LOR from Non-English Prof?

[xfgdfrmgpo332]

Hey, so I'm wondering if anyone has any thoughts or experience on this matter:

I am applying to English PhD programs, but I'm strongly considering having a classics professor write one of my recs (my other two would of course be English, both well-known profs in their respective fields - Romanticsm and Modernism - which are the fields I am interested in). I am a classics minor, and do plan (kind of) to incorporate my Greek and Latin into the study of writers who were influenced by the classics, like Shelley, Coleridge, T.S. Eliot, Woolf, etc., but that's certainly not my main interest. Still, it's not like I'm getting an Organic Chemistry prof to write me one haha.

So, would it hurt me to have a non-English prof write one of my 3 letters? (he has an adjunct appointment in Comp Lit as well). I know him very well, and he would write me a great one, but I just don't know if it will look like...well, I don't know what it will look like! Might some adcomms look down on this?

Thoughts?

[LLajax]

I'd say do it- especially since he's in your minor field. I asked professors from three different departments for mine (because they know me best and can speak best to my abilities in those various fields, but also as a student, researcher, etc.) It can only help- the adcomm will get the picture that you are a well-rounded person, who impresses profs not only in your English/lit classes, but also in Classics.

[lolopixie]

I don't think this would hinder you in any way.

[Timshel]

I think as long as it's relevant to your work, it should be fine.

[xfgdfrmgpo332]

Thanks for the opinions, guys and gals. I talked to some people in English Depts, and everyone said a third letter from a Classics prof would be fine. However, I just saw on UVA's website that 3 letters from English profs are needed...perhaps I'll get another English (though it's late in the game) and just have 4 letters for a lot of places.

[0000000000AAA]

The only fear I'd have is the risk of using an adjunct at all. Has anyone encountered this? All my LORs are full or associates, and I suspect prominent enough that any adcomm member in their field (or an adjacent one) will know who they are.