Program Overview

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Overview

The Department of Italian has a strong commitment to excellence in both teaching and research. We promote a vigorous research culture in a cooperative and positive atmosphere, which enables postgraduate research projects and the research of staff to thrive.

The department pursues the study of Italian culture in an interdisciplinary context, which challenges traditional parameters of the discipline to advance knowledge in our areas of expertise. We currently have particular strengths in the literature, visual culture and cultural history of modern and contemporary Italy, and in medieval and early modern literary and cultural history.

Key Information

Programme Duration

• MPhil: one year full-time; two years part-time
• PhD: up to four years full-time; up to eight years part-time

Start Date

• January 2025, September 2025, January 2026

Application Deadline

• January 2025 start: 1st December 2024 for all applicants
• September 2025 start: Overseas applicants: 25 July 2025, Home applicants: 1 August 2025
• January 2026 start: 1st December 2025 for all applicants

Delivery Method

• Distance Learning, On-Campus

Location

• Clifton

Awards Available

• PhD, MPhil

Programme Structure

MPhil

• A standalone, one-year (full-time) research degree
• Students will undertake their own research project, concluding in the submission of a 25,000-word dissertation
• Students may have the option to audit units from our taught master's programmes if they are relevant to their research

PhD

• A research project undertaken across three to four years (full time), culminating in an 80,000-word thesis
• As well as having the option to audit taught units, there may be the potential for PhD students themselves to participate in teaching from their second year of study onwards

World-Leading Research

• The University of Bristol is ranked fifth for research in the UK (Times Higher Education)
• 94% of our research assessed as world-leading or internationally excellent

Entry Requirements

MPhil

• An upper second-class degree or international equivalent
• Acceptance will also depend on evidence of your readiness to pursue a research degree

PhD

• A master's qualification, or be working towards a master's qualification, or international equivalent
• Applicants without a master's qualification may be considered on an exceptional basis, provided they hold a first-class undergraduate degree (or international equivalent)
• Applicants with a non-traditional background may be considered provided they can demonstrate substantial equivalent and relevant experience that has prepared them to undertake their proposed course of study

Fees and Funding

Home

• Full-time: £4,850 per year
• Part-time: £2,425 per year

Overseas

• Full-time: £21,300 per year

Alumni Discount

• University of Bristol students and graduates can benefit from a 25% reduction in tuition fees for postgraduate study

Funding and Scholarships

• The University of Bristol is part of the South, West and Wales Doctoral Training Partnership (SWW DTP), which will be offering studentships for September 2025
• For information on other funding opportunities, including University-funded studentships, please see the Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences funding pages

Career Prospects

• Many graduates from this programme develop careers in higher education or work on high-level research projects in fields relating to their studies
• Others take their in-depth understanding of historical, literary and visual cultures into a host of other professions, such as translation, journalism, publishing and the cultural industries
• The advanced critical and professional skills developed at postgraduate level, alongside skills in research and communicating research, also prepare our graduates for a diverse range of careers, from the civil service and law to commerce and the media

Meet Our Supervisors

• Dr Rhiannon Daniels, Associate Professor in Italian, Department of Italian
• Professor John Foot, Professor of Modern Italian History, Department of Italian
• Professor Ruth Glynn, Professor of Modern Italian Culture, Department of Italian
• Dr Tristan Kay, Associate Professor in Italian Studies, Department of Italian
• Professor Catherine O'Rawe, Professor of Italian Film and Culture, Department of Italian

Research Groups

• The department has two broad areas of research expertise:
  • Modern and Contemporary Italian Literature, Film and Cultural History
  • Medieval and Early Modern Italian Literature and Cultural History

Research Groups

• Every member of the department participates in the research clusters of the Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences and the School of Modern Languages
• Staff in the department play an active role in the Centre for Medieval Studies; Bristol Common Press; Screen Research; and Centre for Creative Technologies

How to Apply

• Apply via our online application system
• For further information, please see the guidance for how to apply on our webpages

Start Your Application

• Select your award type and start date to begin your application
• Award type: Italian (MPhil), Italian (MPhil) (Distance Learning), Italian (PhD), Italian (PhD) (Distance Learning)