comparative literature phd oxford

Study Comparative Literature at Oxford

At Undergraduate Level

The best way in to comparative study or work on translation at  undergraduate level  at the University of Oxford is to take a   joint degree, for example  English and Modern Languages   Classics and English   Classics and Modern Languages   Classics and Oriental Studies   European and Middle Eastern Languages  or  Philosophy and Modern Languages .

At Graduate Level

At graduate level , the  MSt in Comparative Literature and Critical Translation   is linked to the Oxford Comparative Criticism and Translation (OCCT) Research Centre and grows out of our research. You can read more about the course is available  here , and information about applying is available  here . 

If you are a student at Oxford, you can access our Core Course reading list on ORLO here .

The  MSt in Modern Languages  also has a comparative component.

To pursue comparative study at  doctoral level  at the University of Oxford, you must apply to a single Faculty, but it is easy to arrange joint supervision across Faculties and therefore to work on topics involving comparative criticism and translation. You can read more about the different doctoral programmes via the links below.

Faculty of English:  DPhil in English

Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages:  DPhil in Modern Languages

Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies:  DPhil in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies

Faculty of Classics:  DPhil in Classical Languages and Literature

Faculty of Music:  DPhil in Music

The Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art:  DPhil in Fine Art

Please contact the Graduate Studies Office in the relevant Faculty/ies for more information.

Comparative Literature and Critical Translation MSt

The MSt in Comparative Literature and Critical Translation is one-year interdisciplinary course supported by several Faculties within the Humanities Division. The MSt is attached to Oxford’s research centre in Comparative Criticism and Translation (OCCT) and builds on the recent growth in scholarly awareness of the importance of translation to comparative and world literary study. This is what is meant by ‘critical translation’: not translator training, but rather an interest in the role played by translation and re-writing in literary history, and an alertness to the uses of translation in critical practice.

For more information please visit https://www.humanities.ox.ac.uk/mst-comparative-literature-and-critical-... .

How to apply

Find a college, where to start with your application.

This pathway allows you to study two or more literatures comparatively, either by choosing a designated comparative special subject or subjects in different languages. You will need to apply for the MSt or MPhil in Modern Languages and if you are offered a place, select your special subjects accordingly. The Medieval and Modern Languages programme combines a focus on European traditions of comparative philology and literary studies forged by critics like Erich Auerbauch and Leo Spitzer with contemporary questions around postcolonialism, globalization, and world literature. In the course of your studies, you will develop an enhanced awareness of the complexity of literary communication across linguistic and cultural borders and develop your cultural imagination through understanding the creative modes of transfer that are translation and adaptation.

Students may select courses from individual languages or from the Faculty’s tailor-made comparative special subjects.

The languages are:

• Byzantine & Modern Greek

* Courses that may be taken in the Faculty of English are normally those shown under List C (Special Options) in the course handbook. Participation is restricted and by prior approval.

Please note: English List C courses have a limited number of places and a large number of students from several Masters programmes selecting from these options. Some courses are heavily oversubscribed and it cannot be guaranteed that you will be allocated a place. Please be prepared for the possibility that you will not be able to take an English List C course, and that you will need to take all of your special subjects from the Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages options available in that academic year.

Starting from 2022-23, the Faculty will offer a selection of specially designed cross-linguistic special subjects drawing on the Faculty’s research strengths, including: Contesting Colonialisms, Cultural Studies Seminar , Enlightenment Debates, Writing the Enlightenment , and Posthuman Ecologies.

Course Content

The MSt degree consists of four compulsory components: the Spaces of Comparison methodology seminar (taught across the first and second term), two Special Subjects (taught in the first (Michaelmas) and second (Hilary) term, respectively); and a dissertation.

Special Subjects: You will select what you and your supervisor(s) think are the best essay or essays and submit it or them as a portfolio for examination. Special Subject submissions may comprise one or two essays to a total maximum word length of between 5,000 — 7,000 words.

Spaces of Comparison Seminars : submission of an essay of 5,000 to 7,000 words for examination at the end of the second term.

Dissertation: Submission of a dissertation of 10,000 — 12,000 words in the seventh week of the third term of study.

Applicants may also be interested in the new MSt in Comparative Literature and Critical Translation , full details of which are available from the Humanities Division.

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University of oxford: comparative literature and critical translation.

Full-Time, 9 months starts Oct 2024

**The information provided on this page was correct at the time of publication (November 2023). For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas.**

The MSt in Comparative Literature and Critical Translation is a nine-month, interdisciplinary course designed to give you critical, theoretical and research expertise in the intersecting fields of comparative and world literature and translation studies.

To take the course, you must be able to work with two languages and literatures, out of Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, modern Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Sanskrit, Spanish, Turkish, and Urdu. If you are interested in studying two European languages comparatively, you may also wish to apply for the MSt in Modern Languages.

The MSt is attached to Oxford’s research centre in Comparative Criticism and Translation (OCCT) and builds on the recent growth in scholarly awareness of the importance of translation to comparative and world literary study. This is what is meant by ‘critical translation’: not translator training, but rather an interest in the role played by translation and re-writing in literary history, and an alertness to the uses of translation in critical practice.

You will be able to participate in the rich research culture of OCCT. This includes the lively postgraduate-led discussion group, regular research seminars and workshops, the public events of Oxford Translation Day, and lectures by the Weidenfeld Visiting Professor in Comparative European Literature (recent incumbents have included Javier Cercas, Ali Smith, Mario Vargas Llosa, Elif Shafak and Umberto Eco).

**Course structure** The MSt is comprised of a core course, two option courses and a dissertation. Alongside the weekly teaching sessions for the core and option courses, you should expect to undertake approximately 30 hours of self-directed study each week.

**Core course** The core course will introduce you to key topics in comparative and world literature and translation studies, and give you the skills needed to develop your own arguments and pursue original research. It is taught by a weekly lecture and seminar in weeks one through six of Michaelmas (autumn) and Hilary (spring) terms. You will give presentations in the seminars (usually twice each term), and write a short practice essay at the end of Michaelmas term: these formative assignments will not affect your degree result.

The list below provides an indication of the topics covered in the core course, though please note that it may vary from year to year:

histories of comparison theories of comparison worlds of comparison figures genres and forms migration, travel and encounter translation studies and comparative literatures translation and transmediality translation and circulation translingual and multilingual texts untranslatables and universals translational critical practices.

**For the full description, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas**

Full-Time, 9 months started Oct 2023

**The information provided on this page was correct at the time of publication (October/November 2022). For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas**

**Course structure**

**Option courses** You will take one option course in Michaelmas term and one option course in Hilary term. These options are chosen from a wide range available in the faculties of Medieval and Modern Languages, English Language and Literature, and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. The option courses available change from year to year.

**Dissertation** Your dissertation may be on any comparative topic that involves your two languages of focus. You will work closely with a supervisor, starting at the end of Michaelmas term and continuing through Hilary term, though the bulk of the work will be concentrated in Trinity (summer) term. Your dissertation will be due in at the end of Trinity term.

Alongside the weekly teaching sessions for the core and option courses, students should expect to undertake approximately 30 hours of self-directed study each week.

**Supervision** Students can expect to have termly catch-ups with the course convenor, as well as up to six hours of contact time/support from their dissertation supervisors, the majority of which will take place in late Hilary and Trinity Term. The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the steering committee for the MSt in Comparative Literature and Critical Translation in consultation with faculties in the Humanities Division, and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Humanities Division.

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Level: Postgraduate research

Duration: 4-8 years part-time

Closed to applications for entry in 2024.

Applications for 2025 entry will open in September 2024. 

To be notified when applications open,  please register your interest . 

Questions? Email: [email protected]

DPhil in Literature and Arts

Course details.

The DPhil in Literature and Arts is an advanced research degree by part-time research. Usually this course is intended for students who have already completed the  MSt in Literature and Arts , although other suitably qualified students who have completed a master’s degree in the humanities may also apply. Students will often be building on research and skills developed during the MSt in Literature and Arts.

Quick links

Programme details, assessment methods, level and demands, teaching methods.

• Application details – fees, funding and how to apply

The DPhil programme shares the same historical and multi-disciplinary scope as the MSt. It may encompass the disciplines of literature, art and architectural history, history, and history of ideas.

Compared to the MSt, however, students will be working independently towards their own deeply researched 100,000 word thesis, building on sustained independent research over a number of years, and focusing on a specific subject in depth.

 The thesis can be completed in four to (a maximum) eight years. We encourage students to work towards completion in four to six years and the supervisors help to structure a realistic work schedule and timetable for completion.

The research students on this course carry out independent doctoral research on a subject linked to the British past, c.1450- c.1914. British history is interpreted in the broadest possible sense to include global and imperial connections. For instance, the formation of British culture through the stimuli of influences beyond Europe, from Chinese porcelain to commodities like sugar and tea. Research proposals are welcome across the period, from, for example, Tudor and Jacobean Art and Architecture to the changing place of women in early twentieth century Britain. We have a democratic view of cultural history in which all men's and women's lives play their part.

Students work in at least two of the disciplines and are supervised by academics with two different areas of specialism. The course enables students to make the most of the university's resources (e.g. its libraries, computer facilities, museums and historic monuments) Students are also likely to need to consult archives and other primary sources in different locations depending on their project. There is an attendance requirement for this course of thirty days per academic year, and students will be encouraged to fully participate in the Graduate School in the Department for Continuing Education and to take part in other seminars, workshops and training activities offered across the University.

The DPhil will be awarded on the basis of a thesis and an oral examination. Your thesis will be based on extensive original research and engagement with current scholarship. Students undertaking a part-time DPhil will normally study for four to six years from the time of admission. This compares with a full-time doctorate, which normally takes three to four years to complete.

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

• a master's degree with distinction or a high pass in a Humanities subject or from;  and 
• a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in any relevant subject.
• Show prior interest in the area of research proposed

Students will be strongly encouraged to participate in seminars and informal meetings with staff and other researchers in the University of Oxford. The major commitment of time will be to individual study and research, involving wide and intense reading, collection of primary evidence, analysis and writing. Students will be expected to attend and to contribute to the wide range of research seminars, conferences and workshops organised in the University. They will also have access to specialist training courses offered by the Bodleian Library and IT services.

Supervision on the DPhil programme will be provided by two supervisors, usually University Lecturers/Professors from the Department for Continuing Education and from within the University of Oxford. The two supervisors will be from different disciplines. Supervisors will help students to develop a programme of research and writing.

Application details

Applications for this course should be made via the University of Oxford  Graduate Admissions  website. This website provides information on fees and entry requirements, along with help on preparing and submitting your application.

Scholarships and funding

Please see the University’s  Fees and Funding  pages for help and information with regard to funding doctoral studies. We further recommend that applicants search for funding opportunities via the online  Fees, Funding and Scholarship search tool.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support

Graduate School

Mst in literature and arts (mla), art history and design research, history of art.

Comparative Literature

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Harvard’s Department of Comparative Literature is one of the most dynamic and diverse in the country. Its impressive faculty has included such scholars as Harry Levine, Claudio Guillén, and Barbara Johnson. You will study literatures from a wide range of historical periods and cultures while learning to conduct cutting-edge research through an exhilarating scope of methods and approaches.

Your dissertation research is well supported by Harvard’s unparalleled library system, the largest university collection in the world, comprising 70 libraries with combined holdings of over 16 million items.

Recent student dissertations include “Imagined Mothers: The Construction of Italy, Ancient Greece, and Anglo-American Hegemony,” “The Untimely Avant-Garde: Literature, Politics and Transculturation in the Sinosphere (1909-2020),” and “Artificial Humanities: A Literary Perspective on Creating and Enhancing Humans from Pygmalion to Cyborgs.”

In addition to securing faculty positions at academic institutions such as Princeton University, Emory University, and Tufts University, graduates have gone on to careers in contiguous fields including the visual arts, music, anthropology, philosophy, and medicine.  Others have chosen alternative careers in film production, administration, journalism, and law.

 Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of Comparative Literature and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies .

Admissions Requirements

Please review admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of Comparative Literature .

Writing Sample

The writing sample is supposed to demonstrate your ability to engage in literary criticism and/or theory. It can be a paper written for a course or a section of a senior thesis or essay. It is usually between 10 and 20 pages. Do not send longer papers with instructions to read an excerpt; you should edit the sample so that it is not more than 20 pages. Writing samples should be in English, although candidates are permitted to submit an additional writing sample written in a different language.

Statement of Purpose

The statement of purpose should give the admissions committee a clear sense of your individual interests and strengths. Applicants are not required to indicate a precise field of specialization, but it is helpful to tell us about your aspirations and how the Department of Comparative Literature might help in attaining these goals. The statement of purpose should be one to four pages in length.

Standardized Tests

GRE General: Not Accepted

Theses & Dissertations

Theses & Dissertations for Comparative Literature

See list of Comparative Literature faculty

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Questions about the program.

Modern and Contemporary

The Faculty has particular expertise in the study of Modern and Contemporary Literature, including American Literature, World Literatures in English, theatre and performance, and the relationships between modern literature and visual culture, film and dance. We also offer have specialist expertise in Film Studies.

What do we do?

Our research extends across an impressively diverse range of materials and methodologies, encompassing the full breadth of modern and contemporary literatures. We have particular strengths in modernist and late modernist studies, ranging from major writers such as Woolf, Joyce, T. S. Eliot and J. M. Coetzee, to material print and publishing, and modernist experiments in dance, theatre, fine art and early film.  Textual scholarship, seen in the preparation of both scholarly and mass-market editions, and the study of the material book and publishing history, particularly on censorship, is another area of expertise. Other areas of specialism include biography and life-writing, literature and the modern state, science and literature, postcolonial and world literatures, and drama and film.

The Faculty hosts a number of externally-funded projects.  Professor Sue Jones holds a Leverhulme Fellowship for research into Samuel Beckett and choreography.  Using archival examination of Beckett’s manuscripts, correspondence, and production notes alongside innovations in dance and performance theory and practices in twentieth-century Britain and Europe, her project aims to reveal the constitutive role of choreography in Beckett’s imagining of the human subject in his prose and in the staging of his plays.

We welcome enquiries from potential researchers who want to work in any area of modern and contemporary literature and culture.

Where next?

Please see the webpages of individual Faculty members for more information on recent publications and current research projects. We are happy to answer enquiries from potential graduate students and anyone else who is interested in our work.

• Our Teaching
• Publications
• News & resources
• Research projects & centres
• Events & seminars

At undergraduate level, the ‘Literature in English 1910 to present day’ paper allows first-year students to engage with the variety and richness of Anglophone writing across the world. Many students take the opportunity to develop their knowledge of the period in research essays for the final year papers 6 (Special Options) and 7 (Dissertation). Through a programme of lectures and seminars, we encourage every student to tackle major canonical texts and a wider diversity of writings right through to the contemporary cutting-edge of new writing.

The Faculty also offers final year paper 6 (Special Options) in film: currently ‘Film Criticism’ and ‘Writers and the Cinema’. Undergraduates are also welcome to write their paper 7 dissertation about film (and this need not relate to literature).

At graduate level, the MSt programmes in English Literature and Language, 1900 to the Present, English and American Studies, and World Literature in English enable students to extend their knowledge of the post-1900 period through a broad choice of specialist courses with world-leading scholars. We also have many graduates studying for the DPhil (i.e. PhD) degree, who enjoy a vibrant research culture supported by Oxford’s unrivalled library resources.

English is also one of the main Faculties involved in running the MSt in Film Aesthetics. We also offer PhD supervision in Film Studies (and topics need not relate to literature) Doctoral candidates in film are normally supervised by Andrew Klevan or Laura Marcus. The Faculty can only accept film projects which match with the supervisors’ expertise. Recent film studies doctorates in the Faculty: Achieving Female Presence on Film , Testing Coherence in Narrative Film , Complicating Articulation in Narrative Film and T he Author on Film: Life-Writing in the Cinema .

• Andrew Klevan is the Professor of Film Aesthetics

He co-convenes the Mst in Film Aesthetics. His research interests are film criticism; aesthetics, especially evaluation and appreciation; philosophy of criticism; film interpretation; the close analysis of film style; film performance; the methodology and pedagogy of film study.

Great Writers Inspire resources (essays, podcasts, videos, ebooks)

Introducing modernism

Contemporary Writers

D.H. Lawrence

Virginia Woolf

Katherine Mansfield

Ten-minute book club, ‘the fly’ by katherine mansfield.

Ulysses by James Joyce

Professor of poetry.

Professor of Poetry podcasts

Other resources.

The First World War Poetry Digital Archive

Lest We Forget

This archive contains stories and items of the First World War collected at volunteer-led Digital Collection Days and items directly uploaded by members of the public.

Bathilda’s Notebook on MuggleNet

Bathilda's Notebook by Dr. Beatrice Groves explores the literature and ideas that have most inspired Rowling, from Shakespeare to Sherlock Holmes.

The Faculty has a rich culture of interdisciplinary research and research networks, including ‘War, Literature and Culture’, ‘Writing 1900’, ‘Dance Scholarship Oxford’ (DANSOX), ‘Comparative Criticism and Translation’, and ‘Constructing Scientific Communities: Citizen Science in the 19th and 21st Centuries’ (funded by a four-year grant from the Arts and Humanities Research Council). Facilitated by TORCH (The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities), many of these networks enjoy interdisciplinary links with researchers and research projects in other Faculties.

Writing War

Dance Scholarship Oxford (DANSOX)

Oxford Comparative Criticism and Translation (OCCT)

Constructing Scientific Communities: Citizen Science in the 19th and 21st Centuries

Dorothy Richardson Scholarly Editions Project

Creative Multilingualism

James Joyce Online Notes

A host of lectures and seminars are organised by faculty members and students. These vary from year to year and are advertised around the university and on Weblearn. Many of the most influential theatre professionals and playwrights have given lectures, seminars and masterclasses, as Cameron Mackintosh Visiting Professor or Humanitas Visiting Professor of Drama, including Sir Tom Stoppard, David Edgar, Vanessa Redgrave, Meera Syal, Simon Russell Beale, Athol Fugard, and Patrick Marber.  Contemporary writing is also often at the centre of lectures given by the Professor of Poetry, currently Simon Armitage, and by the Weidenfeld Professor of Comparative Literature, a post held by such luminaries as Marina Warner, Ali Smith, Mario Vargas Llosa and Umberto Eco.

There have been many international conferences and symposia hosted by the Faculty, including those on: Edward Thomas; Sylvia Plath; J. M. Coetzee; Modern Book History; Cinema and Modernism; Modernism and Visual Culture; Colonial and Post-colonial Cultures of the Book; Literature and Philosophy; Global Book History; and Writers, Rights and Institutions.

Modern and Contemporary Literature Research Seminar

Professor of poetry lectures, research seminar.

Courses, apprenticeships, information guides and more

University of Oxford

Degree level: postgraduate, comparative literature and critical translation (taught), course options, course summary.

The information provided on this page was correct at the time of publication (October/November 2022). For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas The MSt in Comparative Literature and Critical Translation is a nine-month, interdisciplinary course designed to give you critical, theoretical and research expertise in the intersecting fields of comparative and world literature and translation studies. To take the course, you must be able to work with two languages and literatures, out of Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, modern Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Sanskrit, Spanish, Turkish, and Urdu. If you are interested in studying two European languages comparatively, you may also wish to apply for the MSt in Modern Languages. The MSt is attached to Oxford’s research centre in Comparative Criticism and Translation (OCCT) and builds on the recent growth in scholarly awareness of the importance of translation to comparative and world literary study. This is what is meant by ‘critical translation’: not translator training, but rather an interest in the role played by translation and re-writing in literary history, and an alertness to the uses of translation in critical practice. You will be able to participate in the rich research culture of OCCT. This includes the lively postgraduate-led discussion group, regular research seminars and workshops, the public events of Oxford Translation Day, and lectures by the Weidenfeld Visiting Professor in Comparative European Literature (recent incumbents have included Javier Cercas, Ali Smith, Mario Vargas Llosa, Elif Shafak and Umberto Eco). Course structure Core course The core course will introduce you to key topics in comparative and world literature and translation studies, and give you the skills needed to develop your own arguments and pursue original research. It is taught by a weekly lecture and seminar in weeks one through six of Michaelmas (autumn) and Hilary (spring) terms. You will give presentations in the seminars (usually twice each term), and write a short practice essay at the end of Michaelmas term: these formative assignments will not affect your degree result. Option courses You will take one option course in Michaelmas term and one option course in Hilary term. These options are chosen from a wide range available in the faculties of Medieval and Modern Languages, English Language and Literature, and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. The option courses available change from year to year. Dissertation Your dissertation may be on any comparative topic that involves your two languages of focus. You will work closely with a supervisor, starting at the end of Michaelmas term and continuing through Hilary term, though the bulk of the work will be concentrated in Trinity (summer) term. Your dissertation will be due in at the end of Trinity term. Alongside the weekly teaching sessions for the core and option courses, students should expect to undertake approximately 30 hours of self-directed study each week. Supervision Students can expect to have termly catch-ups with the course convenor, as well as up to six hours of contact time/support from their dissertation supervisors, the majority of which will take place in late Hilary and Trinity Term. The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the steering committee for the MSt in Comparative Literature and Critical Translation in consultation with faculties in the Humanities Division, and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Humanities Division.

Entry requirements

For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas

Fees and funding

Tuition fees.

No fee information has been provided for this course

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .

Additional fee information

Provider information.

Visit our website

University of Oxford University Offices Wellington Square Oxford OX1 2JD

Course contact details

Graduate admissions office.

[email protected]

+44 (0)1865 270059

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Please select a course option to view the information for the course

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MPhil in European, Latin American and Comparative Literatures and Cultures by Advanced Study

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Course closed:

European, Latin American and Comparative Literatures and Cultures by Advanced Study is no longer accepting new applications.

The MPhil in European, Latin American, and Comparative  Literatures and Cultures (ELAC) provides students with the critical and theoretical tools to enable them to undertake an in-depth study of specific aspects of European literatures and cultures and/or Latin American and Francophone contexts. The course introduces students to a broad range of critical theory concepts, allows for in-depth study of specific cultures and contexts, and includes the writing of a dissertation based on original research.

The MPhil is offered by the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics (MMLL) as a full-time programme and introduces students to research skills and specialist knowledge of specific cultural areas.

The course aims:

• to offer students with relevant experience at degree level a self-contained 9-month course in which they have the opportunity for in-depth study of specific aspects of European and comparative literatures and cultures (and in some cases film, history and the visual arts) and critical theory; and
• to provide foundations for continuation to PhD research.

These aims are achieved by:

• offering an overview of central aspects of modern literary/cultural theory and critical approaches to develop a general understanding of the field;
• offering an opportunity for in-depth study of two areas in critical theory and approaches and for developing skills to write on theory and to use theory or palaeographical and bibliographical techniques as a tool in the study of literary or other cultural texts;
• offering an opportunity for expanding knowledge of the literature and culture of specific periods and language areas beyond the undergraduate level;
• offering an opportunity for in-depth and sustained work on the individual essay and dissertation topics;
• offering the opportunity either to specialise in one European language area or to continue work in several languages (in the latter case offering guidance in developing comparative research projects);
• offering an opportunity to give seminar papers to a specialist audience in order to develop skills in presenting work and discussing the issues which arise from it with other MPhil students and senior members of the Faculty;
• offering an opportunity to learn to work to tight deadlines (time management);
• offering practice in writing shorter essays with a strict deadline (4,500 words);
• offering experience in independent research and training in developing a realistic research project and writing it up as a dissertation (15,000 words) within a limited period of time;
• offering an opportunity to develop bibliographical, editorial and other research skills;
• offering an opportunity to work under the supervision of specialists in relevant areas; and
• offering the opportunity to participate in the research culture of the Faculty and to attend postgraduate seminars and reading groups.

In addition to these subject-specific skills, the following general transferable skills are also acquired:

• The relatively intense timetable of the MPhil demands that students develop exemplary time-management skills. They work in collaboration with their supervisors to devise appropriate plans of study and have to ensure that they meet all deadlines, both formal and informal.
• Students are expected to make regular presentations in seminar settings to develop their oral presentation skills.
• Written work is assessed on the basis of a demonstration of scholarly research and critical analysis. That is, students are expected to present a lucid, coherent and carefully substantiated exposition of a critical viewpoint. Writing must be in clear, grammatically correct, continuous prose, and must function as a single, comprehensible, persuasive, cumulative demonstration, not as a series of disconnected insights. The organisation of the argument of the essay or dissertation and its prose style are of crucial importance.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the programme students will have:

• developed knowledge of critical theory and an ability to work with theory or specific critical approaches;
• developed a deeper knowledge of one or more areas of European, Latin American and Comparative Literatures and Cultures and of the critical debates within the relevant area(s);
• developed more advanced critical judgement and sensitivity to literary texts;
• demonstrated advanced skills in literary analysis;
• developed intellectual and practical research skills; and
• presented their own ideas in a public forum.

For those applying to continue from the MPhil by Advanced Study to PhD, the minimum academic standard is an overall distinction on the MPhil.

The Postgraduate Virtual Open Day usually takes place at the end of October. It’s a great opportunity to ask questions to admissions staff and academics, explore the Colleges virtually, and to find out more about courses, the application process and funding opportunities. Visit the  Postgraduate Open Day  page for more details.

See further the  Postgraduate Admissions Events  pages for other events relating to Postgraduate study, including study fairs, visits and international events.

Key Information

9 months full-time, study mode : taught, master of philosophy, faculty of modern and medieval languages and linguistics, course - related enquiries, application - related enquiries, course on department website, dates and deadlines:, michaelmas 2024 (closed).

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Funding Deadlines

These deadlines apply to applications for courses starting in Michaelmas 2024, Lent 2025 and Easter 2025.

Similar Courses

• European, Latin American and Comparative Literatures and Cultures by thesis MPhil
• English Studies MPhil
• English PhD
• Spanish PhD

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Comparative Literature

“dickens and democracy in the age of paper”, by carolyn vellenga berman ’00, phd.

Carolyn Vellenga Berman, Associate Professor of Literature at The New School in New York, graduated from Brown in 2000 with a PhD in Comparative Literature.

Carolyn Vellenga Berman is now an Associate Professor of Literature and Co-Chair of Literary Studies at Eugene Lang College at The New School in New York City. Her previous works include her publication entitled Creole Crossings: Domestic Fiction and the Reform of Colonial Slavery (Cornell University Press), as well as various articles appearing in journals such as Victorian Studies , Victorian Literature and Culture , and Nineteenth-Century Contexts , to name a few. With a background in historicism and post/colonial studies, Dr. Berman’s research deals with British, French, and US culture and literature of the 19 th century, including print culture, media studies, critical theory, fairy tales, Caribbean literature, ecocriticism, and contemporary fiction.

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Related overviews.

George Steiner (b. 1929)

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comparative literature

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The combined study of similar literary works written in different languages, which stresses the points of connection between literary products of two or more cultures, as distinct from the sometimes narrow and exclusive perspective of Eng. Lit. or similar approaches based on one national canon. Advocates of comparative literature maintain that there is, despite the obvious disadvantages, much to be gained from studying literary works in translation. A scholar engaged in such studies is a comparatist.

From:   comparative literature   in  The Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms »

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DPhil in English

• Entry requirements
• Funding and Costs

College preference

• How to Apply

About the course

The DPhil in English is intended to develop the skills and understanding necessary to undertake and present original research at a high level, and provide a thorough foundation for a career in research.

Course structure

Under the guidance of your supervisor, you will complete a thesis of 80,000 to 100,000 words. A typical term will involve a great deal of independent research, punctuated by meetings with the supervisor who will be able to suggest direction and address concerns throughout the writing process. 

In addition you will have the opportunity to attend a wide range of classes, seminars and lectures in order to learn bibliographic and research skills, interact with other researchers or gain new perspectives on your work. You may also be encouraged to attend the research skills courses available as part of the master's (MSt) programme, depending how much of this training has been covered previously.

The English Faculty is not responsible for providing teaching opportunities for research students as most undergraduate teaching in Oxford is organised by individual colleges. Teaching is not a compulsory part of the DPhil. But research students may wish to gain some teaching experience, so long as it does not interfere with their own progress. Those research students who wish to gain teaching experience are invited to attend Faculty-run preparatory teaching workshops and seminars, as well as enrolling on a Teaching Mentor Scheme. 

Further information about studying part-time

The faculty's research degrees are not available by distance learning. Although there will be no requirement to reside in Oxford, part-time research students must attend the University on a regular basis (particularly in term-time: October and November, mid-January to mid-March, and late April to mid-June) for supervision, study, research seminars and skills training.

The faculty appreciates that part-time research students will have non-standard attendance and work patterns. To ensure a comprehensive integration into the faculty's and University's research culture and with their full-time peer groups, a pattern of attendance at training events and research seminars would form part of the general study agreement for part-time students, alongside the individualised arrangements between supervisor and student. You cannot be enrolled in the part-time course if you need a visa to study in the UK.

As a part-time student you will be required to attend seminars, supervision meetings and other obligations in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year. Part-time students are expected to be present in Oxford for Faculty induction, college induction, and an initial meeting with supervisors in order to decide upon the programme of study for that term and to develop a plan for the coming year’s work. These are usually all held in 0th week of Michaelmas term of the 1st year. There will be some flexibility in the dates of term-time attendance which will be determined by mutual agreement with your supervisor, but part-time students are expected to be in Oxford in order to participate in key Faculty activities, which will occupy on average 20 days per term.Attendance outside of term-time is determined by mutual agreement with your supervisor.

Part-time students are expected to spend some periods in Oxford in at least two terms per year in the first two years.Part-time students are expected to attend at least half of the Faculty's (usually weekly or fortnightly) research seminar meetings in their subject area and to contribute to them as much as full-time students do over the length of their course.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Faculty of English and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Faculty of English.

It is expected that you will have at least two substantial supervisions in each term (or for part-time students, at least one each term). In the case of students who require specific help to adjust to an academic programme or to a new range of skills, the supervisor will work with them to ensure that they have additional support.

You will be enrolled initially as a Probationary Research Student and will then apply to transfer to full DPhil status during your first year (or for part-time students, by the end of your second year). A further assessment of your work and progress takes place during the third year of the programme (for part-time students, this would be completed by the first term of your sixth year).

In the final year of your course, you will need to submit a thesis of 80,000 to 100,000 words for assessment by an internal examiner, from within the University, and an external examiner, from beyond. There will then be a ‘viva voce’ oral examination with the two examiners.

Graduate destinations

Graduates from the English Faculty are employed across a wide range of sectors. Many take up academic positions in the UK and overseas. Other graduates pursue careers in occupations including teaching, the arts, heritage, librarianship, journalism, publishing, law and the civil service.

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made in circumstances of a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.

Entry requirements for entry in 2024-25

Proven and potential academic excellence.

The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying. 

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

• a first-class or high upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours (or equivalent international qualification) and a master's degree with distinction. 

The undergraduate and masters' degrees should be in English literature and/or English language, or exceptionally in a related subject that prepares the applicant for the particular course of study they propose.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.75 (with at least 3.85 in the major) out of 4.0.

If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

• Evidence of training in research techniques may be an advantage.
• It would be expected that graduate applicants would be familiar with the recent published work of their proposed supervisor.
• Publications are not required and the English Faculty does not expect applicants to have been published.

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's  higher level . If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.

*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) † Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)

Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides  further information about the English language test requirement .

Declaring extenuating circumstances

If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.

You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Supporting documents

You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Performance at interview

Interviews are not normally held as part of the admissions process.

How your application is assessed

Your application will be assessed purely on your proven and potential academic excellence and other entry requirements described under that heading.

References  and  supporting documents  submitted as part of your application, and your performance at interview (if interviews are held) will be considered as part of the assessment process. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed.

An overview of the shortlisting and selection process is provided below. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide  more information about how applications are assessed . 

Shortlisting and selection

Students are considered for shortlisting and selected for admission without regard to age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, sexual orientation, as well as other relevant circumstances including parental or caring responsibilities or social background. However, please note the following:

• socio-economic information may be taken into account in the selection of applicants and award of scholarships for courses that are part of  the University’s pilot selection procedure  and for  scholarships aimed at under-represented groups ;
• country of ordinary residence may be taken into account in the awarding of certain scholarships; and
• protected characteristics may be taken into account during shortlisting for interview or the award of scholarships where the University has approved a positive action case under the Equality Act 2010.

Processing your data for shortlisting and selection

Information about  processing special category data for the purposes of positive action  and  using your data to assess your eligibility for funding , can be found in our Postgraduate Applicant Privacy Policy.

Admissions panels and assessors

All recommendations to admit a student involve the judgement of at least two members of the academic staff with relevant experience and expertise, and must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies or Admissions Committee (or equivalent within the department).

Admissions panels or committees will always include at least one member of academic staff who has undertaken appropriate training.

Other factors governing whether places can be offered

The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:

• the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the  About  section of this page;
• the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
• minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.

Offer conditions for successful applications

If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide more information about offers and conditions . 

In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:

Financial Declaration

If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a  Financial Declaration  in order to meet your financial condition of admission.

Disclosure of criminal convictions

In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any  relevant, unspent criminal convictions  before you can take up a place at Oxford.

The facilities for English graduate students in Oxford are outstanding. In the faculty building you will find superb computing resources, a graduate common room, a café and an excellent discipline-specific library.

The English Faculty Library holds over 110,000 volumes and a wide range of print journals; it also provides regular information skills training to support teaching and research in English. Graduate students have access to all of Oxford's libraries, numbering over one hundred and including the world-famous collections of the Bodleian Library.

You will have the opportunity to hear lectures and papers by leading writers, critics, and theorists from inside and outside the University. You are encouraged to participate in the many research seminars and reading groups that run throughout term time, many of which are coordinated by graduates themselves.

There is an active and lively graduate organisation funded by the faculty, English Graduates at Oxford (EGO), that organises study skills, training and career development seminars, as well as social events and conferences.

Oxford’s Faculty of English Language and Literature is by far the largest English department in the UK and has a very distinguished research record, awarded top grades in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework. The faculty leads the Complete University League Tables (2023) and QS World University Rankings (2022) for English Language and Literature. Teaching has been graded ‘excellent’ in every quality assurance review.

The faculty currently has 80 permanent members of academic staff, including 9 statutory professors. This is in addition to a further 100 or so members teaching in the colleges and temporary members of staff. There are currently around 900 undergraduate students (with roughly 260 admitted each year to the single honours school and a further 20 to joint honours school programmes). The Oxford English Faculty has the largest graduate school in the country, with approximately 95 master's students, with a further 120 graduate research students. For the publications and research interests of particular faculty members, please consult their individual webpages.

English Language and Literature

Oxford’s Faculty of English Language and Literature is the largest English department in the UK, with over 300 graduate students. The faculty has a very distinguished research and teaching record covering all periods of English literature.

The size and distinction of the faculty’s graduate school, as well as the intellectual diversity of its graduate students, make Oxford a very stimulating environment in which to study English.

The faculty’s taught master’s courses are designed to serve both as autonomous degrees and as a solid foundation for the pursuit of more advanced research in literature in Oxford or elsewhere. One of the special features of these courses is that, unlike many master's programmes, they offer you the opportunity to pursue topics across period boundaries if you so wish.

Research in English at Oxford covers a wide range of work in literature and language over all periods to the present. The Faculty has a lively programme of research seminars in which staff and students have the opportunity to give papers on their work, and to meet specialists from other universities and institutions from the UK and abroad.

View all courses   View taught courses View research courses

The University expects to be able to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across the collegiate University in 2024-25. You will be automatically considered for the majority of Oxford scholarships , if you fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit your graduate application by the relevant December or January deadline. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential. 

For further details about searching for funding as a graduate student visit our dedicated Funding pages, which contain information about how to apply for Oxford scholarships requiring an additional application, details of external funding, loan schemes and other funding sources.

Please ensure that you visit individual college websites for details of any college-specific funding opportunities using the links provided on our college pages or below:

Please note that not all the colleges listed above may accept students on this course. For details of those which do, please refer to the College preference section of this page.

Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the faculty's website.

Annual fees for entry in 2024-25

Full-time study.

Further details about fee status eligibility can be found on the fee status webpage.

Part-time study

Information about course fees

Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges .

Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.

Continuation charges

Following the period of fee liability , you may also be required to pay a University continuation charge and a college continuation charge. The University and college continuation charges are shown on the Continuation charges page.

Where can I find further information about fees?

The Fees and Funding  section of this website provides further information about course fees , including information about fee status and eligibility  and your length of fee liability .

Additional information

There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees (or, after fee liability ends, continuation charges) and living costs. However, please note that, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Please note that you are required to attend in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year, and you may incur additional travel and accommodation expenses for this. Also, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur further additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Living costs

In addition to your course fees, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.

For the 2024-25 academic year, the range of likely living costs for full-time study is between c. £1,345 and £1,955 for each month spent in Oxford. Full information, including a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs, is available on our living costs page. The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. When planning your finances for any future years of study in Oxford beyond 2024-25, it is suggested that you allow for potential increases in living expenses of around 5% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. UK inflationary increases will be kept under review and this page updated.

If you are studying part-time your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you must still ensure that you will have sufficient funding to meet these costs for the duration of your course.

Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs). 

If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief  introduction to the college system at Oxford  and our  advice about expressing a college preference . For some courses, the department may have provided some additional advice below to help you decide.

The following colleges accept students for full-time study on this course:

• Balliol College
• Blackfriars
• Brasenose College
• Campion Hall
• Christ Church
• Corpus Christi College
• Exeter College
• Harris Manchester College
• Hertford College
• Jesus College
• Keble College
• Kellogg College
• Lady Margaret Hall
• Linacre College
• Lincoln College
• Magdalen College
• Mansfield College
• Merton College
• New College
• Oriel College
• Pembroke College
• The Queen's College
• Regent's Park College
• St Anne's College
• St Antony's College
• St Catherine's College
• St Cross College
• St Edmund Hall
• St Hilda's College
• St Hugh's College
• St John's College
• St Peter's College
• Somerville College
• Trinity College
• University College
• Wadham College
• Wolfson College
• Worcester College
• Wycliffe Hall

The following colleges accept students for part-time study on this course:

Before you apply

Our  guide to getting started  provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

If it's important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under a December or January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance . Check the deadlines on this page and the  information about deadlines and when to apply  in our Application Guide.

Application fee waivers

An application fee of £75 is payable per course application. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:

• applicants from low-income countries;
• refugees and displaced persons; 
• UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and 
• applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.

You are encouraged to  check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver  before you apply.

Readmission for current Oxford graduate taught students

If you're currently studying for an Oxford graduate taught course and apply to this course with no break in your studies, you may be eligible to apply to this course as a readmission applicant. The application fee will be waived for an eligible application of this type. Check whether you're eligible to apply for readmission .

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

You are not expected to contact a potential supervisor before submitting an application. However, if the proposed research topic is unusual, you may find it useful to review the faculty members and research sections of the faculty website to see if supervision is likely to be available from among the permanent members of staff.

Please note that the allocation of graduate supervision is the responsibility of the Faculty of English and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Please note also that a faculty member's willingness to supervise is no guarantee of admission.

Completing your application

You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents .

For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application .

If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.

Proposed field and title of research project

Under the 'Field and title of research project' please enter your proposed field or area of research if this is known. If the department has advertised a specific research project that you would like to be considered for, please enter the project title here instead.

You should not use this field to type out a full research proposal. You will be able to upload your research supporting materials separately if they are required (as described below).

Proposed supervisor

If known, under 'Proposed supervisor name' enter the name of the academic who you would like to supervise your research. Otherwise leave this field blank.

Referees Three overall, academic preferred

Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.

The Faculty of English expects three academic references in all but exceptional cases, and never fewer than two academic references.

Your references will support intellectual ability, academic achievement and motivation.

Official transcript(s)

Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.

More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.

Research proposal: A maximum of 1,500 words

The research proposal should be an outline of the research plans, written in English. The overall word count should include any bibliography.

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

This will be assessed for:

• the coherence and viability of the project
• the originality of the project
• the feasibility of successfully completing the project in the time available for the course (a maximum of four years)
• evidence of understanding of appropriate research skills required for successful completion of the project and of appropriate training at master’s level or equivalent to undertake the project.

Written work: Either two essays of a maximum length of 2,000 words each or one essay of a maximum length of 4,000 words

Academic essays from your most recent qualification, written in English, are required. Extracts from longer pieces are welcome but should be prefaced by a note which puts them in context. The word count does not need to include any bibliography or brief footnotes.

It is better to submit essays related to the area and in the subject in which you wish to work.

This work will be assessed for analytical and critical acumen; ability to construct and defend an argument; and powers of expression.

Instructions for submitting one long piece of work instead of two short pieces

To submit one longer piece of work in your application instead of two shorter pieces, you should upload this document in the first 'Written work' slot on the 'Supporting Documents' tab of the Application Form. In the second 'Written work' slot, you should upload a PDF document with the following statement:

' I have included one long essay in lieu of two short essays. I have checked the course page to confirm this is permitted for this course. '

Start or continue your application

You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please  refer to the requirements above  and  consult our Application Guide for advice . You'll find the answers to most common queries in our FAQs.

Application Guide   Apply - Full time Apply - Part time

ADMISSION STATUS

Closed to applications for entry in 2024-25

Register to be notified via email when the next application cycle opens (for entry in 2025-26)

12:00 midday UK time on:

Friday 5 January 2024 Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships Final application deadline for entry in 2024-25

*Three-year average (applications for entry in 2021-22 to 2023-24)

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered by the Faculty of English Language and Literature

• Course page on the faculty's website
• Funding information from the faculty
• Academic and research staff
• Faculty research
• Humanities Division
• Residence requirements for full-time courses
• Postgraduate applicant privacy policy

Course-related enquiries

Advice about contacting the department can be found in the How to apply section of this page

✉ [email protected] ☎ +44 (0)1865 281140  or  +44 (0)1865 271541

Application-process enquiries

See the application guide

Visa eligibility for part-time study

We are unable to sponsor student visas for part-time study on this course. Part-time students may be able to attend on a visitor visa for short blocks of time only (and leave after each visit) and will need to remain based outside the UK.