Dr. Kathleen Donegan

Associate Professor

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Biography

Kathleen Donegan (Ph.D. American Studies, Yale University) teaches literature and culture of early America with a focus on New World encounters. She is the author of "Seasons of Misery: Catastrophe and Colonial Settlement in Early America" (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2014), which explores the unsettling history of early English colonial settlements in Native America through the lens of violence and crisis. Her current research project, "On Edge: Riot and the Story of Cruelty and Resistance in the British West Indies," examines a series of trials between 1810 and 1817 on the island of Nevis, addressing the repercussions of plantation life on enslaved people and their resistance. Donegan offers courses in colonial Caribbean studies, early American women writers, and the dynamics of racial formation. She frequently engages in academic lectures and has been recognized with various awards, including the Richard Beale Davis Award for Early American Literature and the Hellman Fellowship. Donegan served as the Associate Dean of Arts and Humanities from 2016 to 2021 and was awarded the Daniel E. Koshland, Jr. Distinguished Chair in Writing in 2019. She has contributed to several notable publications and documentaries, solidifying her role as a leading figure in the discourse surrounding early American literature.

Research Interests

Experience

Associate Professor

2012-08-01 — Present

University of California, Berkeley • Berkeley, CA

Teaches literature and culture related to early America, focusing on topics such as colonial Caribbean studies and early American women writers.

Awards

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Richard Beale Davis Award

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Distinguished Teaching Award

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President’s Chair Fellowship

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Hellman Fellowship

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Innovation in Teaching Award

Requirements for University of California, Berkeley

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
GRE Subject
Overall Score
Required:500
Overall
Required:500
TOEFL
Total
Required:90
IELTS
Overall
Required:7
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree or recognized equivalent Preparation comparable to undergraduate major at Berkeley in Mathematics or Applied Mathematics 2 full years lower-division work (Calculus, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, Multivariable Calculus) 8 one-semester upper-division courses (Real Analysis, Complex Analysis, Abstract Algebra, Linear Algebra)
Application Checklist
  • Graduate Application
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Personal History Statement
  • Three Letters of Recommendation
  • Unofficial Transcripts
  • C.V./Resume
  • Course and Textbook List
Specialization Notes

The Mathematics Subject GRE is required for the Fall 2026 admissions cycle. General GRE is optional.