Beginning in their 5th year, students are invited to meet with our Careers Committee, a rotating group of dedicated faculty offering support to applicants on the academic job market. The Careers Committee helps students to workshop application materials (including cover letters, research statements, etc.), arranges mock interviews, and shares information about specific opportunities, from faculty positions to writing positions. They convene at the end of the Spring semester, provide support over the summer for the composition of job materials, and then meet regularly with students on the market over the course of the year to provide feedback and guidance. Support from the Committee, concurrently with that of their dissertation committees, continues even after students have completed their degrees and have job searches underway.

The Reframing the English PhD initiative, a new development in our career outreach created and run by graduate students working as Fellows, is committed to expanding and supporting the career prospects of students in the program. This initiative sponsors workshops, lectures, and panel conversations with representatives from a diversity of industries, including editorial, non-profits, technical writing, and others. In particular, events with English alumni from Brown and elsewhere offer invaluable advice about career preparation and help to build crucial networks in a variety of fields. We offer in-person and Zoom events to aid in full or partial transitions from academic trajectories to the private sector or to other related fields, with the view that the current state of the world requires students, faculties and administrators alike to consider the PhD as the foundation for innovation, research and intellectual achievement—and as far more than a training ground for a tenured professorship.

The CareerLAB at Brown provides support to doctoral students on both the academic and non-academic job markets. The CareerLAB offers individual advising sessions, drop-in hours for graduate students, and assistance with cover letters, CVs, and résumés. At every stage of their search, the CareerLAB is here to help: students can peruse resources on their website for graduate students, sign up for mock job interviews, or attend networking and career development events.

The Non-Academic Resources Site built by 2022 program alumnus Michael Gastiger  provides a wealth of information. There are links to workshops, informational and framing materials for building job applications. There are also funding, internship and professionalization opportunities, and many other resources  to help you best utilize your time at Brown to prepare you for a potential career beyond the academy.