The graduate programmes offered by the Department of English, Linguistics and Theatre Studies provide both an extensive education and a specialist discipline, enabling students to develop flexibility and range, coupled with specific transferable skills.
Students learn to be critical and creative in their thinking, to evaluate and manage complex information and to construct arguments. They master the arts of speaking and writing with clarity, precision and elegance: highly coveted skills in the modern workplace.
The English Literature graduate programmes cover a variety of historical periods and interdisciplinary fields, with experienced faculty members fluent in British and American literatures, in South Asian, Southeast Asian and other emerging anglophone literatures, in film and visual culture, and in critical and cultural theory.
The PhD in English Literature trains students to become independent scholars, teachers, critics and thinkers in the arena of literature and, more broadly, the arts. During the programme, students do coursework, embark on a Qualifying Exam and write an 80,000 word thesis.
Arts and Social Sciences
English, Linguistics and Theatre Studies
ellbox1@nus.edu.sg
Department of English, Linguistics and Theatre Studies Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences National University of Singapore Block AS5, 7 Arts Link Singapore 117570Welcome to the Department of English, Linguistics and Theatre Studies
- We are one of the oldest departments in the university, and have had students studying with us since 1929. In that time we have changed from a department in a colonial university, to one that students mobilized in anti-colonial struggles, to an independent department in a newly independent nation, and finally, to the contemporary centre of literary, performance, and linguistic studies that we are today.
- The department is rather peculiar in that it houses three undergraduate majors and three graduate programmes all under the same roof. We teach and study English literature, language and linguistics, and Theatre and Performance Studies. Although there is a lot of collegial and student interaction between the three parts, as well as some teaching and research collaboration, each of the three sections has its own character and its own distinctive strengths. However, all three programmes include in their ranks some of the very best teachers in the university.
| Commitment | Average Candidature | Maximum Candidature |
|---|---|---|
| Full Time | 4.5 Years | 5 Years |
| Part Time | 4.5 Years | 5 Years |
Bachelor’s or master’s degree holders with a relevant background who are interested in British and American literature, South Asian, Southeast Asian, and other emerging anglophone literature, in film and visual culture, and critical and cultural theory.
| Criteria | Minimum Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| GPA | Normally a good Masters degree in a relevant discipline; or in exceptional circumstances and case by case, an NUS Honours degree (at least Second Class Upper Division) or equivalent (e.g., a four-year Bachelors degree with an average grade above B) in a relevant discipline, subject to approval by the Faculty | ||
| English Proficiency Tests | TOEFL Internet-based | 85 / 120 | |
| IELTS | 6 / 9 | ||
GRE is optional. However, evidence of strong quantitative, verbal, and analytical skills through GRE scores, as well as indicators of research skills and experience will significantly strengthen your application.
Either TOEFL or IELTS is required for students whose main language of undergraduate university instruction is not English. Waivers may be granted to students who are native English speakers or proficient in English but are currently enrolled in a non-English medium university. Contact programme administrator to inquire. Test scores for the TOEFL and IELTS are valid for 2 years from the test dates. TOEFL and IELTS Academic scores that have expired by the time the application period closes will not be accepted. For more information about the TOEFL or IELTS, please visit www.toefl.org (for TOEFL) and www.ielts.org (for IELTS).
- The Department requires a writing sample related to the area of study (EL, EN or TS) to be submitted for all applications to its graduate programmes.
- PhD students are requested to provide a preliminary research proposal of 2-4 pages. Although this document should be as focused as possible, it is exploratory and admitted students are not required to work on the exact area proposed. However, the capacities to develop an interesting research question and approach are important indicators of a student’s ability and seriousness.
- More information on how to write a research proposal can be obtained from: Research Proposal Guidelines for Applicants and How to Write a Research Proposal.
Please refer to the Faculty’s website here for the complete admission requirements and here for a list of supporting documents required.
| Category | Application Window | Application Result Released | |
|---|---|---|---|
Semester 1 Intake (August) | All students of any nationalities | 16 May to 1 November in the year preceding the intake | End of May |