PhD English at University of Massachusetts Amherst

Programme overview

The PhD in English supports research from colonial, post-colonial and transnational studies to popular culture, with specialisation in American studies, composition and rhetoric, and early modern and Renaissance studies.

Faculty: College of Humanities and Fine Arts | Department: Department of English | Study mode: full-time | Location: Amherst, MA, United States

What you will study

Doctoral degree requires 24 credits of coursework and 18 credits of dissertation, including a second-language requirement and the first-year practicum Introduction to English Graduate Studies (698G).

Career pathways

Academia and careers built on research and writing.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Department of English (MA/PhD): personal statement (recommended 3-4 double-spaced pages); writing sample of no more than 20 pages; at least two recommendations; nearly all admitted students have an undergraduate GPA of 3.3 or better and applicants entering with a master's are expected to have 3.75 or better; GRE not required; deadline December 15. Graduate School (all UMass Amherst graduate programmes): bachelor's degree from an accredited US institution or an equivalent international degree; minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale (some programmes expect more); most programmes require at least two letters of recommendation; personal statement and resume; 600-word short essay on community; $90 application fee. Applicants whose native language is not English: TOEFL iBT 80 (tests taken before January 2026; combined score of 4 on the new scale for tests from January 2026), IELTS Academic 6.5, Duolingo English Test 115 or PTE Academic 53. Composition and Rhetoric PhD applicants must hold the MA before enrolling; students entering with an MFA complete an English MA before the PhD.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

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