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The PhD

Cambridge is an outstanding place to work on Anglophone literature. PhD students benefit from supervision by scholars at the forefront of their fields, world-class libraries, and from a diverse and large PhD cohort. Research proposals of all kinds are welcome.
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Overview

The PhD is an advanced research degree examined by a dissertation of up to 80,000 words, usually after three or more years of research, that should make a 'substantial contribution to knowledge'. Proposals for doctoral research of all kinds are welcome: involving little-known as well as canonical authors, innovative and interdisciplinary perspectives, and more traditional thematic, theoretical, cultural, and literary-historical perspectives. Regular postgraduate training sessions offer guidance at every stage of the process - from first-year assessment to learning to teach to applying for jobs - and an exceptionally rich research culture provides excellent opportunities for meeting other PhDs, MPhils, and Faculty members with shared research interests.

Course in brief

Course length:
3-4 years full time, 4-7 years part time

Entry requirements

Masters degree: (min) merit 

University Admissions Site
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Supervision

As a PhD student you will work closely with your supervisor who will be assigned after you have been accepted and before you start your studies. The supervisor will be a specialist in the general field in which you propose to work, although they may not be an expert on your particular topic of research. Your supervisor will assist you in refining your research topic, oversee the general direction of your work, and ensure that what you are doing is up to the standard expected for the degree towards which you are working. You can expect to meet your supervisor on average once a month to report on your progress. How much you write in a given period will vary, but as a rule of thumb you will usually be expected to produce at least one substantial piece of written work each term.
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Research Community

In addition to the formal training, there are excellent opportunities for the sorts of enriching conversations and collaborations that emerge informally, between fellow PhDs, MPhils, and Faculty members. Regular Research Seminars focus on particular periods and fields which combine internal and invited speakers, and encourage discussions and relationships between the entire research community. The Faculty also puts on conferences on all manner of topics; like the research seminars, many of the most successful and exciting ones are conceived of and run by PhD students.
Faculty Research

Degree Structure

The PhD is a time when students spread their intellectual wings. The majority of your time will be taken up with independent research, supported by supervisory and advisory meetings, as well as attending research seminars and conferences in your field of interest. 

First Year Registration

Candidates are normally accepted for the PhD on a probationary basis. At the end of their first academic year, it is necessary for candidates to register formally for the PhD. 
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First Year Registration

To progress from probationary status, candidates submit a registration portfolio at the end of their first year, which includes a brief account of what has been achieved since admission, an updated account of the object and scope of the dissertation, and a specimen of substantial new written work towards the dissertation. This portfolio is examined by two experts in the field who will recommend registration, or resubmission of materials. This procedure is designed to ensure that candidates are on course for submission of their dissertation after a total of three or four years.

Supervisions

All PhD students are appointed a supervisor, whom you will meet with approximately ten times per year if you are full-time and a minimum of twice a term if part-time.
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Supervisions

The University of Cambridge publishes an annual Code of Practice which sets out the University's expectations regarding supervision.

The Faculty of English makes every attempt to ensure continuity of supervision so that postgraduate students are able to complete their programmes under the guidance of the supervisor with whom they begin. Nonetheless, periods of academic leave and departures to posts elsewhere are a standard feature of university life and are not always possible to foresee in the medium term. In such cases a change of supervisor may be necessary and is organised by the Director of Postgraduate Studies. It is also possible to change supervisor with minimal formality if the research project develops in such a way as to render an alternative supervisor more appropriate.

Advisory Meetings

PhD students are also assigned an advisor, who will be a member of the Faculty with expertise in your field. You will have a formal meeting with your advisor annually.
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Advisory Meetings

The advisor will be involved with the registration assessment at the end of the first year and formal advisory meetings annually thereafter. The advisor is also available for less formal consultation from the outset.

A student’s academic advisor may change over time, as the project evolves, and people with different expertise might be most useful at different stages.
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How am I assessed?

The PhD is examined by the submission of a dissertation of up to 80,000 words, usually after three or more years of full-time research. Doctoral degrees are awarded to those who have demonstrated all of the criteria below:

  1. a significant contribution to the field of study;
  2. submission of work of a quality in whole or in part of a standard to merit publication;
  3. evidence of the acquisition of knowledge and a detailed understanding of applicable techniques for research and advanced academic enquiry; 
  4. work of a quality and quantity to reflect three years of full-time postgraduate study (or part-time equivalent).

Part-time PhD

Students can take the PhD part-time, studying for either 60% or 75% of the full-time commitment. The majority of the requirements and regulations are the same as for the full-time PhD. As a part-time student you will benefit from the same standard of supervision and access to research facilities as full-time students, and will be integrated into the life of the Faculty and the College you join. 

Admissions

The academic criteria for admission and ongoing assessment is the same as for the full-time PhD. The application procedure is largely the same.
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Admissions

Use the Application Portal, but tick the box indicating ‘Part-Time’. Further into the form you are asked to state why you want to study part-time. 

If you are in employment, you must provide the Postgraduate Admissions office with a letter from your employer confirming that you may have time off, if necessary, for you to attend the University as required for the whole duration of your course.

As part of the admissions process, applicants to the part-time route will be interviewed. The purpose of the interview is to ascertain if the part-time route is viable for the applicant and proposed topic, rather than to judge the applicant’s academic ability.

Registration

Like full-time students, part-time students are admitted on a probationary basis and must pass a formal registration process in order to progress.
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Registration

To progress from probationary status, candidates submit a registration portfolio, between the end of their fifth term of study and before the end of their seventh-term. This includes a brief account of what has been achieved since admission, an updated account of the object and scope of the dissertation, and a specimen of substantial new written work towards the dissertation. This portfolio is examined by two experts in the field who will recommend registration, or resubmission of materials. This procedure is designed to ensure that candidates are on course for submission of their dissertation within the maximum number of allowed terms. 

Length of Degree

The total number of terms allowed to complete the PhD depends on whether the part-time student studies 60% or 75% of the full-time commitment. 
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Length of Degree

Students studying 60% of the time must research for a minimum of 15 terms (6 years) and a maximum of 21 terms (7 years). 

Students studying 75% of the time must research for a minimum of 12 terms (4 years) and a maximum of 16 terms (5 years and 1 term). 

Fees

As a part-time student, you will pay 60% of the full-time University Composition Fee per year. College fees are charged on the same basis. 
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Fees and Funding

You can find the most up-to-date information about part-time tuition fees on the University's webpages.

Unlike applicants for full-time courses, part-time applicants are not expected to show the availability of funding for maintenance. 

As with full-time students, before your admission can be confirmed you will need to demonstrate that you can pay the fees. Neither the Student Registry nor individual Colleges can normally entertain requests for assistance with maintenance in case of hardship.

Available Funding: The Cambridge Trusts and AHRC currently fund part-time PhD students.

Residence Requirements

There are no residence requirements for a part-time PhD but you are expected to have at least two supervisions with your supervisor per term.
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Residence Requirements

You can find the University's residence requirements here.

Every part-time postgraduate student must join a College. As a member of a College, you will have access to its library, computing and other facilities. You will also be assigned to a Postgraduate Tutor who will be available to advise on welfare or pastoral matters in the same way as for full-time students. Short periods of residential accommodation may be offered by the College, particularly in vacations. Please note, though, that Colleges are not expected to offer accommodation during term time to part-time students. See the individual College listings for further information.

Overseas Applications

As a general rule, overseas students who require a visa to study in the UK will not be able to obtain a visa for a part-time degree.
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Visas for Study

Find up-to-date information about visas for study on the University's International Student site.

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Postgraduate Admissions

We welcome applications from outstanding candidates for postgraduate study in all areas of English literature.
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MPhil in English Studies

This unified MPhil offers the best of both worlds: deep specialist study of literary periods alongside expansive critical frameworks that break down divides, fostering range, rigour and originality.
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Faculty Research

The Faculty is one of the very best institutions in the world for the study of English. It is a vibrant and welcoming place for collaboration and cross-disciplinary work, with a lively postgraduate community.