Literary & Cultural Studies Ph.D. Funding Package

While Ph.D. students are enrolled full-time, in good academic standing, the English Department provides a financial support package. In return for this financial support, we expect students to teach one writing course each semester, starting in the second year of the program.

We offer a top-tier Ph.D. funding package that includes:

• Full tuition remission.
• Coverage of mandatory university fees (Activities, Transportation, and Technology).
• Up to six years of full twelve-month financial support.
  • Annual Stipend Amount: approximately $31,000 paid out semi-monthly beginning in September. 
  • First Year Stipend; no teaching requirements.
  • Stipend After First Year; teaching experience is part of the training provided in the program, and following the first year, students receive the stipend for teaching one course per semester.
  • Fully funded summers.
• University Funds to cover 100% of the cost of annual CMU student basic medical insurance if needed (self only).
• A professional conference travel allowance of $600 per year with rollover.
• A Job Seeking fund of $700 in the final funding year.

Not yet earned a Master’s degree?

• The LCS program has admitted exceptional candidates into our PhD program who have not yet done graduate coursework.
• Because candidates without a Master’s degree are competing against candidates that do have one, admission under these circumstances is highly competitive.
• Candidates without a Master’s degree not admitted to the Ph.D. program will have their application considered for our Master’s program.
• Candidates admitted to the Ph.D. program without a Master’s degree, are required to complete six semesters of full-time coursework (three academic years) to meet the credit requirements for the Ph.D.
• To support the additional year of coursework they must complete, students admitted to the Ph.D. program without an M.A. receive an extra year of funding.

All of the foregoing financial support is renewable from year-to-year subject to full-time enrollment, maintenance of good academic standing, satisfactory progress towards degree, and satisfactory teaching performance. If these conditions are met, financial support will be provided for up to six years.

Teaching experience is a requirement of the academic program and a critical part of a Ph.D. student’s training. Starting in the second year of study, our Ph.D. students are required to take a Teaching Practicum and have the opportunity to teach highly talented and motivated undergraduate students in First-Year Writing courses. Other teaching opportunities are likely to arise as studies advance, as is the chance to teach extra courses for additional financial support. The availability of supplementary teaching is not guaranteed since Departmental needs vary each semester, but many Ph.D. students benefit from such opportunities.

In addition to shared office space, students will be loaned a new laptop computer for teaching and research. Students are expected to keep the same laptop for the duration of the program; the department will provide software necessary for teaching and will cover costs for reasonable repair and maintenance.