How to Apply

Entry criteria

We invite applications to the English PhD programme from candidates with a strong academic background and a clear and engaging research proposal which can be developed through available research supervision.

Successful applicants normally have a good first degree (2.1 or equivalent) in English or the field of humanities, and a Masters degree at Merit level. We expect graduate students to have a very good standard of written English for academic purposes. Please note that the English language requirements for English programmes are higher than the University standard due to the importance of the quality of writing to the English PhD.

To apply

To apply please send the following documentation to Morwenna Hussey at the address below:

• Completed University of Exeter application form in hardcopy (download an application form)
• Two academic references (download a reference form)
• Curriculum vitae
• A 750 word outline research proposal identifying research aims and questions, methodology, any required resources and/or sources, and accompanied by a contextual bibliography
• Additionally, in practice-based subjects (e.g. filmmaking) students may submit one film and a short theoretical/ practical reflective commentary on the film.

Morwenna Hussey, Postgraduate Administrator
Department of English
University of Exeter
Queen's Building
The Queen's Drive
Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QH

Closing date for receipt of applications and all supporting documents: 20th March 2009.

Interviews will be held on 1st and 2nd April 2009.

About the award

The Department of English is ranked 1st in the UK for world-leading research. With a large postgraduate community and over 40 academic staff, we offer an exciting place to pursue postgraduate studies with excellent supervision and our student satisfaction is amongst the highest in the country.

We are currently offering:

• 7 PhD Studentships (including AHRC awards): all fees paid for three years plus an annual maintenance grant equivalent to the AHRC per year for three years. In 2008/09 this was £12,940, the 2009/10 grant will be announced later in the year. 

• 16 PhD Bursaries: £7,000 per year for three years. Bursary recipients will be required to carry out 80 hours support work a year within the School in the form of teaching, research support or as International Ambassador.

We offer supervision in all areas of research, with research groups and strengths in the following areas: Medieval and Renaissance; Eighteenth-Century; Victorian; Twentieth-Century and Contemporary English literature; American literature; Film; Criticism and Theory; and Creative Writing. Postgraduate activity is also growing in Cornwall with a distinctive theme of research on Place and Environment. There are also specialist Centres for Creative Writing; Literature, Identity and Place (in Cornwall); South West Writing; and Victorian Studies. We can also offer the opportunity for interdisciplinary research and the contextual study of culture. We participate in interdisciplinary centres or networks dedicated to Early Modern Studies, Film, Medical History, Medieval Studies, Migration, and Sex and Gender.

We offer some unique resources including the national film archive; the Bill Douglas Centre, and exceptional holdings in the writing of the South West. In addition, there are major Victorian resources and ready access to the Cathedral Library, and the Hypatia and Devon and Exeter Institute collections.

We welcome postgraduate research applications to any of our areas of specialism and invite you to join us in building on the success of our recent RAE achievement. We offer an excellent postgraduate study environment, particularly commended in the RAE feedback. This includes a postgraduate suite, dedicated IT rooms, specialist training, funding for travel, Research Assistantships, a nationally-acclaimed Teaching Assistantship scheme and support for PG conferences. The Department has strong success in AHRC competitions winning seven studentships in 2007-8.

Visit www.exeter.ac.uk/english for more information about English at Exeter.

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