phd scholarship in english literature

• Schools & departments

English Literature PhD

Awards: PhD

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: English Literature

Introduction to Postgraduate Study

Join us online on 18 December at our live webinar session for an overview of postgraduate study and life at Edinburgh.

Find out more and register

Research profile

Doctorate-level study is an opportunity to expand upon your interests and expertise in a community that really values research, and to make an original, positive contribution to learning in literature and related fields.

As the oldest department of English Literature in the UK, based in one of the largest and most diverse Schools in the University of Edinburgh, we are the ideal place for PhD study.

Our interdisciplinary environment brings together specialists in all periods and genres of literature and literary analysis.

Research excellence

Based on our performance in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF), over 90 per cent of our research and impact is classed as world-leading and internationally excellent by Research Professional. 69 per cent is graded at the world-leading level – the highest of REF’s four categories.

In Times Higher Education's REF analysis, English at Edinburgh is ranked fifth in the UK (out of more than 90 institutions) for:

• the overall quality of our publications and other outputs
• the impact of our research on people’s lives
• our supportive research environment

Given the breadth and depth of our expertise, we are able to support students wishing to develop research projects in any field of Anglophone literary studies. These include American studies, literary and critical theory, the history of the book, gender and sexuality studies, and global Anglophone literatures - where our specialisms include Pacific, African, South Asian, and African-American writing.

We have particular strengths in each of the main periods of English and Scottish Literature:

• Renaissance/early modern
• Enlightenment
• 21st century
• Contemporary

Emergent research themes in the department include the digital humanities, the economic humanities, the environmental humanities and literature and medicine.

• Explore our range of research centres, networks and projects in English and Scottish Literature

Working with colleagues elsewhere in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, and across the wider University, we are able to support PhD theses crossing boundaries between disciplines and/or languages.

• Be inspired by the range of PhD research in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures

Over the course of your PhD, you’ll be expected to complete an original body of work under the expert guidance of your supervisors leading to a dissertation of usually between 80,000 and 100,000 words.

You will be awarded your doctorate if your thesis is judged to be of an appropriate standard, and your research makes a definite contribution to knowledge.

• Read our pre-application guidance on writing a PhD research proposal

Go beyond the books

Beyond the Books is a podcast from the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) that gives you a behind-the-scenes look at research and the people who make it happen.

Listen to a mix of PhD, early career and established researchers talk about their journey to and through academia and about their current and recent research.

• Browse Beyond the Books episodes and hear our research community talk about their work

Programme structure

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses.

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Training and support

Between the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC), the Careers Service, and the Institute for Academic Development (IAD), you’ll find a range of programmes and resources to help you develop your postgraduate skills.

You will also have access to the University’s fantastic libraries, collections and worldwide strategic partnerships.

Part of a community

As part of our research community, you will be immersed in a world of knowledge exchange, with lots of opportunities to share ideas, learning and creative work.

Activities range from talks by visiting speakers and work-in-progress seminars, to reading groups, conferences, workshops, performances, online journals and forums, many of which are led by PhD candidates.

Highlights include student reading for the James Tait Black Prizes, Britain's oldest literary awards which typically involve reading submissions across fiction and biography and advising the judges on the shortlists.

• Read an interview with 2022 James Tait Black reader, Céleste Callen

Our graduates tell us that they value the friendliness of the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC), the connections they make here and the in-depth guidance they receive from our staff, who are published experts in their field.

A UNESCO World City of Literature, Edinburgh is a remarkable place to study, write, publish, discuss and perform prose, poetry and drama.

Take a PhD with us and you will be based in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC) in the historic centre of this world-leading festival city.

You will have access to the University’s many literary treasures. These include the libraries of:

• William Drummond
• Lewis Grassic Gibbon
• Hugh MacDiarmid
• Norman MacCaig

The Centre for Research Collections holds the W.H. Auden collection, the Corson Collection of works by and about Sir Walter Scott, and the Ramage collection of poetry pamphlets.

It also holds a truly exceptional collection of early Shakespeare quartos and other early modern printed plays put together by the 19th century Shakespearean scholar James Halliwell-Phillipps, the correspondence of Thomas and Jane Welsh Carlyle (the focus of one of the major editorial projects in Victorian studies of the last half-century), and the extensive Laing collection of medieval and early modern manuscripts, as well as letters and papers by, and relating to, authors including:

• Christopher Isherwood
• Rudyard Kipling
• John Middleton Murry
• Walter de la Mare
• George Mackay Brown
• Compton Mackenzie

Many of the University's Special Collections are digitised and available online from our excellent Resource Centre, computing labs, and dedicated PhD study space in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC).

Look inside the PhD study space in LLC

In the city

Our buildings are close to the National Library of Scotland (where collections include the Bute Collection of early modern English drama and the John Murray Archive), Edinburgh Central Library, Scottish Poetry Library, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Writers’ Museum and a fantastic range of publishing houses, bookshops, and theatres.

We have strong links with the Edinburgh International Book Festival, which annually welcomes around 1,000 authors to our literary city.

• Pre-application guidance

Before you formally apply for this PhD, you should look at the pre-application information and guidance on the programme website.

This will help you decide if this programme is right for you, and help us gain a clearer picture of what you hope to achieve.

The guidance will also give you practical advice for writing your research proposal – one of the most important parts of your application.

Entry requirements

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

A UK masters, or its international equivalent, with a mark of at least 65% in your English literature dissertation of at least 10,000 words.

If your masters programme did not include a dissertation or included a dissertation that was unmarked or less than 10,000 words, you will be expected to produce an exceptional research proposal and personal statement to show your ability to undertake research at the level required by this programme.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country
• English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced ( CAE ) / C2 Proficiency ( CPE ): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
• Trinity ISE : ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 65 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT : 8 overall with at least 7 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS , TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE , in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

Fees and costs

Scholarships and funding.

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

borrowing money

taking out a loan

family support

personal savings

income from work

employer sponsorship

• scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Featured funding

There are a number of scholarship schemes available to eligible candidates on this PhD programme, including awards from the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

Please be advised that many scholarships have more than one application stage, and early deadlines.

• Find out more about scholarships in literatures, languages and cultures

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding

Further information

• Phone: +44 (0)131 650 4086
• Contact: [email protected]
• School of Literatures, Languages & Cultures
• 50 George Square
• Central Campus
• Programme: English Literature
• School: Literatures, Languages & Cultures
• College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.

PhD English Literature - 3 Years (Full-time)

Phd english literature - 6 years (part-time), application deadlines.

Due to high demand, the school operates a number of selection deadlines. We will make a small number of offers to the most outstanding candidates on an ongoing basis, but hold the majority of applications until the next published selection deadline when we will offer a proportion of the places available to applicants selected through a competitive process. There are two windows (Application Rounds) for applying to English Literature; we will let you know the outcome of your application at the end of the Round you apply in.

• How to apply

You must submit two references with your application.

The online application process involves the completion of a web form and the submission of supporting documents.

For a PhD programme, you should include:

• a sample of written work of about 3,000 words (this can be a previous piece of work from an undergraduate or masters degree)
• a research proposal - a detailed description of what you hope to achieve and how

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

Graduate Funding & Scholarships

Faculty studentship information.

The Faculty and University have a number of studentships available to fund graduate study in English. In recent years about 11 studentships a year have been offered to study on our master's programmes, and about 20 studentships a year to study on our doctoral programme. Most of these are offered to UK students, but some of the studentships on both the master's programme and the doctoral programme are awarded to EU and overseas students.

Funding is very competitive and there is a limited amount of funding available. You are therefore strongly encouraged to search for external sources of funding .

If you receive an offer of a place, your college will require you to complete a Financial Declaration form. This aims to ensure that you are fully aware of the expected fees and living costs associated with your chosen programme of study. See  full details of fees .

The faculty nominates candidates each year for  Clarendon Scholarships , which cover course fees and a grant for living expenses. All applications are automatically considered, so there is no need to submit any further information. The Humanities Division offers around 35 Clarendon scholarships a year. Smaller numbers of other scholarships are also offered. All eligible candidates are automatically considered for these scholarships.

The Faculty also offers studentships in partnership with some colleges, and makes recommendations for a number of trust-funded studentships, managed by other committees and Boards. All eligible candidates are automatically considered for these studentships, which are open to UK students only.

Faculty & college-partnered funding for 2025-26

The list of Faculty scholarships is not yet finalised for 25-26 entry; this page will be updated as more funding opportunities are confirmed.

Oxford-Wolfson-Marriott Graduate Scholarship in English

The Faculty of English and Wolfson College are offering a fully-funded three-year graduate Scholarship for a DPhil student in English to study at the University of Oxford as a graduate Scholar at Wolfson College. The scholarship will be jointly funded by the Faculty of English and the Oxford-Wolfson-Marriott Graduate Scholarship fund with each party agreeing to contribute 50% towards the cost of a full Home/ROI award, including course fees and living costs. Living costs will be at the UKRI recommended DPhil rate.

The Scholarship will be awarded from the beginning of the academic year 2025-26. The duration of the Scholarship will be for three years, assuming standard periods of fee liability.

When there are two or more candidates of equal academic merit, then applicants who have listed Wolfson as their first-choice college will receive preference.

If no candidate has listed Wolfson as a first-choice college, then Student Fees and Funding will negotiate with the first-choice college of the preferred candidate to have them released to Wolfson.  

All eligible applicants who have applied for admission to the University by the relevant January deadline for their course will be considered for this scholarship. No additional application materials will be requested.

Other opportunities for 2025-26

For the following studentships, candidates should check the criteria relating to each award as some may have particular application requirements:

Open-Oxford-Cambridge AHRC DTP-funded Collaborative Doctoral Award: Chaucer's Thameside Life and Poetry

Applications are invited for an Open-Oxford-Cambridge AHRC DTP-funded Collaborative Doctoral Award at the University of Oxford, in partnership with The National Archives. This fully-funded studentship is available from October 2025. Further details about the value of an Open-Oxford-Cambridge AHRC DTP award are available on the DTP’s studentships page. The studentship can be studied either full or part-time. Closing date: 7th January 2025 (midday, UK time).

https://www.oocdtp.ac.uk/ox-cda-turner-nationalarchives

Open-Oxford-Cambridge AHRC DTP standard route funding

The Open-Oxford-Cambridge DTP offers at least 77 doctoral studentships each year for postgraduate research in the arts and humanities across our three consortium universities: the Open University, the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge.

In order to be considered for a studentship you must tick the relevant box in the studentships section of the Oxford application form. You will also need to complete the OOC DTP Application Form and upload it as an additional document when completing your application. To be considered for an award via the DTP's Black and Global Majority studentships initiative, you must also disclose ethnicity information in the monitoring section of the university’s admissions system.

Applying as an on-course student at Oxford

If you are a current doctoral student at the University of Oxford who commenced their first year of study in October 2024 (full-time) or in October 2022, 2023 or 2024 (part-time), you may be eligible to apply for an Open-Oxford-Cambridge AHRC DTP studentship.

Please email the Humanities Division Scholarships Officer at [email protected] by 18 December 2024. You will then be sent further information and details of materials you will be required to provide (including a completed OOC DTP Application Form and academic references). The completed application must then be received by the deadline of 7 January 2025.

https://www.oocdtp.ac.uk/how-to-apply

Ertegun Postgraduate Scholarships in the Humanities Available to UK, EU and overseas students applying for entry to master's and doctoral programmes. Please see the programme website .

Previous opportunities

 Scholarships that were available in 24-25 are as follows.

Jeremy Griffiths Studentship  Available to candidates studying a subject related to the History of the Book before 1550 (held at St Hilda's College). Open to applicants for the MSt 650-1550 and MPhil (Medieval Studies).

Cecily Clark Studentship Available to students of English Medieval Studies, with a preference for subjects relating to Middle English Philology.

The Anne Hudson Graduate Scholarships Two of these are usually available each year, usually held at LMH, for outstanding doctoral candidates working on any area of Middle English Literature.

The Pamela Gradon Graduate Scholarship This is usually available every three years, to be held at St Hugh’s, for an outstanding doctoral candidate working on any area of Middle English Literature.

Violet Vaughan Morgan Studentship – available to candidates studying on any of the English MSt strands.

Jon Blanchard studentship – any post-1550 MSt strand (annual studentship for 3 years, 2024-25, 2025-26 and 2026-27); UK students only; Mansfield College only

George Oakes studentships – MSt American literature – two studentships available in 2024-25 only; UK students only; Queen’s College only

Oxford – Wordsworth Scholarship The Oxford – Wordsworth Scholarship is open to academically outstanding candidates who have been accepted on a one-year English MSt course for entry in October 2024. The scholarship may be combined with funding from another scholarship fund (e.g. Clarendon or Faculty funds) to cover up to the cost of full fees and a maintenance grant at the level of the AHRC stipend for the duration of the award-holder’s fee liability. All eligible applicants offered a place at Oxford for October 2024 will automatically be considered for this scholarship, whether or not they originally applied to Trinity College; there is no additional application form. The successful candidate will be informed by the end of April or early May 2024.    Oxford - Cecil Lubbock Graduate Scholarship A Trinity College Scholarship for the DPhil in English Language and Literature, with a preference for those working in the areas of either medieval or 19th Century English, for entry in October 2024. This scholarship will cover full home fees and a maintenance grant at the level of the AHRC stipend, for the duration of the award-holder’s fee liability (i.e. up to three academic years). All applicants offered a place for entry in October 2024 for the DPhil in English Language and Literature will automatically be eligible for this scholarship, whether or not they originally applied to Trinity College; there is no additional application form. The successful candidate will be informed by the end of April or early May 2024. 

PhD Program in English Language and Literature

The department enrolls an average of ten PhD students each year. Our small size allows us to offer a generous financial support package. We also offer a large and diverse graduate faculty with competence in a wide range of literary, theoretical and cultural fields. Each student chooses a special committee that works closely along side the student to design a course of study within the very broad framework established by the department. The program is extremely flexible in regard to course selection, the design of examinations and the election of minor subjects of concentration outside the department. English PhD students pursuing interdisciplinary research may include on their special committees faculty members from related fields such as comparative literature, medieval studies, Romance studies, German studies, history, classics, women’s studies, linguistics, theatre and performing arts, government, philosophy, and film and video studies.

The PhD candidate is normally expected to complete six or seven one-semester courses for credit in the first year of residence and a total of six or seven more in the second and third years. The program of any doctoral candidate’s formal and informal study, whatever his or her particular interests, should be comprehensive enough to ensure familiarity with:

• The authors and works that have been the most influential in determining the course of English, American, and related literatures
• The theory and criticism of literature, and the relations between literature and other disciplines
• Concerns and tools of literary and cultural history such as textual criticism, study of genre, source, and influence as well as wider issues of cultural production and historical and social contexts that bear on literature

Areas in which students may have major or minor concentrations include African-American literature, American literature to 1865, American literature after 1865, American studies (a joint program with the field of history), colonial and postcolonial literatures, cultural studies, dramatic literature, English poetry, the English Renaissance to 1660, lesbian, bisexual and gay literary studies, literary criticism and theory, the nineteenth century, Old and Middle English, prose fiction, the Restoration and the eighteenth century, the twentieth century, and women's literature.

By the time a doctoral candidate enters the fourth semester of graduate study, the special committee must decide whether he or she is qualified to proceed toward the PhD. Students are required to pass their Advancement to Candidacy Examination before their fourth year of study, prior to the dissertation.

PhD Program specifics can be viewed here: PhD Timeline PhD Procedural Guide

Special Committee

Every graduate student selects a special committee of faculty advisors who work intensively with the student in selecting courses and preparing and revising the dissertation. The committee is comprised of at least three Cornell faculty members: a chair, and typically two minor members usually from the English department, but very often representing an interdisciplinary field. The university system of special committees allows students to design their own courses of study within a broad framework established by the department, and it encourages a close working relationship between professors and students, promoting freedom and flexibility in the pursuit of the graduate degree. The special committee for each student guides and supervises all academic work and assesses progress in a series of meetings with the students.

At Cornell, teaching is considered an integral part of training in academia. The field requires a carefully supervised teaching experience of at least one year for every doctoral candidate as part of the program requirements. The Department of English, in conjunction with the  John S. Knight Institute for Writing  in the Disciplines, offers excellent training for beginning teachers and varied and interesting teaching in the university-wide First-Year Writing Program. The courses are writing-intensive and may fall under such general rubrics as “Portraits of the Self,” “American Literature and Culture,” “Shakespeare,” and “Cultural Studies,” among others. A graduate student may also serve as a teaching assistant for an undergraduate lecture course taught by a member of the Department of English faculty.

Language Requirements

Each student and special committee will decide what work in foreign language is most appropriate for a student’s graduate program and scholarly interests. Some students’ doctoral programs require extensive knowledge of a single foreign language and literature; others require reading ability in two or more foreign languages. A student may be asked to demonstrate competence in foreign languages by presenting the undergraduate record, taking additional courses in foreign languages and literature, or translating and discussing documents related to the student’s work. Students are also normally expected to provide evidence of having studied the English language through courses in Old English, the history of the English language, grammatical analysis or the application of linguistic study to metrics or to literary criticism. Several departments at Cornell offer pertinent courses in such subjects as descriptive linguistics, psycholinguistics and the philosophy of language.

All PhD degree candidates are guaranteed five years of funding (including a stipend , a full tuition fellowship and student health insurance):

• A first-year non-teaching fellowship
• Two years of teaching assistantships
• A fourth-year non-teaching fellowship for the dissertation writing year
• A fifth-year teaching assistantship
• Summer support for four years, including a first-year summer teaching assistantship, linked to a teachers’ training program at the Knight Institute. Summer residency in Ithaca is required.

Students have also successfully competed for Buttrick-Crippen Fellowship, Society for the Humanities Fellowships, American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), Shin Yong-Jin Graduate Fellowships, Provost’s Diversity Fellowships, fellowships in recognition of excellence in teaching, and grants from the Graduate School to help with the cost of travel to scholarly conferences and research collections.

Admission & Application Procedures

The application for Fall 2025 admission will open on September 1, 2024 and close at 11:59pm EST on December 1, 2024.

Please do not reach out directly to faculty with inquires, instead email  [email protected] , if you have questions. For information about Application Fee Waivers visit here .

Our application process reflects the field’s commitment to considering the whole person and their potential to contribute to our scholarly community.  Applicants will be evaluated on the basis of academic preparation (e.g., performance in relevant courses, completion of substantive, independent research project). An applicant’s critical and creative potential will be considered: applicants should demonstrate interest in extensive research and writing and include a writing sample that reveals a capacity to argue persuasively, demonstrate the ability to synthesize a broad range of materials, as well as offer fresh insights into a problem or text. The committee will also consider whether an applicant demonstrates a commitment to inclusion, equity, and diversity and offers a substantive explanation for why study at Cornell is especially compelling (e.g., a discussion of faculty research and foci). Admissions committees will consider the entire application carefully, including statements and critical writing, as well as transcripts, letters of recommendation, and a resume/cv (if provided). Please view the requirements and procedures listed below, if you are interested in being considered for our PhD in English Language and Literature program.

Eligibility: Applicants must currently have, or expect to have, at least a BA or BS (or the equivalent) in any field before matriculation. International students, please verify degree equivalency here . Applicants are not required to meet a specified GPA minimum.

To Apply: All applications and supplemental materials must be submitted online through the Graduate School application system . While completing your application, you may save and edit your data. Once you click submit, your application will be closed for changes. Please proofread your materials carefully. Once you pay and click submit, you will not be able to make any changes or revisions.

Deadline: December 1st, 11:59pm EST.  This deadline is firm. No applications, additional materials, or revisions will be accepted after the deadline.

PhD Program Application Requirements Checklist

• Academic Statement of Purpose Please describe (within 1000 words) in detail the substantive research questions you are interested in pursuing during your graduate studies and why they are significant. Additionally, make sure to include information about any training or research experience that you believe has prepared you for our program. You should also identify specific faculty members whose research interests align with your own specific questions.  Note that the identification of faculty is important; you would be well advised to read selected faculty’s recent scholarship so that you can explain why you wish to study with them. Do not rely on the courses they teach.  Please refrain from contacting individual faculty prior to receiving an offer of admission.
• Personal Statement Please describe (within 1000 words) how your personal background and experiences influenced your decision to pursue a graduate degree and the research you wish to conduct.  Explain, for example the meaning and purpose of the PhD in the context of your personal history and future aspirations.  Please note that we will pay additional attention to candidates who identify substantial reasons to obtain a PhD beyond the pursuit of an academic position. Additionally, provide insight into your potential to contribute to a community of inclusion, belonging, and respect where scholars representing diverse backgrounds, perspectives, abilities, and experiences can learn (productively and positively) together.
• Critical Writing Sample Your academic writing sample must be between 3,000 and 7,500 words (12-30 pages), typed and double-spaced. We accept excerpts from longer works, or a combination of shorter works.
• Three Letters of Recommendation We require 3 letters of recommendation.  At the time of application, you will be allowed to enter up to 4 recommenders in the system.  Your application will be considered “Complete” when we have received at least 3 letters of recommendation.  Letters of recommendation are due December 1 . Please select three people who best know you and your work. Submitting additional letters will not enhance your application. In the recommendation section of the application, you must include the email address of each recommender. After you save the information (and before you pay/submit), the application system will automatically generate a recommendation request email to your recommender with instructions for submitting the letter electronically. If your letters are stored with a credential service such as Interfolio, please use their Online Application Delivery feature and input the email address assigned to your stored document, rather than that of your recommender’s. The electronic files will be attached to your application when they are received and will not require the letter of recommendation cover page.
• Transcripts Scan transcripts from each institution you have attended, or are currently attending, and upload into the academic information section of the application. Be sure to remove your social security number from all documents prior to scanning. Please do not send paper copies of your transcripts. If you are subsequently admitted and accept, the Graduate School will require an official paper transcript from your degree-awarding institution prior to matriculation.
• English Language Proficiency Requirement All applicants must provide proof of English language proficiency. For more information, please view the  Graduate School’s English Language Requirement .
• GRE General Test and GRE Subject Test are NO LONGER REQUIRED, effective starting with the 2019 application In March 2019, the faculty of English voted overwhelmingly to eliminate all GRE requirements (both general and subject test) for application to the PhD program in English. GRE scores are not good predictors of success or failure in a PhD program in English, and the uncertain predictive value of the GRE exam is far outweighed by the toll it takes on student diversity. For many applicants the cost of preparing for and taking the exam is prohibitively expensive, and the exam is not globally accessible. Requiring the exam narrows our applicant pool at precisely the moment we should be creating bigger pipelines into higher education. We need the strength of a diverse community in order to pursue the English Department’s larger mission: to direct the force of language toward large and small acts of learning, alliance, imagination, and justice.

General Information for All Applicants

Application Fee: Visit the Graduate School for information regarding application fees, payment options, and fee waivers .

Document Identification: Please do not put your social security number on any documents.

Status Inquiries:  Once you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation email. You will also be able to check the completion status of your application in your account. If vital sections of your application are missing, we will notify you via email after the Dec. 1 deadline and allow you ample time to provide the missing materials. Please do not inquire about the status of your application.

Credential/Application Assessments:  The Admission Review Committee members are unable to review application materials or applicant credentials prior to official application submission. Once the committee has reviewed applications and made admissions decisions, they will not discuss the results or make any recommendations for improving the strength of an applicant’s credentials. Applicants looking for feedback are advised to consult with their undergraduate advisor or someone else who knows them and their work.

Review Process:  Application review begins after the submission deadline. Notification of admissions decisions will be made by email by the end of February.

Connecting with Faculty and/or Students: Unfortunately, due to the volume of inquiries we receive, faculty and current students are not available to correspond with potential applicants prior to an offer of admission. Applicants who are offered admission will have the opportunity to meet faculty and students to have their questions answered prior to accepting. Staff and faculty are also not able to pre-assess potential applicant’s work outside of the formal application process. Please email [email protected] instead, if you have questions.

Visiting: The department does not offer pre-admission visits or interviews. Admitted applicants will be invited to visit the department, attend graduate seminars and meet with faculty and students before making the decision to enroll.

Transfer Credits:  Students matriculating with an MA degree may, at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies, receive credit for up to two courses once they begin our program.

For Further Information

Contact [email protected]

• English Major Guide
• English Minors Guide
• Honors Program Guide
• MFA Timeline
• MFA Procedural Guide
• PhD Timeline
• Procedural Guide for Doctoral Students in the Department of Literatures in English
• Dissertation Record
• Job Placement Record
• Resources for Graduate Students
• Prize Competitions
• Administration, Contacts & Location
• Graduate Field Faculty
• Graduate Students & PhD/MFA Lecturers
• Retired Faculty
• Books to Inspire
• EPOCH Magazine
• Zalaznick Reading Series
• History of the Department
• Recent Faculty Books
• Affiliated Departments & Programs
• Literatures in English Events

DPhil in English

• Entry requirements
• Funding and Costs

College preference

• How to Apply

About the course

The DPhil in English is intended to develop the skills and understanding necessary to undertake and present original research at a high level, and provide a thorough foundation for a career in research.

The study of English language, literature and related interdisciplinary fields is continually reshaped by the new questions that DPhil students and faculty members pursue.

Current research topics include:

• English language and literature from anywhere in the world;
• the other languages and literatures of Great Britain, Ireland, neighbouring islands (including Iceland) and of other Anglophone countries;
• the above literatures in comparison with, or in translation into, other languages and literary traditions.
• performance arts in English anywhere in the world or in the other languages of Anglophone countries; and
• theoretical, interdisciplinary and philosophical reflection on literature composed in any language.

Under the guidance of your supervisor, you will complete a thesis of 80,000 to 100,000 words. A typical term will involve a great deal of independent research, punctuated by meetings with the supervisor who will be able to suggest direction and address concerns throughout the writing process. 

In addition you will have the opportunity to attend a wide range of classes, seminars and lectures in order to learn bibliographic and research skills, interact with other researchers or gain new perspectives on your work. You may also be encouraged to attend the research skills courses available as part of the master's (MSt) course, depending how much of this training has been covered previously.

The English Faculty is not responsible for providing teaching opportunities for research students as most undergraduate teaching in Oxford is organised by individual colleges. Teaching is not a compulsory part of the DPhil. But research students may wish to gain some teaching experience, so long as it does not interfere with their own progress. Those research students who wish to gain teaching experience are invited to attend faculty-run preparatory teaching workshops and seminars, as well as enrolling on a Teaching Mentor Scheme. 

You will have the opportunity to hear lectures and papers by leading writers, critics, and theorists from inside and outside the University. You are encouraged to participate in the many research seminars and reading groups that run throughout term time, many of which are coordinated by graduates themselves.

The course can be studied full-time or part-time with both modes requiring attendance in Oxford. Full-time students are subject to the  University's Residence requirements.  Part-time students are required to attend course-related activities in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year.

The full-time course is studied over three to four years. The part-time course has the same requirements, but is studied over six to eight years. If studying full-time, you are expected to submit your thesis three, or at most four, years from the date of admission. If studying part-time, you are expected to submit your thesis six, or at most eight, years from the date of admission. Part-time research students are not required to live in Oxford but must attend the University on a regular basis (particularly in term-time: October and November, mid-January to mid-March, and late April to mid-June) for supervision, study, research seminars and skills training.

The faculty appreciates that part-time research students will have non-standard attendance and work patterns. There will be some flexibility in the dates of term-time attendance, but part-time students are expected to spend some periods in Oxford in at least two terms per year in the first two years in order to participate in key faculty activities, which will occupy on average 20 days per term. Attendance during and outside of term-time is determined by mutual agreement with your supervisor.

Part-time students are expected to be present in Oxford for faculty induction, college induction, and an initial meeting with supervisors in order to decide upon the programme of study for that term and to develop a plan for the coming year’s work. These are usually all held at the beginning of the first term of the first year.

To ensure a comprehensive integration into the faculty's and University's research culture and with full-time peer groups, a pattern of attendance at training events and research seminars would form part of the general study agreement for part-time students, alongside the individualised arrangements between supervisor and student. Part-time students are expected to attend at least half of the faculty's (usually weekly or fortnightly) research seminar meetings in their subject area and to contribute to them as much as full-time students do over the length of their course.

There is an active and lively graduate organisation funded by the faculty, English Graduates at Oxford (EGO), that organises study skills, training and career development seminars, as well as social events and conferences.

Resources to support your study

As a graduate student, you will have access to the University's wide range of world-class resources including libraries, museums, galleries, digital resources and IT services.

The Bodleian Libraries is the largest library system in the UK. It includes the main Bodleian Library and libraries across Oxford, including major research libraries and faculty, department and institute libraries. Together, the Libraries hold more than 13 million printed items, provide access to e-journals, and contain outstanding special collections including rare books and manuscripts, classical papyri, maps, music, art and printed ephemera.

The University's IT Services is available to all students to support with core university IT systems and tools, as well as many other services and facilities. IT Services also offers a range of IT learning courses for students, to support with learning and research.

The Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities

The Faculty of English Language and Literature will be based in the Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, a brand-new building at the University of Oxford due to open in 2025, which will accommodate seven faculties, two institutes, a new library, a large number of well-equipped teaching and seminar rooms, and performance and arts venues. The faculty will have its own centre and social hub within the building which will also facilitate interdisciplinary and collaborative work. At the heart of the building will be a large atrium – called the Great Hall – which will be a beautiful space, bringing light into the building, and serving as a space for informal work, relaxation, meeting with friends, taking breaks, having refreshments – and much more.

The library, part of the Bodleian Libraries, will house lending collections for English. There will be 340 general reader seats, and around 80 graduate study seats – with a further 320 formal and informal study seats throughout the building outside the library. Open-shelf lending collections will be complemented by access to electronic resources, scan on demand, and material requested from the Bodleian’s Collections Storage Facility. As well as the Library’s extensive staffed hours, there will be a 24/7 study space, including smart lockers for self-collect of borrowable items out of hours. Subject support is provided by a team of subject librarians.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Faculty of English and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Faculty of English.

Most students have the opportunity to receive at least two substantial supervisions in each term (or for part-time students, at least one each term). In the case of students who require specific help to adjust to an academic programme or to a new range of skills, the supervisor will work with them to ensure that they have additional support.

You will be enrolled initially as a Probationary Research Student and will then apply to transfer to full DPhil status during your first year (or for part-time students, by the end of your second year). A further assessment of your work and progress takes place during the third year of the course (for part-time students, this would be completed by the first term of your sixth year).

In the final year of your course, you will need to submit a thesis of 80,000 to 100,000 words for assessment by an internal examiner, from within the University, and an external examiner, from beyond. There will then be a ‘viva voce’ oral examination with the two examiners.

Graduate destinations

Graduates from the English Faculty are employed across a wide range of sectors. Many take up academic positions in the UK and overseas. Other graduates pursue careers in occupations including teaching, the arts, heritage, librarianship, journalism, publishing, law and the civil service.

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made if a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency occurs. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.

Entry requirements for entry in 2025-26

Proven and potential academic excellence.

The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying. 

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

• a first-class or high upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours (or equivalent international qualification) and a master's degree with distinction. 

The undergraduate and masters' degrees should be in English literature and/or English language, or exceptionally in a related subject that prepares the applicant for the particular course of study they propose.

For applicants with a bachelor's degree from the USA, the minimum overall GPA that is normally required to meet the undergraduate-level requirement is 3.6 out of 4.0. However, selection of candidates also depends on other factors in your application and most successful applicants have achieved higher GPA scores.

If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

• Evidence of training in research techniques may be an advantage.
• It would be expected that graduate applicants would be familiar with the recent published work of their proposed supervisor.
• Publications are not required and the English Faculty does not expect applicants to have been published.

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's  higher level . If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.

*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) † Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)

Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides  further information about the English language test requirement .

Declaring extenuating circumstances

If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.

You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Supporting documents

You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Performance at interview

Interviews are not normally held as part of the admissions process.

Offer conditions for successful applications

If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide more information about offers and conditions . 

In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:

Financial Declaration

If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a  Financial Declaration  in order to meet your financial condition of admission.

Disclosure of criminal convictions

In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any  relevant, unspent criminal convictions  before you can take up a place at Oxford.

Evidence of ability to study for employed part-time applicants 

If you are applying for part-time study and are currently employed, you may be asked to provide evidence that your employment will not affect your ability to study and that you can commit sufficient time to fulfil all elements outlined in the course description. You may be asked to provide details about your pattern of employment and obtain a statement from your employer confirming their commitment to make time available for you to study, to complete coursework, and attend course and University events and modules.

Other factors governing whether places can be offered

The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:

• the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the About section of this page;
• the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
• minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.

English Language and Literature

Oxford’s Faculty of English Language and Literature is the largest English department in the UK, with over 300 graduate students. The faculty has a very distinguished research and teaching record covering all periods of English literature.

Oxford’s Faculty of English Language and Literature is by far the largest English department in the UK and has a very distinguished research record, awarded top grades in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework. The faculty leads the Complete University League Tables (2024) and QS World University Rankings (2024) for English Language and Literature. Teaching has been graded ‘excellent’ in every quality assurance review.

The size and distinction of the faculty’s graduate school, as well as the intellectual diversity of its graduate students, make Oxford a very stimulating environment in which to study English.

The faculty currently has 80 permanent members of academic staff, including 9 statutory professors. This is in addition to a further 100 or so members teaching in the colleges and temporary members of staff.  The Oxford English Faculty has the largest graduate school in the country, with approximately 95 master's students and a further 120 graduate research students. There are also around 900 undergraduate students currently enrolled.

The faculty’s taught master’s courses are designed to serve both as autonomous degrees and as a solid foundation for the pursuit of more advanced research in literature in Oxford or elsewhere. One of the special features of these courses is that, unlike many master's programmes, they offer you the opportunity to pursue topics across period boundaries if you so wish.

Research in English at Oxford covers a wide range of work in literature and language over all periods to the present. The Faculty has a lively programme of research seminars in which staff and students have the opportunity to give papers on their work, and to meet specialists from other universities and institutions from the UK and abroad.

View all courses   View taught courses View research courses

For entry in the 2025-26 academic year, the collegiate University expects to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across a wide range of graduate courses.

If you apply by the January deadline shown on this page and receive a course offer, your application will then be considered for Oxford scholarships. For the majority of Oxford scholarships, your application will automatically be assessed against the eligibility criteria, without needing to make a separate application. There are further Oxford scholarships available which have additional eligibility criteria and where you are required to submit a separate application. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential.

To ensure that you are considered for Oxford scholarships that require a separate application, for which you may be eligible,  use our fees, funding and scholarship search tool  to identify these opportunities and find out how to apply. Alongside Oxford scholarships, you should also consider other opportunities for which you may be eligible including  a range of external funding ,  loan schemes for postgraduate study  and any other scholarships which may also still be available after the January deadline as listed on  our fees, funding and scholarship search tool .

Details of college-specific funding opportunities can also be found on individual college websites:

Select from the list:

Please refer to the College preference section of this page to identify which of the colleges listed above accept students for this course.

For the majority of college scholarships, it doesn’t matter which college, if any, you state a preference for in your application. If another college is able to offer you a scholarship, your application can be moved to that college if you accept the scholarship. Some college scholarships may require you to state a preference for that college when you apply, so check the eligibility requirements carefully.

Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the faculty's website.

Annual fees for entry in 2025-26

Full-time study, part-time study, information about course fees.

Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges .

Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.

Continuation charges

Following the period of fee liability , you may also be required to pay a University continuation charge and a college continuation charge. The University and college continuation charges are shown on the Continuation charges page.

Where can I find further information about fees?

The Fees and Funding  section of this website provides further information about course fees , including information about fee status and eligibility  and your length of fee liability .

Additional information

There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees (or, after fee liability ends, continuation charges) and living costs. However, please note that, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Please note that you are required to attend in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year, and you may incur additional travel and accommodation expenses for this. Also, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur further additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Living costs

In addition to your course fees and any additional course-specific costs, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.

Living costs for full-time study

For the 2025-26 academic year, the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student is between £1,425 and £2,035 for each month spent in Oxford. We provide the cost per month so you can multiply up by the number of months you expect to live in Oxford. Depending on your circumstances, you may also need to budget for the  costs of a student visa and immigration health surcharge and/or living costs for family members or other dependants that you plan to bring with you to Oxford (assuming that dependant visa eligibility criteria are met).

Living costs for part-time study

Your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you will still need to cover your cost of living on a full-time basis for the duration of your course, even if you will not be based in Oxford throughout your studies. While the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student living in Oxford is between £1,425 and £2,035 per month, living costs outside Oxford may be different.

Part-time students who are not based in Oxford will need to calculate travel and accommodation costs carefully. Depending on your circumstances and study plans, this may include the  cost of a visitor visa to attend for short blocks of time (assuming that visitor visa eligibility criteria are met).

Further information about living costs

The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. For study in Oxford beyond the 2025-26 academic year, it is suggested that you budget for potential increases in living expenses of around 4% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. For further information, please consult our more detailed information about living costs , which includes a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs.

Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs). 

If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief  introduction to the college system at Oxford  and our  advice about expressing a college preference . 

If you are a current Oxford student and you would like to remain at your current Oxford college, you should check whether it is listed below. If it is, you should indicate this preference when you apply. If not, you should contact your college office to ask whether they would be willing to make an exception. Further information about staying at your current college can be found in our Application Guide. 

The following colleges accept students for full-time study on this course:

• Balliol College
• Blackfriars
• Brasenose College
• Campion Hall
• Christ Church
• Corpus Christi College
• Exeter College
• Harris Manchester College
• Hertford College
• Jesus College
• Keble College
• Kellogg College
• Lady Margaret Hall
• Linacre College
• Lincoln College
• Magdalen College
• Mansfield College
• Merton College
• New College
• Oriel College
• Pembroke College
• The Queen's College
• Regent's Park College
• St Anne's College
• St Antony's College
• St Catherine's College
• St Cross College
• St Edmund Hall
• St Hilda's College
• St Hugh's College
• St John's College
• St Peter's College
• Somerville College
• Trinity College
• University College
• Wadham College
• Wolfson College
• Worcester College
• Wycliffe Hall

The following colleges accept students for part-time study on this course:

Before you apply

Our guide to getting started provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

If it is important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under the January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance . Check the deadlines on this page and the information about deadlines and when to apply in our Application Guide.

Application fee waivers

An application fee of £20 is payable for each application to this course. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:

• applicants from low-income countries;
• refugees and displaced persons; 
• UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and 
• applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.

You are encouraged to  check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver  before you apply.

Readmission for current Oxford graduate taught students

If you're currently studying for an Oxford graduate taught course and apply to this course with no break in your studies, you may be eligible to apply to this course as a readmission applicant. The application fee will be waived for an eligible application of this type. Check whether you're eligible to apply for readmission .

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

You are not expected to contact a potential supervisor before submitting an application. However, if the proposed research topic is unusual, you may find it useful to review the faculty members and research sections of the faculty website to see if supervision is likely to be available from among the permanent members of staff.

Please note that the allocation of graduate supervision is the responsibility of the Faculty of English and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Please note also that a faculty member's willingness to supervise is no guarantee of admission.

Completing your application

You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents .

For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application .

If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.

Proposed field and title of research project

Under the 'Field and title of research project' please enter your proposed field or area of research if this is known. If the department has advertised a specific research project that you would like to be considered for, please enter the project title here instead.

You should not use this field to type out a full research proposal. You will be able to upload your research supporting materials separately if they are required (as described below).

Proposed supervisor

If known, under 'Proposed supervisor name' enter the name of the academic who you would like to supervise your research. Otherwise leave this field blank.

Referees Three overall, academic preferred

Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.

The Faculty of English expects three academic references in all but exceptional cases, and never fewer than two academic references.

Your references will support intellectual ability, academic achievement and motivation.

Official transcript(s)

Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.

More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.

Research proposal: A maximum of 1,500 words

The research proposal should be an outline of the research plans, written in English.

The overall word count should include any bibliography.

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

This will be assessed for:

• the coherence and viability of the project
• the originality of the project
• the feasibility of successfully completing the project in the time available for the course (a maximum of four years)
• evidence of understanding of appropriate research skills required for successful completion of the project and of appropriate training at master’s level or equivalent to undertake the project.

Written work: Either two essays of a maximum length of 2,000 words each or one essay of a maximum length of 4,000 words

Academic essays from your most recent qualification, written in English, are required. Extracts from longer pieces are welcome but should be prefaced by a note which puts them in context. The word count does not need to include any bibliography or brief footnotes.

It is better to submit essays related to the area and in the subject in which you wish to work.

This work will be assessed for analytical and critical acumen; ability to construct and defend an argument; and powers of expression.

Instructions for submitting one long piece of work instead of two short pieces

To submit one longer piece of work in your application instead of two shorter pieces, you should upload this document in the first 'Written work' slot on the 'Supporting Documents' tab of the Application Form. In the second 'Written work' slot, you should upload a PDF document with the following statement:

' I have included one long essay in lieu of two short essays. I have checked the course page to confirm this is permitted for this course. '

Start or continue your application

You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please  refer to the requirements above  and  consult our Application Guide for advice .

Apply - Full time Apply - Part time Continue application

After you've submitted your application

Your application (including the supporting documents outlined above) will be assessed against the entry requirements detailed on this course page. Whether or not you have secured funding will  not  be taken into consideration when your application is assessed. You can  find out more about our shortlisting and selection process  in our detailed guide to what happens next.

Find out how to manage your application after submission , using our Applicant Self-Service tool.

ADMISSION STATUS

Open to applications for entry in 2025-26

12:00 midday UK time on:

Tuesday 7 January 2025

Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships Final application deadline for entry in 2025-26

*Three-year average (applications for entry in 2022-23 to 2024-25)

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered by the Faculty of English Language and Literature

• Course page on the faculty's website
• Funding information from the faculty
• Academic and research staff
• Faculty research
• Humanities Division
• Residence requirements for full-time courses
• Postgraduate applicant privacy policy

Course-related enquiries

Advice about contacting the department can be found in the How to apply section of this page

✉ [email protected] ☎ +44 (0)1865 281140  or  +44 (0)1865 271541

Application-process enquiries

Application guide

Visa eligibility for part-time study

We are unable to sponsor student visas for part-time study on this course. Part-time students may be able to attend on a visitor visa for short blocks of time only (and leave after each visit) and will need to remain based outside the UK.

FACULTY OF HUMANITIES

English & cultural studies.

• Undergraduate Programs
• Graduate Programs

Our Community

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PhD program in English & Cultural Studies

Our vibrant graduate studies community fosters curiosity and critical thinking in the study and research of literature and cultural production.

If you're looking for a program that gives you flexibility to think with both literature and culture while growing your close reading skills, this might be the one for you!

Emily Meilleur '21

BA in English & Cultural Studies

I was well-positioned to begin my career upon graduating from my program.

Lisa Bifano '13

Honours BA English and Communications

My program at McMaster taught me a breadth of skills beyond what you see on the surface from a history degree.

Stephanie Carpenter '05

Honours BA in History with a Minor in English

About the Program

McMaster’s PhD in English & Cultural Studies fosters interdisciplinary exchange and prioritizes opportunities for students to develop as researchers, teachers, and public intellectuals. The program is small enough for students to build strong relationships with peers and our faculty, while being large enough to support a wide range of research specializations.

We encourage prospective applicants to consult this guide to learn about faculty whose areas of research align with your interests by consulting this guide to Our Research Clusters .

The department offers multiple opportunities for academic, pedagogical, and professional development, including:

• Coursework through which students develop conference paper-length research projects
• Funding for conference and research travel
• Grant writing and publication workshops
• Guaranteed paid Teaching Assistantships (Years 1-4)
• Possibilities to apply to teach your own course as a Teaching Fellow
• Options to participate in conference organizing and serve on key student, departmental, and faculty-wide committees

Milestones at a Glance

Year 1: Complete five elective courses , submit preliminary thesis proposal , and submit Comprehensive Examination reading list . Year 2: Complete one required course (English 702 Doctoral Research Seminar), complete Comprehensive Examinations, submit detailed thesis proposal . Year 3: Continued research and writing of thesis; submit first draft of a portion of work to supervisor. Years 4+: Continued research and writing of thesis; opportunity to apply to teach your own course. Submit and orally defend the dissertation .

More information

Program Details and Additional Opportunities

Supervision: Incoming PhD students are assigned a supervisor as part of our admissions process. Students thus receive focused mentorship from the very start of the degree through to completion.

Courses: PhD students complete six graduate courses : five elective courses in Year 1 (click here for sample Course Outlines ), and in Year 2, our cohort-building professional development focused Doctoral Research Seminar . In elective courses, students explore final paper topics and methodologies that connect course themes to their own research interests, providing breadth while simultaneously helping to consolidate directions for dissertation research.

Comprehensive Exams: PhD students in our program demonstrate comprehensive knowledge related to their specializations in Year 2 by writing a Field Paper and a Topic Paper , and by defending both in an oral examination.

• The Field Paper is designed to develop broad expertise in the wider field of knowledge the candidate’s research will engage.
• The Topic Paper describes how the candidate’s dissertation will intervene in this field and the particular contribution it will make. Writing the topic paper helps prepare students for developing the detailed thesis proposal.

Dissertation Writing: After completing their comprehensive exams, students submit a detailed thesis proposal and write a thesis (200-250 pages) to be defended in an oral examination. Students receive ongoing individualized mentorship in research and professionalization from members of their supervisory committee.

Throughout the degree, students benefit from focused opportunities for academic, pedagogical, and professional development , including:

• Further enrich the interdisciplinary ECS PhD degree with a concurrent Graduate Diploma in Gender and Social Justice or Water Without Borders Graduate Diploma
• Travel to conferences to share your research, with help from department-specific research travel awards; additional funding available by application from McMaster’s Graduate Studies Association and School of Graduate Studies.
• Contribute to the department’s annual John Douglas Taylor conference , a collaborative venture between ECS faculty and graduate students.
• Gain valuable experience through paid research and editorial assistant positions under the supervision of individual faculty members, the Centre for Community Engaged Narrative Arts (CCENA) , and scholarly journals affiliated with the department (such as Early Theatre and Eighteenth Century Fiction ).
• Annual workshops give you targeted feedback from peers and faculty members to use when revising draft grant applications.
• PhD students in our department enjoy high success rates in national and international grant competitions .
• In our Year 2 Doctoral Research Seminar , workshop an abstract/pitch and develop a submission for publication ; learn how to navigate peer review and gain other valuable tips from faculty members who are journal editors and who hold deep expertise in public-facing scholarship.
• Teaching is an integral part of our graduate degree programs. Gain expertise in facilitating discussion, marking assignments, and developing/ implementing learning activities focused on reading and writing skills, through paid training and guaranteed TAships (Years 1-4).
• Deepen your expertise in teaching through optional guest lecturing and additional events/resources offered by McMaster’s MacPherson Institute .
• Develop skills and knowledge in anti-oppressive pedagogy by taking our elective course in Decolonial, Anti-Racist, and Anti-Oppressive Pedagogies or joining the department’s Anti-Oppression in Teaching Committee.
• Once your detailed thesis proposal is approved, apply for a Teaching Fellow position , in which you will be mentored as the instructor of record for one of our departmental courses. Teaching Fellows gain valuable experience to draw on when applying for academic jobs and pursuing alt- and non-academic careers as well.
• Gain experience on key student, departmental, and faculty-wide committees that work to address issues and improve graduate students’ experiences, including the ECS Graduate Caucus and the Faculty of Humanities, as well as CUPE 3906.

Department Life

Our department houses a wide range of opportunities for graduate students to develop their skills, find community, and engage with faculty experts.

Learn more about life in our department:

Fees and Funding

Tuition and supplemental fees.

Visit Graduate Studies to learn more about tuition and supplementary fees.

Paid Teaching Opportunities

Two types of paid teaching opportunities offer our PhD students invaluable occasions for professionalization and career development:

Teaching Assistantships:

• All full-time graduate students in our department are guaranteed paid Teaching Assistant (TA) positions, supported by paid training as well as instructor/faculty-led supervision. Our doctoral students gain a range of teaching experience as TAs over the course of their degrees. This may include working as a TA for a first-year undergraduate or upper-level English and Cultural Studies course, or outside of the department in programs like iArts, Gender Studies, Global Peace and Social Justice, and Communication Studies and Media Arts.
• TAships generally involve running weekly tutorials, grading student work, and meeting with students individually. Marking TAs do not run tutorials, but instead grade essays and may meet with students individually to discuss their work. Upper year PhD students may be assigned a senior TA position, which involves assisting the instructor and providing resources to fellow TAs in that course.

Teaching Fellowships:

• A limited number of Teaching Fellowships are available to upper year PhD students by application. Teaching Fellows serve as primary instructors for undergraduate courses, and may also supervise TAs. These fellowships are awarded based on students’ qualifications in the course subject as well as their progress toward completing PhD program requirements. PhD students are able to hold up to two Teaching Fellow positions over the duration of their studies.
• Teaching Fellows normally teach an undergraduate course in the Department of English & Cultural Studies but there may be opportunities to teach in other areas such as Gender Studies, Humanities, iArts, and Communication Studies. The number of Teaching Fellowships awarded each year varies but most of our PhD students are able to complete at least one fellowship before graduating.

Scholarships and Funding

All full-time MA and PhD students receive scholarship funding from McMaster University. The McMaster Graduate Scholarship (MGS) is the most common form of scholarship support available to graduate students across the Faculty of Humanities. The MGS ensures that students receive a guaranteed minimum level of scholarship support. Adjustments to the MGS will depend on other available scholarships; please see the Faculty of Humanities Adjustments guidelines policy for additional details.

ECS graduate scholarship funding offers are competitive with those of other major programs in Canada, and applicants to the Department of English and Cultural Studies are often awarded named internal scholarships such as the Harry Lyman Hooker Senior Fellowships, the Harvey E. Longboat Graduate Scholarships for First Nations, Inuit and Métis Students, the Ontario Trillium Scholarship (OGS), and the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS).

Our department prioritizes mentorship for in-program students who apply for additional internal as well as major external awards. This support includes information sessions, draft workshops, and one-on-one consultations with supervisors and the graduate chair. Our graduate students have an excellent track record in securing prestigious external awards such as Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS), SSHRC Doctoral fellowships, CGS-Master’s awards, and Vanier scholarships, as well as generous in-program scholarships such as the Townsend, Ogilvie, Goellnicht, and Wilson Leadership awards.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the PhD in English & Cultural Studies requires an MA in English, Literary Studies, Cultural Studies, or a related field, with marks of at least A- in two thirds of the applicant’s Masters level courses. In recent years, successful candidates have typically achieved an average of A (at least 85%) in upper-level undergraduate and MA coursework. Our admissions committee gives consideration to matching candidates’ proposed projects with the research expertise of available faculty members .

Applicants who do not hold a post-secondary degree whose language of instruction was English, are required to provide an official record of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A TOEFL score of 600 on the paper-based test, 250 on the computerized test, and 100 on the Internet-based test is required. If you are submitting the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test, a score of 7 is required. Please note that achieving the minimum required score on these tests is not always sufficient for admission.

Application Process

Applications for the PhD program should reach the Department of English & Cultural Studies at McMaster no later than JANUARY 14 th . Applications and supplementary documentation must be submitted through the application portal  – open November 1st.

Only completed applications, which include all required supporting documentation, will be reviewed. Application fees are non-refundable. Please read the information below before beginning your application. For questions regarding the application process, please email us at [email protected] .

Required Documentation

You must compile the following required materials for the PhD program application. Please ensure that these required documents are uploaded when the online application form asks for the Statement of Interest and the CV.

Statement of Interest

The statement of interest (500 words) is an opportunity for students to outline the research project they wish to undertake. The statement of interest should indicate both the critical or theoretical debates and the primary texts students will engage. We invite applicants to situate their proposed project within relevant critical conversations, previous research, and/or lived experience. Securing a supervisor is not required before you submit your application; however, the admissions committee appreciates when applicants include suggestions of faculty members working in related fields to the proposed project. Learn about faculty whose areas of research align with your interests by consulting this guide to Our Research Clusters . Please note: additional supervisors may be available. Contact the program at [email protected] for more information.

Writing Sample

A sample of your written work (15-22 pages). Choose a sample that demonstrates your strengths as an academic writer (eg. a paper written for a graduate course or a section of your MA thesis/project).

Please list research, teaching or work experience related to your proposed area of specialization, such as:

• Scholarships, honours/prizes, awards, and bursaries received during your academic studies (include title of the award, duration, and brief description of significance)
• Conference presentations (title of paper, name of conference, date)
• Publications (scholarly, creative, public-facing)
• Community-engagement initiatives; service positions within educational and volunteer settings

Applicants who wish to be considered for the Don Goellnicht Memorial Award should include evidence demonstrating a commitment to humanitarianism and social advocacy. Please search for this scholarship on McMaster’s Graduate Studies website (select the “Internal” award category) for more information .

One original transcript per institution attended

Upload a scanned copy for each university and post-secondary institution attended and each program in which you have studied, including both undergraduate and graduate degrees and course work (including any transfer and exchange credits). Note: If your application is accepted for admission to the program, you will be required to submit original, paper transcripts.

Two confidential letters of recommendation

Letters should be from instructors most familiar with your academic work: McMaster University uses the Electronic Referencing System. By entering the email address of your referee through the online application, the system will automatically send an e-Reference request on your behalf. If for some reason you/or your referee are unable to use/access the Electronic Referencing System, please contact the department for help ( [email protected] ).

International Students

Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to provide an official record of the Test of English as a Foreign Language. A minimum TOEFL score of 100 (iBT), 600 on the regular test and a score of 250 on the computerized test are required. If you are submitting the IELTS test, a minimum score of 7 is required.

Application Fee

To finalize the application, applicants must agree to the online terms and conditions, and pay the required $110 (CND) application fee. This fee is non-refundable and must be paid in Canadian dollars by means of a debit or credit card payment. Your application will not be considered for admission until your application fee has been received. Please see the Student Accounts & Cashiers website for information about acceptable methods of payment.

Apply to the PhD Program in English & Cultural Studies

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Supplemental information.

Graduate Course Offerings and Timetables

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2024-25 COURSE OFFERINGS

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