Professionalization

Preparing Students for the Job Market

Our PhD students enter the academic job market with excellent credentials as both scholars and teachers.

Students receive careful mentoring throughout the job search. In addition to the advising provided by students’ dissertation committees, two faculty members each year serve as job placement officers. Beginning several months prior to the fall application deadlines, the placement officers lead a series of intensive workshops, with sessions dedicated to each separate element of the application package, including the cover letter, dissertation abstract, cv, teaching statement, and/or teaching portfolio. Students also practice interviewing and presentation skills.

Placement

Over the past ten years, UR PhDs in English have entered tenure-track positions at:

Auburn University (Montgomery)
The Citadel
CUNY-Hostos
Eastern Connecticut State University
John Abbott College
Lyndon State College Vermont
Merrimack College
Oklahoma State University
Potomac State College (a division of West Virginia University)
SUNY at Cortland
Texas Tech University
University of Connecticutt (Avery Point)
University of Maryland
University of Maryland (University College Europe)
University of Minnesota (Duluth)
University of Northern Colorado
University of Washington
University of West Georgia
Ursinus College
Winona State University
Worcester State University 

Other graduates have been awarded postdoctoral fellowships at:

Georgia Institute of Technology (x 3)
Stanford University
SUNY at Buffalo
Tulane University
University of Rochester

In addition, our PhDs have entered non-tenure-track or visiting professor positions at:

Boston University
Columbia College Chicago
Emory University
Merrimack College
Northeastern University
Notre Dame de Namur University
Oklahoma State University
Pace University
University of Mississippi
University of North Carolina Asheville
University of Pittsburgh
University of Rochester
Stonehill College
SUNY at Cortland
SUNY Orange
Warren Wilson College

Several recent alumni have launched successful careers at university and college writing centers, such as those at:

University of California Merced (x3)
University of Massachusetts
Stanford University

A number of our graduates have entered the field of university administration, at institutions such as:

Cornell University
Empire State College
Rochester Institute of Technology
University of Rochester
West Virginia University

UR PhDs in English may pursue non-academic careers as well, and currently hold positions such as:

Archives Assistant, Uniersity of Rochester Rare Books and Special Collections
Director of Scholarly Communication for the Modern Language Association
Director of Educational Content at Elevate Labs (education technology company) in San Francisco 
Medical Publication Head at Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics
English Teacher, Porter-Gaud Preparatory Day School (Charleston, SC)