About

The department of English conducts research in three main areas: literature, language and creative writing.

In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF), 100% of our research environment was classified as world leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*). We ranked 10th in sector for research impact classified as outstanding (4*), and 13th in the sector for the percentage of research overall (covering outputs, impact and environment) classified as world leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*).

At the University of Liverpool, ‘English’ is the study of the interlinked activities and histories of speaking, listening, writing, reading, and communicating, in a global language of many variants and in literatures of many types. Our research has produced world-leading academic outputs and shows strong commitment to local, national and international public engagement activities and partnerships, and to generate maximum resesarch impact on issues in health, education, citizenship, and heritage in the world of which the academy is part. We see research as involving multiple platforms, formats and strands that facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration - one of the department’s strengths.

The department also hosts an On-demand Language Lab featuring specialist equipment and software packages to support research on literacy, computer-mediated communication, corpora creation and second language learning and testing.

Key to our research strategy is the establishment of Research Centres and Departmental Clusters across our three main areas of expertise. These research units facilitate peer support, foster collaborative research and encourage different kinds of knowledge exchange and outreach work. View visualisations of our different research configurations.

We have secured considerable research funding from various of sources, including the AHRC, the British Academy, the Leverhulme Trust, the Modern Humanities Research Association, the NHS Care Trusts and a range of commercial companies. These funding opportunities have helped us to drive forward a more representative, inclusive and interdisciplinary departmental research agenda.

Academic visitors

We have been engaging in internationally collaborative research by hosting Visiting Scholars from all over the world.