English Literature and Language MPhil and PhD

The English Literature and Language MPhil and PhD programmes at the University of Worcester support a diverse range of research approaches, including theoretical, historical, and practice-based investigations. The programmes foster a research culture that is socially and culturally engaged, with a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary scholarship. 

After receiving your application, we will establish if we have the expertise to supervise your project. This will normally consist of a Director of Studies (DoS), who will be your lead supervisor, and at least one other supervisor, who will offer you additional support and guidance throughout your studies. If you are offered a place as a student, your programme of study will look like the outline below.

Research expertise

• Early modern drama and poetry, including Shakespeare studies
• Romantic and Victorian literature
• Modern and contemporary literature
• American and Irish literature
• Literature and the environment
• Children’s literature and textual scholarship
• Health, ability, and medical humanities
• Creative writing with a critical component
• Psychoanalytic criticism and narratives of haunting
• Women’s poetry and manuscript culture
• Performance poetry and spoken word traditions

Research supervisors

Dr Lucy Arnold
Expertise: modern and contemporary fiction; the novels of Hilary Mantel; ghosts and haunting; psychoanalysis and criticism

Dr Charlotte Barnes

Prof. Nicoleta Cinpoes
Expertise: Shakespeare performed, edited, filmed, recycled, translated; European Shakespeare; Elizabethan and Jacobean Drama; adaptation theory and practice; Shakespeare and visual culture 

Dr Jack McGowan
Expertise: Creative Writing, especially spoken word poetry; voice, affect, and textuality.

Dr Ruth Stacey
Expertise: Creative Writing, specifically prose poetry, docupoetics, symbolist poetics, memoir, historical fiction and fantasy fiction.

Dr Sharon Young
Expertise: Renaissance, Restoration and eighteenth-century literature, especially women's poetry; topographical poetry; critical theory

Research groups

Postgraduate Research Students are encouraged to join Research Groups at the University, and those relevant to research degree student in English literature and language include:

• Arts and Health Research Group
• The International Centre for the Picture Book in Society
• International Forum for Research in Children's Literature (IFRCL)
• The Early Modern Research Group

Career benefits of pursuing a PhD or MPhil in English Literature and Language at the University of Worcester:

• Academic and research leadership:
  Develop deep expertise in literary fields such as Shakespeare studies, Romantic and Victorian literature, and contemporary fiction, preparing you for roles in academia, publishing, and cultural institutions.
• Creative and critical versatility:
  Engage in both theoretical and practice-based research, including creative writing with a critical component, enhancing your profile for careers in writing, editing, and literary consultancy.
• Professional development and research training:
  Benefit from structured support through the Researcher Development Programme and supervision by experienced scholars, equipping you with advanced research and analytical skills.
• Access to specialist resources and networks:
  Utilise facilities such as the International Forum for Research in Children’s Literature, the Early Modern Research Group, and the Arts and Health Research Group to build your scholarly and professional network.
• Flexible study options for career integration:
  Choose full-time or part-time pathways that support your professional commitments while advancing your research and career goals.
• Culturally engaged and interdisciplinary research:
  Explore themes such as literature and the environment, health and ability, and spoken word traditions, positioning yourself to contribute meaningfully to public discourse and cultural innovation.