The English Department boasts a stellar 80% job placement rate, thanks to the firm emphasis faculty place on professional development. Throughout their graduate careers, students build résumés for both academic and non-academic careers, helping ensure their success on the job market.
Faculty encourage students to diversify their skill sets through a variety of fellowship assignments, including teaching composition and/or literature through the TU Writing Program; tutoring students in various disciplines at the Writing Centre and elsewhere on campus; working for one of our literary journals; or interning with other TU divisions, such as Marketing & Communications, Global Scholars and McFarlin Library.
All students receive close personal attention from faculty, who ensure that they develop marketable skills and training. A designated faculty member serves as departmental job officer, assisting graduate students with application materials, mock interviews, and finding employment/fellowship opportunities.
In the last 10 years, The University of Tulsa English department has awarded over 40 doctorates. Of these PhD recipients, 65% hold permanent jobs in academia, 20% hold adjunct positions in academia and 15% have gone on to careers in business, publishing, the nonprofit sector and high school instruction.
Some recent MA & PhD graduates’ employment
College careers
- Carolos Acoste-Ponse (PhD 2020), Assistant Professor, Buena Vista University
- David Chandler (PhD 2016), Professor, Tulsa Community College
- Megan Gibson (PhD 2019), Adjunct Instructor, University of Tulsa
- Matthew Kochis (PhD 2016), Associate Professor, Mercer County Community College
- Sungjin Jang (PhD 2016), Assistant Professor, Chung-Ang University, South Korea
- Jina Moon (PhD 2016), Assistant Professor, Kumo National Institute of Technology, South Korea
- Annie Paige (PhD 2020), Assistant Professor, Tulsa Community College
- Amy Pezelle (PhD 2020), Assistant Professor, Tulsa Community College
- Marie Sartain (PhD 2021), Adjunct Instructor, University of Cincinnati
- Margaret Salifu (PhD 2017), Instructor, Northern Virginia Community College, Manassas
- Ashley Schoppe (PhD 2017), Assistant Professor, Pfeiffer University
- Ryan Slesinger (PhD 2018), Visiting Assistant Professor of English, Oklahoma State University
Elementary and high school teaching
- Blake Connelly (PhD, 2021), Jenks High School
- Amber Drew (MA 2021), Mingo Valley Christian College Preparatory School
- Stewart Habig (PhD, 2018), Street School Tulsa
- Katie Miller (PhD, 2017), Harding Fine Arts Academy, Oklahoma City
- Joseph Willis (PhD 2017), Pryor Public School
Administration and culture industries
- Harrison Brockwell (MA 2020), Production Assistant, News on 6, Tulsa
- Danielle Calhoun (MA 2021), Academic Advisor, the College of Arts and Sciences, University of Texas, Tyler
- Hannah Covington (MA 2016), Reporter, Minneapolis Star Tribune
- Nicholas McMillan (MA 2017), Data and Systems Analyst, Family and Children Services of Oklahoma
- Mark Rideout (PhD 2017), Associate Director, Writing Program, University of Tulsa
- Lindi Smith (PhD 2017), Senior Digital Editor, Dallas County Community College
- Greg Stone (PhD 2015), Associate Vice President, Academic Affairs, Tulsa Community College
Further studies
- Dayne Riley (PhD 2020), English, The University of Tulsa postdoctoral fellow
- Laura Thomas (PhD 2020), English, The University of Tulsa postdoctoral fellow
- Muriel Unseth (MA 2021), Fullbright Fellow, Czech Republic