PhD Critical Theory

[Neither Here Nor There]

I am wondering if you all have suggestions on Phd programs either in theory and criticism, or programs that specialize in critical theory/lit theory. I love it all, but especially poststructuralism.

[hj2012]

Duke Literature, Stanford Modern Thought and Literature, Minnesota Comparative Studies, Berkeley Rhetoric (or an English degree with a designated emphasis in Critical Theory). I'm really interested in postcolonial theory (particularly diaspora / migration / theories of belonging) as well.

[Neither Here Nor There]

oooh, this one looks great!  Thanks.

 

http://cscl.umn.edu/grad/csds.html

[Kamisha]

Irvine has a super strong Crit Theory program. Check them out for sure

[Neither Here Nor There]

My degrees are from religious schools, so I'm not likely to get into a top school. I'm certainly working to boost my application in anyway I can (writing sample, conference papers, GRE score), though

[hj2012]

oooh, this one looks great!  Thanks.

 

http://cscl.umn.edu/grad/csds.html

Glad to be of assistance! I second Kamisha, as Irvine is very strong in crit theory. You might also be interested in Santa Cruz's Literature program or Stony Brook's Cultural Studies program.

[heliogabalus]

Aren't all English PhD programs heavy on critical theory?

[Horb]

All PhDs in English will include theory, but whether it will expand beyond literary theory is the difference (from my understanding). For instance, you might not read Foucault or Zizek or Galtung, but you'll read Armstrong or Gubar or some other people.

[shortstack51]

In my program, it was actually more likely that you'd read Foucault or Zizek than Gubar. Every course included some kind of critical theory, some almost exclusively.

[Neither Here Nor There]

I think the difference is for me I would be happy only studying theory. I would much rather read Foucault than a novel. I am also going to apply to some continental philosophy programs. They are harder to get into than English PhDs, however.

[ExponentialDecay]

continental philosophy programs

 

they also limit your employability to the handful of universities and colleges whose philosophy departments are amenable to continental philosophy. philosophers are a lot cliquier than philologists (largely why the philosophy programs are harder to get into), and continental philosophy, at least on this side of the atlantic, is SO not in vogue.

[Horb]

My program was pretty much: find your own outside sources, which was nice because we all learned how to figure out which sources were good and which weren't. But we never read heavy on critical theory, but then again, this was just my BA program, since I haven't done a MA yet. However, I've personally read a bunch because I like critical theory. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 29, 2014 by Horb

[Neither Here Nor There]

they also limit your employability to the handful of universities and colleges whose philosophy departments are amenable to continental philosophy. philosophers are a lot cliquier than philologists (largely why the philosophy programs are harder to get into), and continental philosophy, at least on this side of the atlantic, is SO not in vogue.

Very, very true. Sadly. =(

[Algernon]

You might want to consider the University of Pittsburgh. Their English literature PhD program is literally entitled "PhD in Critical and Cultural Studies." Also, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has a Unit for Criticism and Interpretive Theory that is extremely active and rigorous and offers a graduate certificate. I was accepted to both programs this round (I chose Pitt), so while I can't answer questions from a current student's perspective, I do have some information to offer about them if you're curious. Incidentally, they're also both well-funded.