This research degree is ideal if you wish to engage critically with the study of comparative literature - or other cultural forms, especially in the area of visual studies - across two or more linguistic, regional or national contexts. The focus of research in the Department of Languages, Cultures and Applied Linguistics is on French, German, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish-speaking cultures in a transnational context, and we welcome research proposals that focus comparatively on or across these areas. The department has great expertise in a wide variety of themes both historically and geographically (in Europe, Japan and the Americas).
An PhD is an advanced postgraduate research degree that requires original research and the submission of a substantial dissertation of 60,000 to 100,000 words. At Birkbeck, you are initially registered on an MPhil and you upgrade to a PhD after satisfactory progress in the first year or two. You need to find a suitable academic supervisor at Birkbeck, who can offer the requisite expertise to guide and support you through your research.
*Price shown is for indicative purposes, please check with institution
September 2025
Bloomsbury (Central London) Campus
Malet Street,
Bloomsbury,
Greater London,
WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom
*Price shown is for indicative purposes, please check with institution
April 2025
Bloomsbury (Central London) Campus
Malet Street,
Bloomsbury,
Greater London,
WC1E 7HX, United Kingdom
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.
The university boasts one of the most diverse student bodies of any UK university, with over 1,000 international students from 150 countries.