Graduate Programs In English

The Temple Graduate Programs in English offers distinguished faculty providing degrees in English and Creative Writing. 

If you have any questions about the graduate programs available through the English department, or would like to contact graduate faculty or students about the program, please contact us.

Download the Graduate Programs brochure (PDF)

PhD in Literature

The PhD program features faculty teaching a wide range of courses in all historical periods of British and American literature, Anglophone literature, and critical and cultural theory. The program is designed to give students a solid grounding in the methods of literary study and a broad perspective on literary production and meaning. The program balances theoretical sophistication with historical scope and methodological variety. The Literature faculty is strong in traditional areas of literary scholarship with concentrations in criticism, literary forms and periods, cultural studies, rhetoric and composition. Our aim is to produce students who will write publishable dissertations and pursue productive careers as scholar-teachers. In addition to challenging course work, students receive attentive mentoring from individual faculty members assigned to entering students in their first semester. Course work is usually completed in two to three years. The dissertation is expected within in six years. The program requirements include completion of course work (14 courses), written and oral preliminary exams, and completion and defense of the dissertation.

MA in Literature

For students who are unclear about their desires to enter the doctoral program, we offer a two-year, 24-credit MA program. In pursuit of the MA degree, students will take a range of courses grounding them in traditional literary periods and theoretical approaches to literature. The MA culminates in a qualifying paper developed out of course work.  Temple MA’s in English literature primarily find employment at the high school or preparatory school, in editing or publishing, or as professional writers; they also go on to doctoral study at Temple and other institutions.

MFA in Creative Writing

Our MFA degree in Creative Writing is a two-year, 36-credit program in either fiction or poetry. The Creative Writing faculty includes nationally recognized writers in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction.  The writing component features small, intensive workshops, supplemented by one-on-one tutorials and courses in literature and the craft of writing.  The program culminates in a thesis.  Temple MFA’s in Creative Writing find employment as writers, teachers, publicists, writing consultants, or publishers; they also go on to doctoral study in English or other disciplines.

Graduate English Association (GEA)

The Graduate English Association (GEA) is an organization for all graduate students in the English department, regardless of program (Literature, Comp/Rhet or Creative Writing) or funding status (TA, GA, fellowship, or otherwise). The organization conducts regular monthly meetings, and its purpose is to make recommendations to the faculty on departmental issues (instructor training, program changes, etc.) and to enrich the graduate experience with developmental workshops and social events.