The Department of English conducts research in all the main branches of our discipline: literature, creative writing, language, applied linguistics and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). We aim to support world-leading work in all these areas and to foster and develop strategic partnerships, particularly with local and national cultural organisations, to reach those who can benefit from our research.
The Department of English has an outstanding international reputation. We conduct research in all the main branches of our discipline: literature, creative writing, language, applied linguistics and TESOL. We aim to support world-leading work in all these areas and to foster and develop strategic partnerships, particularly with local and national cultural organisations, to reach those who can benefit from our research.
Our world-leading expertise in English and related literature spans all periods from medieval to contemporary. We also have expertise in many aspects of language study including sociolinguistics, pragmatics, stylistics, philosophy of language, discourse analysis, corpus linguistics, applied linguistics. Our TESOL master’s degrees are taught by experts in fields such as Second Language Acquisition (SLA), spoken discourse and English for Academic Purposes (EAP). Our creative writing degrees are supervised by published and award-winning writers with expertise in critical and creative writing, especially in poetry and/or poetics, and international poetics in translation.
We particularly welcome research proposals that align with our research expertise.
Ranked top 10 in the UK for research impact classified as outstanding (4*) (Research Excellence Framework 2021), the Department of English conducts research in three main areas: literature, language and creative writing. Our work fosters interdisciplinarity and aims to develop strategic partnerships, particularly with local and national cultural organisations to reach those who can benefit from our research.
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 research impact on issues in health, education, citizenship, and heritage in the world of which the academy is part.
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.
Please take a look at our staff list to identify potential supervisors.
If you need help finding a supervisor, please contact our Postgraduate Support team: pgarts@liverpool.ac.uk.
You may need the following documents to complete your online application:
Finally, register and apply online. You'll receive an email acknowledgment once you've submitted your application. We'll be in touch with further details about what happens next.
Your tuition fees, funding your studies, and other costs to consider.
Full-time place, per year - £5,006
Part-time place, per year - £2,503
Full-time place, per year - £24,600
Part-time place, per year - £12,300
Fees stated are for the 2025-26 academic year.
We understand that budgeting for your time at university is important, and we want to make sure you understand any costs that are not covered by your tuition fee. This could include buying a laptop, books, or stationery.
Find out more about the additional study costs that may apply to this degree.
If you're a UK national, or have settled status in the UK, you may be eligible to apply for a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan worth up to £30,301 to help with course fees and living costs.
There’s also a variety of alternative sources of funding. These include funded research opportunities and financial support from UK research councils, charities and trusts. Your supervisor may be able to help you secure funding.
We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries that could help pay your tuition fees and living expenses.
If you’re awarded this prestigious scholarship, you’ll receive significant funding to support your postgraduate research. This includes full payment of your PhD fees and a cash bursary of £17,000 per year while you study. One award is available in each academic year.
If you’re a UK student, either born in or with strong family connections to Merseyside, you could be eligible to apply for financial support worth up to £12,000 per year for up to three years of full-time postgraduate research (or up to five years part-time pro-rata).
Apply to receive tailored training support to enhance your sporting performance. Our athlete support package includes a range of benefits, from bespoke strength and conditioning training to physiotherapy sessions and one-to-one nutritional advice.
You’ll have access to a variety of subscription databases. This includes Early English Books Online, Eighteenth-Century Collections Online, Literature Online and the Burney Collection of Newspapers. The Department of English 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.
You’ll also have access to the Special Collections and Archives department of the University Library, which houses:
These are the trailblazers, the leaders, the true originals. Our postgraduate researchers are shaping their future, and the future of the world we live in, advancing knowledge with each discovery.
My supervisors are brilliant, and they support me to pursue my interests whilst ensuring that I stay on track – a PhD is a marathon, not a sprint!
Want to find out more about studying a PhD with us? Chat with our postgraduate research student ambassadors and ask any questions you have.
Discover the qualifications you'll need to apply for this course.
You’ll typically need a master’s degree in a related area of study, with a minimum 65% (Merit).
You'll need to demonstrate competence in the use of English language, unless you’re from a majority English speaking country.
We accept a variety of international language tests and country-specific qualifications.
International applicants who do not meet the minimum required standard of English language can complete one of our Pre-Sessional English courses to achieve the required level.
| Qualification | Details |
|---|---|
| IELTS | 7.0 overall, with no component below 7.0 |
| TOEFL iBT | 100 overall, with minimum scores of listening 24, writing 24, reading 24 and speaking 26. TOEFL Home Edition not accepted. |
| Pearson PTE Academic | 69 overall, with no component below 69 |
Do you need to complete a Pre-sessional English course to meet the English language requirements for this course?
The length of Pre-sessional English course you’ll need to take depends on your current level of English language ability.
If you don’t meet our English language requirements, we can use your most recent IELTS score, or the equivalent score in selected other English language tests, to determine the length of Pre-sessional English course you require.
Use the table below to check the course length you're likely to require for your current English language ability and see whether the course is available on campus or online.
| Your most recent IELTS score | Pre-sessional English course length | On campus or online |
|---|---|---|
| 7.0 overall, with no component below 6.5 | 6 weeks | On campus |
| 7.0 overall, with no component below 6.0 | 10 weeks | On campus and online options available |
| 6.5 overall, with no component below 6.0 | 12 weeks | On campus and online options available |
| 6.0 overall, with no component below 5.5 | 20 weeks | On campus |
| 5.5 overall, with no component below 5.0 | 30 weeks | On campus |
| 5.0 overall, with no component below 5.0 | 40 weeks | On campus |
If you’ve completed an alternative English language test to IELTS, we may be able to use this to assess your English language ability and determine the Pre-sessional English course length you require.
Please see our guide to Pre-sessional English entry requirements for IELTS 7.0 overall, with no component below 7.0, for further details.
Have a question about this research opportunity or studying a PhD with us? Please get in touch with us, using the contact details below, and we’ll be happy to assist you.