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[fleaux]

Hello all! I apologize if this has been asked frequently/recently. I checked recent entries, but I may have missed it.

For English literature graduate programs, how important is it to have prior research experience and publications?A little more information: I am a rising junior and creative writing major, and I'm not sure yet if I want to pursue

Comments

[circumfession]

English Ph.D student here.

Especially if you're entering with a BA, you don't need "research experience"...not in the same way that students in the sciences of social sciences might. Out of the several dozen students that I know of in top (top ten, ivy league) Ph.D programs, only two were published prior to applying--and one of those was undergrad journal that isn't granted the same level of prestige. Sure, publication helps--especially if you publish well--but no one is expecting that from you as you ENTER the Ph.D program. Of course, you need to be familiar with your field, and show that in an outstanding writing sample and SoP....but no one is expecting publications or that you spend a semester RA'ing. (Those positions are often rare even for English graduate students, and not always useful).

I would, however, suggest that your thesis (or whatever you plan to turn in as your writing sample) relate to the area that you declare in your SoP.

[endsindillusion]

I know that we have had our differences, but I am wondering how does one craft the writing sample and SOP?

Also how do you go about compiling the list of schools you want to apply to?

[fleaux]

Hey, sorry to interrupt but maybe you could make a new post about this?

[endsindillusion]

Are you asking because you want to know or is it your policy to police threads for subject cohesion

[freddie]

I'm in English as well. I'd been published in a few places, but nothing peer reviewed, or even particularly focused on English. It was actually a few pieces of political and cultural criticism, and a news story or two. I don't know how much they helped. As I'm in Rhetoric and Composition, I wanted to highlight them, but more than anything I expressed my experience teaching, and how willing, qualified and able I was to TA and teach writing. Thought it made sense, as freshman comp classes are the pragmatic reason English departments exist, kind of.

[circumfession]

The individual that I had in mind published in an English-y undergraduate journal, which was put out by his home university. Out of respect for his privacy, I'd rather not name it, but I gave the example largely to show that it's an extremely unusual situation, rather than the norm even for those aiming (and getting into) the top universities :) I can't vouch for what the ad-comms thought of his application, but after having read his SoP and writing sample, I'm fairly sure that it was those pieces--and not his single undergraduate publication (which might be reviewed, but certainly lacks the prestige of a peer-reviewed journal)--that got him into the top programs