--- title: What Can I Do With an English Degree? Best PhDs for English Majors description: Did you get your bachelor’s in English? If you’re unsure of your next steps, further your education with these PhD programs for English majors. image: https://gradarticles.smu.edu/hubfs/AdobeStock_356337517-1.jpeg --- [Skip to content](https://gradarticles.smu.edu/advancing-the-field/the-6-best-types-of-phd-programs-for-english-majors#main-content) [![SMU logo](https://gradarticles.smu.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/SMU%20logo.png?width=150&height=44&name=SMU%20logo.png "SMU logo")](https://www.smu.edu/) [EXPLORE SMU](https://www.smu.edu/aboutsmu) ## [Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies](https://www.smu.edu/moody/) - About Show submenu for About - [About](https://www.smu.edu/moody/about) - [Mission and History](https://www.smu.edu/moody/about/mission-and-history) - [Moody Foundation Gift](https://www.smu.edu/moody/about/moody-foundation-gift) - [Charter](https://www.smu.edu/-/media/Site/Moody/graduate/Moody-School-Charter-Summer-2021-Final.pdf) - [Director of Graduate Studies Handbook](https://www.smu.edu/-/media/Site/Moody/Moody-School-DGS-Handbook-20220811.pdf) - 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Best PhDs for English Majors [English](https://gradarticles.smu.edu/advancing-the-field/tag/english) April 4, 2024 ![](https://gradarticles.smu.edu/hubfs/AdobeStock_356337517-1.jpeg) If you’re reading this, you’re probably exploring your options for advancing your undergraduate degree. Could a PhD be the ticket to realizing your academic goals and dreams? The decision to return to graduate school for a PhD is a significant one. However, [a PhD is worthwhile](https://gradarticles.smu.edu/advancing-the-field/is-getting-a-phd-worth-it)—essential, even—if you want to conduct original research or pursue a career in academia or another specialized field. Some know exactly the subject in which they’ll earn their doctorate. For others, the decision isn’t as straightforward. The question then becomes: how can you create the strongest connection between your bachelor’s in English and your PhD? It starts with narrowing your field of focus. So, rule out those graduate programs in biochemistry and begin exploring a [PhD in the humanities](https://grad.smu.edu/reanalyzing-our-world-humanities-phds-at-smu). Key Takeaways - A doctorate program in English is a valuable path for English majors pursuing research, teaching, or interdisciplinary work. - In addition to English, most fields in the humanities can align with your English education. - Choosing the right fit for your interests and academic goals should guide your next step. ## What Do We Mean By “The Humanities?” According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the humanities are “branches of knowledge that concern themselves with human beings and their culture or with analytic and critical methods of inquiry derived from an appreciation of human values and of the unique ability of the human spirit to express itself.” Put more succinctly, the humanities focus on human potential and agency, considering humans as the starting point for all serious moral and philosophical inquiry. At its broadest level, the humanities encompass the following disciplines: - Literature - Languages - The Arts - History - Philosophy [Read our guide on all three humanities PhDs offered at SMU \>\>](https://grad.smu.edu/reanalyzing-our-world-humanities-phds-at-smu) ## Best PhD Programs for English Majors If your undergraduate degree is in English, pursuing a PhD in the same discipline is an obvious path — but it’s not the only one. Depending on the kinds of classes you took and your interests within the field of humanities, you may be qualified to pursue a PhD in other disciplines. However, you should keep in mind that if you choose to pursue a new field of study, you may need to take additional prerequisite courses in addition to the courses you took to earn your bachelor’s degree. That being said, here are some top choices in graduate degrees for English majors. ### 1. PhD in Religious Studies As an English major, you’ve most likely read a few religious texts, and you understand their significance, whether you’re affiliated with their religion or not. Truthfully, a PhD in Religious Studies doesn’t require you to be religious. At its core, studying religion involves examining the ethics, beliefs, and communities that shape human experience. A PhD in Religious Studies will foster a greater understanding of the role of religion in the contemporary world and throughout history. You’ll examine the world’s religious traditions as social, cultural, and historical phenomena. [See the six specialized fields of study for the PhD in Religious Studies at SMU \>\>](https://grad.smu.edu/graduate-studies-in-religious-studies) ### 2. PhD in Linguistics\* Have you ever marveled at the perfect word choice in your favorite play? Or, while reading a line of dialogue in a piece of literary fiction, heard the dialect clear as a bell? There is no literature without language. The study of language is known as linguistics, and it encompasses every aspect of language, as well as the methods used to study and model it. Linguistics has traditional areas of analysis like phonetics, morphology, and syntax, the latter of which studies the rules governing how speakers of a language organize words into sentences. There are also linguistic sub-disciplines, such as historical linguistics, which is the study of language change, particularly about a specific language or group of languages. For lovers of the written word, loving words themselves and the science behind them is the next logical step. ### 3. PhD in History History, of course, is the study of the past. At the same time, history helps us understand change and how our society has evolved. *“History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.”* – Maya Angelou History and English are inextricably intertwined. After all, many of the novels, poems, and essays you read as an English major made history in their own right. Both history and English utilize a very similar set of skills. Do you enjoy studying literary theories and analyzing texts through a specific critical lens? History has a comparable approach. It’s much more than reciting the names of influential people and the dates of important events; historians must understand it all within the context of time. Being a student of history involves learning to sift through diverse, often conflicting interpretations. Your undergraduate degree in English will have set you up for success. [Learn more about the PhD in History program at SMU \>\>](https://grad.smu.edu/graduate-studies-in-history) ### 4. PhD in Media Studies\* Like all forms of art, the creations of writers give us direct access to what it means to be human in all its complexity and mystery. If you found that your favorite part about being an English major was the art you encountered and the stories you were exposed to, consider a PhD in something like media studies. A doctorate in media studies will allow you to study story, culture, and contextual theory across various technical modes of production and reproduction, including print, photography, cinema, video, television, radio, and more. ### 5. PhD in Political Science\* At first, political science and English may seem like strange bedfellows. But you’ve already built a strong foundation in critical reading and thinking, approaching literary analysis through multiple lenses and finding the influences of culture, politics, and social issues peppered throughout a work during your undergraduate studies. Political and economic factors—and the relations between them—figure into many great works of literature. Studying political science allows you to understand the origins and underpinnings of political values from a historical and philosophical perspective. Think about it this way: if you find your favorite written works tend to have a larger political meaning behind them, this might be the correct route for you. ### 6. PhD in English Unsurprisingly, a major in English prepares you incredibly well for an English doctorate. From the earliest flowering of poetry in Old English to the most recent creative works being published, English doctoral programs equip students with the comprehensive knowledge of literary criticism they need to join academic faculties worldwide. Depending on your specialization, you’ll study anything from medieval literature to African-American literature to literature in the age of revolutions. Your bachelor’s degree in English gave you a broad overview, whereas your doctorate in English will help you identify a specialty and drill down to become a subject matter expert. [Learn more about the PhD in English at SMU \>\>](https://grad.smu.edu/graduate-studies-in-english) *\*Note: Graduate programs in these fields are not offered at SMU.* ## Explore the Humanities at Southern Methodist University It’s not just what you study, but where you study. SMU’s Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences can offer you a world-class education in the heart of Dallas, Texas. Want to learn more about the faculty, research, and opportunities available to you here? Read our guide: [Reanalyzing Our World: Humanities PhDs at SMU](https://grad.smu.edu/reanalyzing-our-world-humanities-phds-at-smu). [![Download the Guide](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/3974384/f0d7d716-4980-495b-9207-039248bb7174.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/3974384/f0d7d716-4980-495b-9207-039248bb7174) ##### Request *more* ### information Complete the form to reach out to us for more information ###### Written By ![](https://gradarticles.smu.edu/hubfs/Stevie%20Otto.jpeg) [Stevie Otto](https://gradarticles.smu.edu/advancing-the-field/author/stevie-otto) ###### Published On April 4, 2024 ## More articles ###### Recommended articles for you [English](https://gradarticles.smu.edu/advancing-the-field/tag/english) ### [Unlocking Possibilities: What Can You Do With a PhD in English?](https://gradarticles.smu.edu/advancing-the-field/unlocking-possibilities-what-can-you-do-with-a-phd-in-english) The world of academia has long been associated with the pursuit of knowledge, scholarly research... [Read More](https://gradarticles.smu.edu/advancing-the-field/unlocking-possibilities-what-can-you-do-with-a-phd-in-english) [Electrical and Computer Engineering](https://gradarticles.smu.edu/advancing-the-field/tag/electrical-and-computer-engineering) ### [Finding Your Passion: How One SMU Professor Grew to Love Electrical and Computer Engineering](https://gradarticles.smu.edu/advancing-the-field/finding-your-passion-how-one-smu-professor-grew-to-love-electrical-and-computer-engineering) *Note: this interview was condensed and edited for clarity.* Not all students set out from an... 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