Holistic Rethinkings of the Humanities PhD: Seminars, Dissertation, Internationalization, Fellowships

Penn State's plans to institute wide-ranging changes in its humanities doctoral programs. Penn State University's College of the Liberal Arts proposes to rethink the humanities PhD along four major lines: 1) moving beyond the graduate seminar; 2) internationalizing training and placement; 3) alternatives to the dissertation; and 4) piloting extra-academic training in a new fellowship program. A Core Committee that includes the university Provost, the College Dean, a member of the university Board of Trustees, as well as faculty, administrators, and graduate students will oversee four working groups. The project goal is to develop a new fellowship program that would, by including the advances of all four groups, also pilot a significant new structure for the humanities PhD.