For Current and Prospective Students

The Unit is designed to serve beginning graduate students who want a broad grounding in critical theory as well as advanced students with well-defined research interests. The Unit cooperates with regular, degree-granting academic departments in coordinating a body of course offerings in criticism and theory. We also sponsor a number of on-campus activities that bring together a diverse range of scholars from various departments on campus and from around the world.

Students who participate in Unit events find that the Unit's commitment to interdisciplinary scholarship introduces them to theoretical paradigms, thinkers, faculty members, and students who can expand and reorient their research and teaching. There are two ways in which graduate students can become involved with the Unit for Criticism: affiliation and certification. To affiliate with the Unit, students can submit the Unit Student Application Form. Upon acceptance as a Unit Affiliate, students can access various benefits sponsored by the Unit. For example, affiliated students are eligible to apply for fellowships to the School of Criticism and Theory at Cornell University and to participate in all Unit activities, including a yearly series of lectures on Modern Critical Theory.

Graduate students interested in pursuing a Unit certificate in Criticism and Interpretive Theory can find more information, including the certification process, on our certification in theory page.