PhD German

Could your passion for German language, culture and history help us better understand the world in which we live in today? Follow your intercultural research interests to a deeper level in a department ranked 6th nationally in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021.

Having completed a masters degree and agreed your research topic with a supervisor, you will continue your research with a German PhD exploring themes from our wide field of specialisms:

"We have a very active and dynamic research community where students and academics work on projects across many disciplines. This interdisciplinary environment offers students the opportunity to communicate and exchange ideas which can be very inspiring." Jean-Xavier Ridon, Director of Postgraduate Studies - read full conversation

Find out more about research in the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures or contact us to discuss a possible match between your research ideas and our supervisory expertise.

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.

As part of the German PhD, 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 which makes a significant contribution to research in German studies.

We offer research students: