Program Overview

Overview of the PhD in Italian

The PhD in Italian is a research-based program that enables students to undertake a substantial piece of supervised research in the subject, making an original contribution to knowledge and worthy of publication. The program is available for full-time or part-time study, with a duration of three years for full-time students and six years for part-time students.

Key Information

• Study mode: Full-time or part-time
• Duration: 3 years full-time, 6 years part-time
• Start date: September, January, April
• Location: Canterbury

Entry Requirements

• A first or upper-second class BA honors degree or equivalent in a relevant subject
• A distinction or merit in an MA program or equivalent in a relevant subject
• English language entry requirements: Good level of English language, equivalent to B2 on CEFR

Funding

• The University offers a range of scholarships for postgraduate researchers
• Scholarships can be broad or specific to the student's situation, background, or country
• The PhD in Italian at Kent can be funded through the Consortium for the Humanities and the Arts South-East England (CHASE) collaborative doctoral partnerships

Study Support

• The Department of Modern Languages offers supervision from world-class academics with expertise in a wide range of disciplines
• The Templeman Library has excellent holdings in all areas of research interest, with particular strengths in modern Italian literature and culture
• The School of European Culture and Languages (SECL) provides high-quality facilities in IT, with state-of-the-art language laboratories and dedicated technical staff

Research

• The research strengths within Italian lie at the intersection of critical thought and literary theory
• Research at Kent is consciously conceived as interdisciplinary
• The Centre for Critical Thought and the Centre for Modern European Literature provide a framework for interdisciplinary research and collaboration

Staff Research Interests

• The academic staff in the Department of Modern Languages have a wide range of research interests, including:
  • Early twentieth-century avant-garde literature
  • Twentieth-century poetry
  • Psychoanalytic literary criticism
  • The intersection of literature and photography
  • Italian biopolitical thought
  • The cultural history of psychiatry and the Italian anti-psychiatric movement

Your Future

• A postgraduate degree in Italian studies is a valuable and flexible qualification that can open the door to exciting careers
• Graduates have gone on to work as lecturers and language instructors at UK and overseas universities

Fees and Funding

• The 2025/26 annual tuition fees for this course are:
  • Full-time: £5,006 (UK), £19,300 (EU), £19,300 (International)
  • Part-time: £2,503 (UK), £9,650 (EU), £9,650 (International)
• Tuition fees may be increased in the second and subsequent years of the course
• The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees by inflation (RPI excluding mortgage interest payments) as permitted by law or Government policy

Next Steps

• To apply for the PhD in Italian, students should submit an application through the University's online application system
• Students should also provide a research proposal, a personal statement, and transcripts of their previous academic qualifications
• The University's Graduate School provides a Researcher Development Programme, which includes workshops focused on research, specialist, and transferable skills.