English Literature PhD

Why choose this course
We perform innovative and world-leading research across literature, writing, and linguistics, and have been ranked as one of the top ten English departments in the UK by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017 and the Guardian University Guide 2018 for our undergraduate programs.

We’re at the forefront of new knowledge in fields including literature, translation, language, linguistics, creative writing, and film studies. With a strong focus on research and writing in international contexts, we can provide you with a network of research links and support for your professional or academic career.

Our research concentrates on a range of periods, themes and subjects, including medieval literature, Shakespeare and the Renaissance, romanticism, Victorian and 19th-century literature, modern and contemporary literature, creative writing, and film studies.

Our diverse mix of subject specialties means that we are a vibrant and imaginative community with lots of opportunities for intellectual exchange.

What you will study
Our Ph.D. in English Literature will train you in critical and analytical skills, research methods, and knowledge that will equip you for your professional or academic career. It normally takes around three or four years to complete our full-time Ph.D.

You’ll be assigned a primary and secondary supervisor, who will meet with you regularly to read and discuss your work and progress. For us, writing is essential for understanding and developing new perspectives, so you’ll be submitting written work right from the start of your course.

In your first year, you’ll refine your research proposal and plan the structure of your work with the guidance and support of your supervisors. As you go into your second and third year, you’ll gradually learn to work more independently, and your supervisors will guide you on how to present at conferences and get your work published.

After 12-15 months, you’ll submit a substantial piece of work for a confirmation examination.  The examination will be conducted by two internal members of staff, not on your supervisory team, and will give you the opportunity to gain additional guidance on your research-to-date. Following the submission of your completed thesis, a viva will be conducted by a panel of one or more external examiners as well as an internal examiner.

Research support
The professional development of postgraduate researchers is supported by the Doctoral College, which provides training in essential skills through its Researcher Development Programme of workshops, mentoring and coaching. A dedicated postgraduate Careers and Employability team will help you prepare for a successful career after the completion of your Ph.D.

Research themes

• Women's writing (especially medieval women's writing, early modern women's drama, and Victorian women writers)
• Medieval romance
• Romanticism
• Victorian studies
• Modernism and modernity
• Travel and mobility
• Western and global esotericisms
• Sexuality and queer theory  
• Postmodern writing
• Literature and the Environment
• Medical humanities.