Advice on choosing my third recommender?

[mobydickpic]

Hi all,

I am currently working on picking a third recommender for my PhD applications. About 2/3 of the programs I'm applying to are pure English, and the other 1/3 are cultural studies or theory-based programs (think Duke Literature, Stanford MTL, Berkeley Rhetoric, etc.). I am applying straight from BA; I'm currently an undergraduate English major.

My first two recommenders (who I've already settled on) are both from my undergraduate English department, and I am confident that both of those letters will be very strong.

For my third recommender, however, I have two options, and I'd love to hear some feedback on which would be better. The first option is a professor who's a scholar of cultural philosophy and critical theory (which are relevant to my interests in literary studies). However, the problem is, he's actually a professor in the Health studies department (his work focuses on global health and human rights using methods from critical theory and continental philosophy), so he is not affiliated with English at all. I will mention, his PhD is in the Humanities, even though the department he's listed in is considered a social science by my university. That all being said, he knows me really well; I've taken a grad seminar with him, written an extensive research paper under his guidance that included literary criticism, and I think he'd write a compelling letter for me.

The second option is a professor in the English department with whom I took a small undergraduate seminar, but I just don't know if she'd write quite as strong a letter. Perhaps she would; I don't feel like I'm choosing between a great option and a bad one or anything, but I just don't feel quite the same closeness with her and she hasn't struck me as someone who would necessarily write quite as deep or compelling a letter.

For critical theory-oriented programs outside of traditional English departments, I'm definitely going to use the first option as my third letter. However, for applications to pure English departments, would a letter from the first option (the health studies professor with a critical theory background) risk seeming irrelevant because he's unaffiliated with the English department, regardless of the letter's content? I don't think the other professor would write a weak letter or anything (I think either way I'd get at least a good letter if not a great one), but I'd feel most comfortable choosing the first option, as long as a third letter from a professor in a seemingly unrelated field wouldn't be taken less seriously. After all, I'd rather have a positive third letter that would at least be taken seriously, than an excellent third letter that would be disregarded for the irrelevance of its writer. What would you do?

Edited October 25, 2018 by mobydickpic

[WildeThing]

I'd say go with the stronger letter. If you have a good relationship with this person you can bring up these concerns or discuss what sort of things you imagined he could include in his letter, to guide him towards establishing your critical theory background. That said, I don't know if that's necessary. Faculty will discuss YOU and know what programs you are applying to and what is or isn't relevant. While their background is important, they are talking about YOU. If your work with this professor was also in another field, then maybe it would be a tougher choice, but if you studied critical theory I think you should be fine.

[Glasperlenspieler]

Honestly, given that the programs you list aren't really literature programs in a traditional sense, having someone from outside of English could likely work to your advantage. So, if that's going to be the stronger letter to boot, I'd say go for it.

[Norse_Medievalist]

I'd say your stronger option is going to be a good one, despite them not being in the English Department. A lot of graduate studies deal with critical theory. The fact that you could potentially bring a new perspective to the literature could actually be a good selling point for you in your applications process. As long as this professor knows your work and can site specific instances where you were strong in your course work, I think you'll be fine.