Humanities (PhD)
Cross Disciplines. Create Change.
Prepare for scholarly careers, creative practice, or diverse professional pathways through four years of interdisciplinary study. Innovative and globally oriented, the Humanities PhD pairs research-active faculty mentorship with a flexible, student-designed curriculum in a collaborative campus community — all in a city renowned for its arts and cultural life. Choose the Culture, Criticism and Contemporary Thought (C3T) track for traditional academic careers, or Public Arts and Letters (PAL) for artists and writers integrating advanced research with creative work.
Course Catalog
Doctor of Philosophy in Humanities
Unit: College of Arts and Sciences (GA)
Department: Interdisciplinary and Public Humanities
Program Website
Academic Plan Code(s): HUM_PHDCCC, HUM_PHDPAL, HUM_PHDA&C, HUM_PHDSC
Program Information
Established in 2003, the University of Louisville’s Doctoral Program in Humanities is a four-year course of study providing rigorous interdisciplinary training in the Humanities.
Administratively housed in the Department of Comparative Humanities, its faculty belongs to many departments across the university. Our students have the possibility to work with research-active scholars, artists, and writers across the Humanities, the Social Sciences, Studio Arts, Medicine, Law, and more.
The program was redesigned in 2013 in order to increase its focus on theoretical and global perspectives with the goal to produce top-level scholars and artists not only for the academic profession, but for innovative careers well beyond the academy.
Program Options
The Program currently offers two specialized career tracks:
- The traditional, yet innovative, Culture, Criticism, and Contemporary Thought (C3T): for scholars oriented toward the academy, museums, and other institutions and organizations employing doctoral degree recipients.
- The unique Public Arts and Letters (PAL): for artists and writers across fields wishing to produce works of literature, art, music, opera, performance, film, etc. that is grounded in and informed by intensive scholarship.
Admission Requirements
Admission to the Humanities PhD Program is exclusively for the fall semester of each academic year.
All materials must be received by January 15 for the following fall. No late applications will be accepted.
All applicants must have completed an appropriate master's degree (MA, MFA, MDiv, or other) prior to beginning the program.
All applicants must also have fulfilled all requirements of the Graduate School.
Application requirements include:
- Online Graduate Application for Admission
- Graduate Application fee
- A current curriculum vitae
- A statement of intent (about 1000 words) focusing on the research interests and the applicant’s professional goals
- A scholarly or creative writing sample
- Official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate level work
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test scores are optional. The Humanities Graduate Admissions Committee will do a holistic review of all the application material in order to make a final decision.
- Three letters of recommendation from former professors or colleagues attesting to capability for doctoral-level work
- If applicable, proof of English proficiency
Program Requirements
In addition to the coursework outlined below, students are required to demonstrate basic proficiency in two classical and/or modern languages, or advanced proficiency in one (in addition to English).
It also is strongly recommended that students orient completion of specialization coursework toward a specific discipline, and supplement required coursework with elective courses in that discipline.
Required Coursework
Culture, Criticism, and Contemporary Thought (3CT) or Public Arts and Letters (PAL) tracks: there are no track specific course requirements beyond the Foundations and Theories and Methods courses listed below.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation Courses | 12 | |
HUM 660 | Proseminar: Introduction to Doctoral Study (Global Humanities) | |
HUM 661 | Historical Perspectives on Arts & Culture I | |
HUM 662 | Historical Perspectives on Arts & Culture II | |
HUM 663 | Global Perspectives on Arts & Culture | |
| Theories and Methods Courses | 6 | |
HUM 673 | Topics in Cultural Theory | |
HUM 674 | Topics in Aesthetic Theory | |
| Supervised Projects | 9 | |
HUM 650 | Graduate Internship | |
HUM 653 | Doctoral Project I | |
HUM 654 | Doctoral Project II | |
| Courses in Area of Specialization | 12 | |
| Dissertation Research | 9 | |
HUM 700 | Dissertation Research | |
| Minimum Total Hours | 48 | |
If you want to build a scholarly backbone while practicing your art, this is the program for you.
Frequently asked questions
Full-time doctoral students are eligible for funding through Graduate Teaching Assistantships, University Fellowships and Promise Scholarships. These awards typically include full tuition, a stipend and health insurance. Admitted students are automatically considered for funding through a departmental nomination process.
A limited number of Graduate Teaching Assistantships are awarded each year to full-time PhD students. GTAs receive full tuition support, health insurance and a stipend while gaining mentored teaching experience and professional development opportunities.
Yes. Exceptional applicants may be nominated for University Fellowships or Promise Scholarships, which provide four years of full funding including tuition, stipend and health insurance. These awards are competitive and administered by the Graduate School.
Yes. Students can access research and travel awards from the department, the Graduate Network in Arts & Sciences, and university-wide programs. Awards support conference participation, research projects and professional development.
The Wise Humanities Scholarship provides need-based support for students in the Department of Comparative Humanities. Additional scholarship opportunities are communicated directly to enrolled students each semester.
Join the Leaders Who Think Differently
Your interdisciplinary training in critical thinking, cultural competency and creative problem-solving positions you to lead in any field. From AI ethics to global development, your humanities perspective becomes tomorrow's competitive advantage.
