PhD Italian Studies

Programme description

Our PhD Italian Studies programme enables you to carry out a piece of significant and original research at a department that undertakes internationally recognised research that is both wide-ranging and markedly interdisciplinary.

We have a particular focus on Modernism, arts and power, the Italian Fascist regime and European totalitarianisms, the history of the book and periodical studies, late medieval and Renaissance literary and cultural studies, translation studies, contemporary literature and arts, linguistics and sociolinguistics.

A considerable number of PhD candidates in Italian have pursued research across fields from the medieval to modern, including linguistics, cultural and translation studies, often supported by funding secured from major AHRC research project awards.

Italian was also at the forefront of the relaunch of the John Rylands Research Institute , based at the University's special collections, securing PhD bursaries for candidates working on the world-class holdings of early Italian printed books and manuscripts from the Spencer, Christie and Bullock collections.

Staff are also involved in collaborations with colleagues from institutions across the world, and have secured visiting professorships, fellowships and grants at Harvard University, Milan Statale University, Naples University, the Folger Library, the Morgan Library and the British School in Rome.

Our research culture is further enhanced by the presence of visiting professors and lecturers from Italy and the USA, participation in the interdisciplinary seminars held by CIDRAL , and our own research seminars.

Teaching and learning

The PhD is the major postgraduate research degree. It involves three years of full-time study or six years of part-time study and the preparation of a thesis of not more than 80,000 words that makes a significant contribution to knowledge.

A satisfactory PhD topic is one that a suitably qualified and properly supervised student can bring to completion within the permitted timeframe.

Please note that all PhD students are required to undertake research training as part of their PhD programme.

Coursework and assessment

Your research will normally be supervised by two members of staff at the University. Your supervisors will most likely be members of the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, but if your research requires it, we may arrange for supervision by someone outside the School.

Supervisory arrangements at Manchester are governed by a Code of Practice which is available on the University's website.

Career opportunities

Many of PhD graduates in Modern Languages and Translation and Interpreting Studies have gone on to academic positions at leading universities in the UK, Europe, USA, East Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. Our graduates have been also successful with receiving prestigious postdoctoral fellowships, including the Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowship and the British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship.