best programs by subtype

[variation32]

What is the best way to identify the best English Lit Graduate programs based on a particular specialty? That is, what sources do applicants use to identify a university's reputation in the 20th century American Novel, or Renaissance Drama, or ...?

I'm interested both in the general approach people use and, in particular, what programs are known as being particularly strong in Renaissance Drama (other than the top 5 programs that can claim to be strong at everything).

Thanks!

[glasses]

What is the best way to identify the best English Lit Graduate programs based on a particular specialty? That is, what sources do applicants use to identify a university's reputation in the 20th century American Novel, or Renaissance Drama, or ...?

I scour faculty bios.

[Pamphilia]

Same. I looked at faculty bios, researched and read faculty members' scholarship, and so forth. I've also looked for programs that have a depth of faculty in my main subfields (Renaissance lyric, incidentally, and gender studies). I've also gotten lots of advice from my undergrad mentors in those subfields.

[Phedre]

You might also look at classes being offered. If there is only one class being offered on, like "Feminist perspectives on literature" and that's it, then if gender theory is your thing, you might want to go elsewhere. Also-- often professors move into different fields and will teach classes/work with students based on their LATEST research interests. Just be aware!

[greekdaph]

Just a caveat re: your statement about "top 5 programs that can claim to be strong at everything." Of course they claim it, at least publicly, but something that I didn't realize last year when I made my list and that became clear when I wrote my fit paragraphs and even clearer when I visited schools is this (whew, long clause--sorry!): a program's good reputation or high US News rank doesn't mean that it's strong in every field. I assumed that each of the Ivies, for instance, would have a lot of faculty in my not-obscure area of interest, but that turned out not to be the case. The suggestions others have given about scouring faculty bios and looking at course guides are things you should do for every school before you pony up that application fee.

A couple more thoughts:

-Look at the list of recent dissertations and, even better, see if you can find out who was on the committee of a person whose dissertation is in your field (if that information's not on the website, see where the person is teaching now and if his/her CV is online).

-Check job postings (some schools have them on their website, and there's a MLA-related hiring wiki out there somewhere) to see if schools are hiring in your field (these are also a great clue to what a department's gaps are, and/or where it's looking to grow.)

-Keep in mind that some schools may be trying to grow their program in your field. For example, I was admitted to a program that didn't really seem like a good fit for me but that was trying to recruit students and faculty in my area of interest. So while fit is of the utmost importance, sometimes fit moves in mysterious ways. If a school doesn't look like a fit on the surface but is a dream school for you, or if it's in an area you'd love to live in, etc., you might want to do a bit of further digging before taking it off the list.

[rainy_day]

I made a list of 53 schools, all in locations I'd be happy to live for the next 7 years (because at this point in my life, I know that location is important to my happiness and success.) Then I built out this big spreadsheet, listing the basic application info, sub-fields/specialties, faculty of interest, notes about program, etc. I used this to narrow down my list to about 30. Now I'm looking very closely at faculty bios and faculty research, aiming to break my list down to 9-12 programs.

I'd definitely recommend making a big spreadsheet, and plugging info in, as you try to narrow down your choices. It was incredibly helpful for me.

[Pamphilia]

Ooh! That's what I did, too! The spreadsheet really helped me narrow down my choices. And, now that I've finalized the schools I'm applying to, it's helpful because I have a nice chart that lists faculty names and emails, application deadlines and fees, and so forth. Good for quick reference.

[JustAnotherModernGuy]

What is the best way to identify the best English Lit Graduate programs based on a particular specialty?

I have a different take on this than other people. I think most people say: step #1 find the schools that interest you, step #2 research the faculty at the school, step #3 revise the list of schools as needed. I disagree. You need to start with the faculty members and then look at the schools. Here

[BiteMeLawSchool]

I'm going to agree in part with the above post about networking. But first, a little background:

1. My undergrad GPA was LESS than a 3.0.

2. I had very good graduate grades from a mid-tier public university.

3. I had good grades from a selective private law school.

4. I had 2 years of sales experience, 2 years of teaching (university-level) experience, and 2 years of publishing experience. During law school, I worked for two firms year-round.

In the grand scheme of things, I really only have one thing going for me: work experience. The first time I applied to PhD programs (2005), I got one waitlist and four rejections. Needless to say, I wasn't a good candidate at that point (only halfway through MA), but the kiss of death was my application strategy. I basically applied to schools where I wanted to live, all of which were state schools on the other side of the country. Hmm. Well, after a professor told me that most schools have to take 75-85% of their funded grad (PhD) students from IN-STATE applicants, I reconsidered my strategy for this round of applications.

Instead of going from the "top" down (and I'm doing Rhet/Comp, so my "top" isn't Lit "top" anyway), I started with newest/most willing to take "students transitioning from other professional programs" first. I picked one from the "bottom barrel" (one I was SURE would take me), two from the middle (both in-state for me), and one from the top of the middle. I have at least one reference who is a graduate of or professor at these programs, so I asked them what they looked for (as professors) or how they got into those programs. Most of them said knowing someone REALLY helped and that visiting schools (if you can) to make an in-person appearance, watch a class, talk to faculty, etc helped. If your end goal is to teach, your personality DOES matter. It may not totally replace shitty grades, but I have yet to hear a program head say that they'd prefer the "smarter" person who can't interact with students over the "less academically accomplished" person who gets great course reviews and can (gasp) even make new friends at conferences. Again, I'm not in Lit, but I really do think that letting an admissions member put a name with a face and LIKE you will get you the acceptance if you're on the fence.

And FWIW, just because a program is "the best" doesn't mean that you'll get a better job, better teaching/research/publication opportunities, or better overall experience. You may. But you may also want to consider applying to a program or two that you think might feel lucky to have you. Sometimes the big fish in the small pond has the best chance of standing out...JMO.

[caught_between]

Hey there - Interesting about the In-State Funding information. I did not realize that most states were required to select 75-85% of applicants from in-state. That actually makes me feel a bit more confident, because I am planning on applying to UCSD's Lit PhD program for Fall 2011, and I live in San Diego.

Here are my stats: I have not yet graduated with my B.A., but will in May 2010, and I have an anticipated GPA of approx 3.2. My major is Business, but have a minor in English. The GPA of my English classes should be about a 3.6 - 3.7. Considering UCSD is not a super competitive, top-tier school in regards to Lit, do you think I would have a chance of acceptance? UCSD's only listed, concrete requirements for acceptance are: Minimum 3.0 GPA, 3 letters recommendation (minimum), 25 page writing sample (minimum). They of course require the GRE but do not give a minimum score. On the other hand, they do not require the GRE Lit Analytical. Given this very basic information, I think I would have a chance, but am so incredibly new to this process (just started considering grad school about a week ago!) that I would love some input/suggestions. I'm a little concerned about the work experience part that you mentioned, however. Will that be a big deal? I have no work experience in the teaching/English/Lit realm. I do have, however, 10 years of work experience in the business/finance field, 5 of those years being in a management position. However, since I am not applying for an MBA, I suspect this will be of little importance!

Any help would be appreciated!

~Sarah