Literature and Cultural Theory

Literature and Cultural Theory in the Department of English at UWM offers a flexible program that allows students to develop and follow their interests in a recognized field of literary study (see our major fields below), while also providing rigorous training in established and cutting-edge cultural and literary theory. We offer both an MA and a PhD. We enroll and welcome a range of students, including current K-12 teachers seeking to enrich their expertise, advanced students already holding the MA, and recent BA graduates looking to begin their professional studies. The title of our program emphasizes our faculty’s equal commitment to the study of literary genres, periods, and areas, as well as our dedication to interdisciplinary approaches to culture and theory.

As the conjunction in Literature and Cultural Theory suggests, students may focus their coursework on established literary fields, or they may choose to take a majority of seminars in cultural theory. Our faculty members are keenly aware of the need for professionalization in the discipline and have dedicated a course to the practicalities of negotiating graduate school. Topics in this one-credit course include, for example, an introduction to the scholarly expertise of our faculty, a guide to best practices for presenting at conferences and submitting articles, and a review of methods and practices of literary pedagogy.

In short, Literature and Cultural Theory offers students an exciting program in literature and cultural theory, one that is theoretically sophisticated, broadly internationalist, comparative and committed to the professional development of our students.

The major fields of Literature and Cultural Theory in which students can specialize are:

  • Indigenous Literary Studies
  • Irish Studies
  • Postcolonial Literature
  • U.S. Ethnic and Multicultural Studies
  • Writing by Women
  • Transnational Literature
  • British and Irish Literature and Culture (see subdivisions in Preliminary Exams)
  • American Literature and Culture (see subdivisions in Preliminary Exams)

Admission Requirements 

Application Deadlines

Application deadlines vary by program, please review the application deadline chart for specific programs. Other important dates and deadlines can be found by using the One Stop calendars.

Admission

An applicant must meet Graduate School requirements plus these departmental requirements to be considered for admission to the program:

  1. Undergraduate major in English or related field, with appropriate background for proposed concentration of study: Plan A, broad background in English and American literature; Plan B, literature, linguistics, and/or composition; Plan C, literature and creative writing; Plan H, background in media studies, film studies, or digital and/or popular culture.
  2. Undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale).
  3. Reason statement.
  4. Three letters of recommendation to the Department’s Director of Graduate Studies from persons familiar with applicant’s academic ability and achievement.
  5. A sample of academic writing.
  6. For Plan C admission, an applicant must also submit samples of original fiction or poetry.

For more information about how to apply to the graduate program in English, as well as admissions FAQs, please see the Students/Graduate section of the English department web site.

Plan A (Literature and Cultural Theory)

A minimum of 30 credits, including:

ENGLISH 703Introduction to Graduate Studies in Literature (must be taken in first semester)1
ENGLISH 720Modern Literary Theory3
Select 9 credits in literature courses (at least 3 credits pre-1800)9
Select 3 credits in 800-level seminar in literature or cultural theory3
Select 6 credits in cultural theory6
Select 8 credits of electives 18
Total Credits30
1

Which may include up to 5 credits of ENGLISH 790.

Additional Requirements

  • A final project, which shall be a paper of at least 30 pages which grows out of and significantly expands some aspect of the student’s literary studies.
  • An oral examination, usually lasting an hour and a half, which covers the final project and a separate 30-book reading list.
  • All credits must be 600-level or above, with no more than 6 credits at the 600 level. (ENGLISH 701 must be counted as an elective.)
Contact

Prospective Graduate Students

Questions regarding the application or the application process should be directed to the UWM Graduate School at gradschool@uwm.edu or 414-229-6569.

Current Graduate Students

Questions about research opportunities, department funding opportunities, or issues specific to the discipline should be directed to the English department.

Interested in this Plan?

For more information about the Literature and Cultural Theory plan, contact Associate Professor Barrett Kalter at bkalter@uwm.edu.

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