Research degrees
Postgraduate research in Modern Languages
Our research, and research supervision, ranges across a wide variety of disciplines including European Literature and Culture, Film, Linguistics, Medieval Studies, Gender Studies, and Translation, and reaches across time from the medieval to the contemporary.
Sarah Foxen
Thesis title: Living on the edge: accent and identity in the (Franco-)Belgian borderland
Supervisors: Dr Zoë Boughton, Prof. Aidan Coveney
Funding: AHRC funding
Exeter is one of the leading institutions in the UK for French linguistics, with research specialisms in sociolinguistics and dialectology. Modules I took with the esteemed scholars Zoë Boughton and Aidan Coveney during my undergraduate studies sparked a passion for French linguistics that has endured. There is only one place I would want to do a PhD in French linguistics, and that’s at Exeter under the supervision of Zoë Boughton and Aidan Coveney.
Sandra Daroczi
Thesis title: Reception of Contemporary French Women Writers
Supervisors: Dr Fiona Cox, Dr Maria Scott
Funding: College of Humanities Studentship
I chose Exeter for my PhD due to the expertise, and support of the Modern Languages department. My supervisors are always helpful and encouraging, and I felt included in the research community from day 1. There are numerous opportunities for personal and professional development, and the College are incredibly supportive when it comes to student projects and initiatives.
Giada Alessandroni
Thesis title: Representations of Female Homosociality in French Belle Epoque Popular Culture (1880-1914)
Supervisors: Dr Maria Scott, Dr Fiona Cox
Funding: College of Humanities PhD studentship (Home/EU)
On top of the excellent supervision provided by my supervisors, I experience a great sense of community and appreciate all the training, networking, and financial opportunities that we are given in order to conduct our researches at a world class level. I chose the University of Exeter because I knew that in this dynamic and stimulating environment I could grow both as a researcher and as a person.
Russ Sanchez
Thesis title:
Supervisors:
Funding:
'Quote'
Maria Selezneva
Thesis title: The role of the translator in creating cultural identity (an examination of English and Russian texts for tourists in Australia, China, Finland and regions of Russian Federation)
Supervisors: Richard Mansell, Muireann Maguire
Funding: Self-funded
For me to study in the University of Exeter means to get a high standard degree. The University of Exeter is not only highly valued internationally but its rank is among the world's best institutions in humanities subjects. To be awarded a doctorate degree by the University of Exeter means that my future will be successful and challenging. There are also a very small amount of universities (even around the world) which have a high quality of translation studies programme (Exeter University is among them).
Researchers in Modern Languages are actively engaged in projects across a broad range of subjects, including linguistics and translation studies, film, visual arts, and literary culture.
Our research-active academic staff, supported by a team of language teachers which includes native-speaker teachers, are highly successful in winning prestigious research awards from funding bodies including the AHRC, British Academy, EU, Leverhulme, and Marie-Curie.
Our wide range of expertise offers postgraduates the possibility of preparing for research degrees in one or more areas. We attach particular importance to the quality of research supervision and training in research methodology and to the integration of our postgraduates into the Department’s academic and research community. Scholars of international repute are frequent visitors.
Explore our research centres and research projects to find out more about our current research topics.
Visit our Modern Languages staff profiles for details on individual staff research interests and publications.
Our current PGRs
We're proud of the research carried out by our PhD students. There are currently around 15 PhD students in the Department, many of whom maintain an online personal profile detailing their research activities. Follow the links below to find out more about them and their research projects.
| Student | Research title | First supervisor | Second supervisor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Giada Alessandroni | Female Friendship and Sociability in Nineteenth-Century French Literature | Dr Maria Scott | Dr Fiona Cox |
| Maria Anesti | Oriental Arcadia: The entangled histories of living with nature, China and Europe | Dr Yue Zhuang | |
| Sandra Daroczi | Reception of contemporary Francophone women writers | Dr Fiona Cox | Dr Maria Scott |
| Laura Dragomir | Die Neue Frau im sozialen Milieu: Literarische Darstellungen erotischer Emanzipationsansprueche von der Jahrhundertwende zur Weimarer Republik. | Professor Ricarda Schmidt | Professor Ulrike Zitzlsperger |
| Sarah Foxen | Historical and contemporary perspectives on Belgium and the Franco-Belgian border. | Dr Zoë Boughton | Professor Aidan Coveney |
| Russell Sanchez | The Nature of Trade: Idelogical Dispositions Towards Nature, and their Impact on Dutch Chinese Trade in the Late 18th Century | Dr Yue Zhuang | Professor Emma Cayley |
| Maria Selezneva | The role of the translator in creating cultural identity (an examination of English and Russian texts for tourists in Australia, China, Finland and regions of the Russian Federation) | Dr Richard Mansell | Dr Muireann Maguire |
Supervisors - all students have a primary and a secondary supervisor who provide regular, high quality advice, support and direction in their academic endeavours. You will work closely with your supervisors over three to four years (full time PhD) or six to seven (part-time PhD) to develop, investigate and write-up a project at the cutting edge of theological research.
Visit our staff profiles for more information about individual research interests or use the search box on the right of this page to find a supervisor.
Mentor - each student will also be assigned a mentor who will take on a pastoral role and mediate on any problems that arise during the period of study. Your mentor will keep in regular contact and will provide background stability and support.
Graduate School Office - the College of Humanities has a dedicated Graduate School Office that supports our postgraduate research students during their study with us. The Office promotes intellectual and social contact between research students in all our disciplines to foster a vibrant research community within the College.
Funding opportunities available to students on our research degree programmes in Modern Languages:*
More information on the funding process.
| Award | Value | Application deadline | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cornwall Heritage Trust Scholarship | £1000 | Thu 15th Aug 2019 | A one year award of up to £1000 for one or more postgraduate students producing dissertations/theses centred on an aspect of Cornwall's heritage who will be registered for the coming academic year. |
| The Dark Side of Translation: 20th and 21st Century Translation from Russian as a Political Phenomenon in the UK, Ireland, and the USA PhD Studentship (RusTrans), Department of Modern Languages. | UK/EU and international tuition fees and an annual maintenance allowance at the Research Council rate ( £15,009 per year in 2019/20). | Mon 2nd Sep 2019 | The RusTrans project explores the role played by Russian-to-English literary translation in constructing national identity. It includes four case studies of translators of Russian literature and their networks, in Ireland, the UK, and the USA. The fully funded studentship, beginning in January 2020, will be hosted at the University of Exeter’s Streatham Campus. The studentship is for 3.5 years and is open to students of any nationality. |
| Alumni scholarships for Doctoral-level study | £750-£3,000 dependent on programme and fee status | Sun 15th Sep 2019 | A tuition fee discount is available to suitably qualified University of Exeter alumni starting a postgraduate research degree in the 2019/20 academic year. |
| University of Exeter Alumni Scholarship | £750 - £3000 | There is no application for this award. You will be automatically considered. | A tuition fee discount for all University of Exeter alumni who start a postgraduate degree with us in September 2019. |
| Marshall Scholarships for graduate study | Varies | Mon 30th Sep 2019 | Marshall Scholarships finance young Americans of high ability to study for a graduate degree in the United Kingdom. |
| Fulbright Scholarships: Postgraduate Student Awards | Full tuition waiver for one year of Masters / PhD & living stipend | Tue 1st Oct 2019 | Our UK Partnership award with Fulbright is available for Masters or Doctoral students wishing to study at the University. The award takes the form of a tuition fee waiver for the first year of graduate study (either Masters or PhD) and a living stipend (of £13,200 in 2019/20). We also accept scholars in receipt of Fulbright 'Open Awards' (also referred to as the All Disciplines Award). |
| Said Foundation Scholarships | Varies | Fri 1st Nov 2019 | The Said Foundation offers around twenty postgraduate scholarships to nationals from Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine and Syria who are also permanent residents in these target countries. |
| US Department of Education - Federal Student Loan | Variable | Tue 30th Jun 2020 | The federal government offers a number of financial aid programs, including these loans, to help pay for your education. |
| FashionForest Scholarship | 10,000 DKK (approx. £1,175 GBP) | Deadline passed (Fri 1st Mar 2019) |
The FashionForest scholarship is awarded yearly to one or more researchers, students and former students at Danish and foreign educational institutions who are in need of support for a theoretical or practical project in connection to an educational purpose. |
| Becas Chile (Conicyt) | Fully funded | Deadline passed (Wed 8th May 2019) |
Postgraduate scholarships offered for studies in the UK, available for Chilean nationals (and others with permanent residence in Chile) in all areas except Management/MBA/Commercial Law and where the recipient will be expected to return to Chile on completion of their studies. |
| Sanctuary Scholarship | Full tuition fee waiver plus annual living cost grant | Deadline passed (Fri 17th May 2019) |
The Sanctuary Scholarship scheme enables individuals seeking asylum and refugees who are not able access student finance to study at the University of Exeter. |
| Sports Scholarship and High Performance Programme | up to £2000 plus additional support services & coaching | Deadline passed (Fri 31st May 2019) |
Sports scholarships are awarded to students of outstanding sporting ability who show evidence of achievement at international level in their chosen sport. We also encourage applications from students who have achieved at national or regional level for consideration onto our High Performance Programme. |
The College of Humanities works closely with the University’s Career Zone to help you gain the skills, experience and expertise employers are looking for. There are a wide range of opportunities to enhance your employability, along with the support you need to make important career decisions.
We have our own Employability Officer who works to develop close links with employers and arranges careers events.
Employers
Aktuel TranslationsCo-operative Group
DSTL
MBE Training and Translation
Middlesex University
Swansea University
University of Exeter
Walber International
WikiTranslate.org
Occupations
AnalystDepartmental Portfolio Manager
English and French Tutor
Modern Foreign Languages Supply Teacher
Paralegal Assistant
Project Manager and Translator
Project Officer
Sustainability Projects Officer
Translation Internship
Translator
Translator/English Trainer
Visiting Lecturer
*Employment destination information sourced from the DLHE surveys 2013/14 and 2012/13