Philosuhphie Attitude of a lit scholar inyoung.danielle.suh 2009. 4. 10. 02:10 If you cannot work independently—that is, without someone else giving you deadlines and reading lists—a doctoral program is not the place for you. Those who thrive in Ph.D. programs are those who have initiative, persistence, and endurance in addition to a strong foundation in literature and theory and a genuine, overwhelming passion for literature and research. You really have to love what you do.