The Department is interested in receiving applications in a wide range of Applied Linguistics Areas (please note: currently we can offer limited supervision in TESOL or ELT topics). Particular research strengths are focused on the study of institutional communication (for example, health and science communication), the relationships between politics, language and culture, and electronic communication.

Structure of the PhD Programme

The programme is normally a 3-year full time (or 6-year part time) research only PhD programme (i.e., there is no mandatory coursework component and students are expected to immediately start their research). In May of every year of the programme full-time PhD students are expected to pass an annual progress review.

All students are expected to participate in training and research activities organised by the department. Students also have the opportunity to present their ongoing research to the department.

Potential Supervisors

You can choose a supervisor from any one of the following staff members, who between them cover a range of Applied Linguistics topics. It is essential to contact a possible supervisor to discuss your proposed PhD project before you apply for admission. If you submit an application without having first confirmed a supervisor, we will circulate your application amongst staff to see if there is any interest, but this can lead to delays in processing the application, and is not usually successful.