Graduate Student Life

Student Groups

Reading Groups

18/19 Reading Group

The 18th- and 19th-century Graduate Student Reading Group (‘18/19’) was founded to serve as a forum for CU Boulder’s growing community of scholars working across (trans)national traditions in the periods traditionally defined as spanning the Restoration through the Victorian Era (approximately 1660 to 1900) and that others call the Baroque to modern periods. Modeled on successful eighteenth-century groups at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Chicago, the 18/19 will host seminar-style discussions of selected readings, works-in-progress, faculty lectures, and visiting scholar talks. We intend for this group to be a space where graduate students and faculty can share their research interests, exhibit findings, and generate new ideas.

Contact: Hannah Blanning & Jessica Tebo

Environmental Literary Studies Reading Group (ELSRG)

The Environmental Literary Studies Reading Group is a collective of graduate students and faculty from across (and even outside) CU that are interested in the Environmental Humanities, broadly conceived. Since 2015 we have met to discuss works of criticism, theory, fiction, and non-fiction that bear on the relationship between literature and the environment. The group meets on a monthly basis, and readings are determined by discussion and consensus.

Contact: Jason Gladstone

Postcolonial/Queer Working Group

The Postcolonial/Queer Working Group (formerly Twentieth Century and Contemporary Reading Group) is a collaborative writing and research collective that brings together students to workshop works-in-progress, share critical feedback, and explore thematic intersections across post/modern, postcolonial, and queer studies. Graduate students circulate prospectus, thesis/dissertation, critical-creative, and conference focused drafts, receive critique, and set milestone-based goals in a supportive peer setting. Our thematic explorations seek to open conversations on shared theoretical concerns and methodologies, generate new scholarly ideas, provide writing accountability to focus forward momentum for active projects, and serve as a safe space to share challenges and commiserate on solutions. The group meets on intervals ranging from four to six weeks.

Contact: Pilar Munoz & BK Clapham

Student Creative Writing Association (sCWA)

Our mission is to create, support, and fund new programming as well as sustain current projects aligned with literary innovation, cultural diversity and educational encounters with focus on creative writing. sCWA is the official MFA student group which receives University funding for sponsoring and co-sponsoring guest speaker events, including the CU-Boulder Creative Writing Reading Series; Reading in the Raw Series; Timber Journal; 2-part Professional panel – academic & commercial jobs; among other endeavors.

TIMBER Journal contact: Lux Kickpoo-Johnson

Static Parade contact: Alisa Caira & Dani Castillo Vasquez

Lead Graduate Teachers & CTL Leads

Each year, several graduate students (one or two in Literature and one in Creative Writing) serve as Lead Graduate Teachers for the department. Along with acting as the liaisons between the department and the campus’s Center for Teaching & Learning, the Lead Graduate Teachers conduct pedagogy workshops - one for new teachers in the MA-Literature and PhD program, and one for new teachers in the MFA-Creative Writing program. The Lead Graduate Teachers are available to consult with all graduate students on ways to improve their teaching.

English Graduate Student Council

The English Graduate Student Council (EGSC) exists to serve as the representative body for CU Boulder’s English PhD and MA students. We are committed to improving work and study conditions by maintaining open communications, encouraging professional development, advocating on behalf of the graduate students, and promoting a supportive department culture.

2026-2027 Graduate Board of Representatives

  • TBD

Contact us at egsc@colorado.edu

EGSC Activities

Mentor Program

We aim to ease the transition into graduate school for incoming students by pairing experienced student with those new to the program, encouraging both strong graduate teachers and a strong graduate community across the MA, MFA, and PhD programs and the department faculty.

Contact: Jared Taylor

PhD Application Workshops

Each fall we provide workshops for those second year MAs and third year MFAs applying to doctoral programs. We offer support in the form of writing partners, PhD Mentors, and Faculty Panels.

Contact: Ben Robertson

Professional Development Workshops

EGSC wants to help each student in the graduate community as they begin their professional development both in and out of academia. We are currently creating preparation workshops for comprehensive exams, navigating your first year, and preparing for academic and/or alternative academic careers.

Works in Progress (WIP) Colloquium

The Works in Progress Colloquium (“WIP”) is an ongoing series of presentations designed to workshop and showcase English department graduate work. We aim to create a professional space to present our work and receive much-needed feedback. Please consider participating and sharing your work. Check events for more details.

Contact: Jeff Cox

Spring Speaker Series

Each spring semester the EGSC hosts one distinguished speaker events in order to meet some of the great minds in our fields. The EGSC organizes the event, which usually includes a private lunch or seminar before the main lecture as well as a dinner reception with the featured speaker. Requests for theorists, authors, or poets welcome! Please email us at any time at egsc@colorado.edu with your nominations!

English Graduate Students & Faculty of Color

Lead by faculty, this group hosts discussions, meetings, and social gatherings for students and faculty of color within the Department of English.

Contact: TBD

PhD Consortium of Literatures and Cultures

The Consortium of PhD Programs in the Literatures and Cultures is an innovative effort to maximize the benefits of intellectual and administrative collaboration while granting participating programs autonomy in their pursuit of excellence. We can offer graduate students funding and mentoring that allows them to complete their degree in five years without sacrificing intellectual depth and methodological diversity.

Community Building & Social Events

One of our main goals is to build a strong, supportive, and exciting community of graduate students. We have many events planned for the upcoming semester, so be on the lookout for emails and posters inviting you to participate!

Find our Facebook groups "CU Boulder Literature" and "CU Boulder MFA'ers" for more information and events!

Feel free to email us with any questions, suggestions or just to say hi! We’re here to support you as you move through your program!