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The University of Edinburgh: Comparative Literature
| Institution | The University of Edinburgh View institution profile |
|---|---|
| Department | School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures |
| Web | https://www.ed.ac.uk/studying |
Doctor of Philosophy - PhD
Summary
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.
| Study type | Research |
|---|---|
| Level | SCQF Level 12 |
| Entry requirements | Entry requirements for individual programmes vary, so please check the details for the specific programme you wish to apply for on the University of Edinburgh website. You will also need to meet the University’s language requirements. |
| Location | Central area campus George Square Edinburgh EH8 9JZ |
Summary
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.
| Study type | Research |
|---|---|
| Level | SCQF Level 12 |
| Entry requirements | Entry requirements for individual programmes vary, so please check the details for the specific programme you wish to apply for on the University of Edinburgh website. You will also need to meet the University’s language requirements. |
| Location | Central area campus George Square Edinburgh EH8 9JZ |
Summary
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.
| Study type | Research |
|---|---|
| Level | SCQF Level 12 |
| Entry requirements | Entry requirements for individual programmes vary, so please check the details for the specific programme you wish to apply for on the University of Edinburgh website. You will also need to meet the University’s language requirements. |
| Location | Central area campus George Square Edinburgh EH8 9JZ |
Summary
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.
| Study type | Research |
|---|---|
| Level | SCQF Level 12 |
| Entry requirements | Entry requirements for individual programmes vary, so please check the details for the specific programme you wish to apply for on the University of Edinburgh website. You will also need to meet the University’s language requirements. |
| Location | Central area campus George Square Edinburgh EH8 9JZ |
MSc
Summary
As the first UNESCO World City of Literature, and a major cultural hub, Edinburgh is the ideal place for the comparative study of literature and the relationship of literature to other art forms.
Our one-year taught masters programme draws on world-class teaching and research expertise across literatures, languages and cultures, from Scotland to Asia, Scandinavia to the Middle East. It can also be completed part-time over two years.
Bringing together an international community of learners, we live comparative literature in the classroom, where you’ll sharpen your critical, analytical and methodological skills, and explore a range of literary works from different linguistic and cultural systems.
You’ll also be encouraged to develop your own area of interest and expertise, with specially-designed option courses offering a detailed focus on:
-
literary themes and genres
-
historical periods
-
critical theory and translation
-
the relationship of the written word to other arts, such as photography, painting, film and digital media
This leads to a final dissertation, pursuing your research interests further and developing your research skills.
Why Edinburgh Based in a world-leading festival city, our MSc draws on the expertise of research-active teaching staff from across the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC). Literature has been taught here for over 250 years, and we offer one of the widest variety of languages of any UK university.
You’ll be part of a friendly, international community of staff and students from a range of disciplines and backgrounds, each with their own perspective on literature and the arts, with lots of opportunities to discuss and present your work. LLC has excellent links with other Schools in the University of Edinburgh, as well as cultural partners in the city.
Through a blend of core and optional courses, training in research skills, methods and problems, and a dissertation, you will gain an understanding of the practice and context of Comparative Literature, and develop your independent research skills to publication standard. Many of our graduates have gone on to complete PhDs.
You’ll have access to a wide range of outstanding resources, including our University Library, the National Library of Scotland, Scottish Poetry Library, and numerous theatres and cinemas, such as the Traverse Theatre, National Galleries of Scotland, and Cameo Picturehouse.
| Study type | Taught |
|---|---|
| Level | SCQF Level 11 |
| Entry requirements | Entry requirements for individual programmes vary, so please check the details for the specific programme you wish to apply for on our website. You will also need to meet the University’s language requirements. |
| Location | Central area campus George Square Edinburgh EH8 9JZ |
Summary
As the first UNESCO World City of Literature, and a major cultural hub, Edinburgh is the ideal place for the comparative study of literature and the relationship of literature to other art forms.
Our one-year taught masters programme draws on world-class teaching and research expertise across literatures, languages and cultures, from Scotland to Asia, Scandinavia to the Middle East. It can also be completed part-time over two years.
Bringing together an international community of learners, we live comparative literature in the classroom, where you’ll sharpen your critical, analytical and methodological skills, and explore a range of literary works from different linguistic and cultural systems.
You’ll also be encouraged to develop your own area of interest and expertise, with specially-designed option courses offering a detailed focus on:
-
literary themes and genres
-
historical periods
-
critical theory and translation
-
the relationship of the written word to other arts, such as photography, painting, film and digital media
This leads to a final dissertation, pursuing your research interests further and developing your research skills.
Why Edinburgh Based in a world-leading festival city, our MSc draws on the expertise of research-active teaching staff from across the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (LLC). Literature has been taught here for over 250 years, and we offer one of the widest variety of languages of any UK university.
You’ll be part of a friendly, international community of staff and students from a range of disciplines and backgrounds, each with their own perspective on literature and the arts, with lots of opportunities to discuss and present your work. LLC has excellent links with other Schools in the University of Edinburgh, as well as cultural partners in the city.
Through a blend of core and optional courses, training in research skills, methods and problems, and a dissertation, you will gain an understanding of the practice and context of Comparative Literature, and develop your independent research skills to publication standard. Many of our graduates have gone on to complete PhDs.
You’ll have access to a wide range of outstanding resources, including our University Library, the National Library of Scotland, Scottish Poetry Library, and numerous theatres and cinemas, such as the Traverse Theatre, National Galleries of Scotland, and Cameo Picturehouse.
| Study type | Taught |
|---|---|
| Level | SCQF Level 11 |
| Entry requirements | Entry requirements for individual programmes vary, so please check the details for the specific programme you wish to apply for on our website. You will also need to meet the University’s language requirements. |
| Location | Central area campus George Square Edinburgh EH8 9JZ |
Edinburgh. Extraordinary futures await.
The University of Edinburgh is one of the world's top universities, consistently ranked in the world top 50, and placed 34th in the QS World University Rankings 2026.
Our position as one of Britain’s leading research universities was reaffirmed by the results of the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF). The University of Edinburgh is one of the world’s top research-intensive universities, ranked 4th in the UK for research power (Times Higher Education, Overall Ranking of Institutions), with 90% of our research activity classified as world leading or internationally excellent in the 2021 Research …
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