<p>I have been thinking about pursuing a PhD in classics or comparative literature (Greek, Latin, Arabic), but have heard that there are no good jobs in the humanities in the U.S.</p>
<p>But what about jobs abroad, in Africa, Japan, India, or South America? If enrollments in higher education are increasing in these countries, shouldn't there be more demand for professors with PhDs and good credentials? Or are these non-humanities colleges?</p>
<p>My main requirements are that I have motivated students, freedom to research, a respectable place in higher education, and a comfortable salary. I basically want to know if I can land such a job with a PhD in classics and/or an ability to teach Arabic literature. </p>
<p>Anyone know anything about humanities PhDs in the U.S. who have lived and taught abroad?</p>
<p>If you can read Classical Arabic fluently, and your dissertation will focus on Arabic literature of some sort, the US job market will be better for you than for most others in the humanities.</p>
<p>Recent PhDs in Religion with a concentration in Islamic studies (any era) are regularly getting multiple job offers these days, for example. I can’t say how long this shortage will last, however.</p>
<p>Do you think it would be safe to enter a top 10 or top 15 comparative lit program in Greek/Latin and classical Arabic literature, assuming I’ll be on the market 6-8 years from now with a dissertation on, say, heroic poetry in the three literatures? “Safe” meaning likely to land a tenure-track job within a year of completing the dissertation? I know it’s very difficult to speculate, but even an educated guess would help me decide if it’s worth it.</p>
<p>So sorry, Roark2, I have no idea about the Comp Lit market, either at present or in the future. I will say this: While there are several major universities with Comp Lit departments, many (perhaps most) colleges and universities do not have Comp Lit departments, so I would guess that the market is extremely limited, and likely to remain so. The next decade will certainly not be characterized by the creation of new departments in Comp Lit.</p>
<p>The Classics market, as you know, is awful, and I can’t see the outlook improving any time soon. And of course, they strongly prefer to hire their own.</p>
<p>One more thing: A new PhD in any humanistic discipline is very unlikely to get a tenure-track job right out of the gate. A couple of years of VAPs, or lecturer positions, or adjuncting, is the norm. This will not improve any time soon either.</p>