harvard english phd students

Undergraduate

Humans use stories to cope and thrive, from prehistoric cave paintings to distilling experience in novels, screenplays, and hip hop rhymes. By studying English literature, students learn how to analyze and appreciate the language of the past and to contribute to the narrative of the future. Concentrators will develop expertise in interpreting others’ rhetoric and learn to communicate meaningfully.

The Graduate Program in English aims to provide Ph.D. candidates with a broad knowledge of the field of English, including critical and cultural theory. Additional important skills include facility with the tools of scholarship—ancient and modern foreign languages, bibliographic procedures, and textual and editorial methods. The program also emphasizes the ability to write well, to do solid and innovative scholarly and critical work in a specialized field or fields, to teach effectively, and to make articulate presentations at conferences, seminars, and symposia.

Students enrolled in the Master of Liberal Arts program in English will deepen their understanding of fiction, poetry, and drama while learning to analyze and interpret literary texts. Students will hone their research and writing skills, and become a stronger reader and critical thinker.

Program Type

• Combined Degree (4)
• Degree Granting (72)
• Summer Programs (1)
• Visiting Students (4)

Academic Areas

• Arts & Architecture (4)
• Biological Sciences (4)
• Engineering & Applied Sciences (10)
• Harvard Integrated Life Sciences (14)
• History (14)
• Humanities (22)
• Languages (9)
• Mathematics (2)
• Medical Sciences (7)
• Physical Sciences (6)
• Social Sciences (21)

Degrees Offered

• AB/AM, AB/SM (1)
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) (68)
• Master of Arts (AM) (8)
• Master of Engineering (ME) (2)
• Master of Science (SM) (4)

GRE Requirement

• Not Accepted (28)
• Optional (28)
• Required (14)

African and African American Studies

American studies, anthropology, applied mathematics, applied physics, architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning, bioengineering, biological and biomedical sciences, biological sciences in public health.

• Harvard Library
• Research Guides
• Faculty of Arts & Sciences Libraries

Literature: A Research Guide for Graduate Students

• Get Started
• Find a Database
• Research Dos & Don'ts

Welcome! This guide is maintained by Odile Harter , the library liaison to the departments of Comparative Literature and English. Here you'll find:

Get Started - a to-do list for new graduate students

Find a Database - how to locate the best search engines for your field or project

Research Dos & Don'ts - tips to help you be productive and efficient

All of which supplement Literary Research in Harvard Libraries , where you will find my favorite tools and strategies to:

• Get Organized - access, organize, and cite
• Find Background - from simple encyclopedia entries to detailed guides and histories
• Find Scholarship and Criticism - top sources and search strategies
• Literary Theory - deceptively tricky to search for!
• Foreign Language Literatures - if you're working with languages other than English

Odile Harter

Research & Pedagogy Librarian

Email Odile

• Next: Get Started >>

Except where otherwise noted, this work is subject to a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , which allows anyone to share and adapt our material as long as proper attribution is given. For details and exceptions, see the Harvard Library Copyright Policy ©2021 Presidents and Fellows of Harvard College.

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See here for a full list of dissertations since 1904 .

Founded as a graduate program in 1904 and joining with the undergraduate Literature Concentration in 2007, Harvard’s Department of Comparative Literature operates at the crossroads of multilingualism, literary study, and media history.

© 2023 President and Fellows of Harvard College

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Congratulations to Dr. Junting Huang: 2024 ACLS Fellowship Recipient!

Congratulations to aurélien bellucci, phd ’23: honorable mention for the 2024 acla charles bernheimer prize.

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English Master’s Degree Program

Deepen your understanding of fiction, poetry, and drama while learning to analyze and interpret literary texts.

Online Courses

11 out of 12 total courses

On-Campus Experience

2 weekends or one 3-week course

$3,220 per course

Program Overview

Through the master’s degree in the field of English you build:

• The ability to identify topics and develop questions that lead to meaningful scholarly inquiry.
• An enhanced knowledge of the philosophical, historical, and cultural forces that shape literary works.
• A deeper understanding of the work that literary scholars do.
• The skills required for communicating your ideas and entering a critical conversation.

Program Benefits

Customizable course curriculum

Expert instructors, including faculty from Harvard University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Personalized academic & career advising

A faculty-supported thesis or applied research project

Paid research opportunities

Harvard Alumni Association membership upon graduation

Customizable Course Curriculum

Our curriculum is flexible in pace and customizable by design. You’ll experience the convenience of online learning and the immersive benefits of learning in person.

With a wide array of courses to choose from, you can tailor your experience to meet your unique learning goals. To further personalize your experience, you choose between a thesis or capstone track. You may choose to earn a graduate certificate in American literature and culture along the way.

11 Online Courses

• Primarily synchronous
• Fall, spring, January, and summer options

You’ll complete 1 on-campus course, Engaging in Scholarly Conversation, at an accelerated or standard pace:

• 2 weekends (1 in fall and 1 in spring)
• A 3-week summer session

Capstone or Thesis Track

• Thesis:  features a 9-month independent research project with a thesis advisor
• Capstone: includes exploring classic novels and completing a project in a classroom community

The path to your degree begins before you apply to the program.

First, you’ll register for and complete 3 required courses, earning at least a B in each. These foundational courses are investments in your studies and count toward your degree, helping ensure success in the program.

Getting Started

We invite you to explore degree requirements, confirm your initial eligibility, and learn more about our unique “earn your way in” admissions process.

Our Community at a Glance

Your peers from the field of English work in a variety of writing, research, and communication-intensive industries, such as fundraising, publishing, advertising/marketing, and education (secondary and higher education).

Upon successful completion of the required curriculum, you will earn the Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) in Extension Studies, Field: English.

Download: English Master's Degree Fact Sheet

Average Age

Average Courses Taken Each Semester

Work Full Time

Would Recommend the Program

Professional Experience in the Field

Pursued for Personal Enrichment

Tuition & Financial Aid

Affordability is core to our mission. When compared to our continuing education peers, it’s a fraction of the cost.

After admission, you may qualify for financial aid . Typically, eligible students receive grant funds to cover a portion of tuition costs each term, in addition to federal financial aid options.

Coffee Chat: All About Liberal Arts Programs at HES

Are you interested in learning more about liberal arts graduate degree programs at Harvard Extension School? Attendees joined us for an informational webinar where they had the opportunity to connect with program directors, academic advisors, and alumni.

Stackable Certificate

• American Literature and Culture Graduate Certificate

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

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Graduate Admissions

Program Description

Welcome from the director of graduate studies.

Teaching Fellows

Teaching fellow application and instructions ● listing of teaching fellow offices ● courses of instruction

Fellowships

Fellowship application information for Graduate Society Fellowships/Term Time Awards for Dissertation Research ● Harvard Merit Fellowships ● Harvard Research and Travel Fellowships ● GSAS Summer School Tuition Waiver Fellowships ● Dissertation Completion Fellowships.

Resources for Graduate Students

An internal website with an exhaustive listing of all the forms you will need as an English graduate student; it also contains Generals Lists, example language exams, example Fields Lists and example prospectuses. 

The Committee of Graduate Students (COGS) consists of elected representatives who serve on decision-making committees in the department as well as in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Graduate Colloquia

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Graduate Prizes

A full listing of English graduate prize submission guidelines and prize information. 

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A comprehensive list of recent job placements, current alumni positions, and a sampling of books from dissertations. 

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• CORRESPONDENCE
• 02 April 2024

How can we make PhD training fit for the modern world? Broaden its philosophical foundations

• Ganesh Alagarasan 0

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Tirupati, India.

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You have highlighted how PhD training assessment has stagnated, despite evolving educational methodologies (see Nature 613 , 414 (2023) and Nature 627 , 244; 2024 ). In particular, you note the mismatch between the current PhD journey and the multifaceted demands of modern research and societal challenges.

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We hope that you find these resources to be helpful:

• The Mental Health and Wellbeing Online Learning Module equips students with information and tips on ways to support individual wellbeing, where to seek help when needed, and how to help a friend in need.
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