USF Department of English
Graduate Program
2025-2026
Welcome to USF English!
Program Overview
Thank you for your interest in our graduate programs! As a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), the University of South Florida is one of the leading research institutions in the United States and Canada. At USF English, you’ll work with faculty members who are committed mentors and instructors as well as active and award-winning scholars and researchers; hold editorships of journals; and sit on numerous department, college, university, and professional association committees and councils. We invite you to explore our offerings, apply to our program, and become part of our thriving community of thinkers, writers, and scholars.
Funding
Faculty
Events
Tampa Bay Area
Dr. Lauren Arrington
Professor of English and Department Chair
Alumni
How to Apply
Welcome! At USF English, you’ll join a warm and vibrant intellectual community, with approximately 100 graduate students and a dynamic graduate faculty of internationally recognized and award-winning scholars and teachers who are committed to mentoring and supporting your success. Our program is large enough to offer a rich and wide-ranging variety of scholarly and creative opportunities and close-knit enough to foster meaningful connections and community. Here, you’ll discover a space where your curiosity, creativity, and scholarly interests are encouraged and your professional goals are supported. We look forward to reading your application!
Contact
Dr. Kristin Allukian
Associate Professor of English and Graduate Director
Welcome to USF English!
Program Overview
Thank you for your interest in our graduate programs! As a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), the University of South Florida is one of the leading research institutions in the United States and Canada. At USF English, you’ll work with faculty members who are committed mentors and instructors as well as active and award-winning scholars and researchers; hold editorships of journals; and sit on numerous department, college, university, and professional association committees and councils. We invite you to explore our offerings, apply to our program, and become part of our thriving community of thinkers, writers, and scholars.
Funding
Faculty
Events
Tampa Bay Area
Dr. Lauren Arrington
Professor of English and Department Chair
Alumni
How to Apply
Welcome! At USF English, you’ll join a warm and vibrant intellectual community, with approximately 100 graduate students and a dynamic graduate faculty of internationally recognized and award-winning scholars and teachers who are committed to mentoring and supporting your success. Our program is large enough to offer a rich and wide-ranging variety of scholarly and creative opportunities and close-knit enough to foster meaningful connections and community. Here, you’ll discover a space where your curiosity, creativity, and scholarly interests are encouraged and your professional goals are supported. We look forward to reading your application!
Contact
Dr. Kristin Allukian
Associate Professor of English and Graduate Director
Program Overview
Program Overview
PhD
MFA
MA
Graduate Certificates
Funding
Faculty
USF English offers five degree programs:
- MFA in Creative Writing
- MA in Literature
- PhD in Literature
- MA in Rhetoric & Composition
- PhD in Rhetoric & Composition
Our three-year MFA in Creative Writing has four concentrations:
- Comics
- Nonfiction
- Fiction
- Poetry
Our two-year MA in English has two concentrations:
Our five-year Ph.D. in English has two concentrations:
Our three Graduate Certificates serve both enrolled and non-degree seeking students:
- Creative Writing
- Comparative Literature
- Professional and Technical Communication
Events
Tampa Bay Area
- Literature
- Rhetoric & Composition
- Literature
- Rhetoric & Composition
Alumni
How to Apply
Contact
+ Info
We also offer three distinct Graduate Certificates.
+ Info
+ Info
+ Info
For full details on our graduate curriculum, please visit USF's graduate catalog website.
graduate catalog website
GRADUATE FUNDING
Program Overview
USF English offers full and comprehensive funding, including:
- two years for MAs,
- three years for MFAs,
- and five years for PhDs.
comprehensive funding
Funding
Faculty
Events
USF English graduate assistants take three classes per semester covered by tuition remission.
three classes
Tampa Bay Area
USF English graduate assistants teach two classes per semester paid by a competitive stipend.
teach two classes
stipend
Alumni
How to Apply
Scholarships & Awards
Contact
Thanks to the generosity of various donors, each year the USF Department of English makes available a number of scholarships and awards to recognize outstanding accomplishments in the following areas:
Excellence in Teaching
Creative Writing Awards
Academic and Scholarly Achievement Awards
Meet our Faculty
Program Overview
Creative Writing
Funding
Faculty
Literature
Events
Tampa Bay Area
Rhetoric & Composition
Alumni
At USF you will join a community of leading scholars and award-winning instructors.
How to Apply
At USF English, we value collaboration between students and faculty. Graduate students receive individualized mentoring from dedicated faculty who work with students closely both inside and outside the classroom to prepare them for their careers.
Contact
The Humanities Institute
Events
Program Overview
Graduate Humanities Symposium
USF English hosts and co-hosts various events throughout the academic year. Events include an Academic Job Workshop Series, the Garry Fleming Poetry Series, the English Graduate Student Association's Research Symposium, the Humanities Institute's Graduate Humanities Symposium, as well as several social events organized by the English Graduate Student Association.
Funding
The Garry Fleming Poetry Series
Faculty
Events
Tampa Bay Area
Academic Job Workshop Series
Alumni
How to Apply
English Graduate Student Association
Contact
We recently hosted our Virtual Open House on October 7, 2025 at 7PM EST. Prospective students were able to speak with our Graduate Director, Dr. Kristin Allukian, to learn more about our degree programs.
EGSA Graduate Research Symposium
The Spoonbill Reading Series
Program Overview
Funding
THE TAMPA BAY AREA
Faculty
The University of South Florida has three campuses in the Tampa Bay area: Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota-Manatee. While the graduate program is located in Tampa, each city offers a rich history of
- arts and culture,
- beautiful natural surroundings, and
- exciting attractions
to complement your education.
Events
Tampa Bay Area
Alumni
How to Apply
Contact
- beautiful natural surroundings, and
Nine-Year Career Tracking of Graduates (2013 - 2022)
Alumni
Program Overview
Degrees
Our graduate students have been widely published and go on to successful careers as tenure-track and full-time faculty as well as in a range of professional fields including higher ed administration, the corporate/business sector, and NGOs/non-profits.
Funding
PhD
Faculty
MA
MFA
Events
Tampa Bay Area
Notable Placements
Alumni
How to Apply
Tenure-track / full-time faculty positions at major institutions including;
- Pennsylvania State University,
- Ball State University,
- Virgina Tech,
- University of California, Davis,
- University of Kentucky,
- California State University Stanislaus
- Eastern Kentucky University
- and many more.
Contact
Nine-Year Career Tracking of Graduates (2013 - 2022)
Alumni
Program Overview
Degrees
Our graduate students have been widely published and go on to successful careers as tenure-track and full-time faculty as well as in a range of professional fields including higher ed administration, the corporate/business sector, and NGOs/non-profits.
Funding
PhD
Faculty
MA
MFA
Events
Tampa Bay Area
Notable Placements
Alumni
How to Apply
Tenure-track / full-time faculty positions at major institutions including;
- Pennsylvania State University,
- Ball State University,
- Virgina Tech,
- University of California, Davis,
- University of Kentucky,
- California State University Stanislaus
- Eastern Kentucky University
- and many more.
Contact
Nine-Year Career Tracking of Graduates (2013 - 2022)
Alumni
Program Overview
Degrees
Our graduate students have been widely published and go on to successful careers as tenure-track and full-time faculty as well as in a range of professional fields including higher ed administration, the corporate/business sector, and NGOs/non-profits.
Funding
PhD
Faculty
MA
MFA
Events
Tampa Bay Area
Notable Placements
Alumni
How to Apply
Tenure-track / full-time faculty positions at major institutions including;
- Pennsylvania State University,
- Ball State University,
- Virgina Tech,
- University of California, Davis,
- University of Kentucky,
- California State University Stanislaus
- Eastern Kentucky University
- and many more.
Contact
REQUIREMENTS
Program Overview
HOW TO APPLY
Funding
FOR MFA APPLICANTS
- B.A. in English or related field
- Suggested minimum 3.20 undergraduate GPA
Faculty
The application deadline for fall admission of all degree programs is January 1st.
Events
Tampa Bay Area
What you will need
FOR MA APPLICANTS
- B.A. in English or related field
- Suggested minimum 3.50 undergraduate GPA
- $30 Application Fee
- Transcripts
- Three (3) Letters of Recommendation
- Statement of Purpose
- Writing Sample
- Proof of English Proficiency (International only)
Alumni
How to Apply
Contact
FOR PHD APPLICANTS
- M.A. from an accredited university
- Suggested minimum 3.70 graduate GPA
APPLY NOW
Our Office
Program Overview
CONTACT US
Graduate Director: Dr. Kristin Allukian
Funding
Map
ENG-GradAPS@usf.edu
Faculty
Events
Visit our Website
Tampa Bay Area
Follow our Social Media
Alumni
How to Apply
Contact
PhD
Our Ph.D. in English is a 42 credit hour, post-Master's degree program that trains graduate students to become teacher-scholars with a robust background in critical, literary, and rhetorical theory as well as pedagogical expertise for university-level teaching.
Thanks to a generous gift from Garry Fleming, the Humanities Institute, in partnership with the Michael Kuperman Memorial Poetry Library, hosts an annual series of poetry readings featuring established and emerging creative voices. You may see featured guests from 2024 - 2025 in the gallery above.
The Graduate Humanities Symposium is specifically designed for graduate humanities students. This annual conference provides an opportunity for professionalization and for students to interact with their colleagues from different departments. Many students present work that is part of their ongoing thesis or dissertation. Students may apply as a complete three-person panel, or with an individual project.
MA
The M.A. in English is a 33 credit hours degree program. The Literature concentration is an introduction to and implementation of research and scholarly methodologies in literary studies, specializing in a range of subfields. The Rhetoric & Composition concentration is designed to produce teacher-scholars who have knowledge of critical theory, PTC theory and practice, and composition pedagogy.
As part of The Spoonbill Reading Series, MFA students read their creative work alongside faculty readers in all genres. The readings are open to the public and take place monthly on Friday evenings during the academic year.
Susan Mooney
Marty Gould
Professor
Associate Professor
Comparative Literature, Spanish, Irish, British, French, Russian Literatures, World literature, modern novel, modernism, theory, censorship
Nineteenth-Century British Literature, Literary Adaptation
Kristin Allukian
Associate Professor
mgould@usf.edu
American literature before 1900; women's literature; archival studies; gender, sexuality, and feminist theory; and digital humanities
smooney@usf.edu
Thomas Hallock
Cynthia Patterson
Literature
Professor
Associate Professor
kallukian@usf.edu
American periodicals, American women writers, Black religious studies, Florida history
Early American literature, urban ecology, narrative scholarship
Julie Armstrong
Professor
thallock@usf.edu
cpatterson@usf.edu
U.S., Southern, and Florida literatures, civil rights movement literature
Laura Runge
Emily Jones
Professor
Associate Professor
jba@usf.edu
Early Modern poetry and prose, Milton, women writers, literature and popular culture
Restoration and Eighteenth -Century literature, Aphra Behn
Lauren Arrington
Professor
lrunge@usf.edu
egjones@usf.edu
Modernism, life writing, creative cultures and the state (including censorship), scholarly editing
Nhu Le
Phillip Sipiora
Associate Professor
Professor
laurenarrington@usf.edu
Twentieth-Century American Literature, Film Studies
Asian American Studies, Native American and Indigenous Studies, Critical Refugee Studies
Nicole Discenza
Professor
sipiora@usf.edu
nhule@usf.edu
Old English, Middle English, History of English(es), place and space, wonder and curiosity
Lisa Starks
John Lennon
Professor
Professor
ndiscenza@usf.edu
Shakespeare and adaptation /cinema studies, Renaissance Ovid, Levinas, Jewish Shakespeares
American Literature (20th/21st century), American Studies, Visual Culture
Ben Fried
Assistant Professor
jflennon@usf.edu
Global Anglophone and postcolonial literatures, modern British literature, book history and editing
starks@usf.edu
Valerie Lipscomb
Tim Turner
Professor
Associate Professor
benfried@usf.edu
Modern and contemporary drama, age studies, American literature
English Renaissance Drama, Gothic fiction, literature and history
taturner@usf.edu
vlipscomb@usf.edu
The Office of the Graduate Director supports all graduate students in their transition to academic and professional careers. Topics in our professional development workshop series include:
- Academic Job Market
- Alt-Ac Job Market
- Preparing Job Documents
- Preparing for Interviews
- Applying for Grants & Fellowships
MFA
The MFA in Creative Writing is a three-year, 45 credit hour degree program that emphasizes the craft of writing. We offer many opportunities for students to read their work publicly, to participate in writing groups, and to work with our literary magazine Saw Palm, which gives students hands-on editorial experience. Faculty work closely with students on their original work to produce publishable creative work and theses.
Nathan Johnson
Associate Professor
History of information, Science and Technology Studies, Rhetorical Theory
Trey Conner
Associate Professor
nathanjohnson@usf.edu
Rhetorical Traditions, Public Rhetorics, Multimodal Composition
Jill McCracken
conner@usf.edu
Professor
Rhetoric of Sex, Feminist Research Methodologies, Rhetoric of Marginalized Communities
Morgan Gresham
Associate Professor
Rhetoric & Composition
mccracken@usf.edu
Writing Program Administration, Composition Studies, ePortfolios
Kaden Milliren
gresham@usf.edu
Assistant Professor
Rhetoric of Health and Medicine, Neurorhetoric and Embodiment Science Communication
Anuj Gupta
Assistant Professor
millirenk@usf.edu
Generative AI literacy, UX Research & Design, Writing Analytics
Joe Moxley
anujgupta@usf.edu
Professor
Computers & Writing, Composition Theory & Pedagogy, Writing Analytics
Meredith Johnson
Professor
Professional & Technical Communication, Organizational Resilience and Well-being
mox@usf.edu
Liane Robertson
maj5@usf.edu
Associate Professor
Knowledge Transfer, Composition Pedagogy, Writing Across the Curriculum
lianerobertson@usf.edu
Graduate Certificates
Graduate certificates provide additional certified training through 12-15 credit hours of study. Both degree and non-degree seeking students benefit from diversifying their academic backgrounds by acquiring additional professional skills and certifications when seeking employment.
The English Graduate Student Association (EGSA) is a student-led organization for all graduate students at USF English. EGSA hosts an annual Graduate Research Symposium, writing groups, peer mentoring and undergraduate mentoring events, as well as various social gatherings for the English graduate student community.
Jarod Roselló
Professor
Creative Writing
Comics, children's literature, fiction
John Fleming
Professor
jrosello@usf.edu
Fiction, speculative fiction, writing for children
Natalie Scenters-Zapico
johnfleming@usf.edu
Assistant Professor
Poetry, multilingual / codeswitch writing, feminist poetics, borderland poetics
Micah Hicks
Assistant Professor
nascenterszapico@usf.edu
Fiction, fabulism, fantasy, science fiction, horror
Heather Sellers
micahhicks@usf.edu
Professor
Essay, memoir, flash/micro poetry
Julia Koets
Associate Professor
sellersh@usf.edu
Essay, lyric essay, memoir, poetry
Ajibola Tolase
juliakoets@usf.edu
Assistant Professor
Poetry, nonfiction
Brenda Peynado
Assistant Professor
tolase@usf.edu
Fiction, novellas, short stories, science fiction, fantasy, magical realism, screenwriting
Jake Wolff
peynado@usf.edu
Assistant Professor
Fiction, novel-in-stories
jacobwolff@usf.edu
The English Graduate Student Association hosts an annual Research Symposium for English graduate students across all degree programs. The 2025 Symposium featured the theme "Resistance." Panels and paper topics included: Genre Studies, Spaces and Places, Identity and the Body, Boundary-Pushing Andra/Pedagogy, Written and Spoken Languages, and Collaboration in the University.
USF English Graduate Brochure
USF English Department
Created on September 9, 2025
Start designing with a free template
Discover more than 1500 professional designs like these:
View
Corporate CV
View
Interactive Onboarding Guide
View
Higher Education Teaching Microsite
View
Modern microsite mobile
View
Basic Shapes Microsite
View
Basic Interactive Microsite
View
Beauty catalog mobile
Explore all templates
Transcript
USF Department of English
Graduate Program
2025-2026
Welcome to USF English!
Program Overview
Thank you for your interest in our graduate programs! As a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), the University of South Florida is one of the leading research institutions in the United States and Canada. At USF English, you’ll work with faculty members who are committed mentors and instructors as well as active and award-winning scholars and researchers; hold editorships of journals; and sit on numerous department, college, university, and professional association committees and councils. We invite you to explore our offerings, apply to our program, and become part of our thriving community of thinkers, writers, and scholars.
Funding
Faculty
Events
Tampa Bay Area
Dr. Lauren Arrington
Professor of English and Department Chair
Alumni
How to Apply
Welcome! At USF English, you’ll join a warm and vibrant intellectual community, with approximately 100 graduate students and a dynamic graduate faculty of internationally recognized and award-winning scholars and teachers who are committed to mentoring and supporting your success. Our program is large enough to offer a rich and wide-ranging variety of scholarly and creative opportunities and close-knit enough to foster meaningful connections and community. Here, you’ll discover a space where your curiosity, creativity, and scholarly interests are encouraged and your professional goals are supported. We look forward to reading your application!
Contact
Dr. Kristin Allukian
Associate Professor of English and Graduate Director
Welcome to USF English!
Program Overview
Thank you for your interest in our graduate programs! As a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), the University of South Florida is one of the leading research institutions in the United States and Canada. At USF English, you’ll work with faculty members who are committed mentors and instructors as well as active and award-winning scholars and researchers; hold editorships of journals; and sit on numerous department, college, university, and professional association committees and councils. We invite you to explore our offerings, apply to our program, and become part of our thriving community of thinkers, writers, and scholars.
Funding
Faculty
Events
Tampa Bay Area
Dr. Lauren Arrington
Professor of English and Department Chair
Alumni
How to Apply
Welcome! At USF English, you’ll join a warm and vibrant intellectual community, with approximately 100 graduate students and a dynamic graduate faculty of internationally recognized and award-winning scholars and teachers who are committed to mentoring and supporting your success. Our program is large enough to offer a rich and wide-ranging variety of scholarly and creative opportunities and close-knit enough to foster meaningful connections and community. Here, you’ll discover a space where your curiosity, creativity, and scholarly interests are encouraged and your professional goals are supported. We look forward to reading your application!
Contact
Dr. Kristin Allukian
Associate Professor of English and Graduate Director
Program Overview
Program Overview
PhD
MFA
MA
Graduate Certificates
Funding
Faculty
USF English offers five degree programs:
Our three-year MFA in Creative Writing has four concentrations:
Our two-year MA in English has two concentrations:
Our five-year Ph.D. in English has two concentrations:
Our three Graduate Certificates serve both enrolled and non-degree seeking students:
Events
Tampa Bay Area
Alumni
How to Apply
Contact
+ Info
We also offer three distinct Graduate Certificates.
+ Info
+ Info
+ Info
For full details on our graduate curriculum, please visit USF's graduate catalog website.
graduate catalog website
GRADUATE FUNDING
Program Overview
USF English offers full and comprehensive funding, including:
comprehensive funding
Funding
Faculty
Events
USF English graduate assistants take three classes per semester covered by tuition remission.
three classes
Tampa Bay Area
USF English graduate assistants teach two classes per semester paid by a competitive stipend.
teach two classes
stipend
Alumni
How to Apply
Scholarships & Awards
Contact
Thanks to the generosity of various donors, each year the USF Department of English makes available a number of scholarships and awards to recognize outstanding accomplishments in the following areas:
Excellence in Teaching
Creative Writing Awards
Academic and Scholarly Achievement Awards
Meet our Faculty
Program Overview
Creative Writing
Funding
Faculty
Literature
Events
Tampa Bay Area
Rhetoric & Composition
Alumni
At USF you will join a community of leading scholars and award-winning instructors.
How to Apply
At USF English, we value collaboration between students and faculty. Graduate students receive individualized mentoring from dedicated faculty who work with students closely both inside and outside the classroom to prepare them for their careers.
Contact
The Humanities Institute
Events
Program Overview
Graduate Humanities Symposium
USF English hosts and co-hosts various events throughout the academic year. Events include an Academic Job Workshop Series, the Garry Fleming Poetry Series, the English Graduate Student Association's Research Symposium, the Humanities Institute's Graduate Humanities Symposium, as well as several social events organized by the English Graduate Student Association.
Funding
The Garry Fleming Poetry Series
Faculty
Events
Tampa Bay Area
Academic Job Workshop Series
Alumni
How to Apply
English Graduate Student Association
Contact
We recently hosted our Virtual Open House on October 7, 2025 at 7PM EST. Prospective students were able to speak with our Graduate Director, Dr. Kristin Allukian, to learn more about our degree programs.
EGSA Graduate Research Symposium
The Spoonbill Reading Series
Program Overview
Funding
THE TAMPA BAY AREA
Faculty
The University of South Florida has three campuses in the Tampa Bay area: Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota-Manatee. While the graduate program is located in Tampa, each city offers a rich history of
- arts and culture,
- beautiful natural surroundings, and
- exciting attractions
to complement your education.Events
Tampa Bay Area
Alumni
How to Apply
Contact
Nine-Year Career Tracking of Graduates (2013 - 2022)
Alumni
Program Overview
Degrees
Our graduate students have been widely published and go on to successful careers as tenure-track and full-time faculty as well as in a range of professional fields including higher ed administration, the corporate/business sector, and NGOs/non-profits.
Funding
PhD
Faculty
MA
MFA
Events
Tampa Bay Area
Notable Placements
Alumni
How to Apply
Tenure-track / full-time faculty positions at major institutions including;
Contact
Nine-Year Career Tracking of Graduates (2013 - 2022)
Alumni
Program Overview
Degrees
Our graduate students have been widely published and go on to successful careers as tenure-track and full-time faculty as well as in a range of professional fields including higher ed administration, the corporate/business sector, and NGOs/non-profits.
Funding
PhD
Faculty
MA
MFA
Events
Tampa Bay Area
Notable Placements
Alumni
How to Apply
Tenure-track / full-time faculty positions at major institutions including;
Contact
Nine-Year Career Tracking of Graduates (2013 - 2022)
Alumni
Program Overview
Degrees
Our graduate students have been widely published and go on to successful careers as tenure-track and full-time faculty as well as in a range of professional fields including higher ed administration, the corporate/business sector, and NGOs/non-profits.
Funding
PhD
Faculty
MA
MFA
Events
Tampa Bay Area
Notable Placements
Alumni
How to Apply
Tenure-track / full-time faculty positions at major institutions including;
Contact
REQUIREMENTS
Program Overview
HOW TO APPLY
Funding
FOR MFA APPLICANTS
Faculty
The application deadline for fall admission of all degree programs is January 1st.
Events
Tampa Bay Area
What you will need
FOR MA APPLICANTS
Alumni
How to Apply
Contact
FOR PHD APPLICANTS
APPLY NOW
Our Office
Program Overview
CONTACT US
Graduate Director: Dr. Kristin Allukian
Funding
Map
ENG-GradAPS@usf.edu
Faculty
Events
Visit our Website
Tampa Bay Area
Follow our Social Media
Alumni
How to Apply
Contact
PhD
Our Ph.D. in English is a 42 credit hour, post-Master's degree program that trains graduate students to become teacher-scholars with a robust background in critical, literary, and rhetorical theory as well as pedagogical expertise for university-level teaching.
Thanks to a generous gift from Garry Fleming, the Humanities Institute, in partnership with the Michael Kuperman Memorial Poetry Library, hosts an annual series of poetry readings featuring established and emerging creative voices. You may see featured guests from 2024 - 2025 in the gallery above.
The Graduate Humanities Symposium is specifically designed for graduate humanities students. This annual conference provides an opportunity for professionalization and for students to interact with their colleagues from different departments. Many students present work that is part of their ongoing thesis or dissertation. Students may apply as a complete three-person panel, or with an individual project.
MA
The M.A. in English is a 33 credit hours degree program. The Literature concentration is an introduction to and implementation of research and scholarly methodologies in literary studies, specializing in a range of subfields. The Rhetoric & Composition concentration is designed to produce teacher-scholars who have knowledge of critical theory, PTC theory and practice, and composition pedagogy.
As part of The Spoonbill Reading Series, MFA students read their creative work alongside faculty readers in all genres. The readings are open to the public and take place monthly on Friday evenings during the academic year.
Susan Mooney
Marty Gould
Professor
Associate Professor
Comparative Literature, Spanish, Irish, British, French, Russian Literatures, World literature, modern novel, modernism, theory, censorship
Nineteenth-Century British Literature, Literary Adaptation
Kristin Allukian
Associate Professor
mgould@usf.edu
American literature before 1900; women's literature; archival studies; gender, sexuality, and feminist theory; and digital humanities
smooney@usf.edu
Thomas Hallock
Cynthia Patterson
Literature
Professor
Associate Professor
kallukian@usf.edu
American periodicals, American women writers, Black religious studies, Florida history
Early American literature, urban ecology, narrative scholarship
Julie Armstrong
Professor
thallock@usf.edu
cpatterson@usf.edu
U.S., Southern, and Florida literatures, civil rights movement literature
Laura Runge
Emily Jones
Professor
Associate Professor
jba@usf.edu
Early Modern poetry and prose, Milton, women writers, literature and popular culture
Restoration and Eighteenth -Century literature, Aphra Behn
Lauren Arrington
Professor
lrunge@usf.edu
egjones@usf.edu
Modernism, life writing, creative cultures and the state (including censorship), scholarly editing
Nhu Le
Phillip Sipiora
Associate Professor
Professor
laurenarrington@usf.edu
Twentieth-Century American Literature, Film Studies
Asian American Studies, Native American and Indigenous Studies, Critical Refugee Studies
Nicole Discenza
Professor
sipiora@usf.edu
nhule@usf.edu
Old English, Middle English, History of English(es), place and space, wonder and curiosity
Lisa Starks
John Lennon
Professor
Professor
ndiscenza@usf.edu
Shakespeare and adaptation /cinema studies, Renaissance Ovid, Levinas, Jewish Shakespeares
American Literature (20th/21st century), American Studies, Visual Culture
Ben Fried
Assistant Professor
jflennon@usf.edu
Global Anglophone and postcolonial literatures, modern British literature, book history and editing
starks@usf.edu
Valerie Lipscomb
Tim Turner
Professor
Associate Professor
benfried@usf.edu
Modern and contemporary drama, age studies, American literature
English Renaissance Drama, Gothic fiction, literature and history
taturner@usf.edu
vlipscomb@usf.edu
The Office of the Graduate Director supports all graduate students in their transition to academic and professional careers. Topics in our professional development workshop series include:
MFA
The MFA in Creative Writing is a three-year, 45 credit hour degree program that emphasizes the craft of writing. We offer many opportunities for students to read their work publicly, to participate in writing groups, and to work with our literary magazine Saw Palm, which gives students hands-on editorial experience. Faculty work closely with students on their original work to produce publishable creative work and theses.
Nathan Johnson
Associate Professor
History of information, Science and Technology Studies, Rhetorical Theory
Trey Conner
Associate Professor
nathanjohnson@usf.edu
Rhetorical Traditions, Public Rhetorics, Multimodal Composition
Jill McCracken
conner@usf.edu
Professor
Rhetoric of Sex, Feminist Research Methodologies, Rhetoric of Marginalized Communities
Morgan Gresham
Associate Professor
Rhetoric & Composition
mccracken@usf.edu
Writing Program Administration, Composition Studies, ePortfolios
Kaden Milliren
gresham@usf.edu
Assistant Professor
Rhetoric of Health and Medicine, Neurorhetoric and Embodiment Science Communication
Anuj Gupta
Assistant Professor
millirenk@usf.edu
Generative AI literacy, UX Research & Design, Writing Analytics
Joe Moxley
anujgupta@usf.edu
Professor
Computers & Writing, Composition Theory & Pedagogy, Writing Analytics
Meredith Johnson
Professor
Professional & Technical Communication, Organizational Resilience and Well-being
mox@usf.edu
Liane Robertson
maj5@usf.edu
Associate Professor
Knowledge Transfer, Composition Pedagogy, Writing Across the Curriculum
lianerobertson@usf.edu
Graduate Certificates
Graduate certificates provide additional certified training through 12-15 credit hours of study. Both degree and non-degree seeking students benefit from diversifying their academic backgrounds by acquiring additional professional skills and certifications when seeking employment.
The English Graduate Student Association (EGSA) is a student-led organization for all graduate students at USF English. EGSA hosts an annual Graduate Research Symposium, writing groups, peer mentoring and undergraduate mentoring events, as well as various social gatherings for the English graduate student community.
Jarod Roselló
Professor
Creative Writing
Comics, children's literature, fiction
John Fleming
Professor
jrosello@usf.edu
Fiction, speculative fiction, writing for children
Natalie Scenters-Zapico
johnfleming@usf.edu
Assistant Professor
Poetry, multilingual / codeswitch writing, feminist poetics, borderland poetics
Micah Hicks
Assistant Professor
nascenterszapico@usf.edu
Fiction, fabulism, fantasy, science fiction, horror
Heather Sellers
micahhicks@usf.edu
Professor
Essay, memoir, flash/micro poetry
Julia Koets
Associate Professor
sellersh@usf.edu
Essay, lyric essay, memoir, poetry
Ajibola Tolase
juliakoets@usf.edu
Assistant Professor
Poetry, nonfiction
Brenda Peynado
Assistant Professor
tolase@usf.edu
Fiction, novellas, short stories, science fiction, fantasy, magical realism, screenwriting
Jake Wolff
peynado@usf.edu
Assistant Professor
Fiction, novel-in-stories
jacobwolff@usf.edu
The English Graduate Student Association hosts an annual Research Symposium for English graduate students across all degree programs. The 2025 Symposium featured the theme "Resistance." Panels and paper topics included: Genre Studies, Spaces and Places, Identity and the Body, Boundary-Pushing Andra/Pedagogy, Written and Spoken Languages, and Collaboration in the University.