PhD Comparative Literature

What if your personal exploration of cultural and linguistic expression aided international relations?

Understand nations from the inside through careful analysis of their culture, literature and media. Identify the intercultural social, political, historical and philosophical influences that shape nations and add to the knowledge of how we interact as a global society.

The Comparative Literature PhD offers research degree supervision in all areas of comparative literature and comparative cultural studies, from the Middle Ages to the present. We have particular strengths in the cultural contexts of:

We also welcome projects involving film, TV and media studies.

Explore our research in the School of Cultures, Languages and Area Studies

Before you start your research degree you will have completed a research-preparation masters degree in a related discipline and have agreed your research topic with a main supervisor and co-supervisor. You will work with this team closely for the duration of your study and are welcome to consult any other member of the department whose research seems of relevance to your own work.

You are required to attend all departmental research seminars and special lectures and deliver at least one paper of your own each year, usually at the annual Postgraduate Forum or at a work-in-progress seminar.

At the end of three years’ full-time registration, plus one year optional writing-up, you will have written a thesis of between 80,000-100,000 words on a topic that makes a significant contribution to research in comparative literature.

Contact us to discuss a possible match between your research ideas and our supervisory expertise

You will join a community of researchers from the UK and overseas, including the EU, the Middle and Far East, Latin America and the United States. The diversity of cultural and disciplinary backgrounds, provide a rich, rewarding and supportive postgraduate community.

Our energetic research culture also involves a programme of visiting speakers and regular symposia organised by staff and students.

As a comparative literature research student, you will fully participate in, and organise, events and activities such as: