Key Information
- Duration: Full-time: 48 months; Part-time: 96 months
- Start dates & application deadlines:
- Starting January 2027: Apply before Oct 2026
Overview
Research in literary and cultural studies brings together researchers to examine pressing social and cultural issues. At the University of Surrey you'll get to examine social and cultural networks, cities and urban culture, embodiment and the practice and politics of movement, post-humanism, queer studies and subversive space, medical humanities, and transnationalism and its limitations.
Career opportunities
This Literary and Cultural Studies is a programme from University of Surrey which will take you on a research journey across cultures. You will develop your own research methodologies to navigate contemporary or historical cultural issues relevant to your project. This might involve archival study, action-based research or field work, as well as literary and cultural analysis. Research in areas such as gender and sexuality, medical humanities, mobilities and urban studies, creative collaborations and the visual arts, contemporary and historic film, and environmental or political activism, will be supported by expert academics working at the cutting edge of fields such as these. Your research may focus on the intersections between different cultures and languages, or it may take a deep dive into a particular cultural or literary phenomenon. As a researcher in literary and cultural studies you will become an expert in your project area through in-depth research and advanced analytical skills. You will be fully supported by academic supervisors to engage with current research and to advance the importance of cultural understanding in our globally networked world. You'll be assigned two supervisors, who you'll meet with monthly to discuss your progress. Your supervisors will guide you through your PhD and will give you feedback and advice on your work. As a doctoral student, you'll receive a structured training programme covering the practical aspects of being a researcher, including grant-writing, publishing in journals, and applying for academic jobs.
Visit the programme website for more information
Programme Structure
Research themes
- Latin American literary and cultural studies
- Transnational history and its methodologies
- Franco-British political and cultural exchanges of the 19th and 20th centuries.
Admission Requirements
Academic requirements
GPA: Upper Second Class
English requirements
- Duolingo English Test: 120
- TOEFL iBT: 88 (or 4.5 on the new TOEFL iBT 1-6 score, CEFR-aligned, equivalent to the 0-120 score)
- PTE Academic: 67
- IELTS: 6.5
Other requirements
General requirements
- Applicants are expected to hold a good bachelors degree and/or masters degree (2:1 or equivalent) in languages (with a literary or linguistic background), or in related subject areas is required.
- For other topics, a good bachelors degree (2:1 or equivalent) and an MA in a relevant topic is required.
Fees and Funding
Tuition Fees
Tuition fees are shown in AUD and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.
- International: 41,187 AUD / year (≈ 21,800 GBP / year)
- Domestic: 9,458 AUD / year (≈ 5,006 GBP / year)
Additional Details
- Part-time: UK £2,619; Overseas £10,900
Living costs
Guildford, United Kingdom: 1,247-2,154 AUD / month
The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.