Introduction

In May of 2002, Frank Wulfgar will be graduating from Western Carolina University with a Masters degree in English literature. He is interested in continuing his studies in graduate school, earning a Ph.D., and teaching at the college or university level.

Given his current schedule—including teaching part time at both WCU and Southwestern Community College, taking two graduate level English Literature courses, preparing for his Masters Comprehensive Exams, and beginning work on his Masters Thesis—Mr. Wulfgar is unable to devote the time due such a weighty matter as career exploration and counseling. Therefore, he has hired Career Academic Consulting Associates (CACA) to undertake research into the best course of action to achieve his career goals.

This report accomplishes the following:

 Establishes Mr. Wulfgar’s criteria and career goals
 Compiles data on the (including salary information, and benefits information, and job availability)
 Researches appropriate graduate schools
 Recommends a course of study and a set of graduate schools to which Mr. Wulfgar should apply in order to achieve his career goals.

Career Goals and Career Criteria

On November 15, 2001, CACA interviewed Mr. Wulfgar in order to determine his short and long term career goals. CACA felt the following information was particularly important:

 What field of literary studies does Mr. Wulfgar wish to pursue?
 In what geographic region (if any) does Mr. Wulfgar wish to attend graduate school?
 What relative weight does he wish to place upon research and teaching?
 How much debt is Mr. Wulfgar willing to incur to complete his Ph.D.?
 What are his career salary expectations?

Field of Study

Mr. Wulfgar is particularly interested in receiving a Ph.D. in Medieval Literature. His ultimate career goeal is to be able to teach Chaucer at the college or university level. While Chaucer is taught at the high-school level, rarely is it a major focus of the curriculum. Mr. Wulfgar does not want to submit the regiment of education courses and certification requirements necessary for teaching at the secondary level, nor does he want to deal with the notorious disciplinary problems associated with High School classes today. He would be interested in teaching at a community college, if such a college allowed for Chaucer to be a major part of his curriculum. Also, he strongly wants to teach at an institution that offers tenure.

Geographic Location

Mr. Wulfgar’s family resides in the Northeastern United States, from Western New York, to the Eastern shore of Maryland, to Central Florida. He would prefer to attend graduate school on the East coast, in order to keep in close proximity to his family, and given his distaste for hot weather, he would particularly prefer the Northeast (North of North Carolina).

Research vs Teaching

While Mr. Wulfgar enjoys research, he is most interested in teaching. He has already presented at three national conferences, but has yet to publish an essay in a peer reviewed journal, although he does have one, “Chaucer’s Melancholy Monk and the Dialectics of Desire,” circulating. He expects to be able to pursue a modest research agenda in his career, but would strongly prefer to focus upon teaching. Given his preference for teaching, and his inability to publish so far, Mr. Wulfgar and CACA determined that a Research I institution, which focuses upon research, would probably be an inappropriate career but might be appropriate for graduate study.

Debt

Currently, Mr. Wulfgar retains $15,000 in undergraduate and graduate student loans. He would prefer not to acquire any more debt, but might be willing to go up to $30,000, should the salary prospects of his future career suggest the ability to pay off such a debt within a reasonable amount of time (under 20 years). Given a modest annuity from a deceased relative ($2,000/year), Mr. Wulfgar can live frugally on an income of $10,000/year in an area with a moderate cost of living. He would prefer to attend graduate school that offered at least $10,000/year teaching stipend.

Career Salary Expectations

Mr. Wulfgar does not have any experience with academic salaries. Given the length of time it takes to acquire the Ph.D. (3-7 years beyond the 2-3 years for the Masters Degree), he would expect to start at around $50,000 with benefits.

Literary Field Data

Interview with Dr. Castle

Given Mr. Wulfgar’s interest in becoming a medievalist, CACA first interviewed Dr. Brian Castle at Western Carolina University in order to compile preliminary information on the field. Dr. Castle is currently one of two medievalists working in WCU’s English department, is a recent graduate himself, and has been active on the job market for the past three years. Dr. Castle also taught Mr. Wulfgar Chaucer at WCU

 Field of Study – Dr. Castle believed Mr. Wulfgar would make a fine medievalist, and that this particular field was one of the most promising in literary studies. He has seen the number of open positions grow significantly over the past three years, from roughly thirty-five positions nationally to over fifty. But he does caution that competition is extremely intense in all literary fields. For example, most of those positions received 150 to 300 applicants, virtually all of whom held Ph.D.’s in medieval literature. The only English fields that seem to be a “sellers’ market,” in his opinion, are Composition & Rhetoric, English Education, and Professional Writing. He would strongly urge Mr. Wulfgar to pursue one of these as a secondary field of specialization in order to improve his job prospects.
 Geographic Location – Dr. Castle knows of many good Medieval programs in the Northeast. He would urge Mr. Wulfgar to attend a Ph.D. program not only based upon financial and geographic concerns, but also based upon the faculty at the institution, the reputation of the school, and where their graduates get placed. He recommends the following (based upon his experience in the field and his knowledge of Mr. Wulfgar’s capabilities and career goals): o University of Delaware
 Dr. Castle’s alma mater
 Good financial support ($12,000/year stipend)
 Excellent teaching opportunities while a TA (TA’s allowed to teach literature as well as composition)
 Good (but not tier one) reputation o University of Rochester
 Good location
 Excellent medieval program and library o Pennsylvania State University
 Good interdisciplinary program
 Good medievalists with whom to work (one of whom Dr. Castle knows and might therefore be able to arrange acceptance of Mr. Wulfgar’s application)
 The Chaucer Review is based here (good contacts)
 Research vs Teaching – Dr. Castle stated that the standard teaching load for a Research I institution was 2-3 courses per semester, and that such an institution usually required at least one book for tenure. A non-research oriented school (like WCU and other regional universities) requires 3-4 courses a semester (WCU is 4/4), but it usually only requires 2-3 published essays for tenure Many non-Research I Institutions will hire non-Ivy-League graduates, but still prefer degrees from good, large, research institutions.
 Debt – Dr. Castle himself only incurred $15,000 in debt to finish his M.A. and Ph.D. He believes that a graduate TA stipend can be sufficient if you aren’t living in a high cost-of-living area like New York, D.C., or Boston.
 Salary – Dr. Castle found Mr. Wulfgar’s salary expectations to be unrealistic. Few non-academics realize the poor compensation humanities Ph.D.’s receive. WCU’s BD119 (BD 119, “WCU Academic Salary Increases” State of North Carolina)—a document listing all faculty salaries and required by the state of NC for state institutions of higher education—shows the salary range for English professors to range from $35,000 to $55,000. Research I institutions pay somewhat more than “teaching” institutions, so if Mr. Wulfgar plans on a teaching career, he should expect to begin somewhere between $30,000 and $40,000.

Academic Field Information  Career Salary
Average assistant professor salary at universities rose 3.7%, to $45,528 in 1999-200 (Denise K. Magner, “Faculty Salaries Increased 3.7% in 1999-2000,” The Chronicle of Higher Education, April 14, 2000, A20.). This information coincides with Dr. Castle’s salary estimates, especially since this salary information includes the much higher-paid sciences.  Teaching Assistant Stipends Chart 1: High/Low TA Stipends
Stipends varied dramatically across disciplines and universities. As Chart 1 indicates, stipends for teaching assistants in English ranged from $8,400 to over $17,000

(Scott Smallwood, “Stipends Are Key in Competition to Land Top Graduate Students,” September 28, 2001, A24.)

Table 1 details more fully the remuneration aspects of a number of graduate schools. Apart from the stipend, graduate students should also be concerned with benefits the host institution allots them. Since Mr. Wulfgar is single, with no dependants, he should be interested only in student coverage.

Table 1: Sample TA Stipends and Benefits Teaching assistants Research assistants Percentage of health- care premiums covered English Economics Mechanical engineering Biology Student:
75%
or more Spouse, dependents: 50% or more
California Institute of Technology
A
$14,000
C
$20,340
Yes
C
Columbia U $15,000 $15,000 C $22,000 Yes Yes
Cornell U B $13,185 $19,985 $15,985 Yes No
Duke U $13,000 $13,000 $14,500 $14,500 Yes No
Emory U $12,235 $12,235 A $19,000 No No
Indiana U at Bloomington $11,475 $11,120 A $17,000 Yes No
Iowa State U $12,996* $11,340* $15,732* $16,800* Yes No
Johns Hopkins U $11,000* $11,000* C $18,000* No No
Massachusetts Institute of Technology A $17,604 $21,600 $23,000 Yes No
Michigan State U $10,770* $10,963* $13,436* $12,582* Yes No
New York U $13,000 $18,000 A B No C
Northwestern U $13,419 $13,419 $16,104 $20,000 No No
Ohio State U $10,584* $10,521* $19,200* $17,592 No No
Pennsylvania State U at University Park $11,495 $12,283 $13,210 $13,210 Yes No
Princeton U $17,500 $17,500 $16,500 $16,500 Yes C
Rice U $12,000 $12,000 $12,600 $12,500 No No
Rutgers U at New Brunswick B $14,000 $16,002 $16,002 Yes C
Stanford U $16,338 $16,338 $21,924 $19,760 No No
State U of New York at Buffalo $8,400 $8,400 $11,400 B Yes Yes
State U of New York at Stony Brook $11,230 $11,230 B B Yes Yes
Texas A&M U at College Station $11,070 B $14,400 $15,300 Yes C
Tulane U $10,250 $10,750 $14,000* $17,000 No No
U of California at Berkeley $14,075* $14,075* $13,430* $13,430* Yes No
U of California at Davis $14,067* $14,067* $10,917* $10,917* Yes No
U of California at Irvine $14,356 $14,356 $15,997 $15,997 Yes No
U of California at San Diego $14,356 $14,356 $17,387 $21,500 Yes No
U of California at Santa Barbara $14,074 $14,074 $10,917 $10,917 Yes No
U of Colorado at Boulder $11,981 $11,981 $11,981 $13,860 No No
U of Iowa C $14,718 C $18,650 No Yes
U of Kansas $9,161* $9,966* $8,237* $11,960* No No
U of Maryland at College Park $12,265 $11,900 $20,655 B Yes Yes
U of Michigan at Ann Arbor $12,726 $12,726 $12,950* $13,264* Yes Yes
U of Minnesota-Twin Cities $9,937 $11,489 $12,940 $18,000 Yes Yes
U of Nebraska at Lincoln $12,000 $10,500 $11,000 $12,756 Yes No
U of North Carolina at Chapel Hill $13,200 $12,250 A $14,000 Yes No
U of Oregon $9,540 $10,900 A B Yes Yes
U of Pittsburgh $11,980 $11,980 $11,980 B Yes No
U of Rochester $10,000 B $17,000 $17,785 No No
U of Southern California $14,420 $14,420 $14,420 $14,420 Yes C
U of Texas at Austin $10,300 $10,500 $15,600* $18,500* Yes Yes
U of Virginia B $6,000 $18,000 $18,000 Yes No
U of Washington at Seattle $11,340 $11,340 $14,544* $20,016 Yes Yes
U of Wisconsin at Madison $10,475 $10,475 $16,350 $16,350 Yes Yes
Vanderbilt U $12,000 $11,700 $16,800 $17,700 Yes No
Washington U in St Louis $11,475 $11,475 $14,700 B Yes No
“Stipends for Graduate Assistants, 2001,” September 28, 2001, < http://chronicle.com/stats/stipends/2001/stipends.htm> (November 20, 2001).

A - no program
B - no first-year students in this category
C - did not provide information
Bold figures indicate a 12-month stipend; all others are for the academic year. * = Amount is from the 2000-1 year because the 2001-2 figure is unavailable. Current Jobs in Medieval Literature

There is a yearly set time frame for the academic job search in English literature, dictated by the standard academic semester. The most comprehensive listings of jobs in modern languages appears in the October Modern Languages Association (MLA) Job List. At that time, jobs also begin to appear weekly in the Chronicle of Higher Education. The MLA job list is updated in December, but most jobs are listed in the October listing. This time frame is keyed to the annual MLA meeting at the end of December, between Christmas and New Years. Universities run initial interviews (usually 10-30 per position) at this convention and follow-up with 2-3 on-campus interviews of selected candidates. The successful candidate is then hired for the subsequent fall semester.

The 2001 MLA Job List contained over four hundred job listings, fifty-seven of which were either medieval literature positions or contained medieval literature as a part of the job description. Currently, the December Job List contains fourteen such positions. The following jobs represent positions at universities at which Mr. Wulfgar might like to teach eventually, and are presented in order to give a representative sampling of such positions (Job Information List, English Edition, Publication of the Modern Language Association, October 2001):

Hood C
English, 401 Rosemont Av, Frederick, MD 21701http://www.hood.edu
Assistant Professor of English We invite applications for a full time, tenure- track position beginning fall, 2002. As a small department of five faculty members, we seek a generalist whose graduate work demonstrates an expertise in literature before the nineteenth century. This person should also be able to teach the first half of the British survey, introductory composition and some courses from the following: non-Western literature, medieval literature, film/drama, eighteenth-century British literature, and post-colonial literature. We also seek someone eager to add to our sophomore-level "genre," "theme," and "author" courses. Hood college is a small, liberal arts college in Frederick, Maryland. Our teaching load is 3/3. We emphasize teaching excellence; we expect, and support, scholarly accomplishment. We are looking for a candidate with a Ph.D. in hand, and with teaching experience. Please send a letter of application and a curriculum vitae to Mark Sandona by November 1, 2001. Applications will be acknowledged by e-mail or letter; we will interview selected candidates at the MLA convention in New Orleans. Hood College subscribes to a policy of hiring only individuals legally eligible to work in the United States. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

Wilson College
English: Responsibilities include teaching English literature and composition courses and related program development. A doctorate in English, in hand, expertise in composition/WAC, medieval literature and creative writing, and college teaching experience are required. Pending budget approval, the position begins in August 2002. Send, cover letter, statement of teaching philosophy, curriculum itae, academic transcripts (copies acceptable), and a list of three references to Dr. Beate A. Schiwek, Chief Academic Officer and Dean of the College, Wilson College, 1015 Philadelphia Avenue, Chambersburg, PA 17201. Application review will begin in early November and continue until positions are filled.

East Stroudsburg U
English, 200 Prospect St, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301http://www.esu.edu
Full-Time, Tenure Track Assistant Professor. st Stroudsburg University seeks a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor in the English Department beginning Fall 2002. Qualifications: Ph.D. at time of employment and dissertation in early British literature, with specialty areas in Renaissance, Middle English, or seventeenth-century British literature required. Candidacy will be strengthened by expertise in more than one of these areas. Final determination will be based on a campus interview, which will include a teaching demonstration. Demonstrated knowledge of early Continental literatures as well as experience and/or training in teaching undergraduate literature and composition courses preferred. Responsibilities: Teach undergraduate courses in literature, such as English Lit I, and in composition. Four-course teaching load each semester. Competitive salary and benefits. Send letter of application, curriculum vitae, and at least three letters of reference by November 9, 2001, to Dr. Rhonda Kercsmar, Search Committee Chairperson, Dept. of English, East Stroudsburg University, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301. Transcripts required prior to appointment. We anticipate conducting preliminary interviews at MLA in December. East Stroudsburg University, a member of the Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education, is located in the foothills of the beautiful Pocono Mountains, 100 miles north of Philadelphia and 75 miles west of New York City. ESU is an equal opportunity employer. Minorities and women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Villanova U
English, 800 Lancaster Av, Villanova, PA 19085 htp://www.english.villanova.edu
ENGLISH: Tenure-track assistant professorship in Medieval English Literature, with specialty in Middle English/Chaucer and ability to teach History of the English Language. Additional ability in Anglo-Saxon desirable. Ph.D. required but candidates close to completion of degree may be considered. Send vita and complete dossier (with writing sample) to Dr. Charles Cherry, Chair, English Dept.,Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Ave., Villanova PA 19085-1699 by November 12, 2001. Villanova University is a Roman Catholic university sponsored by the Augustinian order. An AA/EEO employer, Villanova seeks a diverse faculty committed to scholarship, service, and especially teaching, who understand, respect, and can contribute to the University's mission and values.

Bucknell U English, Lewisburg, PA 17837 http://www.departments.bucknell.edu/english/
Assistant Professor of English Bucknell University seeks to hire an entry-level, tenure-track assistant professor of medieval English literature. Ability to teach introductory literature and composition required; ability to teach History of the English Language required. Ph.D. required by September 2002; teaching experience and publications preferred. Application deadline is November 15, 2001. Send letter of application, CV, recommendations, and writing sample to John Rickard, Department of English, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA17837. Bucknell University encourages applications from women and members of minority groups.

West Virginia U
English, PO Box 6296, Morgantown, WV 26506 http://www.as.wvu.edu/english/
Assistant Professor of English The West Virginia University Department of English expects to hire an assistant professor in Middle English Literature to start August 15, 2002. Ph.D. required; demonstration of ability to teach both composition and introductory literature courses expected. Clear evidence of ability to conduct and direct original research in the culture and literature of the period is required. The Department offers the M.A., M.F.A. and Ph.D. Evidence of ability to contribute to both the graduate and undergraduate programs expected. Award of tenure and promotion to associate professor will be based on a record of excellence in both teaching and scholarship. Salary commensurate with experience. For possible interview at MLA, send letter of application and c.v. with current list of references and addresses to Professor Patrick W. Conner, Department of English, P.O. Box 6296, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506-6296. Review of applications will begin November 15, 2001. WVU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and complies with all Federal and West Virginia State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding affirmative action requirements in all programs. The University and department have a strong commitment to achieving diversity among faculty and staff. We strongly encourage applications from persons of color, women, and other members of under-represented groups. For more information, please visit the Department's web site at http://www.as.wvu.edu/english/

Kutztown U of Pennsylvania
English, 205 Lytle Hall, Kutztown, PA 19530 http://www.kutztown.edu/employment/faculty.shtml
Assistant Professor of English (Medievalist) Kutztown University enrolls approximately 8,200 students in graduate and undergraduate programs. The University is located in the borough of Kutztown in a charming rural setting, but is within 20 minutes driving time of the diverse metropolitan areas Allentown/Bethlehem and Reading, and within 60 minutes of the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The University is very interested in hiring employees who have had extensive experience with diverse populations, especially African American and Latino populations represented in these adjoining metropolitan areas. The English Department invites applications for a tenure track position for a medievalist to begin August 2002. The successful applicant should have Ph.D. in hand by August 2002 and a minimum of three years’ teaching experience. Rank dependent on qualifications. The 4/4 load requires the ability to teach medieval literature and Chaucer courses on the undergraduate and graduate level as well as undergraduate courses in history of the English language, British and world literature surveys, and composition; expertise in cultural studies a “plus” as is experience working with diverse populations (African American and Latino). The successful candidate will be an effective teacher and scholar who participates collegially in department work and assumes an active role in student advisement. Successful interview and on-site demonstration of teaching ability required. Competitive salary; excellent benefits at a midsize state comprehensive university. Applicants should send letter and vita to Dr. Guiyou Huang, Chair of the Literature Search Committee, English Department, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, Kutztown PA 19530. Applications must be postmarked by January 15, 2002. Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer and actively solicits applications from women and minority candidates. Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is a member of the State System of Higher Education.

Unfortunately, none of the advertisements provide salary or benefits information, nor do the associated web sites of the institutions. Ranking of Graduate Schools

All data in Table 2 and Table 3 derives from the most recent (2002) ranking of Ph.D. Programs in USNews and World Report’s yearly College Ranking Issue.

Table 2: 2002 English Specialties - Medieval/Renaissance Literature (Ranked in 2001*)
USNews and World Report (http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/beyond/gradrank/gbeglsp1.htm) In Appropriate Location Low Cost of Living
1. University of California–Berkeley
2. Yale University (CT) Y
3. Harvard University (MA) Y
4. University of Pennsylvania Y
5. Columbia University (NY) Y
6. University of California–Los Angeles
7. Stanford University (CA)
8. University of Chicago
9. University of Virginia Y Y
10. University of Notre Dame (IN) Y
11. Cornell University (NY) Y Y University of Michigan–Ann Arbor Y
13. Duke University (NC)
14. University of Maryland–College Park Y
15. Indiana University–Bloomington Y Princeton University (NJ) Y
17. Johns Hopkins University (MD) Y University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill University of Texas–Austin Y
*This ranking was computed in January of the year cited, based on data from a survey sent out in the fall of the previous year.

Unfortunately, most of the highest ranking medieval Ph.D. programs—all but Cornell and the University of Virginia—are located outside Mr. Wulfgar’s desired geographic area, or they are in exorbitantly priced cities.

Table 3: Top Overall Graduate Programs (2002)
USNews and World Report
(http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/beyond/gradrank/gbeglish.htm)
Rank/School Average reputation score
(5 = highest)
1. Harvard University (MA) 4.8 Stanford University (CA) 4.8 University of California--Berkeley 4.8 Yale University (CT) 4.8
5. University of Chicago 4.7
6. Cornell University (NY) 4.6 Princeton University (NJ) 4.6
8. Columbia University (NY) 4.5 Johns Hopkins University (MD) 4.5
10. University of Pennsylvania 4.4
11. University of California--Los Angeles 4.3 University of Michigan--Ann Arbor 4.3 University of Virginia 4.3
14. Brown University (RI) 4.2
15. Duke University (NC) 4.1 University of California--Irvine 4.1
17. University of Wisconsin--Madison 4.0
18. Northwestern University (IL) 3.9 Rutgers State University--New Brunswick (NJ) 3.9 University of Illinois--Urbana-Champaign 3.9 University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill 3.9 University of Texas--Austin 3.9
23. Indiana University--Bloomington 3.8 University of Washington 3.8
25. New York University 3.7
26. CUNY Graduate School and University Center 3.6
27. Pennsylvania State University--University Park 3.5 University of Iowa 3.5 Vanderbilt University (TN) 3.5
30. Emory University (GA) 3.4 University of California--Davis 3.4 University of California--Santa Barbara 3.4 University of Pittsburgh 3.4
34. Claremont Graduate School (CA) 3.3 Ohio State University--Columbus 3.3 Rice University (TX) 3.3 University of Maryland--College Park 3.3 University of Minnesota--Twin Cities 3.3
39. Brandeis University (MA) 3.2 University at Buffalo (NY) 3.2 University of California--San Diego 3.2 University of California--Santa Cruz 3.2 University of Massachusetts--Amherst 3.2 University of Southern California 3.2 Washington University in St. Louis 3.2
46. Tufts University (MA) 3.1 University of Arizona 3.1 University of California--Riverside 3.1 University of Florida 3.1 University of Illinois--Chicago 3.1 University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee 3.1
52. University of Colorado--Boulder 3.0 University of Notre Dame (IN) 3.0
54. Boston University 2.9 Michigan State University 2.9 Tulane University (LA) 2.9 University of Oregon 2.9 University of Rochester (NY) 2.9
59. Texas A&M University--College Station 2.8 University of Kansas 2.8 University of Utah 2.8
62. Binghamton University (NY) 2.7 Boston College 2.7 Miami University--Oxford (OH) 2.7 Purdue University--West Lafayette (IN) 2.7 SUNY--Stony Brook 2.7 University of Connecticut 2.7 University of Delaware 2.7 University of Georgia 2.7 University of Kentucky 2.7
71. Fordham University (NY) 2.6 Louisiana State University--Baton Rouge 2.6 Syracuse University (NY) 2.6 Temple University (PA) 2.6 University of Missouri--Columbia 2.6 University of Nebraska--Lincoln 2.6 University of Oklahoma 2.6 University of Tennessee--Knoxville 2.6
79. Arizona State University 2.5 George Washington University (DC) 2.5 University of New Mexico 2.5
*This ranking was computed in January of the year cited, based on data from a survey sent out in the fall of the previous year.

Comparison of Selected Schools

The schools in Table 4 and Table 5 were selected based upon the following: o Geography – within one-day’s driving distance of his relatives in Buffalo, NY, and Baltimore, MD. o Economics – offer tuition waivers, teaching assistantships, and low cost-of-living (according to information posted on their websites). o Reputation – Ranked highly either by published ranking system (USNews and World Report) or by professionals in the field

Table 4: Selected Schools’ Economic and Reputation Data Ph.D. Ranking Medieval
Ranking Graduate
Stipend TA’s Can Teach Pro Writing? TA’s Can Teach Lit.?
University of Virginia 11 9 10,000 N Y
Cornell University 6 11 13,000 N Y
Penn. State Univ. 27 N/A 11,495 N Y
University of Rochester 54 N/A 10,000 N Y
University of Delaware 62 N/A 12,000 Y Y

Table 5: Selected Schools’ Geographic Information Distance To
Buffalo, NY Distance To
Okeechobee, FL Distance To
Baltimore, MD Average
Distance
University of Virginia 537 924 154 538
Cornell University 207 1316 310 611
Penn. State University 245 1152 145 514
University of Rochester 74 1362 419 619
University of Delaware 420 1065 58 514

Chart 2: Driving Distances Between Selected Programs and Mr. Wulfgar’s Relatives

Recommendations

Medieval Ph.D. Programs

The USNews and World Report ranking of Medieval programs is limited, but that data, along with the previous interview information and the comprehensive rankings of all graduate programs provides enough information to select a number of likely candidates for Mr. Wulfgar.

Mr Wulfgar should apply to the following Ph.D. programs (in order of preference):

1. University of Delaware
 Good location. Central to all relatives, especially MR. Wulfgar’s Maryland relatives (major USAirways hub nearby).
 Ranks fairly well overall (62)—not as high as subsequent programs, but that lower ranking is mediated by how well UD matches other criteria.
 Second highest stipend ($12,000).
 Offers the only opportunity to teach (and get experience in) Professional Writing as well as British Literature while a TA.
 Somewhat competitive—most likely candidate for acceptance (based upon ranking, Mr. Wulfgar’s background, and Dr. Castle’s support).
2. University of Virginia
 Excellent reputation—highest ranking (#9) Medieval Ph.D. program that also meets Mr. Wulgar’s demographic criteria.
 Very competitive.
 Central to all relatives, but close to none.
 Lowest stipend (tied with Univ. of Rochester at $10,000) but still within Mr. Wulfgar’s criteria.
3. Cornell University
 Second highest ranking (#11) Medieval Ph.D program that meets criteria.
 Excellent reputation overall (ranked 6th in all Ph.D. programs).
 Central to all relatives, but close to none.
 Highest stipend.
 Extremely competitive (acceptance unlikely-but certainly worth the try).
4. Pennsylvania State University
 Good overall ranking (#27).
 Good chance of acceptance with Dr. Castle’s support.
 Central to all of Mr. Wulfgar’s relatives, but close to none.
5. University of Rochester
 Close to Buffalo relatives.
 Fair overall ranking (54).
 Lowest stipend (tied with UVA at $10,000) but still within Mr. Wulfgar’s criteria.

Course of Study

CACA recommends that Mr. Wulfgar avail himself of every opportunity to teach courses other than Freshman Composition while pursuing his Ph.D. Given the competitive nature of the market, it is clear that applicants hold a far greater chance of being hired by an institution if the applicant has secondary experience in fields other than medieval, especially those fields often needed at institutions of higher learning: composition, education, and professional writing. Since Mr. Wulfgar does not want to become involved in secondary licensure, and since most graduate students teach composition, it seems appropriate for Mr. Wulfgar to take any Teaching Professional Writing classes offered at his graduate institution and, perhaps, attempt to publish in that field as well as in medieval studies.

Long Term Career Goals

It seems clear that Mr. Wulfgar would be most satisfied with a position at a non-Research I institution. By pursing a broad course of study—one that would allow him to market himself as a generalist as well as a medievalist—he will make himself valuable to more broad-based teaching institutions (especially smaller colleges and regional comprehensive universities) that place more emphasis on teaching than on research and that therefore need faculty who can teach a variety of classes.

Appendix A: Contact Information For Selected Schools

University of Delaware
Dr. Mary Richards
Director of Graduate Studies Phone: 302-831-2361
Department of English Fax: 302-831-1586
University of Delaware Email: english@udel.edu
Newark, DE 19716 http://ODIN.ENGLISH.UDEL.EDU/

GRADUATE APPLICATION FORMS An interactive version of the application is available through the University Graduate School's Website: http://www.udel.edu/admissions/gradappl.html

University of Virginia
English Department Phone 434-924-7105
219 Bryan Hall Fax: 434-924-1478
P.O. Box 400121 http://www.engl.virginia.edu/
Charlottesville, VA 22904-4121

Administrative:
Grad. Admiss. 236 B Bryan; Denise VanDermark 924-6633; dmv8k@virginia.edu
Grad. Office 236 D Bryan / Carrie Zook; 924-6636; cjz@virginia.edu

Cornell University
Director of Graduate Studies Phone: 607-255-6800
250 Goldwin Smith Hall Fax: 607-255-6661
Cornell University Email: english@cornell.edu
Ithaca, NY 14853-3201 http://www.arts.cornell.edu/english/index.html

GRADUATE APPLICATION FORMS An interactive version of the application is available through the University Graduate School's Website: http://www.gradschool.cornell.edu/

Pennsylvania State University
Graduate Studies Office Phone: 814-863-3069
Department Of English Fax: 814-863-7285
The Pennsylvania State University Email: jmw6@psu.edu
S144 Burrowes Building http://english.la.psu.edu/default.asp?id=1
University Park, Pa 16802-6202

GRADUATE APPLICATION FORMS An interactive version of the application is available through the University Graduate School's Website: http://english.la.psu.edu/area.asp?id=49

University of Rochester
Thomas Hahn, Director of Graduate Studies Phone: 585-275-9259
Department of English Fax: 585-442-5769
500 Wilson Boulevard Email: thhn@mail.rochester.edu
RC Box 270451 http://www.rochester.edu/college/eng/grad/
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY 14627-0451

GRADUATE APPLICATION FORMS An interactive version of the application is available through the University Graduate School's Website: http://www.rochester.edu/college/eng/grad/gradapp.html