Overview
Join our thriving School with an energetic, creative and well-resourced research culture. Throughout your English Literature MPhil/PhD, you’ll benefit from expert supervision.
Our specialist areas of literature range in periods from the medieval to the contemporary. We normally offer supervision in the following areas:
- Medieval and Early Modern literature
- 18th-century and Romantic
- Victorian literature
- Modernism
- Postcolonial and Black Atlantic literature
- American literature
- children’s literature
- medical humanities
- poetry criticism
- scholarly editing and animating text
- theatre and performance
Important information
We’ve highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.
Your course and study experience – disclaimers and terms and conditions
Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.
View our Academic experience page, which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2024-25.
See our terms and conditions and student complaints information, which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.
Qualifications explained
Find out about the different qualification options for this course.
MPhil – Master of Philosophy
An MPhil is available in all subject areas. You receive research training and undertake original research leading to the completion of a 40,000 – 50,000 word thesis.
Find out about different types of postgraduate qualifications
PhD – Doctor of Philosophy
A PhD is a doctorate or doctoral award. It involves original research that should make a significant contribution to the knowledge of a specific subject. To complete the PhD you will produce a substantial piece of work (80,000 – 100,000 words) in the form of a supervised thesis. A PhD usually takes three years full time.
Find out about different types of postgraduate qualifications
How you’ll learn
Delivery and teaching methods
Your work will focus on a single, sustained piece of writing and research. The MPhil thesis is a maximum of 50,000 words and the PhD thesis is a maximum of 100,000 words.
You’ll be assigned a supervisor or a supervisory team who you will meet on a regular basis. Your supervisor will be able to give you advice on reading and research training. They’ll help you use our research facilities and support you in the development of your work. Our research training programme will support you with researcher development training throughout the programme.
You’ll be taught and based on our Newcastle campus. There may be opportunities to carry out work with our School’s partner institutions.
Assessment methods
Depending on your modules, you’ll be assessed through a combination of:
- Thesis
- Viva
Additional assessment information
We offer a wide range of projects for the thesis. These will be provided by our academics. You can also propose your own topic.
Postgraduate research student support
Our mission is to help you:
- stay healthy, positive and feeling well
- overcome any challenges you may face during your degree – academic or personal
- get the most out of your postgraduate research experience
- carry out admin and activities essential to progressing through your degree
- understand postgraduate research processes, standards and rules
We can offer you tailored wellbeing support, courses and activities.
You can also access a broad range of workshops covering:
- research and professional skills
- careers support
- wellbeing
- health and safety
- public engagement
- academic development
Find out more about our postgraduate research student support
Your development
You’ll have plenty of opportunities to network with fellow students and staff and become part of our School research community. These include:
- our Postgraduate Speaker Series
- lunchtime Postgraduate Forum seminars
- an annual postgraduate conference organised by our postgraduate students
You can also take part in a range of university and regional research groups and centres.
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HaSS) researcher development programmeÂ
Each faculty offers a researcher development programme for its postgraduate research students. We have designed your programme to help you:
- perform better as a researcher
- boost your career prospects
- broaden your impact
Through workshops and activities, it will build your transferable skills and increase your confidence.
You’ll cover:
- techniques for effective research
- methods for better collaborative working
- essential professional standards and requirements
Your researcher development programme is flexible. You can adapt it to meet your changing needs as you progress through your doctorate.
Find out more about the Researcher Education and Development programme
Doctoral training and partnerships
There are opportunities to undertake your PhD at Newcastle within a:
- Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT)
- Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP)
Being part of a CDT or DTP has many benefits:
- they combine research expertise and training of a number of leading universities, academic schools and academics.
- you’ll study alongside a cohort of other PhD students
- they’re often interdisciplinary
- your PhD may be funded
If there are currently opportunities available in your subject area you’ll find them when you search for funding in the fees and funding section on this course.
The following centres/partnerships below may have PhD opportunities available in your subject area in the future:
- ESRC Northern Ireland/North East (NINE) Doctoral Training Partnership
- Northern Bridge Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership
Your future
Our Careers Service
Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.
Visit our Careers Service website
Quality and ranking
- 42% of our research is classified as 4* world-leading research – Research Excellence Framework 2021
- 65% increase in research power since 2014 – Research Excellence Framework 2021
- Global Top 130 University – QS World University Rankings 2025
- Global Top 170 University – Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024
- Top 125 for Arts and Humanities – Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2025
- Top 25 in the UK and Top 100 in the world for sustainable development – Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024Â
- Top 80 for English Language and Literature – QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024
Recognition of professional qualifications outside of the UK
From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK
Check the government’s website for more information.
Facilities
The School of English Literature, Language and Linguistics is a lively and diverse community with over 700 undergraduates and 200 postgraduates.
We are based in the Percy Building. Our purpose-built postgraduate suite includes:
- several dedicated computer clusters
- meeting rooms
- a kitchen
- lounge area
Our award-winning Philip Robinson Library has an extensive audio-visual collection.
You will also be part of the rich research culture in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and may be able to participate in and lead events for our research groups.
We encourage the use of the archival opportunities offered by our various partner institutions, including the Seven Stories Centre for the Children’s Book, the Wordsworth Trust (Dove Cottage), and the Keats-Shelley House in Rome.
Entry requirements
The entrance requirements below apply to 2025 entry.
Academic entry requirements
A 2:1 honours degree or above, or international equivalent, in English Literature or a related field. We also usually expect a master’s degree, or international equivalent, at merit or above in English Literature or in a related field.
We especially encourage applications from students who feel they may face specific barriers in accessing higher education or who belong to groups who are under-represented in UK Higher Education. These include, but are not limited to, first-generation students, applicants from minoritised ethnic groups, applicants returning to full-time education after a break, applicants with caring responsibilities, or applicants with disabilities. The School is committed to supporting you. If you would like to discuss how we can do so, please email pg.english@ncl.ac.uk
