Program Overview
The University of Birmingham's PhD in Comparative Literature and Critical Theories program offers students the opportunity to explore the cultures of the world through the study of literature, other cultural forms, and critical theory. Hosted in the Department of Modern Languages, the program draws on the expertise of academics who can supervise projects in various languages, including English, Arabic, and Spanish. Students can also benefit from the supervision of academics across the School of Languages, Cultures, Art History and Music and the College of Arts and Law, enabling support for projects interested in cultural forms beyond literature, such as music, film, and visual art.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
The PhD in Comparative Literature and Critical Theories at the University of Birmingham offers students the opportunity to propose and develop exciting doctoral projects exploring relevant aspects of the cultures of the world through the study of literature, as well as other cultural forms, and critical theory.
Objectives:
The program aims to provide students with the opportunity to:
- Propose and develop exciting doctoral projects exploring relevant aspects of the cultures of the world.
- Study literature, as well as other cultural forms, and critical theory.
Description:
- Hosted in the Department of Modern Languages, the program draws on the expertise of academics who can supervise projects that look into cultural forms produced in English, Arabic, Catalan, French, Italian, Persian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Russian.
- Students can work on many aspects of critical theory, including those associated with the Frankfurt School, postcolonial theory, decolonial studies, eco-criticism, critical race theory, gender and sexuality studies, feminist and queer theory, memory studies, translation theory, and linguistics.
- Students can also benefit from the supervision of academics across the School of Languages, Cultures, Art History and Music and the College of Arts and Law, enabling support for projects interested in cultural forms beyond literature such as music, film, and visual art.
- The plurality and diversity of the academics provide unique combinations of expertise that are ideal for ambitious, interdisciplinary projects dialoguing with comparative studies and critical theory.
Assessment:
A PhD is assessed by a thesis of 80,000 words. Students must also defend their thesis at a viva voce (oral examination) before a panel of expert examiners.
Careers:
Graduates in Comparative Literature can pursue careers in academia, the arts and media, journalism, public relations, publishing, and teaching (including Teacher of English as a Foreign Language), the charity sector, and politics.
Other:
- The University of Birmingham is ranked equal 10th in the UK amongst Russell Group universities in the Research Excellence Framework exercise 2021 according to the Times Higher Education.
- The program can be studied full-time or part-time, on campus or by distance learning.
- The College of Arts and Law is experienced in delivering high-quality distance learning to students all over the world.
- The distance learning program includes one fully-funded visit to campus in the first year of study.
- The University of Birmingham is the top choice for the UK's major employers searching for graduate recruits, according to The Graduate Market 2024 report.
- The College of Arts and Law also has a dedicated careers and employability team who offer tailored advice and a program of College-specific careers events.
- Our Modern Languages postgraduates develop excellent communication skills, cultural awareness, and foreign language skills - all highly sought after by employers at home or abroad.
- Postgraduates in Modern Languages also have a range of transferable skills including the ability to gather and interpret information, organizational skills, and the ability to work well with others.
- Many of our graduates enter roles for which their program prepared them, such as language teaching or translation.
- Others use their transferable skills in a wide range of occupations including publishing, executive research, and project management.
- The department has an excellent employability record, and the majority of graduates go on to successful careers.
Annual tuition fee 2024 entry: UK: £4,786 full-time, £2,393 part-time International: £21,840 full-time; £10,920 part-time (distance learning only) The same fees apply to both campus-based and distance learning study. The distance learning programme also includes one fully-funded visit to campus in the first year of study. The above fees quoted are for one year only; for those studying over two or more years, tuition fees will also be payable in subsequent years of your programme.
- For UK postgraduate research students the University fee level is set at Research Council rates and as such is subject to change. The final fee will be announced by Research Councils UK in spring 2024.
