PhD Postcolonial Studies at University of Kent

Programme overview

Research supervision in postcolonial literatures and theory at Kent, one of the first UK universities to establish colonial and postcolonial studies, home to the Centre for the Global Study of Empire. Staff supervise work on African, Caribbean, African-American, Native American, Australian, New Zealand and South Pacific, Indian and South-East Asian, Middle-Eastern and Mediterranean literatures, postcolonial women writers, theory and travel writing.

Department: School of English | Duration: 3 to 4 years full-time; 6 to 7 years part-time | Intake: September, January, April | Study mode: full-time or part-time (Canterbury) | Location: Canterbury, England, United Kingdom

What you will study

Students meet regularly with a supervisor, join reading groups and research seminars, attend spring-term research skills seminars and must take the School and University research methods programmes. Resources include the Templeman Library and Canterbury Cathedral Archives and Library.

Career pathways

Graduates of the School of English have gone into academia, journalism, broadcasting and media, publishing, writing and teaching, as well as banking, marketing analysis and project management.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

UK typical offer 2.1 or above. PhD: a first or upper-second class honours degree in a relevant subject (or equivalent) and, normally, a taught MA qualification. International applicants: English language at CEFR B2 (Good level); for example IELTS 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in each component, or PTE Academic 63 overall with at least 59 in each sub-test, or a degree from a UK university or a majority English-speaking country. Part-time study is not available to applicants who need a student visa unless the course is distance or blended learning with no on-campus provision.

Domestic applicants: GBP 5,238 a year (2026/27). UK postgraduate research fee for 2027/28 not yet set by Research Councils UK; guide figure for 2026/27 full-time as published; full-time Source

International applicants: GBP 21,950 a year (2027/28). Full-time annual tuition fee from the 2027/28 fee table Source

Intake: September, January, April

Duration: 3 to 4 years full-time; 6 to 7 years part-time

Apply through the official page: https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/apply

Explore more study programmes

Arts & Humanities