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PhD program in English Literature

The Doctoral School of Literature offers an English language program in English Literature.

The program consists of three main components:

  1. courses
  2. weekly consultations with a supervisor
  3. supervised research, leading to the writing of a PhD dissertation
  1. Obligatory and elective courses include the following:
    Aspects of Literary History, Literary Critical Theory, PhD Research Methods, Doctoral Workshop, Academic Writing and Publishing, Academic Conferences: Participation and Organization, Textology and Philology, Literature and Visual Culture, Archives and Manuscripts, Fantastic Literature, Aspects of Irish Studies, Aspects of Modern British Literature, Aspects of North American Studies, Connections and Comparisons between English and Hungarian Literature, Popular Culture and Cultural Theory, Reading Critical Literature, Drama and Theatre, Adaptation, translation and transfer, Aspects of Shakespeare Studies.
    Courses are taken during the first two years of the training, which period is concluded by a complex examination.
  2. Consultations with the supervisor take place from the first to the fourth year of the program.
  3. Additional credits must be earned through research activities: conference presentations and research publications.

The current program plan, with sample course descriptions, is available here: Study plan of the Doctoral School of Literature

The doctoral training takes place in buildings of the university in downtown Budapest, close to the river Danube:
https://btk.ppke.hu/elerhetoseg
https://btk.ppke.hu/elerhetoseg-2

STUDY INFORMATION

 

Application information

The school has published the following calls for PhD research proposals (click and hit search):
https://doktori.hu/index.php?menuid=116&lang=EN

Research proposals not falling within the published topics can also be considered if they are accepted by a prospective supervising professor. Applicants can approach professors on an individual basis with their research proposal (contacts available at the link above).

For nationals other than Hungarian, the deadline for receiving applications is 31 March 2025.
For Hungarian nationals, the deadline for receiving applications is 15 May 2025.
Interviews will take place between April and June.

Scholarships:
  • Hungarian state scholarships (including a tuition waiver) are available in this program on the same general conditions as in Hungarian language PhD programs.
  • Applications are also invited in the frame of the Stipendium Hungaricum Scholarship program.

If you apply for a tuition fee waiver and stipend in the Stipendium Hungaricum programme, your application package must be uploaded by 15 January 2025. For more information:
http://stipendiumhungaricum.hu/

Formal requirements:
  • an MA degree, or an equivalent university diploma
  • a B2 level English language exam certificate, according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (if you have an English-medium university degree or one in English studies, it will automatically count as a language certificate)
    If the degree is graded (on a system of grades such as "excellent", "good", "ordinary", "sufficient"), then it cannot be worse than the second best grade.
  • if you apply outside the Stipendium Hungaricum programme: payment of an application fee of HUF 40 000 (= cca. EUR 100) to the university’s bank account no. 11707024-20460004 (name of bank account holder: Pázmány Péter Catholic University). For an international transfer, please use the following IBAN bank account number: HU81117070242046000400000000; the BIC/SWIFT code of the bank is: OTPVHUHB). In the ‘Notes’ field of your transfer, insert your name and the following text: “doktori felveteli eljarasi dij”).
  • sending the application package by the application deadline via the online application form
The application package must be sent via an online application process, and it must contain:
  • the filled-in application form, available here: General application form
  • a copy of your university (MA) degree and its English translation
  • a copy of the transcript of records (courses you passed in the MA programme) and its English translation
  • a copy of your English proficiency certificate (unless you have an English-medium degree or one in English studies)
  • a copy of your passport
  • your professional CV in English; all the following are also to be in English:
  • a motivation letter
  • your research plan (recommended length: 2-5 pages)
  • your list of publications and presentations (if applicable)
  • a copy of a letter of recommendation written by a university lecturer/professor or other academic
  • a copy of a letter/email by a prospective PhD supervisor in this doctoral school stating that s/he is willing to supervise your PhD research
  • a copy of a document certifying that you have paid the application fee (e.g., a printout that certifies the bank transfer)

The Doctoral Office will be in touch with applicants regarding all further matters, including the oral interview.

The oral interview:

Applicants are interviewed (either in person or over an online videochat platform) between 20 May and the end of June (in the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship programme, interviews take place during April).

At the interview, applicants’ professional background and research proposal are discussed, while their level of English is also assessed.

Tuition fee:

The tuition fee, which is due after the Doctoral School has accepted the application, is HUF 975000 (cca. EUR 2500) per semester. The tuition fee is waived for Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship holders.

Contact:

For further information, please contact Ms. Katalin Subicz, subicz.katalin@btk.ppke.hu.