Get a Literature PhD without Putting Your Career On Hold
Structured to accommodate working professionals and educators, IUP offers a unique Summers-Only residency option for the PhD in Literature and Criticism. As an alternative to taking classes through the full academic year, the Summers-Only program is specifically designed to enable current teachers to pursue a doctoral degree without interrupting their careers. It is the only one of its kind offered in the United States.
All applications for the Summers-Only PhD in Literature and Criticism program should be received by January 15, although we have a second admissions deadline of March 15 in case there are openings available after the first round of admissions. Before the semester starts, you can look forward to planning your coursework and degree requirements as a new student with your advisor, the director of Graduate Studies in Literature, Dr. Veronica Watson.
What IUP Can Offer You
In the Summers-Only PhD in Literature and Criticism program, you can finish your coursework in as few as three (and, in some cases, two) consecutive summers, taking up to five courses per summer. Summer Pre-Session courses allow students to fulfill research skill requirements, while Summer Sessions I and II contain a variety of theory, specialized topic, and seminar courses. Even program-specific exams are offered over the summer, allowing you to make the most of your time away from the classroom.
My experience made me a better teacher.
"As a non-traditional student with a full-time teaching job, the summer program was a godsend. I was able to work closely with talented, dedicated faculty members who took my work and my development as a scholar seriously. Besides the tangible career benefits that come with a terminal degree, my experience also made me a better teacher to my students and a better advocate for the liberal arts in the increasingly career-focused world of higher education. These experiences simply cannot be replicated by online programs."
Sarah Young, PhD in English Literature and Criticism, Class of 2016
