Film Studies PhD
Colleagues are actively involved in national and regional film-related research networks. Liverpool hosts a regular screen studies research seminar with about five invited speakers each semester.
Why study with us?
My supervisors are well-versed in my research area, and are often able to recommend materials or approaches that I wouldn’t have considered. I recommend making the most of their assistance.
Bart Miller - PhD student
4*
impact is in the top 25% in the latest Research Excellence Framework (2021)
Overview
In Modern Languages and Cultures (MLC), our research is characterised by an interest in the global dimensions of language-based study, including Hispanic, Lusophone and Francophone cultures and societies outside of Europe; migrant and transnational cultures in Europe; multilingualism; sociolinguistics; world cinema; the cultural impacts of European expansion and colonialism; global Black Studies; and the processes of translation and transculturation implicit in all those encounters.
We equally have significant research strengths in histories and memories, specifically in themes relating to representations of war and conflict in different international contexts. Several colleagues are developing engagement with digital transformations in research practices and themes, employing new technologies in the presentation of their research on periods from the Middle Ages to the contemporary world.
The city has a thriving film culture with opportunities to liaise with local arts organisations such as the Tate Liverpool and the city's arts cinemas.
Our research interests reflect our research themes.
Research themes
Our research themes are:
• Post New Wave French cinema
• Political cinema in France post-1968
• The interaction of film and theatre
• The multilingual dimension of European cinema
• Contemporary and post-war German literature and film
• Italian crime film
• Brazilian cinema
• Latin American women film-makers
• Movement in Latin American cinema
• Cinematic realism
• Feminism in Spanish cinema and television
• Memory in Spanish cinema and television
• Contemporary world cinema
• Slow cinema.
Facilities
The University of Liverpool has excellent research facilities within the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences. For postgraduate researchers, these include designated shared office space and access to a vast repository of sociolinguistic journals (including e-journal), through the Sydney Jones Library.
As a postgraduate researcher at the University of Liverpool, you will become part of the Liverpool Doctoral College. The LDC supports all postgraduate researchers across the University to thrive in their doctoral programme with our dedicated team of esteemed supervisors, professional services staff, and student peers, ensuring that our students succeed in their studies.
Research groups
Most research-active colleagues are affiliated to one or more of our MLC research groups:
- Image, Sound and Performance and Conflict
- Memory and Heritage
- Place, Space and Belonging
- Media Histories: From Manuscript to Digital
MLC colleagues are also closely involved in the following research centres:
Study options and fees
The fees below reflect one year of study during the 2024/25 academic year
| PhD | Duration | UK students | International Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full time | 2-4 years | £4,786 |
|
| Part time | 4-6 years | £2,393 |
|
The fees stated in the table above exclude potential research support fees also known as ‘bench fees’. You will be notified of any fee which may apply in your offer letter.
* Please note that if you are undertaking a PhD within the Faculty of Science and Engineering the fee you pay, Band A or Band B, will reflect the nature of your research project. Some research projects incur a higher fee than others e.g. if you are required to undertake laboratory work. You will be informed of the fee for your programme in your offer letter.
^ Self-funded, full-time international students studying a PhD programme classified as Band A will receive a £2,000 reduction in their fees for the first year only.
Entry requirements
Applications are welcomed from both full-time and part-time students. For research degrees, we would normally expect applicants to have a BA or BSc degree of 2:1 standard (and also an MA) in a subject relevant to the proposed field of research.
English language requirements
| IELTS Academic requirement - SELT and non-SELT | Overall 6.5 no band below 6.0 |
|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT requirement | Minimum 88 overall with L 19 W 19 R 19 and S 20 |
| C1 Advanced CAE requirement | Overall 176 with no less than 169 in any paper |
| Trinity College London, Integrated Skills in English (ISE II) | ISE II with an overall pass with merit in components |
| Cambridge IGCSE as a First Language | Grade C |
| Cambridge IGCSE as a Second Language | Grade B |
| Cambridge English Level 3 Certificate in ESOL International (Proficiency) | Overall 176 with 169 in components |
| Cambridge English Level 3 Certificate in ESOL International (Advanced) | Overall 176 with 169 in components |
| Cambridge English Level 2 Certificate in ESOL International (Advanced) | Overall 176 with 169 in components |
How to apply
Before you apply, we recommend that you identify a supervisor and develop a research proposal
Find a supervisor
View supervisors in this area
Need help finding a supervisor? Contact us
- Postgraduate Support Team
- Email: HLC-PGR@liverpool.ac.uk
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