Starting the slow climb to a comp lit PhD. Tips for the journey?

[breath_of_fresh_eyre]

I had to drop out of undergrad a few years ago because my parents ran out of money. Now that I have a full-time job in policy research, I'm returning in the fall as a part-time student.

I had about 30 credits left, and since I'll be taking 2 classes at a time, I assume it'll take about two years to complete undergrad and move on to a Master's program (since my grades weren't spectacular before I dropped out, partly due to the money issue).

Before I left, I published a 25-page piece of lit crit—class analysis in 20th-century black American lit—and loved every minute of it. I'd like to pursue a doctorate in comparative literature, and my research interests include race and identity formation, TransAtlantic migration, postcolonial lit crit and the Caribbean. Books that have inspired me are Toni Morrison's Playing in the Dark and Zita Nunes's Cannibal Democracy. (In a perfect world I'd get to study under her but she focuses on the Americas rather than the Caribbean?) 

In the meantime I feel totally unprepared to pursue any kinds of graduate program, MA or PhD. I've published a paper but that's about it. What do you suggest I do with the remainder of undergrad? Should I publish another paper? Do a presentation? Get involved with a research journal? Maybe do some teaching? The one thing I could fit into my schedule is getting another paper published, but what are the odds of publishing two papers in undergrad? 

I'd really like to do as much as I can (as a part-time student) until it's time to apply for a doctoral program!

[snorkles]

You seem to be focused on boosting your CV, which is insignificant at this stage relative to the time investment. Publishing in itself isn't noteworthy. It's the work that matters, where a published paper is a sign of good work. Keeping in mind, too, that not all journals are equal. Publishing is not a prerequisite for graduate school. I haven't published anything. I would work on refining your interests and developing faculty relationships. And keep honing your writing. Also, do lots and lots of research on the state of the field and its future. Are you comfortable with 6-10 years of work without a job waiting for you at the other end? The work itself has to be enough to sustain you. Another question you might think about is whether an MA is the best route, or if you'd be better off applying straight to PhD programs. 

[Glasperlenspieler]

I agree with @snorkles. A great CV isn't going to get you into grad school. A stellar writing sample and a compelling statement of purpose outlining an innovative research program might. 

You say you want to pursue a PhD in comp lit, but you don't mention anything about your language background. I assume if you want to get into a comp lit program focusing on Caribbean literature, you're probably going to need to be (near) fluent in either Spanish or French, and it would probably be good to have a working knowledge of the other language. Some more traditional comp lit programs are going to want to see competency (variably defined) in three languages other than English by the time you're writing your dissertation. That means they'll want to see a solid grounding in two in order to be a competitive applicant. But if you want to work on primarily anglophone literature, why not apply to English departments?

[breath_of_fresh_eyre]

6 hours ago, Glasperlenspieler said:

I agree with @snorkles. A great CV isn't going to get you into grad school. A stellar writing sample and a compelling statement of purpose outlining an innovative research program might. 

You say you want to pursue a PhD in comp lit, but you don't mention anything about your language background. I assume if you want to get into a comp lit program focusing on Caribbean literature, you're probably going to need to be (near) fluent in either Spanish or French, and it would probably be good to have a working knowledge of the other language. Some more traditional comp lit programs are going to want to see competency (variably defined) in three languages other than English by the time you're writing your dissertation. That means they'll want to see a solid grounding in two in order to be a competitive applicant. But if you want to work on primarily anglophone literature, why not apply to English departments?

I'm a passable Spanish reader and studied French before dropping out. I actually intended to make French my focus when I returned.

I'm interested in how cultures are translated through language. Eventually I want to do translation, but the closest I got to that was translating Middle English during medieval literature classes.

I've thought about English literature a lot, but no period or concepts really resonate enough with me enough—at least not yet.

Edit: Actually...postcolonial literature might be a great compromise. I'm really interested in identity formation: I, Tituba, Wide Sargasso Sea et al, where writers center a nonwhite character from a canonical novel in a separate novel to respond to the first. But I don't know how to turn that into a real focus. Same with how Playing in the Dark outlines how American literature used blackness to define whiteness. It's so fascinating to me!

Edited June 11, 2020 by breath_of_fresh_eyre

[onerepublic96]

12 hours ago, breath_of_fresh_eyre said:

research interests include race and identity formation, TransAtlantic migration, postcolonial lit crit and the Caribbean

I agree with @Glasperlenspieler in that it might be worth your time to look into English programs as well. From my time spent looking at faculty pages, there is a lot of work being done on all of these topics in traditional English departments, not just Comp Lit. 

[cruel optimism]

seconding all the suggestions that you might want to look into English programs instead (especially if you intend to work primarily with Anglophone texts), because not only do traditional comp lit programs require that you're fluent in a number of non-english languages, they might also presume a certain level of knowledge of national literatures. (but of course, if this is something in which you're interested, and if you already have/know you can acquire a sufficient background in it, then go ahead and apply wherever you see fit.) 

16 hours ago, breath_of_fresh_eyre said:

What do you suggest I do with the remainder of undergrad?

about this, you might want to consider writing a final-year thesis, if that's not already a compulsory component of your undergrad program, since the experience of doing independent research will almost certainly help you refine/whittle down your interests (not to mention that it's a good way of coming up with preliminary material for your writing samples anyway). other than that, just read around, figure out where your favourite academics work, research those programs (what sort of work is being done there — and in which sub-fields? who are they hiring? where are they headed next?), and find a way to make your work speak to them. 

[FiguresIII]

As someone in Comp Lit who is working on the Caribbean I can tell you that some departments would definitely be more hospitable to your set of interests than others. Make sure you do thorough research into that. My department is changing, but there are still very conservative requirements (like competency in a classical language) and ways of thinking. I find myself spending a lot of time with people from Af-Am, American studies, History, and English. As some have said above, in many cases English departments would be a better choice. I applied to English programs as well, got into some of both, but eventually decided Comp Lit would be right for me after weeks of indecision. If languages and translation and international archival research are truly crucial to your questions, then yes, Comp Lit is the way to go. But the reality of Comp Lit is that you'll still have to market your work to national language departments if you do plan to try and continue as an academic. DM me if you wanna ask more specific questions!

Also, yes, make sure you have a pretty cutting edge or unique research proposal. What you're describing about I, Tituba, Wide Sargasso Sea, and so on, is well-trodden ground. That doesn't mean it isn't a valuable or interesting subject; it does mean it probably won't strike adcomms as the most interesting work to sponsor and nourish in their department, given that many students might apply with that kind of thing. Don't bother with (more) journal publications or conferences or any 'professionalization' at this stage. I would recommend thesis research as a way to explore, and also as a way familiarize yourself with how specific fields make their arguments. That will enable you to use the right language so that faculty will recognize your own work as interesting and unique. At the same time, while you have to write a solid statement of purpose, it isn't a contract by any means, and your work will take so many unpredictable turns when you actually start in graduate school. Don't stress out thinking that you have to totally define the direction your scholarly career at this point.