The PhD in English is designed to prepare scholars in widely recognized fields of English, as well as to prepare advanced writing specialists in the fields of business and industry. The structure of the program provides for three related concentrations (Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication; Applied Linguistics; and, Literary and Cultural Studies) that offer students the professional flexibility that comes with competencies acquired through preparation in a broadly integrative discipline.
Concentration Requirements
Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication
PhD students pursuing a concentration in Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication must complete a 12-hour breadth requirement consisting of
ENGL 8001 - Acad Genre and Sch Pub Credit Hours: (3) (Currently Textual Rhetorics)
ENGL 8805 - Foundations of Writing Studies Credit Hours: (3)
ENGL 8806 - Resch Meth In Writing Credit Hours: (3)
ENGL 8350 - Rhetorical Theory Credit Hours: (3)
Additional Requirements
21 additional hours of courses in Composition.
12 hours of courses outside of Composition.
6 hours of electives (may be taken in Composition).
3 hours in ENGL 8002 - Reading for Comps.
3 hours in ENGL 8900 - Engl Stds Colloquium
15 Hours of Dissertation credit.
Competency with at least one research tool or analytic specialty, which must be directly relevant to the individual student’s dissertation work and projected short-term professional goals. These tools or analytical specialties include a demonstrated level of competency in one foreign language, competency in one qualitative, quantitative, or historical research methodology, or competency with appropriate computer programs. See “Options for Fulfilling the Foreign Language Requirement,” available from the department.
Applied Linguistics
PhD students pursuing a concentration in Applied Linguistics must complete a 12-hour breadth requirement consisting of:
ENGL 8507 - Empirical Mthds Ling Rsrch Credit Hours: (3)
ENGL 8511 - Survey of Linguistics Credit Hours: (3)
ENGL 8531 - Theory/History ESL Credit Hours: (3)
ENGL 8590 - Appl/Theory Linguistics Credit Hours: (3)
Note: Other courses may be substituted for ENGL 8507 or ENGL 8590 with the permission of the Concentration Coordinator and the Director of Graduate Studies.
Additional Requirements
12 additional hours of courses in Applied Linguistics.
12 hours of courses outside of Applied Linguistics.
12 hours of electives (may be taken in Applied Linguistics)
3 hours in ENGL 8002 - Reading for Comps
3 hours in ENGL 8900 - Engl Stds Colloquium.
9 Hours of Dissertation credit.
Demonstration of a reading knowledge of two foreign languages or fluency in one foreign language. Appropriate languages must be approved by the student’s advisor and the graduate coordinator as relevant to the student’s course of study.
Literary and Cultural Studies
PhD students pursuing a concentration in Literary and Cultural Studies will choose from two different tracks, the Literature track or the Literature and Composition Studies track.
Literature Track
PhD students pursuing this track must complete:
12-hour breadth requirement consisting of 3 hours of course work in each of the following focus areas:
Medieval and Early Modern Literature and Culture
18th c. and 19th c. Literature and Culture
Modern and Contemporary Literature and Culture
African-American Literature and Culture
Focus area requirement consisting of 15 hours of course work (beyond course taken for breadth requirement) in one of the focus areas.
*Price shown is for indicative purposes, please check with institution
September 2025
College of Arts and Sciences
107 Scates Hall,
MEMPHIS,
Tennessee,
38152, United States
A Baccalaureate or Master’s Degree: The applicant must provide an official transcript showing an earned bachelor’s or master’s degree, depending on program requirements. In cases, where a program’s accrediting body allows alternate admissions standards, exceptions may be made. If you are a UofM undergraduate student applying to Graduate School at UofM, you do not need to request that an official transcript be sent to Graduate Admissions. This office has access to your transcript. The degree must have been awarded by an accredited college or university. Only transcripts received directly from an issuing institution are considered official. Personal copies are not acceptable as official documents.
GPA: The applicant must have earned an acceptable grade point average, typically a minimum of 2.5 on a scale of 4.0, but departments may make exceptions for students whose overall GPA does not adequately reflect their ability to succeed in their chosen field.
International students must provide evidence of English Language Proficiency.
English proficiency test scores accepted by the University:
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.
A degree from the University of Memphis is much more than a qualification. It is a community and an experience which prepares students for success.
