Research Programmes
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is the major postgraduate research degree. It involves three years of full-time study (six years of part-time study) and the preparation of a thesis of not more than 80,000 words, which makes a significant contribution to knowledge. A satisfactory PhD topic is one which a suitably qualified and properly supervised student can bring to completion within the permitted timeframe.
The MPhil is suitable if you wish to undertake original research over a shorter period. The length of study is one year full-time or two years part-time.
Entry requirements
Successful completion of a Masters degree, with an element of research training, is a prerequisite for entry to a PhD or MPhil.
Student whose first language is not English require an overall IELTS score of 7.0 with 7.0 in the writing element of the test or a TOEFL score of 600 (paper-based test), 250 (computer-based test) or 100 (internet-based test) or a Pearson Test of English (PTE) score of 70 or higher overall, with a minimum score of 70 in the writing element.
Research supervision
Our research degrees (PhD, MPhil) can be taken in any of the School's disciplines. We can offer a very wide range of supervision, thanks to the diverse expertise of our academic staff. We also have a strong record of success in joint supervision, where a PhD student works with two supervisors who have complementary specialist fields.
The School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures is involved in a variety of research projects, which indicate just a few of the areas in which expert supervision is available:
For further information about our research centres, visit:
For a list of some of our research areas, visit:
For full information about research within subject areas and individual staff research interests, visit: