University of Kent

Text, Practice as Research - PhD

University of KentCanterbury, United Kingdom

Course overview

All the research programmes enable you to feel part of the vibrant University community, with access to a range of exciting events, research seminars and MA modules which you can take for no credit with the agreement of the convenor. Most PhD students are given the opportunity to teach from their second year. As a research student, you meet regularly with your supervisor, and have the opportunity to take part in informal reading groups and research seminars to which students, staff and visiting speakers contribute papers.

You also benefit from a series of research skills seminars that run in the spring term, which gives you a chance to share the research expertise of staff and postdoctoral members of the department. As a basis for advanced research, you must take the School and Faculty research methods programmes. The School of English has a strong international reputation and global perspective, apparent both in the background of its staff and in the diversity of our teaching and research interests.

Our expertise ranges from the medieval to the postmodern, including British, American and Irish literature, postcolonial writing, 18th-century studies, Shakespeare, early modern literature and culture, Victorian studies, modern poetry, critical theory and cultural history. The international standing of the School ensures that we have a lively, confident research culture, sustained by a vibrant, ambitious intellectual community. We also count a number of distinguished creative writers among our staff, and we actively explore crossovers between critical and creative writing in all our areas of teaching and research.

The Research Excellence Framework 2021 has produced very strong results for the School of English at Kent. With 100% of its research environment and 100% of its research impact judged to be ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. The Times Higher Education has ranked English at Kent in the UK top 20 in its subject league table, out of 92 universities.

As scholars and creative practitioners, academic staff in the School of English are national and international leaders in their fields. The expert panel judged 93% of its research overall and just under 90% of its research outputs, as ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’.

Key highlights

  • Most PhD students are given the opportunity to teach from their second year
  • Regular supervision plus informal reading groups and research seminars
  • Spring-term research skills seminars with staff and postdoctoral researchers
  • Option to audit MA modules with the convenor's agreement
  • Staff include distinguished creative writers exploring critical and creative crossovers
  • REF 2021 judged 100% of research environment world leading or internationally excellent

Entry requirements

  • Degree: 2:1 — to include relevant subject; or above

Scholarships

  • Chevening Scholarships

  • Christine and Ian Bolt Scholarship

    Scholarship value up to £10,000.

  • Kent Business School Beaconhouse PG Progression Scholarship

    Tuition fee discount scholarship of £6,000.

    Up to £6,000

  • Kent Business School Dean's Excellence Scholarship Award

    Awards of up to £3,000

  • Kent Business School MBA Scholarship

    50% off Tuition Fee.

    Up to 50% of fees

  • Kent Graduate Scholarship

    20% fee reduction for post-graduate taught programmes at the University of Kent.

    Up to 20% of fees

  • Kent International Scholarship Postgraduate Taught

    Scholarship value - £5000

    Up to £5,000

  • Kent International Scholarship Postgraduate Taught (KBS)

    Scholarship value £3000

    Up to £3,000

  • Kent LLM Solicitors’ Practice Scholarship (Canterbury)

    £2,000 tuition fee discount (Home Students); £2,000 tuition fee discount (Overseas Students).

    Up to £2,000

  • Sasha Roberts Scholarship

    £3,000 stipend per annum split into two payments of £1,500 in October and January.

    Up to £3,000

  • The “Ambition” Scholarship for University of Kent Graduates

    £1,500 for Full Time UK students; £750 per year for Part Time UK students; £3,000 for Full Time Overseas students.

  • The CAMEMS Scholarship

    £3,000 stipend per annum split into two payments of £1,500 in October and January.

    Up to £3,000

  • The Widening Participation Ambition Scholarship for University of Kent Graduates

    £5,000 for UK students (£2,500 per year for part time students).

Careers this course leads to

  • University lecturer
  • Postdoctoral researcher
  • Writer
  • Editor
  • Arts and cultural sector professional

Cost of study

UK/Home: £5,238 per year | International: £19,300 per year

Admission

Applications are made through AHZ at no cost. Share your transcripts, English test scores and personal statement, and your AHZ Counsellor will review your profile, submit your application to University of Kent, and guide you through interview, offer, CAS and visa — right up to enrolment.

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