PhD in English Literature

Class Profile

Class Size

25

Average Age

28

Average Work Experience

2 Years

Diversity

Others:

5%

North America:

10%

South America:

5%

Africa:

5%

Europe:

20%

Asia:

15%

UK:

40%

Career Outcomes

Median Earnings After Graduation

$1,10,000 / year

Graduation Rate

95%

Job Placement

94%

Top recruiters

BBC

The Guardian

The Times

The Independent

The Telegraph

Penguin Random House

HarperCollins

The Economist

British Council

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Oxford University Press

Cambridge University Press

Gallup

YouGov

Kantar Public

Fees and Funding

Tuition Fees

$23,000 / year

Overall Cost

$38,000 / year

FAQs

• Where can I find more information or apply?
  
  Visit the University of Nottingham’s official postgraduate research course page for English PhD for detailed guidance, application forms, and contact information for admissions
• What are the English language requirements?
  
  IELTS 7.0 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any element (or equivalent scores in other accepted tests)
• How do I find a supervisor?
  
  Applicants are encouraged to identify and contact a potential supervisor whose research aligns with their interests before applying
• What training and community opportunities are there?
  
  All PhD students are expected to attend research training, postgraduate seminars, and at least one postgraduate researcher symposium during their registration. The research community is described as friendly and supportive, with opportunities to join research centre activities and events
• What progression and assessment requirements exist?
  
  Students undergo annual progression reviews, which include written reports and an independent assessment interview at the end of years 1 and 2 for full-time students (years 2 and 4 for part-time students). After the period of registration, there is a thesis-pending period for writing up, during which tuition fees are not paid
• What is the duration of the program?
  
  Full-time: Typically 3–4 years. Part-time: Typically 6–8 years
• What research areas are available?
  
  The School of English offers supervision across a wide range of topics, from the Old English period to contemporary writing. Recent research includes areas like language and LGBT identity, medieval studies, place-name evidence, and literary influence studies Students can participate in research centres such as: Centre for Research in Applied Linguistics Centre for the Study of the Viking Age Centre for Regional Literature and Culture DH Lawrence Research Centre Institute for Name Studies Linguistic Profiling for Professionals
• What are the entry requirements?
  
  Applicants should have a 2:1 (or international equivalent) in a relevant arts, humanities, or social science subject, and a Master’s degree at Merit level or above. Those without a Master’s but with equivalent expertise should contact the School of English. English language requirements: IELTS 7.0 (no less than 6.0 in any element) or equivalent
• What is the structure of the PhD in English/English Literature at Nottingham?
  
  The PhD is primarily based on independent research, supervised by expert staff, with meetings scheduled throughout the year. There are no taught modules, but full-time students must attend the Arts Faculty Researcher Skills training programme. Part-time students are required to attend at least two face-to-face meetings in the School of English each year, with most other meetings possible online. The final submission is a thesis of up to 100,000 words, followed by a viva voce (oral examination) with an examination panel