1. Should I apply to the MA or the PhD program?

If you wish to earn a PhD eventually, you should probably apply to the PhD program. Here are some reasons to apply to the MA program instead:

  • You want only an MA

  • You want a PhD but you intend to earn it elsewhere.

  • You have reason to doubt that your record will earn you admission to the PhD program. An MA program can be a good place to strengthen an academic record with a view to gaining admission to a Ph.D. program.

2. Is it possible to transfer from the MA to the PhD program?

It is very difficult. MA students who wish to enter the PhD program must apply on the same basis as students holding the MA from other universities. Since our PhD program is small (see next item), this process is very competitive.

3. How big is the graduate program?

We currently admit twelve PhD students each year. We also have a terminal MA program which varies in size, but in general about doubles the overall size of the graduate program in literature.

4. What does a graduate student do each year?

The following summary omits many details. For a complete explanation of degree requirements, visit Current Students. Students who already hold an MA will usually begin in "Year 2," though the details of each student's program must be worked out with the Director of Graduate Studies.

Year 1:
Take ENCR 801, Introduction to Literary Research, the week before fall term. Take three graded courses each semester. Most students will perform some light duty (about 100 hours per semester), either grading for a course or assisting a faculty member with research. In the spring, take ENPG 880, described in our literature as "a low-requirement class that introduces students to the classes they will teach in year two, including observing and critiquing class meetings."

Year 2:
Take three graded courses each semester. Complete the foreign language requirement ("mastery" of one language or "proficiency" in two) by the end of this year or the beginning of the next. Teach one section each semester in supervised classes: leading a discussion section in one of the big undergraduate surveys of English and American Literature or in Shakespeare, or teaching a section of a "writing studio" course for advanced undergraduates. In the spring, students prepare to teach their own writing courses.

Year 3:
Audit one course each semester. Take the PhD oral exam in late fall or early spring. Form a dissertation committee and begin to prepare a dissertation prospectus. In late spring, begin attending ENGL 998, a seminar for dissertation writers. Teach one section each semester of one of the writing classes for first-year undergraduates. Graduate students are responsible for planning and teaching their own sections of these courses under the supervision of the Director of Writing Programs.

Year 4:
Take ENGL 998, Dissertation Seminar. In late fall, present the dissertation prospectus for approval. Teach two courses. Most students teach one writing course and one literature course: either a section of a large class or an introductory literature class. Students may teach two courses in fall so as to have the spring semester free for writing.

Year 5:
Continue to write dissertation. Give a talk to the department based on dissertation research. Some students win dissertation fellowships funded by U.Va. and other agencies; others teach one course each semester or two in the spring (the choices of course are the same as in the fourth year). Students who are making sufficient progress begin to seek academic employment.

Years 6 and following:
Students who are continuing to write the dissertation generally teach two to four classes but do not receive fellowship support.

5. How long does it take to get a degree?

A recent MLA survey found that the average time to degree in U.S. PhD programs in English is 8.2 years. At UVA the average is 7.5 years. Some years ago we noticed a sharp reduction in our time to degree when we succeeded in increasing the value of our support package. We have recently succeeded in raising the value of the package by 42%, and we hope again to see our average time to degree become shorter as a consequence.

6. Where do UVA graduates find jobs?

Following is a complete list of institutions where holders of the PhD from our department found assistant professorships from 2000 to spring 2007.

  • Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
  • University of Alabama, Birmingham
  • University of Alabama, Mobile
  • Appalachian State University
  • Bowling Green State University
  • Bucknell University
  • Butler University
  • University of California, Berkeley (2)
  • Calvin College
  • Central Michigan State University
  • Centre College, Danville, Kentucky
  • Dartmouth College
  • East Carolina University (2)
  • University of Florida, Ft. Lauderdale
  • Fordham University
  • University of Georgia, Athens
  • Harvard University (2)
  • University of Iowa, Iowa City
  • Ithaca College
  • Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, Alabama
  • Kings College, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
  • University of Louisiana, Lafayette
  • University of Maine, Farmington
  • University of Maryland, College Park
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • McGill University
  • University of Nevada, Reno
  • National Taipei University of Technology
  • University of New Hampshire
  • University of North Carolina, Charlotte
  • North Carolina State University, Raleigh (3)
  • University of North Florida
  • University of North Texas
  • Ohio University, Athens (2)
  • Ohio State University, Columbus and Newark
  • Ohio Wesleyan College
  • Penn State University, Erie
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • Providence College (2)
  • University of Richmond
  • St. Lawrence University
  • St. Norbert's College
  • Sarah Lawrence College
  • University of the South/Sewanee
  • Southern Methodist University
  • State University of New York, Geneseo
  • State University of New York, Stony Brook
  • Stonehill College
  • Sweet Briar College
  • University of Tennessee
  • Tufts University
  • United States Naval Academy (2)
  • Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas
  • University of Utrecht, Belgium
  • Villanova University (2)
  • University of Virginia
  • Virginia Commonwealth University
  • Wake Forest University
  • Yeshiva University

In addition, a number of our students have found full-time visiting and post-doctoral positions at similarly distinguished institutions. Our placement director reports that in recent years nearly 100% of job seekers have found full-time positions.

7. How much financial support does UVA provide?

All PhD students entering the program in fall 2008 will receive a financial package consisting of tuition plus at least $20,000 and health insurance. In the first year a fellowship supplies almost all the support: students are assigned light duties such as grading for a course or assisting a faculty member with research, but for the most part concentrate on their studies. In the second through fifth years students teach one course per semester and also receive a fellowship to bring the total package to $20,000.

A few merit fellowships are available on a competitive basis: all applicants to the PhD program are automatically considered for these.