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MA/PhD in Literary/Writing Studies | Department of English | Illinois
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class="block block-core block-page-title-block"> <h1><span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">MA/PhD in Literary/Writing Studies</span> </h1> </div> </div> <a name="main-content" aria-label="Start of content region"></a> <main class="region region-content l-region l-region--content has-sidebar" role="main"> <div class="il-content-with-section-nav section-nav-example"> <aside class="region region-sidebar-first l-region l-region--sidebar-first il-section-nav" role="complementary"> <il-section-nav aria-labelledby="block-sidenavigation-menu" id="block-sidenavigation" class="block block-menu navigation menu--main"> <h3><span class="menu-item--active-trail">Academics</span></h3> <ul data-block="sidebar_first" region="sidebar_first" class="menu"> <li> <a href="/academics/undergraduate-studies" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/30">Undergraduate Studies</a> </li> <li> <a href="/academics/maphd-literarywriting-studies" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/31" class="is-active" aria-current="page">MA/PhD in Literary/Writing Studies</a> <ul class="menu"> <li> <a href="/academics/maphd-literarywriting-studies/maphd-program-literarywriting-studies" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/137">Requirements Overview</a> </li> <li> <a href="/academics/graduate-studies/maphd/grad-stages" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/146">Stages of the Program</a> </li> <li> <a href="/research/phd-dissertations" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/65">PhD Dissertations</a> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <a href="/academics/undergraduate-course-offerings" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/55">Undergraduate Course Offerings</a> </li> <li> <a href="/academics/graduate-courses" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/56">Graduate Course Offerings</a> </li> <li> <a href="/academics/our-mfa-creative-writing" title="MFA in Creative Writing" data-drupal-link-system-path="node/25">MFA in Creative Writing</a> </li> </ul> </il-section-nav> </aside> <div class="il-content"> <div id="paragraph--927" id="paragraph--927" class="paragraph il-formatted paragraph--type--rt paragraph--view-mode--full d-flex background--color--white"> <div class="col-lg-12 col-md-12 col-sm-12 d-flex row paragraph--type--rt__wrapper fixed-width"> <div class="col-lg-12 col-md-12 column--0 col-sm-12 field--name-field-rt__content__wrapper"> <div class="field--name-field-rt__body body"> <div id="paragraph--313" id="paragraph--313" class="paragraph paragraph--type--rt-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="field field--name-field-rt-content-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item field--type-text-with-summary"><p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Our combined MA/PhD program is divided into three stages for both Writing Studies and Literary Studies students: MA Coursework, PhD coursework and Special Fields Exam, and</span> <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="69cb33ba-2265-431e-93d7-8d58c453599f" href="/node/65">Dissertation</a> <span>and Defense. Prospective students interested in our programs can find an</span> <a href="https://english.illinois.edu/academics/graduate-studies/ma-phd">Overview of Requirements</a><strong> </strong><span>for each degree and program, and more information on applying on our </span><a href="https://english.illinois.edu/admissions/graduate-admission">Admissions</a><span> page. For more specific details, including instructions for current graduate students regarding Stage II applications, Special Fields Exam documents, and Prospectus guidelines, visit our </span><a href="https://english.illinois.edu/academics/graduate-studies/maphd/grad-stages">Stages of the Program </a><span>page. While the English Department offers full financial support to students in good standing for up to 7 years (for those entering without a master</span><span>’</span><span>s degree) and up to 6 years (for those entering with a master</span><span>’</span><span>s degree)</span><span><span>, many of our students have also been successful in securing competitive</span></span> fellowships <span><span>and other external funding opportunities.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Our graduates have earned many <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="09e28a03-17f3-4765-8e5e-e21411497e84" href="/academics/scholarships-prizes-awards/graduate-awards" title="Graduate Awards">awards</a> and<strong> </strong>go on to <a href="https://english.illinois.edu/academics/graduate-studies/careers/initial-job-placements">tenure-track jobs</a> across the nation and into a variety of <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="9b8cee06-73b6-41c9-b3f3-4a63e15a574a" href="/resources/graduate-resources/careers-job-placement" title="Careers & Job Placement">careers</a>, including in publishing, nonprofits, library and information science, and high school teaching.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="paragraph--655" id="paragraph--655" class="paragraph il-formatted paragraph--type--bb paragraph--view-mode--full d-flex fixed-width background--color--white"> <div class="left"> <h2 class="field--name-field-bb__title title"></h2> <div class="row d-flex paragraph--type--bb__wrapper"> <div class="col-lg-4 col-md-6 col-sm-12 d-flex"> <a class="field--name-field-bb-content__link" href="/academics/maphd-literarywriting-studies/maphd-program-literarywriting-studies" > <div class="field--name-field-bb-content__content__wrapper content__wrapper background--color--white"> <div class="field--name-field-bb-content__content"> <img src="https://english.illinois.edu/sites/default/files/styles/big_button_image/public/paragraphs/big-buttons/UI-02-100210-593.jpg?h=be74dc0b&itok=_XwiVXbF" alt="English building in winter"/> <div class="field--name-field-bb-content__title title"> <h2 class="field__item">Requirements Overview</h2> </div> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col-lg-4 col-md-6 col-sm-12 d-flex"> <a class="field--name-field-bb-content__link" href="/academics/graduate-studies/maphd/grad-stages" > <div class="field--name-field-bb-content__content__wrapper content__wrapper background--color--white"> <div class="field--name-field-bb-content__content"> <img src="https://english.illinois.edu/sites/default/files/styles/big_button_image/public/paragraphs/big-buttons/UI-02-151210-456.jpg?h=b2a5d466&itok=XOsDIVks" alt="Three students walk on the sidewalk on the Main Quad with the English Building in background."/> <div class="field--name-field-bb-content__title title"> <h2 class="field__item">Stages of the Program</h2> </div> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col-lg-4 col-md-6 col-sm-12 d-flex"> <a class="field--name-field-bb-content__link" href="/research/phd-dissertations" > <div class="field--name-field-bb-content__content__wrapper content__wrapper background--color--white"> <div class="field--name-field-bb-content__content"> <img src="https://english.illinois.edu/sites/default/files/styles/big_button_image/public/paragraphs/big-buttons/coffee.jpg?h=c852adde&itok=tdHSE3sJ" alt="student with laptop and coffee"/> <div class="field--name-field-bb-content__title title"> <h2 class="field__item">PhD Dissertations</h2> </div> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col-lg-4 col-md-6 col-sm-12 d-flex"> <a class="field--name-field-bb-content__link" href="/academics/scholarships-prizes-awards/awards-scholarships" > <div class="field--name-field-bb-content__content__wrapper content__wrapper background--color--white"> <div class="field--name-field-bb-content__content"> <img src="https://english.illinois.edu/sites/default/files/styles/big_button_image/public/paragraphs/big-buttons/Alma%20Mater_1.jpg?h=b2a5d466&itok=zkNGOfll" alt="Alma Mater decorated with graduation regalia"/> <div class="field--name-field-bb-content__title title"> <h2 class="field__item">Awards</h2> </div> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col-lg-4 col-md-6 col-sm-12 d-flex"> <a class="field--name-field-bb-content__link" href="/research-grants-and-fellowship" > <div class="field--name-field-bb-content__content__wrapper content__wrapper background--color--white"> <div class="field--name-field-bb-content__content"> <img src="https://english.illinois.edu/sites/default/files/styles/big_button_image/public/paragraphs/big-buttons/UI-03-171026-192.jpg?h=b2a5d466&itok=UaB5F_pt" alt="The Union Building in the fall. "/> <div class="field--name-field-bb-content__title title"> <h2 class="field__item">Fellowships</h2> </div> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="col-lg-4 col-md-6 col-sm-12 d-flex"> <a class="field--name-field-bb-content__link" href="/resources/graduate-resources/careers-job-placement" > <div class="field--name-field-bb-content__content__wrapper content__wrapper background--color--white"> <div class="field--name-field-bb-content__content"> <img src="https://english.illinois.edu/sites/default/files/styles/big_button_image/public/paragraphs/big-buttons/laptop.jpg?h=2bd2d9a6&itok=qh9a5nbf" alt="laptop"/> <div class="field--name-field-bb-content__title title"> <h2 class="field__item">Careers</h2> </div> </div> </div> </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="paragraph--880" id="paragraph--880" class="paragraph il-formatted paragraph--type--rt paragraph--view-mode--full d-flex background--color--white"> <div class="col-lg-12 col-md-12 col-sm-12 d-flex row paragraph--type--rt__wrapper fixed-width"> <div class="col-lg-12 col-md-12 column--0 col-sm-12 field--name-field-rt__content__wrapper"> <div class="field--name-field-rt__body body"> <div id="paragraph--266" id="paragraph--266" class="paragraph paragraph--type--rt-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="field field--name-field-rt-content-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-visually_hidden"> <div class="field__label visually-hidden">Body</div> <div class="field__item field--type-text-with-summary"><style> .paragraph--type--menu-block { margin-top: 1.5em; 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