English Literature and Language

Entry requirements

For MPhil

• First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree or an approved equivalent award

or

• Research or professional experience which has resulted in appropriate evidence of achievement

For PhD

• Postgraduate Masters Degree in a discipline which is appropriate to the proposed programme of study

or

• First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree or equivalent award in an appropriate discipline

or

• Research or professional experience at postgraduate level which has resulted in published work, written reports or other appropriate evidence of achievement

Months of entry

January, September

Course content

We welcome applications to undertake research towards MPhil and PhD degrees in English Literature and Language.

Research at Worcester has grown significantly in recent years. We aim to produce research that is distinctive, socially and culturally relevant, and that influences national agendas. We continually strive to develop new areas of research excellence while, in certain areas, our work has already been acknowledged as world-leading.

Institute of Arts and Humanities

The Institute of Arts and Humanities has a strong mix of academics with a high degree of professional and personal experience, enabling you to get the most out of your programme. Our staff have expertise in a wide range of literary themes, including: early modern drama and poetry, including Shakespeare studies; Romantic and Victorian literature; modern and contemporary literature; American and Irish literature; literature and the environment; children’s literature; health and ability; textual scholarship; and creative writing projects with a critical component.

Recent successful projects have included: Australian eco-Gothic; nature and home in the poetry of Edward Thomas and Robert Frost, 1912-1917; commemoration, oblivion and cultural memories in print culture in Restoration England, 1658-1666; and the country house in English women’s poetry 1650-1750.

Some of our current research students are exploring: the representation of regicide in Shakespeare’s history plays; criticism and canon-formation among eighteenth-century Anglican clergy; survival and the formulation of child heroes in Terry Pratchett’s fiction; children’s Islamic literature in Britain, the USA, and Canada; vulnerability and resilience in Sonya Hartnett’s novels; the island imagination; the ‘abhuman’ in multi-volume vampire fiction; and the concept of ‘postqueer’ in relation to multi-platform online narratives.

Careers

All students engage with our Researcher Development Programme (RDP). The RDP aims to develop and enhance the skills, both generic and specific, that you will need to complete your research degree but also to become an effective researcher. The RDP is organised around thematic clusters, consisting of modules, and workshops, delivered face-to-face by subject specialists from across the University and the dedicated Researcher Development Team, or online through our virtual learning environment.

As part of the RDP, you will complete a Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methods (PG Cert). All students must complete the PG Cert in order to progress on their MPhil/PhD Programme. The PG Cert is strongly focused on developing your programme of research, starting from establishing your development needs, and preparing you for the planning and subsequent delivery of your programme of research.

Full-time students will complete the PG Cert in 12 months and part-time students in 24 months.

Information for international students

International applicants will be required to demonstrate that they have the appropriate level of written and spoken English.

For MPhil/PhD this is an IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum score of 6.0 in every component.