perspective taking in a unique and rigorous course of study using the lenses of social justice, systems thinking, appropriate research methods, and empirical inquiry.

Coursework includes the latest research on the social determinants of education; mind, brain, and teaching; entrepreneurship; data and measurement; and technology. The redesigned program allows our doctoral students to customize their program by expanding their choice of electives so that they may focus more deeply on their professional interests that align with their problem of practice. Our online EdD prepares education practitioners to be transformational leaders within their professional settings.

The vision of the Johns Hopkins EdD program is to impact complex educational problems across the globe by preparing education practitioners to think critically and systemically about problems within their professional settings and develop deep understanding and insights to lead positive, sustained change within those settings.Our graduates create new areas of research, promote distribution and utilization of research findings in professional practice, and contribute to wider public discourse and policy.

Areas of Interest

The EdD program includes areas of interest. Applicants can indicate one or more areas of interest they think are related to a problem of practice and would like to explore. Current areas of interest are:

Entrepreneurial Leadership in Education

Learning design and technology, neurodiversity and neuroeducation, urban leadership.

*Courses and course sequences are subject to change.

Entrepreneurial Leadership in Education offers a unique opportunity for school and other educational organization leaders in both public and private educational environments. Students develop their knowledge, skills, and dispositions as they engage in leading efforts to build new venture opportunities in varied educational organizations. Through multidisciplinary lenses, educational leaders promote innovation in the paradigms, strategies, values and culture in school systems, social entrepreneurial ventures, and education companies. Each of the courses offers an opportunity to explore leadership theoretical frameworks, identify a Problem of Practice, and create a plan of action, through analysis and synthesis of presentations, readings, and discussion of the current state of multiple educational environments and the visions and challenges for the future.

Sample Courses:

• Entrepreneurship in Education
• Talent Management and Organizational Finance for Entrepreneurial Leaders
• Data Driven Decision Making
• Partnerships and Educational Organizations
• Leadership in Education Organizations
• Research on Effective Professional Development

The EdD program’s Learning Design and Technology (LDT) area of interest is designed to equip educational leaders and researchers with the advanced knowledge and skills necessary to critically engage with the rapidly evolving field of educational technology. This area of interest draws on the foundational elements of the school’s LDT program, focusing on the integration of learning sciences, human-centered design, and innovative assessment strategies to drive meaningful educational change. EdD students will explore the intersection of technology and pedagogy, exploring conceptual and empirical research and developing skills in designing, implementing, and evaluating digital learning environments. Through this area of interest, students will be prepared to lead initiatives that leverage technology to enhance learning outcomes, promote equity and inclusivity, and address the diverse needs of learners in various educational contexts. This area of interest is ideal for those looking to make a significant impact on educational practice and policy through the thoughtful application of educational technologies.

• Gaming and Simulations for Learning
• How People Learn
• Computational Thinking for K–12 Educators
• Maker Education: Cultivating Curiosity, Creativity, and Problem Solving in Theory and Practice
• Foundations and Applications of Learning Experience Design
• AI in Education

The Neurodiversity and Neuroeducation area of interest is designed for educators eager to explore research in cognitive science and neuroscience and its potential applications in education. Courses promote the integration of diverse disciplines that investigate human learning and development. This area of interest draws upon basic and applied research from cognitive science, psychology, brain sciences, neurology, neuroscience, and education. Educators develop the knowledge and skills to interpret basic and applied research and to apply relevant findings to educational practices and policies with a social justice lens. Courses in this area of interest focus on building expertise in learning sciences and cognitive diversity, preparing candidates for roles as informed educators, effective leaders, and skilled advocates for equity and excellence.

• Mind, Brain Science, and Learning
• Fundamentals of Cognitive Development
• Neurobiology of Learning Differences
• Twice Exceptional Learners
• Creativity in Education
• Social, Emotional, and Psychosocial Development of the Gifted
• Survey of Autism
• Introduction to Children and Youth With Exceptionalities

Cities are usually characterized by diverse populations with rich communities made up of many different races, classes, languages, and nationalities, and this dynamism is a chief strength of urban areas. However, urban schools typically serve populations characterized by high concentrations of poverty and therefore face difficult choices about how to allocate scarce resources. Urban Leadership is designed for educational professionals interested in exploring this dual nature of urban schools through a deep understanding of a Problem of Practice based in their unique context of professional practice. This area of interest prepares educational leaders to work in urban environments through a focus on topics such as building a strength-based understanding of the complexities of urban communities, engaging the latest research on urban educational programs, developing strategies for program improvement, and building partnerships with families, communities, and other organizations.

• Approaches to Urban Education
• Individuals in Urban Context
• Organizations and Institutions
• Partnerships and Community Organizing
• Power, Politics, and Policy in Education
• Leadership for School and Educational Organization Redesign
• Critical Theories of Race and Racism in Education

Graduates from our EdD program work in diverse areas, including executive roles in educational organizations and start-ups, leadership in K-12 school districts and systems, consultancy in specialized education fields, and more.

• Administrator
• Superintendent
• Instructional Designer
• Chief Learning Officer

100% Online

Continue your full-time career and apply what you learn in real time as you earn your degree 100% online.

Legal Disclosure

State-specific information for online students.

Students should be aware of additional state-specific information for online programs . Johns Hopkins University is a member of the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate , which is the knowledge forum on the EdD. It has a membership of over 100 schools of education in the U.S., Canada, and New Zealand working collaboratively to improve professional preparation in education at the highest level.

English (English Education), PHD

On this page:, at a glance: program details.

• Location: Tempe campus
• Second Language Requirement: No

Program Description

Degree Awarded: PHD English (English Education)

The PhD program in English with a concentration in English education prepares students to examine the writing and reading practices of secondary students. Students also learn about the instructional practices of secondary English language arts teachers through emphasis of the relationship between pedagogy and research methodologies used to study the teaching of secondary English.

The curriculum comprises dynamic coursework, mentoring, interdisciplinary learning opportunities and community outreach.

Possible areas for research focus within this program include young adult literature, secondary reading and writing practices, new literacies, English language learning, critical literacy, and secondary English language arts curriculum and instruction development. The program encourages students to pursue coursework in other subdisciplines within the Department of English, such as rhetoric and composition, applied linguistics and literature, and coursework in the ASU Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, such as literacy and educational research methodology.

Students benefit from the program's links to the Central Arizona Writing Project, which offers opportunities for related coursework, research, community outreach and teacher in-service programs.

The doctorate in English education prepares students to become professors of English education or to pursue other relevant opportunities in research and administration.

The PhD in English (English Education) prepares students to become national leaders in the field of English education as tenure-track faculty at research universities and teaching colleges, as well as secondary English language arts curriculum specialists for school districts, state and federal departments of education, and private education agencies. This concentration emphasizes the relationship between pedagogy and research methodologies used to study the teaching of secondary English (grades 6-12) and prepares students to examine the writing and reading practices of secondary students as well as the instructional practices of secondary English language arts teachers. Possible areas for research focus within this program include young adult literature, secondary reading and writing practices, new literacies, English language learning, and secondary English language arts curriculum and instruction development.

*Note: This degree is not TESOL, ESL, or EFL related. If interested in these fields, check out our PhD Linguistics and Applied Linguistics program.

Christina Saidy , Director

Kira Assad, Program Manager

Faculty in English Education

Doctoral Examinations

Doctoral Procedures and Timeline

Teaching Assistantships

Degree Requirements

Curriculum plan options.

• 84 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation

Required Core (3 credit hours) ENG 501 Approaches to Research (3)

Foundational Distribution (12 credit hours)

Advanced Studies Distribution (12 credit hours)

Internships (6 credit hours) ENG 784 Internship (6)

Specialization (9 credit hours)

Electives and Research (30 credit hours)

Culminating Experience (12 credit hours) ENG 799 Dissertation (12)

Additional Curriculum Information Students must take 12 credit hours at the 500 level, selected from a list of approved courses in education, English, linguistics and applied linguistics for the foundational distribution.

Students must take at least three courses in the area of specialization.

When approved by the student's supervisory committee and the Graduate College, this program allows 30 credit hours from a previously awarded master's degree to be used for this degree. If not approved, the 30 credit hours of coursework will be made up of electives and research.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's and master's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants with master's degrees in English education and related fields, such as English literature, applied linguistics, education, and rhetoric and composition will be considered. A minimum of three years of full-time teaching or volunteer work in secondary English language arts classrooms or in literate-rich settings is required.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

• graduate admission application and application fee
• official transcripts
• statement of purpose
• resume or curriculum vitae
• three letters of recommendation
• academic writing sample
• statement of teaching philosophy (teaching assistantship only)
• proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English and has not graduated from an institution of higher learning in the United States must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency. Applications will not be processed without valid proof of English proficiency; official scores must be sent to ASU in order for the application to be processed.

The one- to two-page statement should explain the applicant's interest in the program and how the applicant's background and preparation led to the specific career and research goals. Although applicants will not be expected to have a definite research topic, the statement should articulate the specific domain or research area the applicant hopes to pursue and possible research questions. Letters of recommendation should be from individuals familiar with the applicant's promise in English education, including one letter from a school principal and two letters from university professors. Applicants applying for funding must also submit a statement of teaching philosophy.

Next Steps to attend ASU

Learn about our programs, apply to a program, visit our campus, application deadlines, learning outcomes.

• Produce written article-length work of publishable quality.
• Write a comprehensive book-length research study with theory, literature review, methods, analysis, and findings based on one's own research.
• Design and conduct original research in the field of English Education.

Career Opportunities

Careers for English education graduates include professions related to the field of language arts and literacy education in secondary schools.

Career examples include:

• curriculum developer
• department chair
• district level research specialist
• dual enrollment teacher
• faculty member (college, university)
• instructional leader
• literacy coach
• middle or high school English teacher
• state level curriculum specialist

Global Opportunities

Global experience.

With over 250 programs in more than 65 countries (ranging from one week to one year), study abroad is possible for all ASU students wishing to gain global skills and knowledge in preparation for a 21st-century career. Students earn ASU credit for completed courses, while staying on track for graduation, and may apply financial aid and scholarships toward program costs. https://mystudyabroad.asu.edu

Program Contact Information

If you have questions related to admission, please click here to request information and an admission specialist will reach out to you directly. For questions regarding faculty or courses, please use the contact information below.

• [email protected]
• 480/965-3168

English Ph.D.

The Ph.D. program in English at the University of Texas at Austin is one of the largest and best doctoral programs of its kind. Ranked in the top 20 English Graduate Programs by U.S. News & World Report , our program offers students intensive research mentoring and pedagogical training in the vibrant setting that is Austin, Texas. In addition, all admitted English PhD students receive six years of full funding .

Drawing on the resources of two units, the Department of English and the Department of Rhetoric and Writing, our program has at its center a dynamic and dedicated faculty of over 60 .

While the Ph.D. program is housed in and administered by the Department of English , the Department of Rhetoric and Writing is a crucial partner in helping to educate our shared students. The make-up of each cohort of students mirrors our unusual interdepartmental collaboration: each year we accept 10-12 students in literature and 4 in rhetoric and digital literacies.

One of the distinguishing features of our program is its collegiality and sense of shared purpose. Students and faculty work collaboratively on a number of departmental and university-wide committees, participate actively in reading and writing groups, and treat one another with respect.

Our program is engaged not only in meeting the challenges of a complex, rapidly changing academic discipline but also in helping to shape it. Our graduate courses examine relationships between writing and other cultural practices and explore the social, historical, rhetorical, and technological processes by which literature and other discourses are constituted. While we take seriously our responsibility to help train the next generation of the professoriate—that is, to cultivate scholarship, effective teaching, and collegiality—we also encourage our students to think of their training and their futures in the broadest terms possible.

Requirements

• Foreign Language Requirement
• Tab Option 4
• Tab Option 5

All students, regardless of whether they enter with a BA or MA, are required to complete 39 hours of formal graduate coursework taken for a grade before the end of their third year. These 39 hours must include:

• E384K Disciplinary Inquiries, which is taken in the first semester. It may not include other courses under the E384 course number.
• At least one 3-hour seminar on pre-1800 material
• At least one 3-hour seminar on post-1800 material
• At least 3 hours, but no more than 9 hours, taken out of department. Out-of-department courses include: undergraduate English courses taken for graduate credit, creative writing workshops or Literature for Writers courses with the New Writers Project, and supervised study conference courses arranged with individual faculty members.

These curricular requirements ensure that students encounter a wide range of courses, faculty, and texts during their time at UT, extending well beyond their specialized area of interest. Students choose coursework in consultation with the Associate Graduate Advisor, who may allow substitutions for English courses in cases where alternate coursework is needed to supplement departmental offerings. This alternate coursework could take the form of the out-of-department courses listed above. Such substitutions may be warranted in cases where a student is pursuing a portfolio in an interdisciplinary unit such as CWGS, MALS, or AADS; where the English department offers few courses in the student’s area of interest; or where the student needs to pursue a foreign language for research purposes. We encourage students to investigate portfolio options early in their career so they can integrate those courses as soon as possible. Some portfolios require 12 hours of coursework; in those cases, the Associate Graduate Advisor will grant an exception to the 9-hour limit on out-of-department courses.

Students who hold the position of AI are also required to take RHE398T, which is usually taken during the fall semester of their third year, or when a graduate student teaches RHE306 for the first time. RHE398T does not count toward the required 39 hours of formal graduate coursework.

Beginning in their third year of the program, students have the option of enrolling in additional seminars inside or outside the department, choosing whether to take these courses for a grade or for Credit/No Credit.  They can also enroll in E384L Scholarly Publication (usually taken in or after the third year) and E384M Professional Outcomes (usually taken in or after the fourth year). Students take these two courses for Credit/No Credit. The graduate program encourages students to continue enrolling in optional courses throughout their years as a PhD student, while they are reading for exams and planning and writing a dissertation.

In the spring of year three, students must pass the  Third-Year Examination , which tests their knowledge of and engagement with chosen fields of specialization. Students will be examined on either a fixed reading list or a reading list developed by three faculty members in collaboration with the student. The list will contain 60-80 primary and/or secondary texts. The Third-Year Examination consists of a written and an oral component. The written component consists of: 1) a 1000- to 2000-word intellectual rationale for the list; 2) an annotated version of the list (at least 1/3 of the texts with an annotation of 100 words or more each); and 3) two syllabi based on the list—the first for a survey course, the second for an upper-division seminar. Students will then sit for a two-hour oral examination during which the committee will ask questions about both the written materials and the students’ comprehension of the reading list.

The  Prospectus Examination  grants students an opportunity to receive formal feedback from three faculty members on their proposed dissertation project. Students work closely with faculty to write and revise a 15- to 20-page prospectus. Once the faculty members are ready to sign off on the document, an oral Prospectus Examination is scheduled. Students are encouraged to pass the Prospectus Examination by the end of the fall semester of their fourth year in the program.

Doctoral Candidacy  is achieved when students have successfully completed the Third-Year and Prospectus Examinations; fulfilled the foreign language requirement (see below); and identified a dissertation committee of at least four faculty members, one of whom needs to be from another graduate program or institution. All students must spend at least two long semesters, or one long semester and one summer, in candidacy before earning their degree.

The last milestone for the Ph.D. is the  Final Oral Defense , otherwise known as the dissertation defense.  In general, faculty will not schedule a defense until the dissertation is completed and ready for critical engagement.

Students working toward a Ph.D. in English at UT Austin are expected to pursue courses of language study relevant to their individual professional trajectories, as determined in consultation between students themselves; their faculty mentors; and graduate program advisor(s).

Student progress toward appropriate levels of competence will be assessed by means of a four-part  Foreign Language Audit  according to the following schedule:

Fall semester of the first year: Foreign Language Interview with the associate graduate advisor to review prior training, assess current levels of expertise, and, if necessary, begin developing an appropriate language study agenda.

Spring semester of the second year: as part of the Second-Year Reflection, students complete a first Language Study Check-in with the graduate advisor(s) and their faculty sponsor, to ensure that appropriate progress has been made toward execution of the agenda with alteration or addition in light of subfield expectations and project directions.

Spring semester of the third year (in most cases): as part of the Third-Year Exam, students will complete a second Language Study Check-in, this time with their exam committee, to determine whether satisfactory progress has been achieved on their language study agenda, again with alteration or addition in light of subfield expectations and project directions.

Fourth year (in most cases): as part of the Prospectus Exam, students will finalize their Foreign Language Audit. This will involve discussion with the exam committee, along with presentation of all necessary evidence to demonstrate that the language study agenda has been fulfilled. If, in the judgment of the committee, requisite levels of language competence have not been achieved, student and committee will agree upon a binding plan for fulfillment, during which period the student shall remain on probationary status with regard to the Foreign Language Requirement. Successful fulfillment of the Foreign Language Audit must be achieved before the student advances to Ph.D. candidacy.

Notes: Some students will enter the program with sufficient foreign language skills for their course of study (e.g. either compelling evidence of literate knowledge of a language other than English, such as a high school degree from a school in a non-English speaking country, or four or more semesters at the college level of a language other than English with a grade of B or better in the last semester, or its equivalent). These students will not need to complete the final three steps of the FLA.

Program Administration

Associate Chair & Graduate Adviser: Julie Minich

Associate Graduate Adviser (Literature): Allen MacDuffie

Associate Graduate Adviser (Rhetoric): Scott Graham

Graduate Studies Chair: Tanya Clement

Graduate Program Administrator:  Patricia Schaub

English (English Education), PhD

• Program description
• At a glance
• Degree requirements
• Admission requirements
• Tuition information
• Application deadlines
• Program learning outcomes
• Career opportunities
• Contact information

Composition, Education Leadership, English Education, English language arts, Language, Reading, Secondary writing instruction, english, literacies, secondary reading instruction, teacher inquiry, teacher research, writing

This doctoral program is designed for students with a background in secondary language arts teaching who have diverse interests and professional goals. It is ideal preparation for your career as an expert teacher of English, or as a scholar, researcher, curriculum developer, teacher educator or leader in the field of English education.

The PhD program in English with a concentration in English education prepares students to examine the writing and reading practices of secondary students. Students also learn about the instructional practices of secondary English language arts teachers through emphasis of the relationship between pedagogy and research methodologies used to study the teaching of secondary English.

The curriculum comprises dynamic coursework, mentoring, interdisciplinary learning opportunities and community outreach.

Possible areas for research focus within this program include young adult literature, secondary reading and writing practices, new literacies, English language learning, critical literacy, and secondary English language arts curriculum and instruction development. The program encourages students to pursue coursework in other subdisciplines within the Department of English, such as rhetoric and composition, applied linguistics and literature, and coursework in the ASU Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, such as literacy and educational research methodology.

Students benefit from the program's links to the Central Arizona Writing Project, which offers opportunities for related coursework, research, community outreach and teacher in-service programs.

The doctorate in English education prepares students to become professors of English education or to pursue other relevant opportunities in research and administration.

• College/school: The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Location: Tempe
• STEM-OPT extension eligible: No

84 credit hours, a written comprehensive exam, a prospectus and a dissertation

Required Core (3 credit hours) ENG 501 Approaches to Research (3)

Foundational Distribution (12 credit hours)

Advanced Studies Distribution (12 credit hours)

Internships (6 credit hours) ENG 784 Internship (6)

Specialization (9 credit hours)

Electives and Research (30 credit hours)

Culminating Experience (12 credit hours) ENG 799 Dissertation (12)

Additional Curriculum Information Students must take 12 credit hours at the 500 level, selected from a list of approved courses in education, English, linguistics and applied linguistics for the foundational distribution.

Students must take at least three courses in the area of specialization.

When approved by the student's supervisory committee and the Graduate College, this program allows 30 credit hours from a previously awarded master's degree to be used for this degree. If not approved, the 30 credit hours of coursework will be made up of electives and research.

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's and master's degree from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants with master's degrees in English education and related fields, such as English literature, applied linguistics, education, and rhetoric and composition will be considered. A minimum of three years of full-time teaching or volunteer work in secondary English language arts classrooms or in literate-rich settings is required.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program, or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

• graduate admission application and application fee
• official transcripts
• statement of purpose
• resume or curriculum vitae
• three letters of recommendation
• academic writing sample
• statement of teaching philosophy (teaching assistantship only)
• proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information An applicant whose native language is not English and has not graduated from an institution of higher learning in the United States must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency. Applications will not be processed without valid proof of English proficiency; official scores must be sent to ASU in order for the application to be processed.

The one- to two-page statement should explain the applicant's interest in the program and how the applicant's background and preparation led to the specific career and research goals. Although applicants will not be expected to have a definite research topic, the statement should articulate the specific domain or research area the applicant hopes to pursue and possible research questions. Letters of recommendation should be from individuals familiar with the applicant's promise in English education, including one letter from a school principal and two letters from university professors. Applicants applying for funding must also submit a statement of teaching philosophy.

Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program has the following program outcomes:

• Design and conduct original research in the field of English Education.
• Produce written article-length work of publishable quality.
• Write a comprehensive book-length research study with theory, literature review, methods, analysis, and findings based on one's own research.

Careers for English education graduates include professions related to the field of language arts and literacy education in secondary schools.

Career examples include:

• curriculum developer
• department chair
• district level research specialist
• dual enrollment teacher
• faculty member (college, university)
• instructional leader
• literacy coach
• middle or high school English teacher
• state level curriculum specialist

Department of English | RBHL 170 [email protected] 480-965-3168 Admission deadlines

Top 5 Best Online English PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)

We rank the best online PhD degree programs in English.

Key Takeaways

• Students seeking a PhD in English can choose from a small selection of online English doctoral programs.
• Online English PhD graduates typically work in areas like post-secondary education, language research, publishing.
• Online English PhD programs come in concentrations like American literature, technology and media studies, literary theory, and more.

Featured Programs

The online English PhD program is ideal for working professionals and graduate students with a deep interest in English literature, comparative literature, creative writing, English language learning education, literacy education, and more. However, only a select number of universities offer a full selection of English PhD programs online.

The online English doctoral degree is considered a terminal degree, which means it is the highest degree that you can earn in your field. This means that online doctoral programs for PhD students in English can lead to opportunities for teaching English at the post-secondary level, participating in advanced humanities research, or providing public consultation on critical literacy and learning issues.

Online PhD in English candidates are typically already working at a high level in their field. This means that students seeking their doctorate must balance existing work and personal responsibilities with a challenging course of education. For many graduate students, online courses and fully online programs provide a way to achieve this balance.

For a look at how these online doctor of English programs stack up against traditional on campus programs, check out our look at the The Best Research Universities for English Degrees.

Or find out more with a look at our College Rankings Guide .

Otherwise, read on and learn more about how you can earn an online PhD in English.

The best online PhD in English programs will have proper accreditation. Be sure that you are pursuing your PhD in English through a fully accredited university and program:

• Institutional Accreditation : Accreditation is vital for online doctoral programs. It signifies that the online PhD programs offered by the online school are in compliance with the standards of a Department of Education-approved accrediting body.

A school must also be accredited in order to offer federal financial aid to its online doctorate candidates. When looking for an online doctoral program, seek out options with accreditation from a colleges and schools commission in your region. This stamp of approval is critical for ensuring the quality and credibility of your online program.

• Programmatic Accreditation : In addition to institutional accreditation, be sure that you prioritize online doctorate degree programs with programmatic accreditation. While there is no specifically required programmatic accreditation for the general field of English, those who intend to work in post-secondary educational institutions may be required to complete a doctoral program with accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Make sure that your online English PhD program offers the proper programmatic accreditation requirements for your career goals.
• Carnegie Classification : The Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, or as it is more commonly known, the Carnegie Classification, is a framework for categorizing all accredited, degree-granting institutions in the United States. Originally formulated in 1970 by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and administered through the University of Indiana’s Center for Postsecondary Research since 2014, the Carnegie Classification is “the leading framework for recognizing and describing institutional diversity in U.S. higher education.”

Under this classification, top research universities for doctoral degrees and PhD candidates are identified as either R2: Doctoral Universities for “high research activity” or R1: Doctoral Universities for “very high research activity.” Look for these classifications when considering options for your online Phd programs.

Key Point: Be sure that you only consider an online English PhD program with proper accreditation.

Doctoral Program Admission Requirements

Schools that offer online English PhD programs have different admission requirements. However, most online doctoral programs will carry the same basic threshold for admission:

• A completed online application
• Official transcripts
• A cumulative GPA of at least 3.0
• GRE scores, MAT scores, or GMAT scores
• Letters of recommendation
• Personal interviews
• Personal statement or writing sample
• Plan of study

Key Point: In most cases, you will be eligible to enter a doctoral degree online after earning only a bachelor’s degree. However, some specialized online English Degree programs may require you to have earned a master’s degree as well.

Curriculum and Courses For English Graduate Students

As with other advanced degree and graduate programs, research is the central component of your online PhD in English program. This is true for fully online doctorate degrees as well as hybrid degrees combining online education with traditional on-campus courses. Regardless of whether you complete a traditional, hybrid or online doctoral program, the typical time to completion is five to seven years.

The typical components of your online English PhD program may include:

Foundational Courses

Your English PhD will typically begin with foundational courses in your area of concentration. Concentrations may include:

• English literature
• British literature
• Creative writing
• Critical literacy training
• Literary and cultural studies

Some of your courses will focus on research methods and experimental design. You may be able to complete many of these requirements through online classes. Your English graduate program may also include a foreign language requirement.

Examinations for PhD Candidacy

Many online doctoral students are required to complete certain examinations to enter into online PhD candidacy. This will typically occur after you’ve completed one to two years of foundational courses.

Dissertation

In most cases, the central component of your online PhD program will be the completion of your dissertation. After gaining status as an online PhD candidate, you will typically work closely with a professorial advisor or mentor to develop an original scholarly research question.

This research question will form the basis of your dissertation—an ongoing project designed to address this research question through applied research. While you will work closely with your advisor or mentor, much of your dissertation will be rooted in independent research. This is especially true for students pursuing an online PhD.

Oral Defense

Upon completion of the written portion of your dissertation—which will typically present the findings from your original research project—you will be expected to defend your findings. This “oral defense” will typically be conducted by a commission of professors and experts in your field. PhD candidates in some online degree programs may be able to conduct this defense via teleconferencing.

Teaching Requirements

Some online Ph.D programs will also include a teaching component, which will require you to work as an adjunct professor or teaching assistant in an undergraduate or graduate school. It may be possible for students in the online doctoral degree program to also serve teaching requirements through distance learning.

Key Point: Completion and defense of your dissertation will be a central part of completing your online doctoral degree program in English.

Careers for English Online Doctoral Students

The online PhD in English is a terminal degree program. This means that PhD students who complete this online program will qualify for top positions and opportunities in their field.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that you may be able to qualify for work as an English teacher with a master’s degree in English. However, the highest paying careers in English are generally held by those working in post-secondary education. The BLS notes that the highest paid 10% of professionals in the English field earned more than $132,000 in 2021.

Earning an online PhD in English can lead to some of these top-paying roles in the field, including:

• Critical Literacy Policy Development
• Education Policy Consultation
• Post-Secondary Literature Education
• Education Department Chairmanship

Key Point: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, English professionals with a doctorate will earn more than graduates with a bachelor’s or master’s degree.

What’s the difference between online doctoral programs and online PhD programs?

Technically, a PhD is a type of doctorate degree. This means that all online PhD candidates are doctoral students. By contrast, not all doctoral students are PhD candidates.

The primary distinction is that doctoral students are primarily focused on putting existing theories into practice. Depending on your chosen field, your online doctoral degree may require participation in an educational leadership program, engagement in clinical practice, work as a resident in a nursing program, and much more.

By contrast, online PhD students are focused on creating new knowledge in their area of study. This usually means that online PhD candidates are focused on introducing new theories, creating research projects around these theories, and presenting new findings that demonstrate a mastery of existing knowledge and the insight to introduce new ideas into the field.

Today, more working professionals than ever before are pursuing both online doctoral degrees and online Phd programs.

The Best Online English Doctorates (PhDs)

The online PhD in English programs identified here are ranked based on influence, with weighting for graduation rate and full-time online enrollment.

Texas A&M University

• #2 Best Colleges in Texas 2024
• #3 Best Grad Schools In Texas 2025
• #3 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024
• #13 Best Research Universities for Social Work Degrees
• #24 Best Research Universities for Nursing Degrees
• #1 Top 10 Most Affordable English PhD Programs (Doctorates) 2024
• #2 Best Online Master's Programs in Texas 2024
• #2 Best Online Master’s in Educational Administration
• #3 Best Online Colleges in Texas 2024
• #5 20 Fastest Accelerated Online English Doctorates (PhDs) 2024
• #6 Best Online Master's in Criminal Justice 2025
• #11 Fastest Online Bachelor's Degrees Ranked for 2025
• #11 Best RN to BSN Online
• #13 Top 50 Best No GRE Online PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
• #20 Best Online Master's in Management

Tuition + fees

Student body

Median SAT/ACT

Career Outlook for English degree at Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

• Engineering
• Earth Sciences
• Computer Science
• Criminal Justice
• Mathematics

Most Influential Alumni

• C. Wright Mills
• Frank Malina
• Gilbert Shelton
• Henry Cisneros
• Richard Steadman
• Kenneth Womack
• Elaine Ingham
• Forrest Mims
• Adrian Smith
• H. W. Brands
• Lihong V. Wang

What do we love about Texas A&M University?

Texas A&M University was founded in 1876 as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. In 1948, Texas A&M began to expand into additional campuses throughout the state, making the College Station, Texas campus the flagship school in the Texas A&M University system.

With more than 73,000 students pursuing degrees at the undergraduate and post-graduate levels, Texas A&M University is in fact the largest school in the United States by enrollment. The public research university is also the only school in Texas that is designated as a land-, sea-, and space-grant university.

Texas A&M makes a wide range of excellent graduate level degrees available to students both through traditional delivery and fully online classes. For instance, students can complete the PhD in English either online or at the Texas A&M-Commerce campus.

Are planning to conduct advanced graduate research. Texas A&M is classified among R1: Doctoral Universities for its very high level of research activity.

Are looking for a more intimate college experience. Texas A&M is literally the largest school you could possibly attend.

University of Alabama at Birmingham

• #4 Best Grad Schools in Alabama 2024
• #4 Alabama's Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2024
• #1 Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity in Alabama
• #1 Best Online Bachelor’s of Data Science and Analytics Degree Programs for 2024
• #3 Best Online Master's in Kinesiology Degree Programs
• #3 Best Online Bachelor’s of Human Services Degree Programs Ranked for 2024
• #3 Best Online MBA Programs in Alabama
• #3 Best Online Colleges in Alabama 2024
• #3 Best Online Master's Programs in Alabama 2024
• #5 Best Online MBA in Entrepreneurship Ranked for Students in 2024
• #6 Best Online Bachelor's in Accounting 2025
• #7 Best Online Master’s in Sustainability and Green Technologies
• #7 Best Online Master's in Nursing MSN
• #7 Best Online Bachelor's of Finance Degree Programs for 2024
• #8 15 Most Affordable Online Public Health Doctorates (PhDs)
• #8 Best Online MBA in Marketing Degree Programs Ranked for Students in 2024
• #9 20 Fastest Accelerated Online English Doctorates (PhDs) 2024
• #9 Fastest Accelerated Online Public Health Doctorates (PhDs)
• #9 Best Online Master’s in Educational Administration
• #10 Best Online Master’s in Health Informatics 2025
• #12 Best Online Bachelor’s in Marketing and Advertising Degree Programs for 2024
• #13 Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity
• #15 Best Online MBAs in Finance
• #15 Best Online Bachelor's in Psychology Degree Programs for Students
• #18 Best Research Universities with Online Doctorates (PhDs) 2024
• #19 The Best Online Colleges Ranked for Students in 2024
• #4 Best College Majors that Offer Accelerated Degree Programs

Career Outlook for English degree at University of Alabama at Birmingham

University of Alabama at Birmingham’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

• Anthropology
• Rebecca Bace
• Ray L. Watts
• Eli Capilouto
• Lawrence J. DeLucas
• Hadiyah-Nicole Green
• Graeme McDowell
• David B. Allison
• Clancy Blair
• Bruce R. Korf
• Selwyn M. Vickers
• Ricardo Azziz
• Jason Aaron

What do we love about University of Alabama-Birmingham?

University of Alabama-Birmingham was formed in 1936 as a small regional “academic extension center.” Over the next three decades, the school grew into a public research university boasting 140 undergraduate and graduate programs across 12 academic departments.

From its humble regional beginning, the University of Alabama-Birmingham today serves more than 22,000 students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In fact, the university is also the single largest employer in the state, with more than 75,000 people working as faculty, staff, and in various jobs across the university health system.

UAB is identified among R1: Doctoral Universities for its very high level of research. Students pursuing their PhD have a number of options both online and on campus. In particular, UAB offers a variety of excellent online education PhDs, which can provide an excellent degree pathway for those with an interest in post-secondary English and literature education, or those with an interest in literacy research and policy development. Relevant concentrations include the online PhD in Early Childhood Education and the online PhD in Educational Studies in Diverse Populations .

Want balance between big city life and a small town feel. Students describe the campus and surrounding Birmingham as offering a safe community in a vibrant urban setting.

Are seeking a broad selection of on-campus activities. Some students describe options as limited in this area.

Texas Tech University

• #7 Best Colleges in Texas 2024
• #1 Best Online Colleges in Texas 2024
• #1 Best Online Master's in English
• #2 Best Online Bachelor's of English Degree Programs for 2024
• #2 Best Online Certificate in Liberal Arts and Humanities Ranked for Students
• #2 Best Online MBA Programs in Texas
• #2 Top 8 Best Online Public Health PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
• #3 Fastest Accelerated Online Doctorate of Information Technology
• #4 10 Fastest Accelerated Online Master's of English Programs
• #4 Top 10 Best Online Master's of Public Relations Ranked 2024
• #5 Best Online Bachelor’s of Digital Media for 2025
• #5 Best Online Bachelor's in Sociology Degree Programs Ranked for 2025
• #5 Top 10 Best Online Communications PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
• #6 Best Online Master’s in Engineering Management
• #7 Best Online Master's Programs in Texas 2024
• #7 Best Online Bachelor’s of Early Childhood Education Degree Programs for 2025
• #7 Best Online Master's in Agriculture and Agribusiness Degree Programs
• #8 20 Fastest Accelerated Online English Doctorates (PhDs) 2024
• #8 10 Best Online Master's of Music Education Degree Programs
• #8 The Most Affordable Online Clinical Nutrition Doctorate Degree Programs (PhDs) 2024
• #9 Best Online Doctorate of Educational Psychology (PhDs) 2024
• #10 Best Online Bachelor’s of Communications Degree Programs for 2025
• #10 Best Online Master’s in Communications
• #11 Best Online Master's in Marketing and Advertising
• #12 The Best Online Colleges Ranked for Students in 2024
• #12 Top 20 Most Affordable Online Doctorate of Education (PhDs)
• #13 Best Online Master's in Special Education 2025
• #13 Best Data Science Online Master’s Programs 2025
• #14 Best Online Master's in Computer Science Degree Programs
• #15 Best Online Doctorate in Education Degree Programs Ranked for Students
• #15 Best Online Master’s in Education
• #16 Best Research Universities with Online Doctorates (PhDs) 2024
• #20 Top 20 Best Online Accredited Doctorate Degree Programs (PhDs) 2024
• #20 Best Online Master’s in Engineering 2025
• #23 The Best Online MBA Degree Programs in 2024 Ranked for Students
• #23 Top 50 Best No GRE Online PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)

Career Outlook for English degree at Texas Tech University

Texas Tech University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

• Political Science
• John Hinckley Jr.
• Arati Prabhakar
• James T. Richardson
• Mica Endsley
• Carolyn Eisele
• Paul E. Gray
• Guy McPherson
• John Denver
• Manuel H. Johnson
• M. David Rudd

What do we love about Texas Tech University?

Texas Tech University began life as the Texas Technical College with its founding 1923. Based in Lubbock, Texas Tech is considered the primary institution among the five schools making up the Texas Tech University System.

Taking its present name in 1969, Texas Tech University would become the sixth-largest institution in the state of Texas. Today, there are more than 40,000 students earning degrees at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels at the public research university

Texas Tech is particularly noteworthy as a destination for prospective PhDs, including those with an interest in its online PhD in English. The school has a number of different PhD in English programs , including creative writing, literature, linguistics, and rhetoric. Texas Tech is classified among R1: Doctoral Universities, so noted for their very high research activity.

Like a college with strong school spirit. Students repeatedly note that the school spirit is a major feature of campus life, which can make Texas Tech feel like one big community.

Are looking for a small campus. Like a lot of other things in Texas, Texas Tech is a sprawling campus. Students note that the sheer distance of walking between classes can sometimes be exhausting.

Old Dominion University

• #8 Best Colleges in Virginia 2024
• #1 Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity in Virginia
• #1 Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity in the District Of Columbia
• #2 Top 10 Most Affordable English PhD Programs (Doctorates) 2024
• #2 Fastest Accelerated Online Bachelor's of Cybersecurity
• #3 Best Online MBA Programs in Virginia
• #3 Best Online Colleges in Virginia 2024
• #3 Fastest Accelerated Online Bachelor's of Accounting Programs
• #3 Best Online Bachelor's in Computer Science Degree Programs
• #3 Fastest Accelerated Online Bachelor's of Healthcare Administration
• #3 Best Online Bachelor’s of Elementary Education Degree Programs for 2025
• #3 Best Online Bachelor's of Finance Degree Programs for 2024
• #4 Best Online Master's Programs in Virginia 2024
• #4 Best Online Bachelor’s of Electrical and Computer Engineering Degree Programs for 2024
• #6 11 Fastest Accelerated Online Master’s of Computer Science
• #6 Best Online Bachelor’s in Marketing and Advertising Degree Programs for 2024
• #6 Best Online Bachelor’s of Education Degree Programs for 2024
• #7 Top 20 Most Affordable Online Bachelor's of Cybersecurity 2025
• #7 Best Online Bachelor’s of Health Science Degree Programs Ranked for 2025
• #7 Best Online Master's in English
• #8 Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity
• #9 10 Fastest Accelerated Online Master's of English Programs
• #9 Top 20 Most Affordable Online Master's of Nursing Programs 2025
• #10 20 Fastest Accelerated Online English Doctorates (PhDs) 2024
• #10 15 Most Affordable Online Public Health Doctorates (PhDs)
• #10 Best Online Master's in Sports Management 2025
• #11 Best Online Bachelor's in Sociology Degree Programs Ranked for 2025
• #11 Best Online Bachelor's in Public Health Degree Programs for Students
• #13 Best Online Bachelor's in Accounting 2025
• #13 Best Online Master's in Computer Science Degree Programs
• #18 Best Online Bachelor's in Psychology Degree Programs for Students
• #19 Best Online Master’s in Engineering Management
• #22 Best Online Master's in Special Education 2025
• #23 Best Online Doctorate in Education Degree Programs Ranked for Students
• #24 Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Administration Degree Programs
• #4 Top 20 Fastest Accelerated Online Bachelor's in Counseling
• #13 Fastest Accelerated Online Master's of Nursing Degree Programs 2024

Career Outlook for English degree at Old Dominion University

Old Dominion University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

• Justin Verlander
• Nancy Lieberman
• Serkan Golge
• Ticha Penicheiro
• Linda B. Hayden
• Richard C. McCarty
• Kent Bazemore
• Bonita V. Saunders
• Sarah McCoy
• Jack T. Kirby
• Philip C. Kendall

What do we love about Old Dominion University?

Old Dominion University was formed in 1930 as the Norfolk Division of the College of William & Mary. Based in Norfolk, Virginia, Old Dominion university offers more than 150 graduate and undergraduate degree options.

Today, Old Dominion serves more than 24,000 students at the graduate and undergraduate levels, and is noted as an institution where a high level of scientific and technological innovation takes place.

Old Dominion is identified among R1: Doctoral Universities for its very high level of research. Students pursuing their PhD have a number of options both online and on campus.

ODU has an online English doctoral program that results in a PhD in English. The program is 48 credit hours and includes two summer visits to campus.

Enjoy diversity. Students at ODU represent all 50 states as well as more than 80 nations around the world.

Do not prefer a college in an urban area. ODU’s 251 acre campus is less than 5 miles from downtown Norfolk.

Murray State University

• #2 Best Online Bachelor's in Cybersecurity Degree Programs in Kentucky
• #3 Best Online Associate Degrees in Kentucky 2024
• #3 Top 10 Most Affordable English PhD Programs (Doctorates) 2024
• #3 Best Online Bachelor’s in Agribusiness and Agriculture Degree Programs
• #4 Best Online MBA in Healthcare Management Ranked for Students in 2024
• #5 Best Online MBA Programs in Kentucky
• #6 Best Online Master's Programs in Kentucky 2024
• #6 Best Online Colleges in Kentucky 2024
• #7 Best Online Bachelor's in Network Administration Degree Programs for 2024
• #11 Best Online Master's in English
• #12 Best Online Master's in Economics 2025
• #12 Top 20 Most Affordable Online PhD of Nursing (DNP) Programs
• #13 Best Online Bachelor’s of Human Services Degree Programs Ranked for 2024
• #14 20 Fastest Accelerated Online English Doctorates (PhDs) 2024
• #14 Best Online Associate in General Studies
• #18 Best Online Associate in Business Administration
• #18 Best Online Master’s in Educational Administration
• #23 Best Online Master's in Healthcare Administration

Career Outlook for English degree at Murray State University

Murray State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

• Jeff Easley
• David L. Armstrong
• Popeye Jones
• Chris Thile
• Terry Yates
• W. Earl Brown
• Kirk Rueter
• Bill Cunningham

What do we love about Murray State University?

Murray State University was formed in 1922 as the Murray State Normal School. Though Murray State’s flagship campus is based in Calloway, Kentucky, the public university operates an additional four campuses throughout the state.

Murray State gradually evolved throughout its history, from a modest teachers college operating out of a local middle school into a degree-granting institution and, by 1966, a state-recognized university. Today, Murray serves more than 9,000 students at the graduate and undergraduate levels.

Murray State offers several only doctoral programs, and is recognized for its NCATE accreditation, which distinguishes its advanced degree programs in the field of education.

The school has an online Doctor of Arts in English Pedagogy degree program.

Are pursuing careers in teaching, nursing, and business. Murray State is recognized for its excellence in each of these areas.

Have financial limitations. Students describe the cost of attendance and the cost of living as comparatively high at Murray State.

Other Options for Aspiring English PhDs

Students considering an online doctoral in English should also check out the best on-campus options to compare features like cost, curriculum, acceptance rate, and more.

New York University

• #13 Best Universities in the World 2024
• #23 50 Best Research Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2024
• #2 Best Colleges in New York 2024
• #2 Best Research Universities in New York 2024
• #2 Best Grad Schools in New York 2025
• #2 Best Private Colleges in New York 2024
• #3 Best Research Universities for Social Work Degrees
• #3 Best Research Universities for Education Degrees
• #7 Best Research Universities for Business Degrees
• #7 Best Research Universities for Communications Degrees
• #8 Best Research Universities for English Degrees
• #8 Best Research Universities for Nursing Degrees
• #12 Best Research Universities for Psychology Degrees
• #12 Best Research Universities for Philosophy Degrees
• #12 Best Research Universities for Economics Degrees
• #14 Best Research Universities for Sociology Degrees
• #15 Best Research Universities for Anthropology Degrees
• #15 Best Research Universities for Religious Studies Degrees
• #15 Best Research Universities for History Degrees
• #15 Best Research Universities for Political Science Degrees
• #15 Best Research Universities for Math Degrees
• #18 Best Research Universities for Computer Science Degrees
• #18 Best Research Universities for Biology Degrees
• #23 Best Research Universities for Engineering Degrees
• #23 Best Research Universities for Physics Degrees
• #1 20 Best Online Master's of Speech Pathology Degree Programs
• #1 Best Online Master's Programs in New York 2024
• #1 Top 10 Best Online Communications PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
• #1 Best Online Master's Programs 2024
• #2 Best Online Master's in Management
• #2 Top 3 Best Online Economics PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
• #2 Top 6 Best Online Clinical Nutrition PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
• #3 Top 10 Best Online Counseling PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
• #3 Best Online History Doctorate Degree Programs (PhDs) 2024
• #3 Top 5 Best Online Sociology PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates) 2024
• #3 Fastest Online Master's Degrees Ranked for Students in 2024
• #1 Fastest Accelerated Online Master's of Counseling Degree Programs 2024
• #1 Fastest Accelerated Online PhDs in Education Degree Programs 2024
• #5 Top 20 Best Business Schools for MBAs Ranked for Students
• #10 The Best Traditional MBA Programs Ranked for Students in 2024

New York University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

• Social Work
• Communications
• Erich Fromm
• Robert Mueller
• Martha Nussbaum
• John Archibald Wheeler
• Glenn Greenwald
• Howard Zinn
• Eric Kandel
• Lewis Mumford
• Alvin Toffler
• Louis Nirenberg

University of California, Berkeley

• #2 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2024
• #2 50 Best Colleges and Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2024
• #2 50 Best Graduate Schools Ranked for Prospective Students in 2024
• #2 Top Schools that Offer Free Master's Degrees Online
• #2 50 Best Research Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2024
• #5 Best Universities in the World 2024
• #1 Best Grad Schools California 2025
• #1 Best Colleges in California 2024
• #1 Best Public Colleges California 2024
• #1 Most Affordable Colleges in California 2024
• #2 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024
• #2 Best Research Universities in California 2024
• #2 Best Research Universities for Social Work Degrees
• #3 Best Research Universities for Communications Degrees
• #4 Best Research Universities for Sociology Degrees
• #4 Best Research Universities for Engineering Degrees
• #4 Best Research Universities for Chemistry Degrees
• #4 Best Research Universities for Computer Science Degrees
• #5 Best Research Universities for Anthropology Degrees
• #5 Best Research Universities for Math Degrees
• #6 Best Research Universities for Physics Degrees
• #7 Best Research Universities for English Degrees
• #7 Best Research Universities for History Degrees
• #7 Best Research Universities for Political Science Degrees
• #7 Best Research Universities for Philosophy Degrees
• #8 Best Research Universities for Earth Sciences Degrees
• #8 Best Research Universities for Biology Degrees
• #8 Best Research Universities for Economics Degrees
• #9 Best Research Universities for Psychology Degrees
• #9 Best Research Universities for Religious Studies Degrees
• #1 Best Online History Doctorate Degree Programs (PhDs) 2024
• #1 Top 3 Best Online Economics PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
• #1 Top 5 Best Online Sociology PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates) 2024
• #2 Fastest Accelerated Online Computer Science Doctorates (PhDs)
• #2 Most Affordable Online Computer Science PhDs (Doctorates) 2024
• #3 Top 6 Best Online Clinical Nutrition PhD Degree Programs (Doctorates)
• #4 Guide to Free Online Courses for MBA Students in 2024
• #2 The Best Traditional MBA Programs Ranked for Students in 2024
• #3 Best Schools in the World for Earning an MBA Degree Ranked for 2024

Career Outlook for English degree at University of California, Berkeley

University of California, Berkeley’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

• Daniel Kahneman
• John Kenneth Galbraith
• Timothy Leary
• Shing-Tung Yau
• Ken Thompson
• Niklaus Wirth
• Douglas Engelbart
• Theodosius Dobzhansky
• Betty Friedan
• George Dantzig
• Octavio Paz
• Gary Snyder

University of Michigan

• #4 Top Schools that Offer Free Master's Degrees Online
• #9 Best Universities in the US Ranked for Prospective Students in 2024
• #9 50 Best Graduate Schools Ranked for Prospective Students in 2024
• #11 Best Universities in the World 2024
• #22 50 Best Research Universities Ranked for Undergrads in 2024
• #1 Best Grad Schools in Michigan 2024
• #1 Best Research Universities in Michigan 2024
• #1 Best Colleges in Michigan 2024
• #1 The Most Influential Universities and Colleges Ranked by State 2024
• #1 Most Affordable Colleges in Michigan 2024
• #1 Best Public Colleges in Michigan 2024
• #2 Best Research Universities for Education Degrees
• #4 Best Research Universities for Business Degrees
• #5 Best Research Universities for Nursing Degrees
• #6 Best Research Universities for Psychology Degrees
• #6 Best Research Universities for Communications Degrees
• #8 Best Research Universities for Anthropology Degrees
• #8 Best Research Universities for Sociology Degrees
• #9 Best Research Universities for History Degrees
• #10 Best Research Universities for Computer Science Degrees
• #11 Best Research Universities for Engineering Degrees
• #11 Best Research Universities for Philosophy Degrees
• #11 Best Research Universities for Math Degrees
• #11 Best Research Universities for Economics Degrees
• #12 Best Research Universities for English Degrees
• #12 Best Research Universities for Political Science Degrees
• #13 Best Research Universities for Earth Sciences Degrees
• #13 Best Research Universities for Physics Degrees
• #13 Best Research Universities for Chemistry Degrees
• #13 Best Research Universities for Biology Degrees
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Career Outlook for English degree at University of Michigan

University of Michigan’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

• Claude Shannon
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University of California, Los Angeles

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University of California, Los Angeles’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

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University of Iowa

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Career Outlook for English degree at University of Iowa

University of Iowa’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

• Albert Bandura
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Check out our complete Online Program Rankings .

Online Ph.D. in Literacy

Devote yourself to advancing literacy education.

Request more information.

100% online

2.5 years of courses + dissertation project to complete

2 specializations

61st Best Online Education Graduate Programs 1

Literacy is the foundation of all learning. Prepare to help students from diverse backgrounds overcome barriers to reading proficiency and succeed throughout their entire educational career with the Ph.D. in Literacy program at St. John’s University—one of the nation’s only online doctorate programs in literacy.

Graduate in as little as three years ready to enhance learning across all subject areas in partnership with students, teachers, and administrators.

Plus, you can enter the field confident that your training meets or exceeds that of your peers. The School of Education at St. John’s University is a member of the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation , American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education , and University Council for Educational Administration .

“The information I am learning in the program is priceless. I truly appreciate the direction that is given by my professors. They are very helpful and knowledgeable. I believe this program will prepare me to advocate for both teachers and students in my field.” – Annamaria Miller, ESL Teacher/Instructor

Customize Your Learning

Take your career in a new direction by focusing your education in one of two areas:

Ph.D. in Literacy: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

Combine your passion for literacy with specialized skills teaching English to speakers of other languages. This curriculum meets the International TESOL Association’s highest standards.

Ph.D. in Literacy: Literacy

Support literacy as the backbone of education from kindergarten to high school graduation, gain first-hand experience with expert faculty, and build a foundation for student success.

Find Your Future in Literacy

Equip yourself with a repertoire of literacy strategies that enhance teaching in a variety of environments, from the classroom or special education department to learning resource rooms and ESL teams.

Depending on your specialization, prepare for job titles such as:

Curriculum Focused on Reaching Diverse Learners

The entire 42-credit curriculum, through research, implementation, and instruction, is built around a holistic focus on helping students overcome the obstacles they face in literacy, no matter their background. You will:

• Broaden and increase your depth of knowledge on literacy for all learners, including diverse and at-risk populations.
• Develop your abilities as a literacy educator who sees diversity as an advantage.
• Gain forward-thinking perspectives on literacy research, theory, practice, and evaluation.
• Expand your capacity to conduct advanced research and inquiry.

The online Ph.D. in Literacy encourages proactive research to find solutions for literacy difficulties and advocates for equity and social justice. Through an independent research project, you address a critical area in literacy and harness what you learn to make an impact in this field.

Work with Dedicated Faculty

Learn from faculty with decades of experience in literacy education and take advantage of a dedicated advisor who supports your success throughout the program. Annual reviews of your progress, and mentorship from the program coordinator, ensure you make the most of your time at St. John’s University.

If you have any questions about St. John’s University’s online Ph.D. in Literacy, contact us at 844-393-1677 or request more information today!

• U.S. News & World Report, 2019
• O-Net Online. (2018) Education Administrators, Elementary & Secondary School. Retrieved on February 13, 2019, from https://www.mynextmove.org/profile/ext/online/11-9032.00 .
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2017 May) Adult Basic and Secondary Education and Literacy Teachers and Instructors. Retrieved on February 13, 2019, from https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes253011.htm .
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2017 May) Occupational Outlook Handbook: Post-Secondary Education Administrators. Retrieved on February 13, 2019, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/postsecondary-education-administrators.htm .
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2017 May) Occupational Employment Statistics. Retrieved on February 13, 2019, from https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes252059.htm .

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English Doctoral Program Online

• Doctor of Philosophy
• College of Arts & Letters
• Department of English

Why ODU for English?

ODU's PhD in English integrates writing, rhetoric, discourse, technology, and textual studies. The course work and research opportunities appeal to those pursuing an academic career as well as professionals with careers outside the classroom.

Your research will examine texts in a variety of overlapping and sometimes competing language-based worlds. You'll focus on texts and media when it comes to form, purpose, technology, audience, cultural location, and communities.

Focus your studies by choosing two of four emphasis areas from:

• Literary and cultural studies
• Writing, rhetoric, and discourse studies
• Technology and media studies
• A student-designed emphasis

When you graduate, you will earn a Doctor of Philosophy degree in English.

Want to learn more? Contact us!

Most Affordable Online PhD in English, 2023 - AcademicInfluence.com

Required Courses

• 48 credit hours

All part-time students must attend two Summer Doctoral Institutes at ODU's main campus. This satisfies the residency requirements for this degree.

Contact us to talk with an advisor to determine if you have credits that will transfer. 

• See Course Details in the ODU Graduate Catalog

Online Learning Environment

Participate in live, regularly scheduled online class meetings and access course materials online from any location. All courses follow ODU's regular academic calendar.

This program requires attendance at two Summer Doctoral Institutes at ODU's main campus. Each institute is two weeks long and is held in July.

• Online Experience

Careers in English

• Writing/Editing
• Advertising
• Public Relations
• Business/Industry
• Digital Design

Calculating Cost

Rates are effective Fall 2024 and subject to change. * In-state rate assumes residency requirements are met.

• Explore ODUGlobal Cost & Aid

Meet Your Team

You'll have a dedicated academic advisor for this program.

Contact us if you have questions about admission requirements, transferring credits, or application deadlines.

Ready to get started?

How to apply.

Applications are accepted for entrance in the Fall semester only and must be submitted no later than February 1. Late applicants not applying for financial assistance may be considered until March 15, if openings are available.

If you don't have some significant background in an English-related field, the department encourages you to take master’s level coursework in English before applying. Detailed admission information for the PhD in English program is available in  the Graduate Catalog .

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Want to get started now?

You may be able to take up to four courses (12 credit hours) as a non-degree graduate student, before you are accepted into a specific degree program. 

Please contact us to discuss this option with an expert advisor.

Ph.D. Program

The Stanford English department has a long tradition of training the next generation of scholars to become leaders in academia and related fields. Our Ph.D. program encourages the production of ambitious, groundbreaking dissertation work across the diverse field interests of our prestigious faculty.

Fusing deep attention to literary history with newer approaches to media, technology, and performance, our department carefully mentors students in both scholarship and pedagogy through close interaction with faculty. Our location on the edge of the Pacific and at the heart of Silicon Valley encourages expansive, entrepreneurial thinking about the interpenetration of arts and sciences.

Program Overview

The English Department seeks to teach and promote an understanding of both the significance and the history of British and American literature (broadly defined) and to foster an appreciation of the richness and variety of texts in the language. It offers rigorous training in interpretive thinking and precise expression. Our English graduate program features the study of what imaginative language, rhetoric, and narrative art has done, can do, and will do in life, and it focuses on the roles creative writing and representations play in almost every aspect of modern experience. Completing the Ph.D. program prepares a student for full participation as a scholar and literary critic in the profession.

Financial Support

We offer an identical five-year funding package to all admitted students with competitive funding available for a sixth year. Funding covers applicable tuition costs, Stanford Cardinal Care health insurance, and living expenses in the form of direct stipend, teaching assistantships or pre-doctoral research assistantships. The department, in conjunction with the School of Humanities and Sciences, is also committed to supporting students' involvement in professional activities and funds many of the expenses for research travel, summer language study, and participation in academic conferences. Student housing is not included in the funding package.

In addition to our standard doctoral funding package, the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education (VPGE) provides competitive funding to support individual doctoral students, student groups, and department-based projects. VPGE funding opportunities promote innovation, diversity, and excellence in graduate education. Explore their doctoral  fellowship  and other student  funding  opportunities.

The  Knight-Hennessy Scholars  program cultivates and supports a highly-engaged, multidisciplinary and multicultural community of graduate students from across Stanford University, and delivers a diverse collection of educational experiences, preparing graduates to address complex challenges facing the world. Knight-Hennessy Scholars participate in an experiential leadership development program known as the King Global Leadership Program and receive funding for up to three years of graduate study at Stanford. Two applications must be submitted separately; one to Knight-Hennessy and one to the Stanford English graduate degree program by its deadline. Please refer to the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program page to learn more and apply.

Teaching Requirements

One pedagogical seminar and four quarters of supervised teaching. Typically a student will teach three times as a teaching assistant in a literature course. For the fourth course, students will have the option of applying to design and teach a Writing Intensive Seminar in English (WISE) for undergraduate English majors or teaching a fourth quarter as a T.A..

• 1st year: One quarter as T.A. (leading 1-2 discussion sections of undergraduate literature)
• 2nd year: One quarter as T.A. (leading 1-2 discussion sections of undergraduate literature)
• 3rd/4th/5th years: Two quarters of teaching, including the possibility of TA'ing or teaching a WISE course.

Language requirements

All candidates for the Ph.D. degree must demonstrate a reading knowledge of two foreign languages. One language requirement must be completed during the first year of study. The second language must be completed before the oral examination in the third year.

Candidates in the earlier periods must offer Latin and one of the following languages: French, German, Greek, Italian or Spanish. Candidates in the later period (that is, after the Renaissance) must demonstrate a reading knowledge of two languages for which  Stanford’s Language Center  regularly offers a reading course, administers a competency exam, or facilitates the administration of an American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Reading Proficiency Test (ACTFL RPT). In all cases, the choice of languages offered must be relevant to the student’s field of study and must have the approval of the candidate's adviser. Any substitution of a language other than one for which Stanford offers a competency exam must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies.

Other requirements

All candidates for the Ph.D. must satisfactorily complete the following:

• 135 units, at least 70 of which (normally 14 courses) must be graded course work
• Qualifying examination, based on a reading guide of approximately 70-90 works, to be taken orally at the end of the summer after the first year of graduate work.
• University oral examination covering the field of concentration taken no later than the winter quarter of the third year of study.
• Submission of the dissertation prospectus
• First chapter review with the dissertation advisor and the members of the dissertation reading committee.
• Dissertation, which should be an original work of literary criticism demonstrating the student's ability to participate fully as a scholar and literary critic in the profession.
• Closing colloquium designed to look forward toward the next steps; identify the major accomplishments of the dissertation and the major questions/issues/problems that remain; consider possibilities for revision, book or article publication, etc.

Department of English

Doctoral program.

• Graduate Studies

Brown's doctoral program in English offers professional training in literary criticism, critical theory, intellectual history, and all aspects of research and pedagogy in the humanities.

We promote the analysis of imaginative forms, cultural logics, and literary and visual rhetorics across the Anglophone world.  Our students are encouraged to think outside traditional conceptions of the discipline of literary studies, and often work with a diverse range of faculty, departments, and centers at Brown. Partner units include the Cogut Institute for the Humanities, the Pembroke Center, the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, the Center for Contemporary South Asia, the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America, the Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice, and the Departments of Modern Culture and Media, Comparative Literature, History, American Studies, Africana Studies, Literary Arts, French Studies, German Studies, Hispanic Studies, Brazilian and Portuguese Studies, the History of Art and Architecture, and Music.

The first two years of the doctoral program are devoted to course work and the fulfillment of the foreign language requirement. We expect graduate students to take the Qualifying Examination by the end of the third year. Their remaining time in the program is given to the writing of the dissertation. We expect this project to involve research and to demonstrate the potential to become a book or series of articles during the early years of the student’s career as a college or university professor.

Brown’s doctoral program trains graduate students to become teachers as well as researchers. Thus we require that, with some exceptions, our students teach for three years as assistants to members of the English Department faculty and as instructors of sections of ENGL0900 ( formerly ENGL0110 ) Critical Reading and Writing I: The Academic Essay, and ENGL0200 Seminars in Writing, Literatures, and Cultures. This teaching begins in the second year of the program. As part of their course work all students are required to take ENGL2950 Seminar in Pedagogy and Composition Theory. To help develop their teaching skills, we assign students to a variety of teaching positions, from assistant in a large course to instructor of a virtually autonomous workshop. We are convinced that the intellectual relationship between teaching and research is one that stands a college or university teacher in good stead for the duration of his or her career, and we try to establish this relationship early on by assigning graduate students, whenever possible, to teach courses related to their general area of research, and to work with faculty who may serve as appropriate mentors.

Course Requirements

Thirteen courses.

Candidates for the Ph.D. are required to take a minimum of thirteen courses. These courses are typically distributed as follows:

• Six courses in the first year (one of which is the required Proseminar*)
• Five in the second year. ENGL2950 Seminar in Pedagogy and Composition Theory is taken by all students during their second year of graduate studies.
• Two in the third year. The two courses taken in the third year can be independent studies designed to help students prepare for the qualifying exam.

Among the thirteen courses, students must take one in each of the following areas:

• Medieval and Early Modern Literatures and Cultures
• Enlightenment and the Rise of National Literatures and Cultures
• Modern and Contemporary Literatures and Cultures

Graduate students are also required to take one course during their first year of study that focuses on race and empire, which can also satisfy one of the three area requirements listed above.

*First-year graduate students are required to take ENGL2210. This Proseminar aims to familiarize students with contemporary critical debates and stances in the wider discipline, engage with current methodologies, theories, and analytical tensions and address issues of professionalization as they relate to the first years of graduate work.

Foreign Language

Foreign language competence and courses in particular areas of specialization are required.

Ph.D. candidates can satisfy the language requirement by demonstrating an ability to use a foreign language in their scholarly and critical work. The department offers its own language exams. Students may ordinarily choose any language  appropriate to their research interests, but some fields within English and American literature have specific requirements.

Professionalization Seminars

Throughout the year, the Department plans a series of seminars that address a variety of timely academic topics that are meant to enhance the students' professional development , as well as expose them to important elements of an academic career. The seminars are usually led by faculty members, and the topics are determined each year by the Graduate Committee. Students in all years are strongly recommended to attend the professionalization seminars since they are a constitutive part of graduate formation.

Learn about Professional Development

Masters from Another Institution

In their second year at Brown, students who already have an A.M. (or M.A.) in English or graduate credit from another institution may transfer up to one year’s coursework toward the requirements for the Ph.D. at the discretion of the department.

Qualifying Examination

The purpose of the Qualifying Examination is to certify your mastery of the scholarly field in which you have chosen to specialize. It consists of two components:

• Written Component—an essay of approximately 20 pages representing your best scholarly work to date and submitted to your committee by September 15 of your third year, and
• Oral Examination—the oral exam is given by a committee of three faculty members chosen by the candidate; it lasts approximately two hours. The exam is taken by April 15 of the third year. The foreign language requirement must be completed in order to take the exam. See the Graduate Student Handbook for detailed guidelines.

Dissertation

The dissertation is a substantial work of criticism and scholarship that makes a contribution to professionally recognized areas of literary study. The dissertation process begins when the candidate’s proposal and first chapter are approved by a committee in his or her field and accepted by the Director of Graduate Studies. It concludes when the completed dissertation is presented to a committee of three faculty members, including the dissertation director, and successfully defended in discussion with the committee and other interested members of the department.

See Past Dissertation Topics

Financial Assistance

The University offers incoming graduate students six years of guaranteed financial support, including a stipend, tuition remission, a health services fee, and a health insurance subsidy. Students are supported by a fellowship in the first year. In years two, three, five, and six, students are supported by a teaching assistantship, and in year four by a dissertation fellowship. Financial support is contingent upon students remaining in good standing in the program and making good progress toward the doctoral degree.

Applications & Deadlines

Applications must be submitted electronically via the  Graduate School's website .

• The deadline for applications is  December 15, 2023 .
• The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general and subject tests are not required.
• Application materials should not be sent directly to the English Department.

2024 Best Online English PhD Programs

Writen by: CollegeRanker Team

Reviewed by: David Krug , Editor-in-Chief

Updated on: September 5, 2023

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In this article, we will be covering…

Online PhD programs in English offer a flexible and convenient way for students to earn their doctoral degree. With the advancement of technology, students can now pursue their academic goals from anywhere in the world. The online format allows students to complete coursework and research at their own pace, while still receiving guidance and support from faculty members.

Several universities offer online PhD programs in English, each with its own unique curriculum and requirements. Students can choose from a variety of specializations, including literature, creative writing, linguistics, and rhetoric. Some programs may require students to attend occasional on-campus residencies, while others are completely online. It is important for students to research and compare programs to find the one that best fits their academic and personal goals.

In this article, we will explore some of the best online PhD programs in English. We will provide an overview of each program, including its curriculum, faculty, and admission requirements. Students who are considering pursuing an online PhD in English can use this article as a starting point for their research and decision-making process.

Methodology

When compiling a list of the best online PhD programs in English, several factors must be considered. The following methodology was used to determine the top programs:

Accreditation

The first factor considered was accreditation. All of the programs listed are accredited by a recognized accreditation agency. Accreditation ensures that the program meets certain standards and that the degree earned will be recognized by employers and other institutions.

Program Reputation

The reputation of the program was also taken into account. Programs with a strong reputation in the field of English were given higher priority. This includes programs that have a history of producing successful graduates and are well-regarded by other academics in the field.

The curriculum of each program was carefully evaluated. Programs that offer a wide range of courses and allow students to specialize in their area of interest were given higher priority. Additionally, programs that require a dissertation or other significant research project were given higher priority.

The faculty of each program was also evaluated. Programs with experienced and accomplished faculty members were given higher priority. This includes faculty who have published research in their field and have a strong reputation in academia.

Student Support

Finally, the level of support offered to students was also considered. Programs that offer strong academic and career support, as well as resources for online students, were given higher priority. This includes access to online libraries, tutoring services, and career counseling.

By considering these factors, the following list of the best online PhD programs in English was compiled.

University of Florida

The University of Florida offers a highly regarded PhD program in English that allows students to specialize in a variety of areas, including literature, cultural studies, and rhetoric and composition. The program is designed to prepare students for careers in academia, research, and other fields.

One of the unique features of the program is its emphasis on interdisciplinary study. Students are encouraged to explore connections between literature and other fields such as history, philosophy, and cultural studies. This approach allows students to develop a broad understanding of their chosen subject area and to engage in innovative research.

The University of Florida’s English PhD program is also notable for its commitment to diversity and inclusivity. The program actively seeks out students from underrepresented groups and provides a supportive and inclusive learning environment. This commitment is reflected in the program’s faculty, which includes scholars from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

Prospective students can apply to the PhD program through the university’s Graduate Admissions website. Applications are typically due in December, and admission decisions are made in the spring. Financial aid is available in the form of fellowships, teaching assistantships, and research assistantships.

Overall, the University of Florida’s English PhD program is an excellent choice for students seeking a rigorous and interdisciplinary education in English studies. With its commitment to diversity and inclusivity, as well as its focus on innovative research, the program prepares students for successful careers in academia and beyond.

Arizona State University

Arizona State University (ASU) offers an online English (Literature) PhD program that trains students in various methodologies, pedagogies, and areas of inquiry that constitute literary and cultural studies. The program is designed to prepare students for academic careers in research and teaching.

ASU’s English (Literature) PhD program requires 84 credit hours and culminates in a dissertation. The program’s coursework includes seminars in literary theory, research methods, and literary history. Students are also required to complete a comprehensive exam before beginning their dissertation.

ASU’s Department of English offers a range of resources and opportunities for its graduate students. The department hosts a variety of guest speakers, workshops, and conferences throughout the year. Additionally, the department offers several internship opportunities for English graduate students, as well as study abroad opportunities.

ASU is ranked among the best graduate schools in the country by U.S. News & World Report. The university offers more than 120 online master’s degrees and doctorate programs taught by the same world-renowned faculty who teach on campus. ASU also offers more than 30 graduate certificates, all online. Students can filter areas of interest to find the program that best suits their needs.

Overall, ASU’s English (Literature) PhD program is a strong option for students seeking a rigorous and comprehensive education in literary and cultural studies. With its world-renowned faculty and extensive resources, ASU is a top choice for students pursuing graduate studies in English.

University Of Central Florida

The University of Central Florida (UCF) offers an accredited online PhD in English program that focuses on literary, cultural, and rhetorical studies. The program is designed to prepare students for academic careers in research, writing, and teaching. The program is delivered entirely online, allowing students to complete their coursework from anywhere in the world.

The program requires 60 credit hours of coursework, including core courses, electives, and a dissertation. The core courses cover topics such as literary theory, research methods, and critical pedagogy. Electives allow students to explore their interests in more depth, with options such as American literature, British literature, and cultural studies.

Students in the program work closely with faculty members who are experts in their fields. Faculty members provide guidance and support throughout the program, helping students to develop their research interests and refine their writing skills. The program also offers opportunities for students to present their research at academic conferences and publish their work in scholarly journals.

UCF’s online PhD in English program is ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The program’s flexible schedule and online delivery make it an ideal choice for working professionals who want to advance their careers while continuing to work full-time.

Overall, UCF’s online PhD in English program is an excellent choice for students who want to pursue advanced study in English while maintaining their current work and personal commitments. With its flexible schedule, expert faculty, and rigorous curriculum, the program provides students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in academia and beyond.

Pennsylvania State University

Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) offers a highly ranked online English PhD program that is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge they need to become experts in the field. The program is designed for students who are interested in pursuing careers in academia, research, or other related fields.

Penn State’s online English PhD program is ranked #6 out of 122 PhD-granting English departments in the United States, according to the National Research Council. The program is designed to provide students with a strong foundation in literary history and critical theory, as well as in-depth training in their chosen area of specialization.

The program is delivered entirely online, which allows students to complete their coursework and research from anywhere in the world. Students have access to a wide range of resources and support services, including online research databases, academic advising, and faculty mentoring.

The online English PhD program at Penn State is designed to be flexible and customizable, allowing students to tailor their coursework and research to their individual interests and career goals. Students can choose from a variety of areas of specialization, including:

• American literature
• British literature
• Postcolonial literature
• Rhetoric and composition
• Creative writing

Penn State’s online English PhD program also offers a number of professional development opportunities, including teaching assistantships and internships, that allow students to gain practical experience in their field.

Overall, Penn State’s online English PhD program is a highly respected and rigorous program that provides students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in their chosen careers. With its flexible and customizable curriculum, world-class faculty, and comprehensive support services, Penn State is an excellent choice for students who are looking to pursue a career in English.

University of Denver

The University of Denver offers a PhD in English and literary arts with a concentration in literary studies. This program exposes students to a wide range of literature and literary theory, preparing them to teach and research at the university level. The program is offered through the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.

The English and Literary Arts Department at the University of Denver provides students with opportunities to explore literary and creative endeavors through a variety of workshops and seminars. The Denver School of Forms & Poetics brings together DU faculty, graduate students, advanced seniors, guest artists, and the broader Denver community. The program serves as a forum to experience innovations in how such endeavors can interact.

The PhD in English and literary arts with a concentration in literary studies at the University of Denver requires students to complete a minimum of 90 credit hours. The program includes coursework in literary theory, literary history, and research methods. Students are also required to complete a dissertation on a topic of their choosing.

The University of Denver also offers a PhD in English and literary arts with a concentration in creative writing. This program focuses on the craft of creative writing, preparing students to publish their work and teach at the university level. Students in this program are required to complete a minimum of 90 credit hours, including workshops and seminars in creative writing, literature, and research methods. They are also required to complete a dissertation in creative writing.

The University of Denver is a highly respected institution with a strong reputation for academic excellence. Its English and Literary Arts Department is no exception, providing students with a rigorous and engaging program that prepares them for success in the field of English studies.

Indiana University

Indiana University (IU) offers a highly respected online English PhD program that provides students with the flexibility to complete their degree while maintaining other commitments. IU’s English department partners with IU Online to offer several options for students who wish to continue their education and enhance their professional skills.

IU’s English PhD program provides students with a rigorous curriculum that emphasizes literary and cultural theory, critical analysis, and research methods. Students can choose from a variety of areas of focus, including medieval studies, early modern studies, eighteenth-century studies, nineteenth-century studies, twentieth-century studies, and contemporary studies.

IU’s English PhD program also provides students with numerous opportunities for professional development. The program offers a range of teaching assistantships and fellowships that provide students with valuable teaching experience and financial support. Additionally, IU’s English department sponsors a number of events and activities throughout the year, including guest lectures, conferences, and workshops.

IU’s English PhD program has a strong track record of producing successful graduates. Alumni of the program can be found working as faculty and administrators in the Ivy League, flagship public universities, smaller regional universities and colleges, and liberal arts colleges throughout the United States and beyond.

University of North Carolina

The University of North Carolina (UNC) offers a comprehensive online PhD program in English and Comparative Literature. The program aims to produce excellent scholars and teachers by fostering insightful and imaginative thinking. UNC’s online doctoral degree programs allow students to hone their senior leadership skills and become scholars and practitioners in their field.

The program engages in all historical periods and across several key areas of critical study. Students can learn from experienced faculty members who are experts in their respective fields. The program offers a wide range of courses, including Literature, Medicine, and Culture, which is a unique interdisciplinary program that explores the intersections of literature, medicine, and culture.

UNC’s online doctoral programs offer students flexibility and convenience. Students can complete the program at their own pace while still receiving the same quality education as on-campus students. The program is designed to help students develop their research skills and produce original research that contributes to the field of English and Comparative Literature.

UNC’s online doctoral alumni serve in prominent leadership roles, run independent practices, and influence change at the highest levels. The program’s job placement rate is high, and graduates have gone on to work in academia, government, and the private sector.

Overall, UNC’s online PhD program in English and Comparative Literature is an excellent option for students who want to pursue a career in academia or other fields related to English and literature. The program offers a rigorous curriculum, experienced faculty, and flexibility that allows students to complete the program on their own terms.

University Of Nebraska

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln offers a Ph.D. degree in English with specializations in Literary and Cultural Studies, Creative Writing, and Composition and Rhetoric. The program is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the field of English and its various subfields. The program is designed for students who are interested in pursuing academic careers in English or related fields.

The program is offered both on-campus and online, providing students with the flexibility to choose the learning environment that best suits their needs. The online program is a hybrid program, which means that students complete the majority of their coursework online, but are required to attend at least two on-campus summer research seminars.

The Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has a distinguished faculty of scholars and writers who are actively engaged in research and teaching. The faculty members are committed to providing students with individualized attention and support, and work closely with students to help them achieve their academic and professional goals.

The Ph.D. program in English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is highly competitive and selective, with a limited number of spots available each year. Students are required to submit a writing sample, transcripts, letters of recommendation, and a statement of purpose as part of the application process. The application deadline for fall admissions is December 1st.

Overall, the Ph.D. program in English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is an excellent choice for students who are interested in pursuing advanced study in English. The program offers a rigorous and comprehensive curriculum, a distinguished faculty, and a flexible learning environment that can accommodate the needs of a diverse range of students.

University of Memphis

The University of Memphis offers a PhD in English with three concentrations: Applied Linguistics, Literary and Cultural Studies, and Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication. The program is designed to provide students with advanced training in research, writing, and critical thinking, and prepares them for academic careers in English studies.

The program requires a minimum of 54 credit hours beyond the master’s degree, including coursework, language proficiency, and a dissertation. Students can choose from a variety of courses in their chosen concentration, as well as in other areas of English studies.

The University of Memphis is ranked among the top English PhD programs in the nation by various sources. According to CollegeReviews.org, it is the third-best affordable online PhD in English program. The program is also ranked 122nd in the nation by U.S. News and World Report.

In addition to the PhD program, the University of Memphis offers several other online English degree programs, including an MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, an MA in Technical Communication, and a Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. These programs are designed for students who want to enhance their skills in teaching, writing, and communication, and are offered fully online for maximum flexibility.

Overall, the University of Memphis provides a high-quality, affordable option for students seeking an online PhD in English. With a strong focus on research, writing, and critical thinking, the program prepares students for successful careers in academia and beyond.

Liberty University

Liberty University offers an online Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in English program that is designed to equip students with advanced knowledge in literary studies, critical theory, and writing pedagogy. The program is designed to be completed entirely online, allowing students to balance their academic pursuits with other commitments.

The Ph.D. in English program at Liberty University is a 60-credit hour program that can be completed in 3-4 years. The program is structured to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of literary theory, research methods, and critical analysis. Additionally, the program offers a wide range of elective courses that allow students to specialize in areas such as creative writing, linguistics, and cultural studies.

The program is designed to foster a collaborative learning environment that allows students to interact with their peers and professors through online discussion forums, email, and video conferencing. Students are also required to attend a one-week residency on campus during their first year of study, which provides an opportunity for students to meet their professors and classmates in person and participate in academic workshops.

Overall, Liberty University’s Ph.D. in English program offers a flexible and comprehensive curriculum that is designed to prepare students for careers in academia, research, and writing. The program’s emphasis on literary theory, research methods, and critical analysis provides students with a solid foundation for pursuing advanced research and scholarship in their chosen field.

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Online PhD in English

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Timelines, Programs and Resources for English Students

The time commitment for earning and online PhD in English is equal to that of earning the same degree on campus. Students will hone their research skills, take on self-motivated projects, collaborate with elite academics and ultimately present a culmination of their research as a contribution to the area of English they chose to study. After graduation, students can pursue careers in academia, as well as fields like business, law or advertising. English PhD graduates are typically excellent communicators, and this guide explores where and how to earn these doctoral credentials through distance learning.

Timeline: Earning an Online PhD in English

Earning an English doctoral degree through an online program tests a student’s ability to study and research intensively on their own time. It requires a great deal of commitment, but even distance learning programs include students in academic discussions with their thesis advisors and other faculty members in the English department. The following timeline provides a helpful guide for online students to navigate through their program with, from applications through graduation.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Because an English PhD is such a high-level degree, applicants must be prepared to provide examples of their best work and explain why they would do well in a certain program. They must show their commitment to English and literature in order to be accepted.

• COMPLETED MASTER’S DEGREE AND TRANSCRIPTS This prior graduate degree should be in English or a closely related field, and applicants should have earned it through an accredited institution. Programs will ask for official transcripts to be sent from all higher learning institutions that an applicant attended.
• GRE SCORES There may be a minimum scoring requirement in the reading and verbal areas of the GRE for doctoral level English applicants, but all programs will want to see general scores from this exam taken within the last five years.
• PERSONAL STATEMENT This personal essay is where an applicant outlines their professional, academic and research goals and how the specific online PhD program in English will help them achieve these goals. Applicants should also note what degree emphasis they are interested in pursuing within English, depending on what the school offers.
• WRITING SAMPLE English PhD applicants must include a writing sample with their application, usually around 20 double-spaced pages, that is on a topic related to their specialization or English expertise.
• RECOMMENDATION LETTERS Online PhD programs will ask for letters of recommendation from sources that are able to comment on an applicant’s readiness to attend a graduate program in English.
• RESUME English PhD programs will take academic qualifications and professional experience into account. Some consider this an integral part of application requirements for doctoral-level English students.
• DEMONSTRATION OF LEARNING COMMITMENT Because online English PhDs require self-motivated, research-intensive study, applicants may be asked to demonstrate their ability to make time, use relevant technologies and facilities, and commit fully to distance learning. Previous experience with online education programs is helpful.

YEAR 1 MILESTONES

The first year of an online English doctoral program is the last chance a student has to play the academic field. After this year, or sometimes even before applying to the program, English PhD students must choose an area of English to specialize in and study intensively. This is where they will devote all of their attention to throughout their PhD program.

• CHOOSE A CONCENTRATION Any undecided students need to choose a focus within English in the first year of an online PhD program in order to direct their future research and prepare for their final thesis. Concentrations may be in a specific time period of literature, or more general concentrations like technology and media studies.
• REFINE RESEARCH PRACTICES Throughout the English PhD program, students will design and conduct empirical research with literature, including various scholarly approaches to writing such as ethnography and feminist research.
• INVESTIGATE FACULTY MEMBER ADVISORS Because professors are such a major component of a PhD program in English, students should begin looking for faculty advisors early. This usually involves finding a professor who specializes in the student’s chosen area of specialty.

YEAR 2 MILESTONES

Second-year English doctoral students must complete all specialized courses in their area of specialty. Some may choose to take more electives, which may mean more time in school. This is also the year English PhD students will begin to prepare for their final theses and dissertations.

• CONCENTRATION COURSES AND ELECTIVES Because English PhD areas of specialization vary, students are usually required to complete courses within their specialization during this year. These can be in subject areas such as historical literature, or theories around rhetoric and writing. There will also be other required courses and a certain number of electives second-year English PhD students must take in addition to these specialty studies.
• CRITICAL RESEARCH AND APPLICATIONS Online PhD programs teach English students to think and reason outside the box, using uncharted paths. They will have to investigate topics with a critical eye, exploring previous research but not relying on others’ opinions for their own findings.
• PREPARE FOR A RESEARCH PROJECT Students should begin cultivating ideas and relevant sources of research material for their final English PhD thesis as soon as they have decided on concentrations. This final, culminating project will exemplify their academic achievement and is needed to become experts in their field.

YEAR 3 MILESTONES

The final year of an English PhD program is completely devoted to a student’s final thesis and dissertation. Their entire academic career has honed their research skills, critical thinking, writing and speaking abilities to reach this pinnacle of academic achievement.

• DISSERTATION HOURS Different online PhD programs in English may have specific dissertation courses that prepare students to develop, initially research, refine, and organize a topic for their thesis and defense. Faculty members oversee research and bibliography construction. All core, field, specialized and elective coursework needs to be completed before undertaking preparations for a dissertation.
• DOCTORAL CANDIDACY EXAMS After completing class and research requirements, some online English PhD programs require students to pass an exam designed specifically for student’s chosen field and the projects they hope to pursue. If a student does not pass, they will not be allowed to submit their research proposal or work on their dissertation. These students will need to re-evaluate and re-test.
• APPLY FOR A RESEARCH PROJECT Before starting research preparing for the defense on their English PhD thesis, students must find a faculty advisor and submit a research proposal. This is to ensure that they are pursuing interesting, relevant, original research in the field, that they have planned their research and thesis well and that they are completely prepared for rigorous academic work.
• INDEPENDENT, RELEVANT RESEARCH The final stage of a student’s English doctoral program focuses completely on research into the specialization that they have chosen to study. English PhD students must apply their researching, analysis and writing skills, under the supervision of a faculty advisor, to complete their thesis.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

Graduating from a PhD program in English is a testament to a student’s research ability and their commitment to the subject. They have defended their skills before a panel of successful academics. This is the most important requirement for a PhD, but there are a few other key requirements for an online degree that English PhD students must also meet.

• COMPLETED COURSEWORK Because English doctoral degree studies build upon a student’s experience with research in their chosen field, they must complete each online course to the professor’s satisfaction before proceeding in the program. Most PhD programs have minimum GPA requirements that students must meet to remain in the program.
• TESTS AND TRAININGS While individual English professors may administer exams to their PhD students, the online university itself may have test requirements that accepted students must fulfill, usually to establish a common base knowledge of good research practices.
• ON-CAMPUS REQUIREMENTS Some programs may require online PhD student to attend a specified amount of English classes on-campus. These residential credit hours must be fulfilled before a student can graduate.
• THESIS AND DEFENSE All English PhD programs require students to complete an original thesis or dissertation under the supervision of an advisor. Defending the value and work of this thesis to a panel of fellow English academics is also major part of earning a doctorate.

Core Principles and Skills Learned in Online English PhD Programs

Phd in english, literature and culture, rhetoric and communication, technology resources, master’s in english, top online phd in education programs.

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Spotlight: Online PhD Programs in English

The best thing about online programs is that students have the opportunity to enroll in the best schools, no matter where they are located geographically. The following list spotlights the best accredited English PhD programs that offer online degrees in the nation, base on a variety of factors important to students. This information can provide a base for students to begin digging deeper into each program to find the best overall fit.

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Harvard offers 22 total fine arts and design programs at the undergraduate and graduate level. Programs fall under the Department of Art, Film, and Visual Studies (AFVS); the Office for the Arts ; or the Graduate School of Design . Through Harvard, students can earn a professional art degree without compromising on a liberal arts education.

Students wishing to major in studio arts declare a concentration in AFVS during their sophomore year. By the end of junior year, AFVS majors establish a media focus to develop a professional-level portfolio. Students choose to complete either a two-semester senior thesis or a project representing their third year body of work.

The graduate school offers professional and post-professional master's programs in design, architecture, and urban planning. Admission to the design master's program requires two years of professional experience. However, undergraduates may apply to the architecture and urban planning programs with a portfolio demonstrating their aptitude for three-dimensional design.

The University of Pennsylvania's Weitzman School of Design offers 28 programs in fine arts and design focused on the interdisciplinary study of art as a response to societal challenges. UPenn awards bachelor's-level art degrees in fine arts or design.

The fine arts program focuses on artmaking technique and requires six studio courses with options such as printmaking, sculpture, and animation. The design program explores the integration of design with science and the humanities. Studio courses under this major offer instruction in the application of contemporary design theory and prototyping and fabrication.

Both undergraduate degrees include a two-semester capstone senior seminar in the final year. The seminar culminates in a public showcase of the student's portfolio. Prospective students applying directly to the art program may submit a supplemental portfolio. Current students enter the program without a separate application by meeting with an advisor to declare a major.

The Penny W. Stamps School of Art and Design (Stamps) at the University of Michigan hosts 14 undergraduate and graduate level programs with options tailored toward either a studio or an academic focus. Undergraduates choose from four art degree options: BA or BFA in art and design, BFA in interarts performance, and dual-degree options.

In all programs, Stamps requires studio courses in drawing, design, and inquiry methods. Students must pass a sophomore review in which they present a portfolio of college work to a faculty committee. Students must also complete one course outside the United States in an approved international program unless they declare a minor.

All Stamps applicants need to complete the Common Application or Coalition Application for U-M. Recommendations must include letters from both an academic and an art instructor. Portfolios should include 12-15 pieces representing both conceptual work and direct observation drawings.

A private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Carnegie Mellon University offers 17 programs in art and design through The College of Fine Arts . This includes a BFA and a BXA intercollege degree programs.

The BFA program contains four media-based concentrations. Students can choose a specific concentration or create an individualized hybrid curriculum.The first year curriculum includes courses from all four concentrations. After sophomore year, students gain more freedom to choose their major coursework. A year-long senior studio course serves as the program capstone. Each school year ends with an exhibition showcasing senior studio work.

When making a decision, admission officers consider an applicant's portfolio, transcripts, and test scores holistically. Portfolios must include 12-20 pieces with artist statements. Faculty recommend including work done outside of assignments to represent independent ability.

A private research university in Durham, North Carolina, Duke University features 11 art and design programs through the Trinity College of Art and Sciences. Undergraduate students can pursue one of three BA tracks: art history, visual arts, and visual and media studies. Art history specializations include architecture and museum studies. The program also offers a combined art history and visual arts major.

Visual arts majors choose courses from six subdisciplines for introductory and intermediate studios. The program culminates in a required theory course and a studio capstone. Visual and media studies majors must take two gateway courses within their first year. Students choose from a list of preapproved courses to serve as their capstone.

Art program applicants only need to complete the general Duke application, but students may submit a portfolio and statement as a supplement.

The private research university hosts two schools catering to visual arts. The Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development offers art degrees in studio art, visual arts administration, art therapy, and art education. Tisch School of the Arts provides undergraduate and graduate level tracks in art and design for film .

The BFA in studio art program begins with a year-long foundation program and ends with a senior studio capstone course. In this course, students develop a portfolio and plan their gallery showcase in small groups. The Tisch film program covers four primary stages: introductory, fundamental, intermediate, and advanced. After completing a bachelor's program, students interested in production design can apply to the MFA program.

Applicants to the Steinhardt School must submit a 12-15 piece portfolio with a statement of purpose. Tisch portfolio requirements include a one-page resume and the choice of 10-15 images or a five-minute short film. Students must also answer three creative prompts in visual and script format.

Located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Tufts University offers 32 degree and certificate programs in art and design through the School of the Museum of Fine Arts , Boston.

The first year for BFA students consists of a heavy studio course load and an introductory theory course in visual and material studies. Over four years, students participate in eight review boards, presenting their semester work to a team of faculty and students. The review process helps students recognize the connection between their research projects and studio work while developing their own artistic direction.

Applicants can choose either a BFA or a combined degree program on the Tufts application. Both programs require a portfolio submission of either 15-20 images or up to 10 minutes of timed material.

A private research university in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Lehigh University offers 13 major and minor programs in art, design, and architecture . The four main BA programs provide students with a foundation for a career in art or a smooth transition to graduate studies.

The art major centers on the principle disciplines of drawing, painting, sculpture, and photography. Art majors can combine studies with a theatre major to specialize in costume design or pursue a minor in education to receive a teaching certificate. The design major includes studios combining communication through digital media with traditional artmaking. Both majors include five foundation courses in art history, two and three dimensional design, and drawing.

Applicants need to complete the Common Application or Coalition Application for Lehigh and a writing sample. Students earning a five on the AP Studio Art exam apply eight credits toward the first year foundation courses.

Drexel University, a private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, awards degrees from 22 art and design programs . These programs include bachelor's and master's level instruction in design, production, and media management.

All BS majors begin with a foundation in studio art which aims to foster student creativity and solidify design fundamentals. As students continue within their chosen discipline, they will gain professional experience through the university's cooperative education program. Students can choose a four-year study track with one co-op, usually during the third year, or a five-year track, with three co-op placements.

The Westphal College of Media Arts & Design application includes an essay expressing the student's interest in their intended program. Some majors, such as animation, fashion design, and photography, require an 8-12 piece portfolio.

Georgetown University's Department of Art and Art History offers BA options in art and art history and an MA in art and museum studies. Students can choose one of eight media specializations in a combined studio and liberal arts curriculum.

After completing two introductory courses, students take three intermediate studios within a concentration. The four concentration options include drawing and printmaking; painting; sculpture; and photography, graphic design, and new media. Students must complete a senior art seminar to fulfill the university integrated writing requirement. The department hosts a senior art major exhibition in the spring.

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions bases decisions on a student's general application. Applicants can submit a supplemental portfolio of up to 20 images to convey substantial artistic talent not demonstrated on the general application.

University of Florida

University of Florida students have access to more than 200 research and education centers, and institutes. PhD degree in English at Florida provides doctoral students with more than 20 specialized academic tracks across all eras, genres, and theoretical/critical schools of thought. Students entering with a bachelor’s degree must complete a 90 credit hour degree. Students with an English master’s degree from another school must complete 60 hours required toward the PhD. Courses include studies in the track area, related studies, electives, and master’s research including a thesis and comprehensive oral examination. PhD students must complete foreign language requirements and defend a dissertation based on original scholarly research.

• In-State Tuition: $6,313
• Student Population: 50,645
• Percentage of Students Receiving Financial Aid: 89%
• Number of Students per Instructor: 21

Texas Tech University

Texas Tech University opened in 1923. In 2013, 10 Texas Tech faculty members received Fulbright Scholarships, the most for any faculty in the nation. The PhD in English program reflects the university’s commitment to academic excellence, offering students the opportunity to advance scholarship in their field while concurrently learning to teach in multiple English disciplines. Areas of emphasis include British Literature, American Literature, Linguistics, Creative Writing, or Comparative Literature, Globalization and Translation. New specializations have been recently developed in 19th Century literature, Book History, Literature, Social Justice, and Environment, and Film & Media Studies.

• In-State Tuition: $7,811
• Student Population: 35,859
• Percentage of Students Receiving Financial Aid: 53%
• Number of Students per Instructor: 22

Your Degree: What Can I Do with a PhD in English?

An online PhD in English typically leads graduates into academia, as professors who teach English students and continue to study, research and publish papers in their field. This does not always have to be the case, however. Graduates from English PhD programs have proven their ability to focus, research, reason, write and explore: all qualities that can be essential in many job markets. Take a look at some examples of career paths a PhD in English could lead to below.

English Professor

English professors teach English and literature studies at a collegiate level. They may teach classes in their chosen area of specialization, such as literature from a certain period in history. Conducting research, remaining current in their field and publishing research papers is also a major part of an English professor’s job.

Job Growth (2014-2024): 13% Median Annual Salary (May 2015): $72,470

Grant Writer

Grant writers research, write and submit funding proposals for organizations, institutions, programs and individuals. They ask for sums of money from government or private foundations, tailoring their requests to connect the specific missions of their organization or program. Typically, grant writers request funding from programs designed to aid specific types of organizations or programs.

Job Growth (2014-2024): Data unavailable Median Annual Salary (May 2015): $43,718

Urban and Regional Planner

These professionals plan ways to use lands and programs to create communities, facilitate growth, generate interest in revitalization efforts and study the inner workings of cities and counties, in both metro and rural areas. They work with teams of people who have a wide range of skills, from infrastructure and construction to data gathering and surveying. They are great communicators and problem solvers.

Job Growth (2014-2024): 6.3 % Median Annual Salary (May 2015): $68,220

Survey Researcher

In addition to conducting surveys and analyzing their data, survey researches design a wide variety of information gathering tools to ask questions. Their objective is to understand the perspectives, beliefs, traditions and preferences different people hold based on a variety of factors, such as demographics or economic group. Survey researchers can cover work across any number of fields, from advertising to politics.

Job Growth (2014-2024): 12% Median Annual Salary (May 2015): $53,920

Additional English PhD Resources

Below is a collection of free online resources for current PhD students, English and humanities membership organizations, and career and networking resources for English PhD graduates seeking careers beyond colleges or universities. English PhD scholars dedicate their time to very narrow areas of literature, but the skills can be applied in so many different jobs and situations.

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Online PhD in English Pursue the Pinnacle of English, Writing, Composition, and Literary Analysis

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Enhance Your Expertise in Literature, Research, and Writing with Liberty’s PhD in English Online Program

Do you want to deepen your understanding of literary theory, rhetoric, and advanced writing techniques? If so, Liberty University’s online Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in English may be the right degree for you! This program gives you the opportunity to engage with complex texts, develop original research, and contribute to scholarly discussions in the field of English studies.

Our curriculum provides a comprehensive exploration of textual analysis and the historical development of the English language. As you pursue your doctorate in English, you can hone your analytical skills and contribute your own research to the existing body of academic knowledge – potentially influencing both scholarly and public discourse.

This program may be an ideal option if you’re hoping to one day teach English, literature, or related subjects at the collegiate level. Not only can you enrich your own comprehension of important texts – you can prepare to guide the next generation of college students through studies in literary theory, writing, and more.

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• Private Nonprofit University
• 600+ Online Degrees
• No Standardized Testing for Admission
• Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
• Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree

Why Choose Liberty’s PhD in English Online Program?

By partnering with Liberty for your PhD in English, you can benefit from the flexibility of our 100% online courses and no set login times. Our goal is to provide you with the freedom to balance your studies with other commitments, like your job or family. At Liberty, you can engage with course materials and submit assignments from anywhere with an internet connection – allowing you to fit school into your schedule!

Additionally, our doctorate in English online is led by faculty who are leaders in academia, scholarship, and industry. Not only are our professors academically accomplished – they also bring a wealth of real-world experience to their teaching. With their support, you can gain deep insights into various literary periods and genres, enhancing your critical thinking and analytical abilities.

In addition to providing core English courses, Liberty University offers the unique opportunity to tailor your PhD in English through elective courses. This flexibility allows you to explore areas of personal interest or professional relevance, making your educational journey both diverse and comprehensive. From research and writing to assorted English classes, you can customize your degree with electives that align with your career goals and academic interests.

What Will You Study in Our Doctorate in English Online?

In this PhD program, you will engage with a variety of critical and theoretical frameworks through courses on research and literary theory. Building on these foundational studies, you can learn how to conduct advanced textual analysis – allowing you to analyze and interpret complex literary works with precision. Additionally, you can come to understand the historical context for your studies by exploring the origin and evolution of the English language.

Your coursework will also include an in-depth exploration of both British and American literature, where you will study significant works and authors from each tradition. Furthermore, the program emphasizes the Christian literary tradition, focusing on important Christian writers, key theological underpinnings, pivotal historical moments in Christian literary history, and influence on Western literature. This unique focus provides an additional dimension to your literary studies, giving you the chance to explore the interplay between faith and literature.

A unique component of our PhD in English is the opportunity to tailor your education through elective courses. This flexibility can help enable you to pursue specialized interests and complement your core studies with topics that align with your academic and career goals. The culmination of your studies will be the completion of a dissertation, where you will conduct original research and work to contribute new knowledge to the field of English literature. This rigorous scholarly project can help showcase your expertise and form a foundation for your future academic or professional pursuits.

Potential Career Opportunities

• Literary agent

Featured Courses

• ENGL 602 – Methods and Materials of Research
• ENGL 701 – Advanced Textual Analysis*
• ENGL 705 – Origin and Evolution of English*
• ENGL 715 – Seminar in British Literature*

*Course guide coming soon

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• This program falls under the College of Arts and Sciences .
• View the Graduate Arts and Sciences Course Guides (login required) .

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Your success is our success, which is why we are committed to providing quality academics at an affordable tuition rate. While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have frozen tuition rates for the majority of our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs for the past 9 years – and counting.

Eligible current and former military service members and their spouses may qualify for a special rate of $300/credit hour ( learn more ) .

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Admission Information for Our Online PhD in English Degree

Admission requirements.

• A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required) .
• *Accepted degrees: English, Composition, American Literature, British Literature, World Literature, Rhetoric, Linguistics, Journalism, Professional Writing
• Writing sample (minimum of 6 pages – can be from previous academic coursework)
• Departmental approval
• Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy .

Preliminary Acceptance

If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:

• Be in your final term and planning to start your doctoral degree after the last day of class for your master’s degree.
• Complete a Master’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
• Submit an official transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show that you are within 6 credit hours of completion for a 30-48 credit hour master’s degree or within 9 credit hours of completion for a 49+ credit hour master’s degree.
• Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new doctoral degree.

Transcript Policies

Official college transcript policy.

An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to [email protected] .

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• Best Online Doctoral Programs

Best Online Doctoral Programs Of 2024

Updated: Apr 23, 2024, 1:42pm

The best online doctoral programs offer flexibility and convenience that can make it easier for you to pursue an advanced degree, often while working full time.

Earning a doctorate can help you advance to the highest roles in your field and increase your salary potential. It’s also a chance for you to gain an advanced understanding of impactful issues and develop the skills to generate new ideas, solve problems and create meaningful change.

Below, learn about the best online doctoral programs in a variety of fields, including social work, psychology, education and nursing.

Why You Can Trust Forbes Advisor Education

Forbes Advisor’s education editors are committed to producing unbiased rankings and informative articles covering online colleges, tech bootcamps and career paths. Our ranking methodologies use data from the National Center for Education Statistics , education providers, and reputable educational and professional organizations. An advisory board of educators and other subject matter experts reviews and verifies our content to bring you trustworthy, up-to-date information. Advertisers do not influence our rankings or editorial content.

• Over 3,868 accredited, nonprofit colleges and universities analyzed nationwide
• 52 reputable tech bootcamp providers evaluated for our rankings
• All content is fact-checked and updated on an annual basis
• Rankings undergo five rounds of fact-checking
• Only 7.12% of all colleges, universities and bootcamp providers we consider are awarded

Our Methodology

We ranked accredited, nonprofit colleges offering online doctoral degree programs in the U.S. using metrics in the categories of student experience, credibility, student outcomes and affordability. We pulled data for these categories from reliable resources such as the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System ; private, third-party data sources; and individual school and program websites.

We scored schools based on the following data points:

Student Experience:

• Student-to-faculty ratio
• Socioeconomic diversity
• Availability of online coursework
• Total number of graduate assistants
• Portion of graduate students enrolled in at least some distance education

Credibility:

• Fully accredited
• Programmatic accreditation status
• Nonprofit status

Student Outcomes:

• Overall graduation rate
• Median earnings 10 years after graduation

Affordability:

• In-state graduate student tuition and fees
• Alternative tuition plans offered
• Median federal student loan debt
• Student loan default rate

We chose the best schools to display in 10 categories of doctoral degrees.

Find our full list of methodologies here .

• Best Online Colleges With A 100% Acceptance Rate
• Best HBCUs With Online Degrees
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• Best Online Master's Programs
• What Are The Best Online Public Universities

Best Online Doctoral Program Options

Should you enroll in an online ph.d. program or doctorate, accreditation for online doctoral degrees, how to find the right online doctorate for you, frequently asked questions (faqs) about online ph.d. programs and doctorates.

• Best online Psy.D.: Rivier University
• Best online Doctor of Nursing Practice: University of Central Florida
• Best online Doctor of Business Administration: Walsh College
• Best online doctorate in physical therapy: Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
• Best online doctorate in education: Johns Hopkins University
• Best online Ph.D. in organizational leadership: Indiana Wesleyan University
• Best online Ph.D. in counseling: Concordia University-Irvine
• Best online Doctor of Social Work: University of Southern California
• Best online Ph.D. in public administration: West Chester University of Pennsylvania
• Best online doctorate in educational leadership: Fairfield University

Best Online Psy.D.

Rivier university.

Program Tuition Rate

$1,275/credit

Percentage of Grad Students Enrolled in Distance Education

Overall Graduation Rate

Located in Nashua, New Hampshire, Rivier University offers a hybrid Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) with a limited number of online classes. The American Psychology Association-accredited program focuses on school psychology and counseling and prepares you to work as a psychologist in various environments. You’ll learn clinical diagnosis, assessment, prevention and intervention skills.

Students must attend full time and can work no more than 20 hours per week. It takes a minimum of five years to graduate.

• Our Flexibility Rating: Learn on a set schedule
• School Type: Private
• Application Fee: $100
• Degree Credit Requirements: 60-130 credits
• Program Enrollment Options: Full-time
• Example Major-Specific Courses: Fundamentals of research, group counseling
• Concentrations Available: N/A
• In-Person Requirements: Yes, includes a 2,000-hour internship and at least six practicum experiences

Best Doctor of Nursing Practice

University of central florida.

$372/credit (in-state)

At University of Central Florida (UCF), practicing nurses can earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice. The advanced track program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and prepares nurses for clinical leadership roles in the field.

Coursework explores clinical management, communication skills and epidemiology principles. You’ll develop research and practice skills, learn to improve healthcare systems, develop health policy and analyze data to improve individual and population health.

• Our Flexibility Rating: Learn around your 9-to-5
• School Type: Public
• Application Fee: $30
• Degree Credit Requirements: 42 credits
• Program Enrollment Options: Part-time, full-time
• Example Major-Specific Courses: Healthcare systems and policy, nursing environment management
• In-Person Requirements: Yes, includes clinical hours (but all coursework is available online)

Best Doctor of Business Administration

Walsh college.

$1,038/credit

You can earn an online Doctor of Business Administration from Walsh College in Troy, Michigan. The part-time, online program includes asynchronous coursework and real-time Zoom classes, as well as optional opportunities to interact on campus. You can develop advanced business knowledge and skills to become a business leader or consultant.

In addition to coursework, you must pass a preliminary exam and complete a 15-credit dissertation process. The program requires students to graduate within seven years.

• Application Fee: $50
• Degree Credit Requirements: 60 credits
• Program Enrollment Options: Part-time
• Example Major-Specific Courses: Foundations for business success, qualitative and exploratory research methods
• In-Person Requirements: No

Best Doctorate in Physical Therapy

Texas tech university health sciences center.

$265/credit (in-state)

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center designed its hybrid Doctor of Science in physical therapy to help practicing physical therapists advance their careers. The post-professional 36-credit program takes four to five years to complete part time.

The flexible format makes it possible for students to keep working while attending school. Learners attend weekend lectures and labs at the Lubbock, Texas, campus. During the week, they supplement their in-person instruction with online assignments.

• Application Fee: $75
• Degree Credit Requirements: 36 credits
• Example Major-Specific Courses: Medical screening for rehabilitation sciences, motor control in orthopedics
• Concentrations Available: Research track, teaching track
• In-Person Requirements: Yes

Best Online Doctorate in Education

Johns hopkins university.

$2,100/credit

Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland offers an online Ed.D. The part-time degree takes four years to complete and explores topics like the social determinants of education, entrepreneurship and technology.

You can customize the degree by choosing electives that align with your professional interests and by selecting one or more “areas of interest,” such as urban leadership or digital age learning and educational technology. Applicants need a master’s degree with at least 36 graduate credits to qualify for the program.

• Application Fee: $80
• Degree Credit Requirements: 54 credits
• Example Major-Specific Courses: Approaches to urban education, partnerships and community organizing
• Concentrations Available: Creativity, advanced learning, and twice exceptionality; digital age learning and educational technology; entrepreneurial leadership in education; mind, brain, and teaching; urban leadership

Best Online Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership

Indiana wesleyan university.

$890/credit

Located in Marion, Indiana Wesleyan University offers an online Ph.D. in organizational leadership that can prepare you to become an effective leader in as few as four years. The program focuses on inclusion, multiculturalism and international perspectives and develops research, presentation and executive skills.

You must attend an in-person residency during the July session, but the rest of the program takes place online and offers flexibility for working professionals. The school’s tuition guarantee locks in your tuition rate when you start the program.

• Application Fee: Free
• Example Major-Specific Courses: Advanced leadership theory, statistical research design
• In-Person Requirements: Yes, includes an in-person residency

Best Online Ph.D. in Counseling

Concordia university – irvine.

$795/credit

Concordia University – Irvine in Irvine, California, is a Christian institution that offers a “biblically informed” online Ph.D. in counselor education and supervision from its Townsend Institute. Designed for licensed mental health professionals, the degree develops advanced skills and prepares you for leadership roles in counseling, teaching and advocacy.

The accelerated program takes three to four years to complete. It requires two in-person residencies and a total of 700 hours of internship and practicum field experiences. In addition to coursework, you must complete a culminating 12-credit dissertation that includes original counseling research and a successful oral defense.

• Program Enrollment Options: Accelerated
• Example Major-Specific Courses: Advanced counseling and career theories, advanced multicultural issues in counselor education and supervision
• In-Person Requirements: Yes, requires two in-person residencies, a practicum and an internship

Best Online Doctor of Social Work

University of southern california.

$2,137/credit

University of Southern California ‘s online Doctor of Social Work from the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work emphasizes the importance of scholarship and practice in the field. Created for experienced social work professionals, the program can help you become a leader working toward social change and innovation.

The program offers a seven-semester accelerated track and a standard nine-semester option. In a capstone experience, learners research and create a prototype that addresses a current problem in social work.

• Application Fee: $90
• Program Enrollment Options: Accelerated, full-time
• Example Major-Specific Courses: Leading public discourse, financial management for social change

Best Online Ph.D. in Public Administration

West chester university of pennsylvania.

$645/credit (in-state)

West Chester University of Pennsylvania ’s online Doctor of Public Administration can prepare you for high-level roles in public affairs and administration. The program is offered by the College of Business and Public Management, accredited by Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, and the Department of Public Policy and Administration, accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration.

The curriculum explores strategic management, policy advocacy and decision-making in the public sector. The dissertation allows you to complete an applied research project. You can take electives and choose a concentration from multiple departments, including psychology, graduate social work and criminal justice.

• Degree Credit Requirements: 45 credits
• Example Major-Specific Courses: Strategic public sector management and governance, research design for program and policy evaluation
• Concentrations Available: Options from multiple departments

Best Online Doctorate in Educational Leadership

Fairfield university.

$1,120/credit

At Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut, you can earn an online, low-residency Doctor of Education in educational leadership. The program offers two tracks: teacher leader for certified working educators or higher education administration for higher education professionals.

Students enroll in the cohort-style program in the fall and graduate in three years by taking six credits per semester. Learners can build community during two one-week summer residencies. Applicants need a master’s degree in a relevant field and a minimum 3.0 GPA.

• Our Flexibility Rating: Learn on your schedule
• Application Fee: $65
• Degree Credit Requirements: 57
• Example Major-Specific Courses: Action research for educational change, framing and critical analysis of problems of practice
• Concentrations Available: Teacher leader, higher education administration
• In-Person Requirements: Yes, requires two one-week residencies

An online Ph.D. program or doctorate can offer many compelling features for students, but it might not be the right choice for everyone. Consider the questions below when deciding whether to pursue your doctorate online or in person.

• What type of schedule do you need? Online programs typically offer more flexibility that appeals to students who work full time or have personal responsibilities to fit around their school schedule. Online degrees allow learners to pursue higher education without putting their career on hold. This is especially true for programs that offer asynchronous coursework that students complete on their own time.
• What learning style works best for you? Do you work well independently and with a lot of freedom? If so, an online doctorate might be a good fit for you. If you think you’d prefer the camaraderie of an in-person cohort graduate program and structured opportunities to interact with instructors, an on-campus or hybrid program might suit you better.
• How does the program format affect your budget? Online programs can help you save on tuition, housing and transportation costs. For example, many public schools allow you to pay the same tuition, regardless of where you live. However, you might miss funding opportunities typically reserved for on-campus students, such as graduate teaching assistantships, research assistantships and fellowships.

The U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) approve accrediting agencies that give schools institutional accreditation in the U.S.

Institutional accreditation means that a university has met minimum quality requirements related to its academics, financial management, faculty and staff, and student resources and services. To qualify for federal financial aid, you must attend an accredited college.

Programmatic accreditation is a separate process that gives special recognition to individual degrees, programs or departments within a university. Depending on your field, you might need a programmatically accredited degree to get a job or qualify for professional licenses or certifications.

You can search for a prospective school’s accreditation status on CHEA’s website .

Consider Your Future Goals

An online doctorate has the potential to help you achieve your career aspirations. However, not every program in your field will necessarily align with your goals. Before you choose an online doctorate program, think about your post-graduation plans.

For example, some online doctorate programs require professional experience through an internship or a practicum. This type of hands-on learning can help you develop your expertise and professional network. But these experiences usually take place in person and can be hard to fit into your schedule if you’re working full time.

You should also consider if you need a specific license or certification to get the job you want. If so, research the credential’s requirements to learn if your degree needs to meet certain criteria. For example, you may need to complete an accredited program or complete supervised clinical hours.

Understand Your Expenses and Financing Options

Tuition rates for online doctoral programs in our guide vary significantly, from $265 to $2,137 per credit. Most programs required 42 to 60 credits, with some exceptions. In total, the degrees ranked on our list cost between $9,540 and $113,400.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics , grad students at private, nonprofit schools paid an average tuition of $20,408 in 2022–23, while public school tuition cost $11,554 per year. Doctorate programs typically take at least three years to complete, putting total costs between $34,662 and $61,224.

Find funding for your online Ph.D. by filling out the FAFSA®, which can connect you with scholarships, grants and student loans. Many schools also provide funding to graduate students through scholarships, grants and fellowships.

Can you do a Ph.D. fully online?

Yes, many schools offer fully online Ph.D. programs. However, depending on the program and the field of study, you may need to complete on-campus residencies or field experiences like internships or practicums that take place in person.

What is the fastest Ph.D. to get online?

Program length for online Ph.D. programs varies depending on your field of study. You might be able to find some accelerated online Ph.D. programs that you can finish in less than two years. However, the best online doctoral programs on our list take at least three years to complete.

Are online doctoral degrees respected?

An online doctoral degree from an accredited university can provide the same rigorous education and training as a comparable on-campus program. If you’re concerned about whether or not your degree will be respected, consider doing some research about the way that your field or profession tends to view online doctoral degrees.

What is the best online school for a Ph.D.?

The best online school for a Ph.D. depends on your field of study, personal interests and career goals. Make sure that any prospective online school is institutionally accredited. Depending on the degree you want to pursue, it might also be important to find a program with separate programmatic accreditation.

Liz Simmons has been writing for various online publications about career development, higher education and college affordability for nearly a decade. Her articles demystify the college application process and help prospective students figure out how to choose a major or career path.

The PhD program in English prepares students for a range of scholarly careers in English through a combination of literary studies with writing and rhetoric. In literary studies, we emphasize American literature, Transatlantic and Caribbean literature, Early Modern literature, and the study of gender and sexuality.

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In writing and rhetoric, we emphasize teaching and assessing writing, community engagement, diversity and identity, and empirical research methodologies. We also have exceptional offerings in the digital humanities, including digital archiving, network analysis, digital editing and encoding, geospatial analysis, and text mining.

Students in the PhD program in English undertake a program of study designed to train them to be productive scholars, teachers, and leaders in their chosen fields. In coursework, students read and analyze the important texts, current issues, and critical methodologies of the discipline. Drawing on the breadth of this preparation, students demonstrate their ability to recognize and produce scholarly arguments in designing the three comprehensive field papers in areas of scholarly interest and competence corresponding to recognized and emerging fields of study. Finally, the dissertation provides an opportunity for designing a focused research project in consultation with a dissertation advisor.

Throughout the program, faculty work closely with doctoral students to develop their scholarly and professional identities in preparation for careers in academia. As students complete their studies, the department offers strong support for the academic job search, including workshops on stages from dissertation writing to the job market itself, individual advising, mock interviews, and a departmental dossier service.

Learn more about this PhD program in English from the College of Social Sciences and Humanities .

• All doctoral students receive full five- or six-year teaching fellowship funding
• Opportunities for involvement in research and teaching in centers including the NULab for Texts, Maps, and Networks; the Writing Center; the Digital Scholarship Group; and the Humanities Center as well as with individual faculty
• The department focuses particularly on the fields of American Literature; Transatlantic and Caribbean Studies; Digital Humanities; and Writing and Rhetoric

We have a high rate of placement for students conducting both local and national job searches. Our graduates have obtained tenure-track positions at four-year colleges and universities across the country and abroad, including: Columbia College (Chicago); the Florida Institute of Technology; Frankiln Pierce University; McKendree University; Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts; Middle Tennessee State University; the National Technical University, Norway; Oberlin College; Park University (Missouri); Providence College; Sterling College; Rhode Island College; Wesleyan College (Georgia); and the University of Puerto Rico. Other full-time placements include positions in departments of English and in writing programs at the American University of Dubai; the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; the University of Southern California; and Wheelock College (Boston). Tenure-track placements at two-year colleges include Bristol CC, Queensborough CC, and Quincy College.

Application Materials

Application.

• Application fee – US $100
• Personal statement
• Unofficial transcripts from all institutions attended
• English proficiency for international applicants
• Three letters of recommendation
• Scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) – Optional
• Writing sample

Admissions deadline for Fall term: December 1

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Our english graduate program.

The Graduate Program in English offers a fully funded five-year Doctor of Philosophy degree program. Students typically earn their Master of Arts degree at the end of their second year of the program.

The English Ph.D. degree at the University of Delaware is designed to immerse students into specialized work in a significant area of British, American, and Anglophone literary and cultural studies and/or theory. Students receive strong teacher preparation and will learn, among other things, the protocols of scholarly research and publishing. Graduate training in our program foregrounds the importance of preparing graduate students for a variety of career paths within and beyond the academy. 

​Our graduate students work closely with accomplished and prominent scholars in their fields. Faculty provide academic and professional mentorship throughout each student's tenure in the program, on the job market, and beyond. Students collaborate with faculty on public and digital humanities projects like  ThingStor  and even  help design graduate seminars . Students are always working with their colleagues in English, but also across the humanities at UD – partnering with students and faculty in fields such as History and Art History to coordinate symposiums and facilitate  working groups . Our graduate students also find many opportunities to research and work with institutions unique to the Delaware area, including the  Winterthur Museum & Library ,  Hagley M​useum and Library , and the  Delaware Art Museum .

Interdisciplinary 4+1 Programs

• English/Public Administration 4+1 (BA/MPA)
• English/Teaching English as a Second Language 4+1 (BA/MA)
• English/Urban Affairs and Public Policy 4+1 (BA/MA)

Graduate Program Policy

2023-2024 ​English Ph.D. Program Policy document​

Please visit the  UD ​Catalog​​​  to review the English Ph.D. degree requirements​

Academic Support for graduate students is available on the UD Graduate College website .

How to apply?

Students are admitted into the graduate program for the fall semester only. For students applying for full-funding (stipend, tuition remission) as well as admission to the English PhD graduate program, all application materials should be submitted by January 1.

The following items must be uploaded to your online application: 

• Resume or CV
• What are your intellectual objectives and how will your proposed plan of graduate study relate to them?
• Within English studies, are there areas of special interest to you? Please explain.
• How will the resources at the University of Delaware (faculty and otherwise) help you to achieve your objectives and pursue you areas of interest?
• [Note: because special scholarships may be available for members of historically underrepresented groups in the humanities, including African and Asian-American students, first-generation college students, students with disabilities, and former members of the military, we encourage applicants who may be eligible for these awards to signal their eligibility in their statement.]
• Unofficial Transcripts from All College/Universities Attended​
• A bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree has been or will be earned from a college or university accredited by a regional accrediting association in the United States.
• A bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree has been or will be earned from a university recognized by the ministry of education in a country where English is the primary language. Countries approved by the ministry of education are:  Anguilla, Antigua, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Cameroon, Canada (except Quebec),Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Ghana, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Montserrat, New Zealand, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Singapore, South Africa, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks and Caicos, The United Kingdom, Zambia and Zimbabwe
• Three Letters of Recommendation. Be sure letters of recommendation are submitted by your faculty advisors prior to the January 1 deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered. 
• Critical Writing Sample (10–20 pages)
• Applicants must have earned a BA or MA degree before matriculation in Fall 
• Please note we are a straight-to-PhD program that does not accept applications for a terminal MA degree. Our PhD students have the opportunity to earn the MA degree on their way to the PhD. 
• The application fee is $75.  View information regarding fees and possible fee waivers​
• Students must accept the offer of admission no later than  April 15
• All incoming students are subject to a criminal background check as per  UD policy 4-111

All applications received by  January 1  are considered for full-funding. Applications received after January 1 and before January 31 will not be considered for funding.

We are proud to offer competitive funding packages that include 9-month living stipends, full-tuition scholarships, and subsidized health insurance coverage for up to 5 years.​

Your funding package will be detailed in your admissions offer letter. Renewal of funding packages each year is dependent on satisfactory progress toward the degree. Read the  University's funding policies .

Most students are admitted on Teaching Assistantship contracts, but will have the opportunity to apply for Graduate Assistantships, Research Assistantships, and Fellowships throughout their tenure in the program. In the first-year, teaching assistants shadow an experienced professor in teaching ENGL110 and a literature course. After the first-year of shadowing and training, teaching assista​nts become the instructor-of-record for English courses (2​ sections per year).

Competitive semester and full-year fellowship opportunities are available from both the English department and the Graduate College. Students on fellowship are expected to devote their full-time attention to their research and are not expected to teach or perform graduate assistantship duties.

Students may apply for Summer Research Fellowships and Summer Research Assistantships, as well as various hourly-paid internships. Students may also have the opportunity to teach courses in Summer or Winter terms for additional funding.

Our department offers generous funding for research and conference travel, as well as funding for professional development opportunities. Students apply for this funding throughout each year and are mentored in finding external funding opportunities as well.

For a detailed list of the various funding opportunities available to our graduate students, visit our  Funding Opportunities page.

One of the unique strengths that each of our graduate students enjoys on the job market is the depth and diversity of their teaching portfolios. Rather than serving as a grader or an assistant to a professor's class, the courses that our graduate students teach are emphatically their own: they design the syllabi, choose the reading lists, set the calendar, create the assignments, and do the grading.

We also guarantee each graduate student the opportunity to teach at least one literature class related to the student's area of specialization. 

The English Department has a  professional development and teacher training program for all graduate Teaching Assistants (TAs). The goal of this scaffolded program is to provide graduate students with the knowledge, skills, experience, and supportive mentoring environment to best prepare them to become teachers of writing and literature at the post-secondary level. 

Teacher Training Timeline

​​First-Year Teacher Preparation

Fall:  Prior to Fall of the first-year, students participate in an orientation with the Center for Teaching and Assessment of Learning to prepare for the upcoming year. During the Fall semester, new students serve as apprentices to an experienced professor in the teaching of ENGL110: Seminar in Composition. Apprentices work closely with their faculty mentor and cohort to observe, teach, co-teach, lead groups, assess student writing, develop lesson plans  and more.

Spring:  In the Spring semester of the first-year, students are placed as apprentices for a literature or other advanced undergraduate English course with an experienced professor. Throughout their apprenticeship, students help develop syllabi, lecture, lead class discussions, assess student work and more. Apprentices learn strategies for teaching in their research fields and are supported through regular mentorship by the instructor-of-record. Students are also enrolled in ENGL688: Composition Theory and the Teaching of Writing. This course provides formal training in pedagogy and practical experience in developing teaching materials. In ENGL688, students develop their syllabus, assignments and teaching philosophies in preparation for teaching their own courses in the following year.​

Second-Year and Beyond

The standard teaching load is two courses per year (1 section in fall, 1 section in spring). Graduate students teach ENGL110: Seminar in Composition and are guaranteed at least one opportunity to teach a course in their field while in the program. This course is typically ENGL280: Approaches to Literature for Non-Majors. The course allows students to develop a custom syllabus on a topic of their choosing. Students may also teach special topics-based Honors sections of ENGL110, as well as advanced writing courses such as ENGL 301 (Advanced Writing), ENGL 312 (Business Writing), and ENGL 410 (Technical Writing).​ Opportunities to teach various English courses (for additional compensation) during Winter and Summer terms are also available.

Graduate students also have ample opportunity to expand their teaching qualifications through formal training programs in online-teaching and teaching multilingual learners. Students who complete these training programs are eligible to teach sections specifically for multilingual students, as well as online sections.

Outstanding Teacher Award

Each year, the English Department awards one graduate student the Outstanding Teacher Award in recognition of exceptional and innovative teaching. Award applications are reviewed by a faculty committee. The award offers a $500 prize. 

Professional Development

We proudly support graduate students in their pursuit of academic and non-academic careers.

We take an active role in helping our graduate students compete for good jobs in academia. We regularly offer job placement workshops every summer that help prepare graduate students for every step of the academic job search. These workshops combine group meetings with one-on-one advising sessions and mock interviews in order to make sure that our students are prepared to compete for jobs. Several English faculty members participate by helping with workshops and mock interviews.​

Students interested in careers outside the academy also benefit from our internship and graduate assistantship   opportunities in areas such as publishing, museums, and special collections. Given that many academic job interviews also ask candidates to speak to how they'd forge connections to local institutions, these opportunities serve a dual purpose   of preparing students for careers inside and outside the academy. We also sponsor workshops specifically for PhD students in the humanities preparing for non-teaching careers.

One way we support our graduate students' professional development is through conference and research travel funding. Each year, our students present their research across the world at top academic conferences hosted by organizations such as the Modern Language Association, Association of Adaptation Studies, Literature/Film Association, Interdisciplinary Nineteenth-Century Studies, Conference on College Composition and Communication, American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies, American Comparative Literature Association, and more. Students travel to archives such as   the British Library, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and the Texas A&M Science Fiction Collection.

The graduate program also supports our PhD students in participating in professional development seminars throughout the country. Some examples of seminars/institutes our students have attended include:  Dickens Universe ,  Futures of American Studies Institute ,  HILT  (digital humanities),  Rare Books School ,  and The School of Criticism and Theory at Cornell.

But we know successful professional development isn't just about funding. That is why our program offers innovative and interdisciplinary seminars, workshops, working groups, field trips, speaker series and development opportunities for Ph.D. students every step of the way. Moreover, our faculty are committed to supportive mentorship and building a diverse, intellectually curious community of scholars.

English Research Clusters

Our program houses Research Clusters in the Environmental Humanities, Black Cultural Studies and Print and Material Culture Studies. Students are encouraged to pursue research in one of these fields as a complement either to their work in a particular national literature, period, or thematic concern; or leading to innovative approaches that engage with textual analysis, the digital humanities, and/or the public face of the humanities.

Print and Material Culture Studies

Print and Material Culture examines cultures past and present through the physical objects and physical texts they produce. How do objects and texts, from newspapers and posters to photographs, maps and computer screens, shape our interactions with the physical world? How do these physical texts and objects prompt us to view identities in complex ways? This mode of study encourages students to intervene in the ongoing and interdisciplinary conversation on the ways physical texts and objects compel us to engage, interpret, and understand our world. 

Our students engaging with Print and Material Culture Studies benefit from a variety of on-campus and community resources including: Center for Material Culture Studies ,  Delaware Public Humanities Institute (DEL​PHI) , Winterthur Museum & Library, and the Hagley Museum & Library. Graduate students participate in working groups, major research projects, and symposiums such as: Media Old and New Working Group, ThingStor: A Material Culture Database, Methods in Material Culture Graduate Student Group, and the Emerging Scholars Graduate Symposium. 

Black Cultural Studies

At UD, this research cluster encompasses the study of Black culture with an emphasis on African American and African diasporic literature. Students study literary, historical, visual, and musical texts as entwined with cultural and political movements, aesthetic experimentation, historical memory, critical theory, and public humanities. Our program encourages a truly interdisciplinary and transnational lens for studying the cultural history of race, slavery, colonialism, modernity, and post-colonialism. 

Our students with a research focus in Black Cultural studies often work closely with distinguished faculty not only in the English Department, but in History, Art History, and Africana Studies as well. Students also benefit from a variety of on-campus resources through the Morris Library, Special Collections, and UD Museums. UD is also conveniently located near a multitude of museums and libraries in Washington DC and Philadelphia. 

Prospective students interested in this research field are encouraged to apply for the  African American Public Humanities Initiative Schol​arship (AAPHI)  by checking the appropriate box in the SLATE application and declaring interest in the personal statement. 

Environmental Humanities

This mode of study encourages students to intervene in the ongoing and interdisciplinary conversation on the ways that texts affect our engagement with the natural world. ​Many of the most basic environmental questions are humanist. How have human relationships to the non-human world changed over time? Why do we have environmental problems? What are their causes? Which groups are most vulnerable to environmental issues and why do these injustices persist? What shapes our ideas about relationships between humans and their environments? How does narrative shape our ideas about the "human" and interrogate its global impacts? 

Writing Studies

​Writing Studies entails the study of writing in academic and public spaces, emphasizing the intersections of theory, pedagogy, and literate practice. This field of study includes composition theory, rhetorical theory, literacy studies, narrative analysis, storytelling, writing centers, writing program administration, technical and professional writing, research methodologies, and rhetoric of health and medicine. It also encompasses a wide array of special topics courses on public discourse, genre theory, race and writing, disability studies, and writing and emerging technologies.​

African American Public Humanities Initiative (AAPHI)

Are you interested in obtaining a PhD in the Humanities with an emphasis on African American/Africana Studies? Are you looking for graduate training that emphasizes public scholarship, community outreach, collections-based research, and digital humanities? The African American Public Humanities Initiative (AAPHI) provides financial and mentorship support for PhD students in Hist​ory, English, and Art History. 

Prospective PhD English students interested in being considered for the African American Public Humanities Initiative scholarship should indicate their interest by checking the AAPHI interest box in their application and indicating their interest in their personal statement. 

Read more about AAPHI and our current English AAPHI scholars

Link to a recording of Recording of University of Delaware - English PhD Graduate Program Virtual Open House: https://capture.udel.edu/media/1_8jgflia1/

Virtual Open House Video Recording

In this video recording, you will listen to Tim Spaulding, Interim Director of Graduate Studies, various faculty members, and students talk about aspects of the English Ph.D. program at the University of Delaware.

Supporting tomorrow's leaders, scholars and innovators

The University of Delaware holistically supports its graduate students, beginning with their health and wellbeing . Benefits include a subsidized health plan and physical and behavioral health services. UD fosters a culture of academic excellence , with committed faculty and staff and access to state-of-the-art research facilities and technology. UD prioritizes professional development with job training, internships and industry partnerships. Graduates further enhance their professional growth and visibility with opportunities to work on interdisciplinary research teams, present their work at conferences and publish in academic journals. Visit the links below to learn how UD is supporting society’s future leaders, scholars, and innovators.

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2024 Best Online PhD in English Programs

If you love words and communication, it may be your goal to earn an online PhD in English.

Holding a doctoral degree is a common requirement for jobs in academia, such as being an English professor or a humanities researcher. Having a PhD isn’t just for working in a college, though.

Whether you plan to be a professor or a practitioner, you can satisfy your desire to study language and writing by completing a distance learning PhD in English.

Editorial Listing ShortCode:

Universities Offering Online PhD in English Degree Programs

Methodology: The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and offer PhD in English degree programs online or in a hybrid format.

Concordia University – Chicago

Concordia University—Chicago offers an online program for a PhD in Leadership with a specialization in Reading, Language, and Literacy.

Students must complete 67 credits to graduate. To be eligible for the program, applicants must have a master’s degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. They must also submit 2 letters of recommendation and a personal statement about their goals.

Concordia University Chicago  is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Murray State University

Murray State University offers an online Doctor of Arts in English Pedagogy program. The program offers four different specializations: Language, Literacy, Literature, and Writing.

Students who have a master’s degree only need to complete 48 credit hours of coursework. Applicants with a minimum GPA of 3.2 and 3 letters of recommendation can enroll at any point during the year.

Murray State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

National University

National University offers an online program for a PhD in Education with an emphasis in English Language Learning.

To graduate, students must obtain 60 credit hours. The program can usually be completed in 37 months. Students can start the program at any time and can determine their own schedule with no preset lecture hours or due dates.

National University is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.

Old Dominion University

Old Dominion University offers an online PhD in English program. Applicants must have a GPA of 3.5, a GRE score above the 70th percentile, and 3 letters of recommendation.

Students choose two emphases from Literary and Cultural Studies, Writing, Rhetoric, and Discourse Studies, Technology and Media Studies, or a student-designed emphasis. A total of 48 credits are needed to graduate.

Old Dominion University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Ohio University

Ohio University offers an online PhD in English program. Students can choose a concentration in one of three areas: Literary History, Creative Writing, or Rhetoric and Composition.

Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and 2 years of undergraduate coursework related to foreign languages and should submit GRE scores and 3 letters of recommendation.

Ohio University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Rowan University

Rowan University offers a PhD in Education with an option to add a Language and Literacy Concentration.

Students must complete 72 semester hours, with 15 hours dedicated to the specialization. A thesis or project is required to graduate. Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 and 3 letters of recommendation.

Rowan University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

St. John’s University

St. John’s University offers an online PhD in Literacy program. To graduate, students must complete 42 credit hours and a dissertation project under the supervision of a faculty member. The program can typically be completed within 3 to 4 years. Applicants should have a GPA of 3.2 or higher, GRE scores, and 2 letters of recommendation.

St. John’s University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University offers an online PhD in English program. Applicants must submit 4 letters of recommendation, transcripts, and GRE scores.

Students may choose to add a specialization to their degree with a concentration in Written Discourse, Theory and Practice, or Critical Literacy. The program is designed for those interested in teaching English and requires a teaching residency.

Texas A&M University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Texas Tech University

Texas Tech University offers an online program for a PhD in English with the option to take a concentration in Literature, Creative Writing, or Linguistics. At least 60 course hours and a qualifying exam are needed to graduate. Applicants must submit 3 letters of recommendation, a resume, and all transcripts.

Texas Tech University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

University of Houston

The University of Houston offers an online program for a PhD in Professional Leadership with an emphasis in Literacy Education.

Students must complete 51 credit hours with a GPA of 3.0 to graduate. Courses last for 5 to 6 weeks. Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and must submit 3 letters of recommendation, a resume, and transcripts.

The  University of Houston  is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Online PhD in English Programs

A doctorate in English is a terminal degree for people who are interested in various aspects of the English language, including literature and writing.

During your English degree program , you may have the opportunity to spend several years engaged in serious study, so you’ll probably want to select a topic in the field that fascinates you. Some areas of study include medieval literature, gender studies, written discourse, modern grammar, or film criticism.

In a doctoral English program, you’ll typically complete a series of coursework toward the beginning of your studies. While a handful of your classes might be prescribed, you may be at liberty to select much of your own curriculum.

Topics you might study in online English PhD programs include:

• Cultures and societies
• Composition and rhetoric
• Grammar and syntax
• Literature from various time periods
• Research methods
• Teaching methods

Many students enter English PhD programs because they want to have careers in academia. In a linguistics department, you might teach courses and work on research projects. Taking classes on instructional methods during your program can help you prepare for that role.

As a PhD candidate, you’ll typically need to undertake a major research project. Completing the research and the writing for your dissertation can take several years. Along the way, you’ll take classes to help you get started, and you’ll have the support of a faculty advisor.

After completing your doctoral program, you might look for a job at a university or another academic institution. You can also pursue research opportunities outside of college settings. Having a PhD in English might also enhance your career as a writer, an editor, or a journalist.

Your developed communication skills can also be useful in the fields of public relations or business administration. Some graduates become education administrators or K-12 teachers as well.

English Major Careers & Salaries

Many students who enroll in English doctoral programs want to become college professors. As a faculty member of a university’s English department, you might teach writing or literature. You may have opportunities to conduct research in the humanities as well.

Getting a faculty job can entail a lot of competition. Fortunately, there are plenty of other options you can pursue with a degree in English lit or language.

Being a professor isn’t the only option for working in education. With a teaching license, you can qualify to teach in a high school’s English education department. Those with a PhD may also pursue roles as college administrators.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , there are various career paths open for people with a Ph.D. in English.

The publishing industry especially relies on strong writing skills. Some graduates become authors or editors. The process of researching and writing a dissertation might prepare you for the role of a technical writer, relaying complicated information in understandable ways.

In fact, nearly any job that depends on communication skills might benefit from your doctoral background. Public relations managers and administrative managers are two such positions that require solid communication skills.

Journalism and on-air reporting are other lines of work to consider. Audiences might appreciate your ability to explain complicated situations or to help them consider different perspectives.

English Doctorate Curriculum & Courses

As a doctoral student, you may have a good deal of flexibility to choose what courses you take as part of your program.

The English departments at many schools offer a vast lineup of courses. That might allow you to build a curriculum that supports your professional goals and research interests. Examples of courses that might be offered at your school include:

• American Literature : You could study a particular period in American history, the social forces that shaped that era, and the works that came out of it.
• British Literature : Writers you might study in a British lit class include Shakespeare, Chaucer, Marlowe, and Wordsworth.
• Communicating Through Mixed Media : You can learn to deliver effective messages on digital platforms through a mix of words, images, and other elements.
• Grammar of the English Language : You’ll study traditional and modern issues related to syntax and other aspects of grammar.
• Humanities Research : This course will introduce you to graduate-level research practices for people who study English or other humanities subjects.
• Key Questions for English Scholars : During this course, you may study literature theories, methods of analysis, and perspectives through which to view various works.
• Medieval Literature : In this course, you might familiarize yourself with early forms of the English language or explore ways that medieval works have influenced modern writers.
• Multicultural Language Studies : As you explore works from around the world, you may discuss the challenge of translating ideas from one culture to another.
• Statistics for Linguistics : You’ll learn how to apply quantitative statistical methods when analyzing your research data.
• Teaching Writing : Your time in this class can help you become a more effective educator who brings out the best in students’ composition skills.

Some of these classes may be designed to prepare you for a dissertation project. A significant portion of your doctoral program may be devoted to completing the dissertation.

Admissions Requirements

English departments typically look for doctoral students with a solid academic background and impressive writing skills. To demonstrate that you’re the right candidate for a doctoral program, you may need to submit the following:

• Application form and fee
• College transcripts
• GRE scores (if required)
• Resume or curriculum vitae
• Writing sample

GRE scores are not a universal requirement for graduate admission, so your school may not request them or may grant waivers to qualified applicants.

Accreditation

A doctoral degree in English will require a lot of your time, attention, and effort. It’s strategic to make sure that you’re investing your resources wisely by choosing to study at a college that holds regional accreditation .

To become accredited, a school must take its educational mission seriously. It has to undergo an evaluation process in which it demonstrates honest practices and a commitment to academic excellence.

Accredited degrees garner greater respect from institutions and employers. When you’re looking for a job, holding a regionally accredited PhD may increase your chances of securing a desirable role.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

As part of your preparation for graduate school, you can fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) .

You may qualify for government student aid, and you might be able to take out state or federal loans with a lower interest rate than you’d get with private loans. You may also be eligible for a work-study program.

Some colleges finance part or all of a PhD student’s education through teaching or research assistant programs. Your commitment to supporting the school’s English program may significantly reduce the price of your doctoral degree.

There’s also the possibility of earning scholarships or fellowships from private sources. These gifts may support you for one or more years of your program. If your studies will benefit your current employer, you can see if a workplace tuition program will cover part of your PhD costs.

Professional Organizations

Joining a professional organization can help you sharpen your abilities as a wordsmith, an educator, or a leader in linguistics. Your group might offer resources like conferences, journals, job boards, and discussion forums.

• Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP)
• Modern Language Association (MLA)
• National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)

Being a part of a professional organization can allow you to enhance your studies while in school. Your membership can continue to provide benefits after you complete your doctoral program.

Can You Get a PhD in English?

Yes, there is a Doctor of Philosophy in English degree. There are programs focused on literary criticism and others dedicated to the study of writing and rhetoric. Both online and on-campus PhD programs are available.

Course topics you might take during an English PhD program include literature theories, history of the English language, and 19th century American literature. You may also take classes focused on research, technical writing, and teaching. This group of courses can prepare you for your dissertation project and a potential career in academia.

What Can You Do with a PhD in English?

Many people want to earn their PhDs because they have their sights set on academic careers. You might want to teach university English courses or also work on original research. Your degree in English literature or composition can be useful in other fields as well.

Having a doctoral degree might establish you as a top candidate for various jobs in which communication is an essential skill. Common communication careers include working in education, public relations, writing, editing, and broadcasting.

How Long Does It Take to Get a PhD in English?

How long it takes you to earn your English doctorate is largely up to you and your schedule.

A couple of years will probably be spent on required coursework. In accelerated English degree online programs with fast-track classes, you might be able to complete your classes in a shorter length of time. Most of your program, though, will be spent on the dissertation process. It may take you several years to complete the necessary research and write your document.

Students generally end up in a doctoral program for around 3 to 5 years. Others may spend longer on the process.

Is a PhD in English Worth It?

Yes, a PhD in English is worth it for many students. If you’re set on becoming an English professor, having this degree is typically a necessity.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, postsecondary teaching positions are growing at a 9% rate. Even still, some humanities departments are shrinking, so competition for English positions may be tight.

Before committing, it’s worthwhile to consider other benefits—such as the opportunity to immerse yourself in in-depth studies. A doctorate can also be useful in writing, editing, or administrative careers.

Getting Your PhD in English Online

If you have a deep passion for words and the messages they carry, then you may consider earning a PhD in English. A PhD is especially necessary if your plans involve searching for a job as a college professor.

Through your studies, you can also refine your communication skills. Your writing and speaking prowess can be useful in sectors like publishing, media, and public relations. Just as there are online masters programs in English , for your English PhD studies, you can also attend classes online. Through distance learning, you can earn a doctorate in English according to your own schedule.

If you’re ready to take the next in your educational journey, you can start by exploring online English PhD programs from accredited colleges.

Start building your future—click “Find My Program” to explore your options.

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