I’m a junior at a top 50 university majoring in English lit with a creative writing focus; my GPA in lit/writing is 3.9 and my overall GPA is 3.55, but upon graduation it should be up around 3.75. I’m looking at grad programs for lit at institutions like Harvard/Columbia/Oxbridge, but I’m wondering if the writing focus in my lit major will lower my chances of admission.
Basically: How much will my undergrad degree affect what I can study in grad school?
The overall GPA is low for top tier schools. You will be competing against people with publications. Look at what the job opportunities are for graduates.
Most people entering PhD programs don’t have publications. Some might, but it’s not necessary for admission.
It really depends on how you frame the interest. If you have taken all of the prerequisite classes and have a deep foundational knowledge of literature, the writing emphasis won’t matter. You will have to make it clear in your applications, though, that you want to focus on the deep study of literature - because that’s what doctoral programs will be looking for. If you hint that you are looking for a program where you can study writing, you won’t be competitive - that’s really for MFAs (or a PhD in creative writing), not a PhD in literature.
Prospective depts. for a doctorate in lit will want to know your areas of interest and your prospective research plans. They will also expect you to make a case for why their dept. specifically will further your research and how your research will be both a good fit and even beneficial to the dept. This is hard work and is part of what leads to being accepted into a specific program.