We welcome applications from those wishing to join the Department of English’s internationally recognised academic community.
To find out more about the Department, we invite you to attend an Open Evening or to contact the Directors of Graduate Studies Professor Jerry Brotton or Dr James Vigus.
See below for information on:
For detailed advice on the application process, go to our Making an Application page.
Entry Requirements and Qualifications
Your previous academic qualifications and other relevant experience will be taken into account when your application is assessed. While each application is assessed on its merits, applicants are normally expected to hold a good undergraduate degree (a solid 2.1 or above) and a master’s degree (with an average of 65 or above) in English or another discipline related to your proposed area of research.
Before applying, all candidates should ensure they have graduated, or are about to graduate, from an internationally recognised MA programme. Candidates whose first language is not English should also be able to present a certificate of proficiency in English at the standard required by Queen Mary. The department cannot consider any applications without an MA. This requirement may be waived in accordance with College regulations but only under exceptional circumstances.
IMPORTANT: We understand that you may not have completed your master’s degree at the time of application, in which case we will consider results available at that point. If successful, you will be offered a conditional place. The condition will be completion of the MA with an average mark of 65 or above. You will be asked to send a final transcript for your MA degree as soon as it is available.
Finding a Supervisor
To find out about research expertise in the Department and identify potential supervisors for your PhD, please consult our staff web pages via the link below.
Find a supervisor
If you have a well-developed proposal, you can contact potential supervisors directly to discuss your project and your interest in working with them. Alternatively, you can email the Director of Graduate Studies, who will offer advice and invite you to complete an enquiry form. See below.
Advice and Support
If you have the requisite qualifications we encourage prospective applicants to make their initial enquiry by completing the PhD enquiry form [DOC 37KB] and emailing it to the Director of Graduate Studies, Dr James Vigus (j.vigus@qmul.ac.uk), who will advise you on your project and answer any queries you might have about pursuing doctoral research in English at Queen Mary.
Prospective applicants who have already developed full research proposals presented in accordance with our guidelines and who have consulted our staff pages to identify potential supervisors are also encouraged to contact James Vigus (j.vigus@qmul.ac.uk) for advice in advance of making a formal application.
Further information on the application process is supplied by the College Admissions Office.
Fees and Funding
Please visit our Funding and Awards page for information, or the College’s site on Funding a PhD.
