Patrick O. López Negrón ENGL 6970 Integrative Seminar Dr.

Kenneth DiLorenzo

Professional Development Plan

After a process of self-analysis, I have concluded that there are factors that favor my
efforts if these are geared towards a PhD program rather than immediate work. I am currently in
the process of graduating from an MA in Teaching English as a Second Language at the Inter
American University of Puerto Rico, San German Campus. The experience that I have acquired
throughout these last two years have set a solid foundation of skills applicable to Education and
my future in any discipline related to language and teaching. This experience has provided the
opportunity for me to publish my first written work in the academic context and to work as a
Teaching Assistant for two semesters, a year’s worth of teaching experience. It has served as a
profitable transitioning from my BA in Psychology to my future in Language and Literature
when I enroll in a PhD program that will allow me to incorporate all these skills.
My goal is to become a Comparative Literature Professor and, by analyzing it from a
realistic standpoint, there are many elements that so far have favored me in being one step closer
to accomplishing this goal. Examples of these are my teaching experience and my language
proficiency in both Spanish and English. Also, the savings I have amassed through these last two
years and the possibility of being able to move out to Florida and Texas with family. There are
also a few other goals I will have to accomplish in order to get the desired instructor position.
First, I will have to get a PhD in Comparative Literature. As I was looking into the
multiple requirements for the different Comparative Literature Instructor positions, a PhD is a
recurring one. And before I enroll into a PhD Program, I had to first decide upon a program.
After researching several PhD programs, I landed upon the Comparative Literature PhD program
at University of Texas at Austin. There are several requirements for this program that I have also
set as goals. First, I need to take both the GRE and the TOEFL. This process allowed me to
investigate the dates and fees for the upcoming exams, it also allowed me to come up with
different solutions and alternatives to both estimate time and arrange for the dates and fees.
Second, this program requires three foreign languages. The first, Spanish, I already am proficient
in. A second foreign language for me would be French. This I would have to formalize with
lessons, although I have been working on it since January 2019. As for the third foreign
language, this program provides the opportunity to integrate my knowledge of Teaching English
as a Second Language and my BA in Psychology in lieu of learning a third foreign language. The
program also allows for me to apply for a Teaching Assistantship that can help me cover part of
my PhD as well as living expenses.

By analyzing my financial situation and the support waiting for me in the United States, I
can conclude that every goal is reachable given a reasonable time frame. Therefore, I have
estimated the whole transitioning process of going from one goal to another to be from 2019 to
2025, when I expect to reach my goal to become a Comparative Literature Professor.
Immediately after I have completed my PhD in Comparative Literature at UT Austin and have
acquired more experience in teaching English as well as research-related projects as will be my
dissertation. This goal represents a big step as well as smaller ones that will ensure me far more
experience and knowledge that I already have.
Primary Goal: Comparative Literature Date: August 2025
Professor
Description:

Instructor of Comparative Literature at the Tertiary level. My responsibility is to provide the

skills necessary for insight and critical thinking into the multicultural aspects of literature and
the vast ranging bodies of text that exist from one culture to the other while ensuring that the
student refines and exercises their reading and writing skills.

Requirements:

After researching and looking into different Universities such as Houston University, New
York University, Berkeley, and their requirements, I found that the following are most
common:

• PHD in Comparative Literature or any other English Literature-related disciplines

• At least a year experience in teaching post-Secondary
• Native or Near Native English Proficiency required
• Proficiency in a Second Language

Goal: Comparative Literature PhD Date: August 2024

Description:

The PhD program that I am applying for is the Comparative Literature PhD program in the
University of Texas at Austin.
Requirements:

• GRE
• TOEFL
• Competence in Three Foreign Languages although the Third can be substituted by
proving competency in another area of discipline (History, Arts, Psychology) by
integrating it into a comparative work
• Pass an Oral Comprehension Exam in a Foreign Language
• Forms and Paperwork

Steps Required for PhD Dates

Take TOEFL September 2019
Fee: $180
Take GRE November 2019
Fee: $205
Take Formal Lessons in French August-May 2019
Fee:
Move to Florida and find Teaching Position January- May 2020
or Job related to Language
(I’ve searched for possibilities close to
Osceola, but these will change by 2020)
Pay Loans in Full By May 2019
Fee: $9,000
Submit forms and required paperwork for UT December 2019
Austin
Apply for Teacher Assistantship December 2019
Payment: $24,174-$42,363 Annually
Move to Texas May 2020