Literature and Criticism, PhD
The Literature and Criticism program at IUP enables scholarly engagement and research in British, US, and world literatures; film studies; and emerging fields such as popular literature, video game studies, and digital literature and culture.
Led by an accomplished community of teacher-scholars, our mission is the integration of research and pedagogy, and our classes are informed by the theory and practice of effective teaching. We not only train college and university faculty, but also prepare you for a broad range of professional possibilities and career paths beyond the academy to pursue innovative work in your field of specialization.
You are welcome to apply to either a full-time doctoral program or our summers-only program accommodating the working professionals and educators.
Five Reasons to Join Our Community
- A curriculum that mixes tradition and innovation
- Faculty who are dedicated, innovative teacher-scholars
- A curriculum designed to fit you, whatever you want to be
- A diverse community of graduate students from across the United States and around the world
- A good place to be and a good place to explore
Academic Year Program
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Take courses in the fall and spring semesters, from the end of August through mid-May, for two years
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Take three courses each semester as full-time student
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Residency requirement fulfilled after two years
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Can take courses in the summer sessions to complete requirements
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Eligible for highly competitive graduate assistantship.
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Live on campus or off campus. It's your choice!
Snapshot of Your Academic Year Sessions
Fall semester
ENGL 955
Two additional 800-level courses
Spring semester
ENGL 956
Two additional 800-level courses
Complete Candidacy Portfolio
Summer Session
One 800- or 900-level course
Summers-Only Program
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Take courses from late May through early August over two to three summers
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Take two courses in at least two summer sessions each year as full-time student
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Residency requirement fulfilled after completing two summers as full-time student
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Can take two Independent Seminars during course of study while not in residence
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Graduate assistantships not available. Many employers will provide tuition assistance or reimbursement.
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Live on campus or off campus. It's your choice! Flexible leases are available during the summer to meet your needs.
Snapshot of Your Summer-Only Sessions
Summer Session 1
ENGL 955
One 800-level course
Summer Session 2
ENGL 956
One 800-level course
Fall, After Your First Summer of Classes
Portfolio Proseminar course
Spring After Your First Summer of Classes
Submit Portfolio for Candidacy Review
Pre-session:
One Research Skills course
Summer Session 1
One 800-level course
One 900-level course
Summer Session 2
One 800-level course
One 900-level course
Take candidacy exam in May or August
Enriching Experience
"I have gained a robust knowledge of several fields that interest me from a range of very knowledgeable and passionate professors who made our department feel like home away from home.' The opportunity to work as a graduate assistant and teaching associate has been invaluable. Not only did those experiences boost my confidence, but they also enriched my learning / teaching."
Sahar Al-Shoubaki, PhD in Literature and Criticism PhD candidate
Intellectual Community
Student Organizations
You will have many opportunities to contribute to the intellectual community and to engage in preprofessional experiences to prepare for life after graduate school. Many of those opportunities are made available through the English Graduate Organization.
The Literature and Criticism Newsletter
Catch up on the news in the literature and criticism graduate programs at IUP. Read our most recent issue.
Scholarly Journals
Members of our program are active in scholarly publishing in the areas of interdisciplinary humanistic studies, applied critical theory, and special literatures, the chief emphases in our program. Our faculty members also serve as editors for journals in their fields. Literature and Criticism graduate assistants may have the opportunity to work on these journals.
- Studies in the Humanities, edited by Michael T. Williamson
- Scriblerian, edited by Melanie Holm
Centers and Institutes
A number of research centers and institutes at IUP are led by faculty members. Graduate students in Literature may become involved in work on these journals as graduate assistants.
- Digital Humanities Center, Ken Sherwood
Contact Us
Debbie Bacco
Graduate Program Secretary
dbacco@iup.edu
News Highlights
English Graduate Organization to Host Panel
The English Graduate Organization invites participants to join the Inclusivity Beyond Diversity Conference on April 1–2. Both in-person and virtual attendance is welcome! Register for the conference on the Organization's website.
L&C Alum, Laurie Cannady Carter, Named Dean of the Arts and Humanities at Susquehanna University
Read more about Carter's distinguished career.
English Doctoral Students Cronin and Canton Awarded HASTAC Fellowships
IUP Literature and Criticism doctoral students Joseph Canton and Meghan Cronin have been recognized as 2022 HASTAC scholars.
Sell, Schiera, and Siddique Incorporate Digital health Storygame Design Into Health-care Technology Education
The Digital Storygame Project, the Lopez Foundation Inc., and LCA Vantage Healthcare are launching an innovative health-care technology course focusing on K-12 education and the integration of STEM and the Arts and Humanities.
Into the Archives: Comics
This virtual event topic is something for all ages—Comics. Presentations will be made by doctoral students Marquel Sherry and Jamie Polnau, and Professor Gian Pagnucci from the IUP English Department.
Sherry will discuss the power of LGBTQIA imagery found in comics and the illustrated nature of graphic literature. We will also discuss literature used in comic book origin stories that can be found in the Rare Book Collection of the IUP Special Collections and University Archives.
Veronica Watson and the Short Stories of Frank Yerby
On February 23, 2021, IUP Libraries and Indiana Free Library hosted a virtual conversation. Watson discussed the groundbreaking author and her book The Short Stories of Frank Yerby.
Alumni Host Career Conversations Program
The Literature and Criticism program welcomed back graduates from the program, Dr. Thomas and Dr. Strait on February 15, 2021. The two alumni joined virtually for a conversation on careers in academic administration.