English Literature (PhD)

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Degree

Doctorate (PhD)

Department

English

Faculty

Faculty of Arts & Science

Program type

Thesis

Primary campus

Sir George Williams (SGW)

Duration

4 years

Credits

90 credits

Start term

Fall

Program overview

The PhD in English Literature will deepen your mastery of period- and area-specific archives and develop your skills as a literary scholar. You will investigate the cultural categories of literature and the media in both historical and contemporary contexts. Living and studying in the vibrant, bilingual city of Montreal, you will study literatures in English with a focus on interdisciplinary exchanges and cross-cultural environments. The program is of special interest to doctoral students seeking to work across discourses, media, or literary languages and traditions.

Program structure

Degree Requirements

Fully-qualified candidates are required to complete a minimum of 90 credits.

Please see the English Courses page for course descriptions.

English Literature PhD (90 credits)

7	credits of Required Courses: • ENGL 800 Introduction to Theories and Methods (3.00) ‌ • ENGL 802 Professional Development Workshops (1.00) ‌ • ENGL 805 Comprehensive Sub-Field Tutorial (3.00) ‌
12	credits of Studies Courses, chosen from the following lists, with a minimum of three credits of pre-20th Century courses: Independent Studies in English Literature‌ Special Topics in English Literature‌ Studies in Early English Literature and Medieval Literature‌ Studies in Renaissance Literature‌ Studies in Restoration and Eighteenth Century Literature‌ Studies in Nineteenth Century Literature‌ Studies in Twentieth Century Literature‌ Studies in Poetry‌ Studies in Drama‌ Studies in Fiction‌ Studies in the History of Ideas‌ Studies in Shakespeare‌ Studies in Canadian Literature‌ Studies in Post-Colonial Literature‌ Studies in Literary Criticism‌ Studies in Selected Areas‌
6	credits: • ENGL 890 Thesis Proposal (6.00) ‌
12	credits of Field Examinations: • ENGL 891 The Major Field Examination I (6.00) ‌ • ENGL 892 The Sub-Field Examination II (6.00) ‌
53	credits: • ENGL 895 Thesis Research (53.00) ‌

Independent Studies in English Literature

• ENGL 803 Independent Study in English Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 804 Independent Study in English Literature (3.00)

Special Topics in English Literature

• ENGL 601 Special Topics in English Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 602 Special Topics in English Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 603 Special Topics in English Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 604 Special Topics in English Literature (3.00)

Studies in Early English Literature and Medieval Literature

• ENGL 605 Studies in Early English Literature and Medieval Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 606 Studies in Early English Literature and Medieval Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 607 Studies in Early English Literature and Medieval Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 608 Studies in Early English Literature and Medieval Literature (3.00)

Studies in Renaissance Literature

• ENGL 610 Studies in Renaissance Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 611 Studies in Renaissance Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 612 Studies in Renaissance Literature (3.00)

Studies in Restoration and Eighteenth Century Literature

• ENGL 615 Studies in Restoration and Eighteenth Century Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 616 Studies in Restoration and Eighteenth Century Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 619 Studies in Restoration and Eighteenth Century Literature (3.00)

Studies in Nineteenth Century Literature

• ENGL 620 Studies in Nineteenth Century Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 621 Studies in Nineteenth Century Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 622 Studies in Nineteenth Century Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 623 Studies in Nineteenth Century Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 624 Studies in Nineteenth Century Literature (3.00)

Studies in Twentieth Century Literature

• ENGL 625 Studies in Twentieth Century Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 626 Studies in Twentieth Century Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 627 Studies in Twentieth Century Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 628 Studies in Twentieth Century Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 629 Studies in Twentieth Century Literature (3.00)

Studies in Poetry

• ENGL 630 Studies in Poetry (3.00)

• ENGL 631 Studies in Poetry (3.00)

Studies in Drama

• ENGL 635 Studies in Drama (3.00)

• ENGL 636 Studies in Drama (3.00)

• ENGL 637 Studies in Drama (3.00)

Studies in Fiction

• ENGL 640 Studies in Fiction (3.00)

• ENGL 641 Studies in Fiction (3.00)

Studies in the History of Ideas

• ENGL 645 Studies in the History of Ideas (3.00)

• ENGL 646 Studies in the History of Ideas (3.00)

• ENGL 648 Studies in the History of Ideas (3.00)

Studies in Shakespeare

• ENGL 650 Studies in Shakespeare (3.00)

• ENGL 652 Studies in Shakespeare (3.00)

Studies in American Literature

• ENGL 655 Studies in American Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 656 Studies in American Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 657 Studies in American Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 658 Studies in American Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 659 Studies in American Literature (3.00)

Studies in Canadian Literature

• ENGL 660 Studies in Canadian Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 662 Studies in Canadian Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 663 Studies in Canadian Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 664 Studies in Canadian Literature (3.00)

Studies in Post-Colonial Literature

• ENGL 665 Studies in Post-Colonial Literature (3.00)

• ENGL 667 Studies in Post-Colonial Literature (3.00)

Studies in Literary Criticism

• ENGL 668 Studies in Literary Criticism (3.00)

• ENGL 669 Studies in Literary Criticism (3.00)

Studies in Selected Areas

• ENGL 685 Selected Area III (3.00)

• ENGL 687 Selected Area IV (3.00)

• ENGL 688 Selected Area V (3.00)

• ENGL 689 Selected Area VI (3.00)

Consult the Graduate Calendar for the complete list of courses

Admission requirements

Admission Requirements

Master's degree in English or equivalent.
GPA of 3.50 or above from a recognized university.
Promise as a scholar as demonstrated by letter of intent and submitted writing sample.
Proposed research that is relevant to the program.
A feasible research proposal in terms of material resources including faculty supervision.
Proficiency in English. Applicants whose primary language is not English must demonstrate that their knowledge of English is sufficient to pursue graduate studies in their chosen field. Please refer to the English language proficiency page for further information on requirements and exemptions.

Application process

Review these four steps before applying

Make sure to check for program specific requirements

Application deadlines

FALL

January 15 (all applicants)

WINTER

n/a

SUMMER

n/a

Priority will be given to complete applications submitted by the deadline. In some cases, programs may continue to accept applications as long as there is space available.

International students: Considering the waiting period involved in meeting the entry requirements to Canada and Quebec, we strongly encourage international applicants to apply early and submit supporting documents prior to the deadline.

Tuition & funding

Tuition and fees

Tuition and fees of the program may depend on your student status, among other key factors. Estimate these costs based on the most common situations.

Use the tuition & fee estimator

Awards and funding

Funding packages are generally available for students in thesis-based programs. They come in the form of awards, teaching and research assistantships are offered at the time of admission to most students to allow them to focus on their research and studies. Research and thesis-based students are automatically considered for all entrance graduate awards when they apply to Concordia, provided they meet eligibility criteria. No separate application is required.

Learn more about entrance awards

The Quebec and Canadian governments offer a number of competitive graduate scholarships. We encourage you to apply for these awards at the same time you are preparing your application.

Consult the list of awards available

English Literature (PhD)

Program overview