While coursework in the Graduate Program in English is geared towards literary studies, we work with students to showcase how these skills can be transferred rains students flexibly for into a range of careers.
Because we are a small graduate program, faculty mentors and the department’s placement officer work closely with each student to support their particular and evolving professional aspirations.
Between 2014 and 2023, we have placed more than half of our graduating Ph.D. students in full-time college and university teaching positions (34% in tenure track jobs and 20% in full-time, non-tenure track positions). Other students have gone on to careers in university administration, publishing, diversity consulting, and secondary education.
The chart below offers a more granular overview of graduate student career paths from 2018-23.
Ph.D. Graduate Career Paths, 2018-23 (15 total graduates)
Tenure Track Professorships: Stockton University, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Kutztown University, Holy Family University, Louisiana State University of Louisana-Shreveport)
Academic administration: Assistant Director of Graduate Fellowships, George Mason University; Digital Content Specialist, Finger Lakes Community College; Director of Graduate Student Success, Maryland Institute College of Art; Donor Relations writer, Lehigh University
Full-time university teaching positions: Finger Lakes Community College, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Secondary Education: Kingswood Oxford School, Lausanne Collegiate School
Consulting: Director of Racial Equity and Engagement, Strategy Arts Consulting Group
In the same period (2018-2023), 55 students graduated from our M.A. program. Of those, about half of our M.A. students have gone on to Ph.D. programs, some staying at Lehigh, and others moving to doctoral programs around the country, including, for example, Emory, Princeton, University of California at Riverside, and University of Texas at Austin.) Others recent graduates have accepted jobs in fields including publishing, secondary education, consulting, and academic advising and administration.