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English Literature Program

The following awards are annual, with submission dates falling roughly the same time every year.

Undergraduate Literature Essay Awards

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The Marlee and James Myers Award

For the best undergraduate essays in lower-level Literature courses taught by Graduate Teaching Fellows

Prizes totaling $600

Deadline for receipt of submissions: end of February.

Guidelines:

  1. Essays must be a minimum of 1000 words long, maximum of 10 pages.
  2. Essays must have been written during the calendar year previous to the submission deadline, from any term including Summer sessions, for an English Literature course at the University of Pittsburgh at the 300, 500, or 600 level, taught by a Graduate Teaching Fellow (ask the instructor if you are not sure of their position).
  3. Essays may be submitted by students or their teachers.
  4. Students can submit only one essay each. Essays that have won other University-sponsored awards are not eligible. Essays should not be submitted simultaneously to other English Department contests.
  5. Submit six clean copies of essay with title appearing at the top of first page; two-sided printing is acceptable.
  6. Author's name should appear only on a separate cover sheet that also includes: the essay's title; the author's address, phone number, and email address; the name of the award for which the essay is being submitted; and (if applicable) the course at Pitt for which the essay was written and the name of the instructor.
  7. Assignment may be included if necessary to clarify an essay.
  8. Essays will not be returned.

Submit entries to the front desk of the English Department, Cathedral of Learning 526, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15260. Inquiries to pkameen@pitt.edu

The Carol Kay Award

For the Best Undergraduate Essays on British Literature Between 1500-1900.

Prizes totaling $400

Deadline for Receipt of Submissions: mid-October.

Guidelines:

  1. Essays must be at least 8 pages long.
  2. Essays may have been written at any point during an undergraduate's career at the University of Pittsburgh.
  3. Essays may be submitted by students or their teachers.
  4. Essays that have won other university-sponsored awards in prior years are not eligible; essays should not be submitted simultaneously to other English Department contests.
  5. Submit six clean copies of essays with title appearing at top of first page.
  6. Author's name should appear only on a separate cover sheet that also includes: the essay's title; the author's address, phone number, and email address; the name of the award for which the essay is being submitted; and (if applicable) the course at Pitt for which the essay was written and the name of the instructor.
  7. Assignment may be included if necessary to clarify an essay.
  8. Essays will not be returned.
  9. Winners will be honored at the University's Honors Convocation.
  10. Early submissions to Paul Kameen's mailbox, 501 Cathedral of Learning. After September 30, submit entries to the front desk of the English Department, Cathedral of Learning 526. Inquiries to pkameen@pitt.edu

 

The J.K. and Gertrude Miller Prize

For the Best Undergraduate Essays on:

Medieval or 20th century British literature
Commonwealth or Global literature in English
World literature in English translation
Literary or cultural theory

Prizes totaling $500

Deadline for Receipt of Submissions: mid-October

Guidelines:

  1. Essays must be at least 8 pages long.
  2. Essays may have been written at any point during an undergraduate's career in the Pitt English Department. Essays may be submitted by students or their teachers.
  3. Essays that have won other university-sponsored awards in prior years are not eligible; essays should not be submitted simultaneously to other English Department contests.
  4. Submit six clean copies of essays with title appearing at top of first page.
  5. Author's name should appear only on a separate cover sheet that also includes: the essay's title; the author's address, phone number, and email address; the name of the award for which the essay is being submitted; and (if applicable) the course at Pitt for which the essay was written and the name of the instructor.
  6. Assignment may be included if necessary to clarify an essay.
  7. Essays will not be returned.
  8. Winners will honored at the University's Honors Convocation
  9. Early submissions to Paul Kameen's mailbox, 501 Cathedral of Learning. After September 30, submit entries to the front desk of the English Department, Cathedral of Learning 526. Inquiries to pkameen@pitt.edu

The James Snead Award

For the best undergraduate essays dealing with one or more of the following:

Film
African-American literature
American literature
German literature

Prizes totaling $1000

Deadline for Receipt of Submissions: mid-October

Guidelines:

  1. Essays must be at least 8 pages long.
  2. Essays may have been written at any point during an undergraduate's career at the University of Pittsburgh.
  3. Essays may be submitted by students or their teachers.
  4. Essays that have won other university-sponsored awards in prior years are not eligible; essays should not be submitted simultaneously to other English Department contests.
  5. Submit six clean copies of essays with title appearing at top of first page.
  6. Author's name should appear only on a separate cover sheet that also provides: the essay's title; the author's address, phone number, and email address; the name of the award for which the essay is being submitted; and (if applicable) the course at Pitt for which the essay was written and the name of the instructor.
  7. Assignment may be included if necessary to clarify an essay.
  8. Essays will not be returned.
  9. Winners will be honored at the University's Honors Convocation
  10. Early submissions to Paul Kameen's mailbox, 501 Cathedral of Learning. After September 30, submit entries to the front desk of the English Department, Cathedral of Learning 526. Inquiries to pkameen@pitt.edu

Graduate Literature Essay Award

 

Literature Program Graduate Writing Award

DEADLINE: end of March

The Literature Program’s annual Literature Graduate Writing Award for the best essay on literature or literary theory written by a graduate student was initiated in 2005.

CASH PRIZE $500

Guidelines

  1. Applicants must be registered M.A. or Ph.D. students in the Department of English.
  2. A student may enter one piece of writing of no more than 25 pages (the page limit does not include endnotes or bibliographic material). The essay must be a paper originally submitted for a Literature graduate course in the Department of English during the past calendar year (March 2004-March 2005). Students are allowed and encouraged to revise the paper before submitting it for the award.
  3. Entries must be double-spaced and printed on one side of the paper only. Entries must be documented according to MLA or Chicago style.
  4. Each entry must include a cover sheet with the title of the paper and the following information: the applicant's name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, and social security number, as well as the course for which the paper was written and the instructor of that course. The applicant's name must not appear on any page of the actual manuscript.
  5. Four copies of the paper and cover sheet must be submitted to Mark Kemp (Literature Program Assistant), mailbox in CL 501.
  6. Entries will be judged by a committee of Literature faculty appointed by Professor John Twyning, Director of the Literature Program. The judges reserve the right to split the prize monies among multiple deserving entries. The winners will be announced at the end-of-year Literature Program Grad Student Party (date and place TBA).
  7. Please direct questions to Professor Twyning: twyning@pitt.edu.
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