German PhD

Programme overview

PhD: a research project undertaken across three years (full-time, plus a writing up period), culminating in an 80,000 word thesis. As well as having the option to audit taught units, there may be the potential for PhD students to teach units themselves from their second year of study onwards.

Staff and postgraduate students in the Department of German pursue research across a broad spectrum of German studies, covering many aspects of language and linguistics, literature, history and culture from the early modern period to the present day. We have particular expertise in modern literature (the novel, poetry and drama, especially in the classical age, the early 20th century and the post-Wende period), the history and politics of Germany and Austria since 1800 (particularly of the political East), German children's literature, and comparative literature. We also benefit from strong links with Augsburg, Graz, Heidelberg and Kiel, as well as research centres in Germany, especially the Deutsches Literaturarchiv in Marbach am Neckar.

We welcome applications from graduates wishing to pursue custom-designed research programmes. Interdisciplinary and cross-language research is particularly encouraged and well supported across the School of Modern Languages and the wider faculty. Our postgraduates are fully integrated in a professionally and personally supportive departmental and school community.

You will be part of a departmental reading/study group, and you will have the opportunity to present your work at departmental, school-level research events and colloquia elsewhere within the faculty. We will help develop your full range of academic skills, including publication, and may be able to offer opportunities for undergraduate teaching after your first year.

Dedicated research facilities foster interdisciplinary collaboration through a series of research seminars and other events. In addition, the Multimedia Centre is a specialist language centre comprising a language laboratory, media suite, a library of foreign films, newspapers and magazines, and a screening room.

This research degree is also available via distance learning.

Careers

Graduates from this programme develop a wide variety of careers, including as academics in higher education.