Linguistics (Modern Languages) PhD

University of Nottingham

United Kingdom, Nottingham

University RankQS Ranking

109

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University of Nottingham

United Kingdom , Nottingham

Key Facts

Program Level

PhD (Philosophy Doctorate)

Study Type

Full Time

Delivery

On Campus

Campuses

Main Site

Program Language

English

Start & Deadlines

Next Intake DeadlinesSeptember-2026

Apply to this program

Go to the official application for the university

Duration 3 year(s)

Tuition Fee

GBP 25,750 / year(s)

Next Intake September-2026

Linguistics (Modern Languages) PhD

About

Research overview

What if your passion for linguistics could help improve the way we understand international history, culture and politics? Follow your intercultural research interests to a deeper level in a department ranked 6th nationally in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021.

A Linguistics (Modern Languages) PhD allows you to research a linguistic topic related to one or more modern languages. You may research any modern language but the school has particular expertise in French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian-Croatian, as well as expertise in Italian and Chinese.

Our areas of expertise in linguistics include the following:

Sociolinguistics (including language standardisation, historical sociolinguistics)
History of linguistics (such as history of ideas about language, including the history of grammar-writing of particular languages)
Pragmatics and interactional linguistics (including conversation analysis in workplace and institutional settings, politeness studies, intercultural communication studies)
Discourse analysis
Translation and interpreting studies
Corpus linguistics (especially diachronic linguistics)
Applied linguistics, especially foreign/second language education and its history
Historical linguistics

"We have a very active and dynamic research community where students and academics work on projects across many disciplines. This interdisciplinary environment offers students the opportunity to communicate and exchange ideas which can be very inspiring." Jean-Xavier Ridon, Director of Postgraduate Studies in the School of Cultures, Languages and Area Studies - read full conversation

Find out more about research in the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures.

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Requirements

Entry Requirements

Entry requirements

All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements below apply to 2026 entry.

Qualification	PhD
Degree	2:1 (or international equivalent) in an arts, humanities or social science subject – we would usually expect you to hold, or be working towards, a masters degree in a relevant subject.

Qualification	PhD
Degree	2:1 (or international equivalent) in an arts, humanities or social science subject – we would usually expect you to hold, or be working towards, a masters degree in a relevant subject.
International and EU equivalents	We accept a wide range of qualifications from all over the world. For information on entry requirements from your country, see our country pages.
IELTS	7.0 (6.5 in each element)
English language requirements	As well as IELTS (listed above), we also accept other English language qualifications. This includes TOEFL iBT, Pearson PTE, GCSE, IB and O level English.

Meeting our English language requirements

If you need support to meet the required level, you may be able to attend a presessional English course. Presessional courses teach you academic skills in addition to English language. Our Centre for English Language Education is accredited by the British Council for the teaching of English in the UK.

If you successfully complete your presessional course to the required level, you can then progress to your degree course. This means that you won't need to retake IELTS or equivalent.

For on-campus presessional English courses, you must take IELTS for UKVI to meet visa regulations. For online presessional courses, see our CELE webpages for guidance.

Visa restrictions

International students must have valid UK immigration permissions for any courses or study period where teaching takes place in the UK. Student route visas can be issued for eligible students studying full-time courses. The University of Nottingham does not sponsor a student visa for students studying part-time courses. The Standard Visitor visa route is not appropriate in all cases. Please contact the university’s Visa and Immigration team if you need advice about your visa options.

We recognise that applicants have a variety of experiences and follow different pathways to postgraduate study.

We treat all applicants with alternative qualifications on an individual basis. We may also consider relevant work experience.

If you are unsure whether your qualifications or work experience are relevant, contact us.

English Program Requirements

IELTS: 7.0 (6.5 in each element) IELTS:

As well as IELTS (listed above), we also accept other English language qualifications.

This includes TOEFL iBT, Pearson PTE, GCSE, IB and O level English.

English language requirements:

As well as IELTS (listed above), we also accept other English language qualifications.

This includes TOEFL iBT, Pearson PTE, GCSE, IB and O level English.

Career

Careers

Whether you are considering a career in academia, industry or haven't yet decided, we’re here to support you every step of the way.

Expert staff will work with you to explore PhD career options and apply for vacancies, develop your interview skills and meet employers. You can book a one-to-one appointment, take an online course or attend a workshop.

International students who complete an eligible degree programme in the UK on a student visa can apply to stay and work in the UK after their course under the Graduate immigration route. Eligible courses at the University of Nottingham include bachelors, masters and research degrees, and PGCE courses.

Many of our postgraduates have chosen academic careers and are currently in full-time posts in the UK. Others have moved into the civil service, the cultural industries, the media, publishing, teaching or translation.

The research training all our postgraduates follow equips them with a range of key transferable skills, such as analytical thinking, time management, and presentation and research skills.

75% of postgraduates from the School of Modern Languages and Cultures secured graduate level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation. The average annual salary for these graduates was £27,500.*

*HESA Graduate Outcomes 2019/20 data published in 2022. The Graduate Outcomes % is derived using The Guardian University Guide methodology. The average annual salary is based on data from graduates who completed a full-time postgraduate degree with home fee status and are working full-time within the UK.