English Studies

Entry requirements

Before submitting an application, you are advised to discuss your proposal with a member of the academic staff who has interests in your proposed field of study. You can find our academic staff's contact details and areas of expertise in the Supervisors section.

Before agreeing to accept you, the School will require you to submit a research proposal, so it is worthwhile to have drafted this before formally applying. See the Guidelines on drafting your research proposal.

Candidates will normally receive an initial response to their application within 28 working days. Those who have been formally interviewed will normally be informed within one week as to whether they are to be offered a place.

Months of entry

January, September

Course content

The Institute of English Studies (IES) occupies a position at the heart of the academic study of English in the United Kingdom. The Institute offered the world’s first degree in Book History and was founded to help establish it as a discipline.

Today, the Institute is recognised nationally and internationally as a centre of excellence for its research activities, and in the provision of resources to the academic community as a whole. A vibrant, interdisciplinary research culture is fostered within the IES, and more broadly within the School of Advanced Study.

Undertaking doctoral research allows you to develop in-depth knowledge, while making a meaningful contribution to your chosen field.

This degree presents the opportunity to gain expertise in your area of interest while also honing a range of transferable skills. On completing this course, you'll be well prepared for specialist career paths both within academia and beyond.

Full-time study for the PhD degree entails three or a maximum of four years' independent research, culminating in the writing of a thesis of not more than 100,000 words. Part-time students complete the same programme in six or a maximum of eight years.

You'll initially be registered for our MPhil and then, providing your progress has been satisfactory, be upgraded to our PhD programme.

Throughout your study, you will work closely with a supervision team of two or more specialists, who will support your work and provide advice and feedback. You will meet them every fortnight in the early stages of your project and at least monthly thereafter. Alongside your supervisor you will also have access to the support of the Doctoral Centre, the Careers Service and our nationally-leading programme of research training and researcher development. You will be a member of a rich research environment, nurtured by regular seminars in which you will be encouraged to participate.

Shortly after submission of the thesis, you will attend an oral examination (‘viva’) conducted by two examiners drawn from a British or world university, who may suggest ways to improve and develop the final text.

Subject areas

The Institute of English Studies offers doctoral research supervision in the following broad areas:

• History of the book from the medieval period to the present
• History of book collecting and book collectors
• History of printing
• History of publishing from 1800 to the present
• History of readers and reading
• Textual scholarship, scholarly editing and digital humanities
• Medieval manuscript studies and palaeography
• Early modern print culture
• Aspects of Victorian literature
• Aspects of Twentieth-century literature
• Aspects of American literature
• Anglo-American Modernism
• Scottish literature

For any further enquiries, please visit our enquiries portal.

Information for international students

Find out more about everything you need to know from visas to qualifications and language requirements here.

Fees and funding

For more information about funding and scholarships, see here.