English and Comparative Literature

 

Program Major Code Admissions
Term Deadline
Doctoral (PhD) ECL Fall* December 12, 2023
Master’s (MA) – Medicine, Literature, and Culture concentration

IMPORTANT: The MA is a separate, specialized curriculum for non-PhD applicants seeking interdisciplinary study in health and humanities: for details see http://litmedcult.web.unc.edu

ECL Spring October 10, 2023
Master’s (MA) – Medicine, Literature, and Culture concentration

IMPORTANT: The MA is a separate, specialized curriculum for non-PhD applicants seeking interdisciplinary study in health and humanities: for details see http://litmedcult.web.unc.edu

ECL Fall June 11, 2024
Fall Graduate School Fellowships December 12, 2023 (Recommended)
Academic Program Aid/Financial Assistance December 12, 2023 (Recommended)
Director of Graduate Admissions Jane F. Thrailkill (tkill@unc.edu)
Director of Graduate Admissions (MA—Literature, Medicine, and Culture concentration) Jane F. Thrailkill (tkill@unc.edu)

Kim Weed (kweed@email.unc.edu)

Graduate Coordinator greenlawgradoffice@unc.edu
Address Department of English and Comparative Literature
CB# 3520, Greenlaw Hall
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC 27599
Website englishcomplit.unc.edu
Phone 919-962-1454
Test Requirements
GRE not required
Letters of Recommendation 3 – (see other requirements)
International Applicants Only TOEFL or IELTS score (no more than two years old)
Other Requirements In addition to the University’s required application materials, applicants should review the information below for additional expectations or application requirements.

Critical Writing Sample:

Writing samples must be examples of analytical writing (rather than creative writing) directly related to literature.  Double-spaced, 15-20 page paper of no more than 5,500 words, in 12-point font and with 1-inch margins.  The Critical Writing Sample should be uploaded in the Supplemental Document-Required section on the Program Supplement page of the online application.

Statement of Purpose:

The Statement of Purpose should be intellectual rather than autobiographical, aimed at giving the admissions committee a strong account of the applicant’s scholarly interests. No longer than 1,000 words, in 12-point font and leaving 1-inch margins.

Three Letters of Recommendation:

Three strong letters of recommendation from professors who are familiar with a candidate’s academic work. Recommenders should address not only the applicant’s scholarly achievements, but also the applicant’s originality as a thinker and potential as scholar and teacher.

Foreign Language mp3 (Comparative Literature applicants only):

Applicants in Comparative Literature, and only applicants in Comparative Literature, should submit an mp3 of themselves speaking for roughly five minutes in the foreign language in which they are most proficient. The purpose of the recording is to assess the applicant’s conversational and grammatical proficiency in the language in question, so applicants should not read from a prepared script. Please submit the mp3 to the Graduate Student Services Manager, Allison Carson (greenlawgradoffice@unc.edu)

Literature, Medicine, and Culture Concentration in English—MA only [separate from PhD]: 

Please note that the primary deadline for application is December 12, 2023 in order to be considered for Graduate School Fellowships. After the primary deadline, all admissions will be rolling until the final deadline of June 11, 2024.

Multidisciplinary course of study in the narrative, cultural, and societal dimensions of health and illness. 30 credit hour curriculum with opportunities for individual and collaborative research. Core faculty drawn from humanities, social sciences, health sciences. IMPORTANT: MA applicants’ Statement of Purpose should address interest in and preparation for interdisciplinary study. For details see http://hhive.unc.edu/litmedcult/ and for inquiries contact tkill@unc.edu or kweed@email.unc.edu