Comparative Literature (Research)

Make an original, positive and lasting contribution to the study of comparative literature. A PhD is an opportunity to expand upon your interests and expertise as part of an active research community making impact across the globe.

Join us at the heart of Scotland’s capital city - the first UNESCO World City of Literature. As a major cultural hub, Edinburgh is the ideal place to study literary works of different linguistic and cultural systems, and to explore the relationship between literature and the other arts.

Literature has been taught here for over 250 years and we offer one of the widest variety of languages of any UK university, particularly within European languages and cultures which comprises:

• French and Francophone Studies

• German

• Italian

• Russian Studies

• Scandinavian Studies (Danish, Norwegian and Swedish)

• Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies

In your research, you will look comparatively at one or more literary themes, genres or historical periods.

As well as European literature, and literature written in English from around the world, we have particular strengths in literature from:

• East Asia

• Latin America

• Lusophone Africa

• the Middle East

Over the course of your PhD, you will complete an original body of work under the expert guidance of at least two supervisors. Your thesis will be around 80,000 words.

Our programme includes access to skills training, including research methodologies specific to comparative literature. Our research collections, resources and facilities are outstanding.