The graduate program of the UCLA English Department is one of the strongest, most diverse, and most intellectually exciting in the country. Consistently highly ranked across fields, it receives over 200 applications of admission each year and enrolls an entering class of 8-12 students, all of whom receive full funding. The course of study toward the Ph.D. balances critical rigor and historical breadth with flexibility and individual focus. Seminars include both the traditional values of the discipline and the exciting innovations that are reshaping its future. We offer courses that incorporate the literary canon, investigate various modes of inquiry, and teach a range of critical methodologies.

A variety of field-specific research centers, colloquia, lecture series, and informal reading groups provide important adjunct experiences to the formal classroom. Graduate students are welcome at the lectures and conferences conducted by the Medieval and Renaissance Center and the Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-Century Studies Center. The Department also sponsors a monthly lecture series by distinguished theorists and scholars on the future of the discipline. Our proximity to several important research centers– the William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, the Huntington Library, and the Getty Research Institute–offers distinct advantages to many of our graduate students. With the generous help of the Mellon Foundation, UCLA has been at the forefront of rethinking the humanities. As a result, we have expanded our department offerings in new and emerging interdisciplinary areas. Graduate students are encouraged to work closely with their advisors throughout their studies in shaping a program responsive to their particular interests.The English Department heavily values training and supervised experience in teaching as an integral part of the preparation we offer for the profession.

Students are admitted only in the fall, and only for the Ph.D.; students may be awarded an M.A. degree in the course of the Ph.D program, but we do not offer a separate master’s program. The current academic job market, as you know, continues to be challenging. For this reason, we have reduced the size of our entering class and have a variety of programs in place to prepare our students for academic positions, postdoctoral fellowships, and other professional opportunities, including fulfilling careers outside the university. Because of funding constraints we are able to offer admission to a limited number of international students. We feel obliged to caution you to embark on graduate study with a clear knowledge that performing well in coursework, teaching, and dissertation research, as well as making timely progress toward the PhD, are all crucial in helping you become a successful job candidate several years hence. We would add that UCLA’s placement record has historically ranked among leading graduate programs, and we continue to work hard for our students during these challenging times. We have a dedicated Director of Professionalization and Director of Job Placement, who work with our students in providing information and advice for securing funding and future jobs.

We invite you to browse our website and learn more about the range of activities and wealth of accomplishments that characterize our extraordinary students and faculty in the graduate program.