Course summary

The PhD in Comparative Literature and Critical Theories at the University of Birmingham offers students the opportunity to propose and develop exciting doctoral projects exploring relevant aspects of the cultures of the world through the study of literature, as well as other cultural forms, and critical theory. Hosted in the Department of Modern Languages, this programme counts on the wide expertise of academics able to supervise projects that look into cultural forms produced not only in English, but also in Arabic, Catalan, French, Italian, Persian, Portuguese, Spanish and Russian. Students are also enabled to work on many aspects of critical theory, from those associated with the Frankfurt School to postcolonial theory, decolonial studies, eco-criticism, critical race theory, gender and sexuality studies, feminist and queer theory, memory studies, translation theory and linguistics. Students can also benefit from the supervision of academics across the School of Languages, Cultures, Art History and Music and the College of Arts and Law, enabling support for projects interested in cultural forms beyond literature such as music, film and visual art. The plurality and diversity that characterises the work of our academics provide unique combinations of expertise that are ideal for ambitious, interdisciplinary projects dialoguing with comparative studies and critical theory. A PhD is assessed by a thesis of 80,000 words. You will also need to defend your thesis at a viva voce (oral examination) before a panel of expert examiners. Find out more about what to expect from a PhD. You can study our Comparative Literature PhD full-time or part-time, on campus or by distance learning. The College of Arts and Law is experienced in delivering high-quality distance learning to students all over the world. Find out more on our distance learning website.