For 2013–16 the Department is offering one fully-funded PhD fellowship to an outstanding EU or overseas applicant. The fellowship covers all academic/tuition fees, whether for an EU or overseas student. In addition, the successful applicant will receive a maintenance grant of around £13,600 (currently US $21,900) per year for three years. The doctoral fellow will be expected to contribute to Departmental teaching and other activities up to a maximum of 6 hours per week during term time as part of the conditions of the award. There is no separate application procedure for this competition. All applications received by 5 June 2013 will be considered. Decisions are expected in the week of 17 June.
Warwick’s Italian Department is an unusually collegial unit with a vibrant research culture. In the most recent Research Assessment Exercise (2008) it was ranked third nationally (second, on more specific measures). It has an enviable record of attracting research funding and has a distinctly interdisciplinary approach, linking literature very strongly with historical contexts, theory, visual culture, migration and travel writing, and cultural and intellectual history. Its seven members of academic staff are able to supervise in most areas of Italian Studies, from Dante and the Renaissance to contemporary literature and culture. The library’s holdings are strong and can easily be supplemented by the libraries of Oxford and London, which are reachable within an hour by train.
For further details see:
Currently Warwick’s Italian Department has a community of around fourteen PhD students, making it one of the largest programmes in the country. Together with other departments in the Sub-Faculty of Modern Languages (French Studies, German Studies, Hispanic Studies) it offers intensive training programmes in teaching and research for PhD students. Italian also has a considerable and growing number of postdoctoral research fellows and strong interdepartmental and international links, from Italy, Germany and the Netherlands to North America and Australia.
Doctoral students prepare, over the course of 3 years, a dissertation of 80,000 words. They are initially registered as MPhil students and proceed to the PhD upon completion of work of good standard, typically by the end of their first year.
There is no course-work involved. Students may also choose, after 2 years, to leave with an MPhil, provided that they have completed an up-to-standard dissertation of 60,000 words.
It is possible at Warwick to obtain a joint PhD with another department, for example in: Italian and Film Studies, or Italian and History, Italian and Classics, or Italian and French Studies. Joint PhD students receive a supervisor in each participating department.
The links above right give access to the University’s general information on postgraduate applications, and any application will need to be submitted via this route. For entry in autumn 2013: Applicants should apply online (http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/), ensuring that they submit their application early enough so that their referees’ letters can reach the University by the closing date (5 June). At least one of these letters must be from a present (or former) academic supervisor. Candidates should also upload to their application: (1) an academic CV; (2) a research proposal of at least 1500 words, plus a relevant select bibliography; (3) transcripts (unofficial copies are admissable at this stage); (4) the results of any English language tests taken (these can also arrive later if necessary); and, if at all possible, (5) a writing sample in English.
All applicants should liaise with a prospective supervisor in the Department before proceeding to a formal application. In the first instance they may also contact the Director of Graduate Studies, Dr David Lines, D.A.Lines@warwick.ac.uk, particularly for questions about the Department or the selection process. Or, for the mechanics of an application, contact our Postgraduate Secretary, Caroline Parker (Caroline.Parker@warwick.ac.uk).
Entry requirements
Applicants normally need a good MA degree of at least 2:1 standard (‘B’ average in North America; 108/110 in Italy) to be considered for a postgraduate research degree. You must give evidence of strong research and writing skills and provide a solid research proposal in one or more areas of expertise offered by the Department. It is especially important at the MPhil/PhD level to find an appropriate supervisor.
Applying
Applications for admission are due at the beginning of June each year. International students should pay particular attention to the university’s requirements in terms of English language proficiency, outlined at http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/apply/english/.
Visiting the department will give you an especially good sense of our research programmes, as well as provide opportunities for face-to-face discussions with postgraduates and staff.
Fees and funding
Warwick administers several major sources of funding for doctoral study. The most relevant for most applicants will be the Warwick Chancellor’s Scholarships (for home/EU citizens) and the Chancellor’s International Scholarships. Both of these are allocated through a highly competitive, university-wide process without regard to citizenship or country of residence. The are meant specifically for outstanding students and provide a maintenance grant as well as covering tuition fees.
For UK and EU permanent residents/nationals an important source is the Doctoral Awards Scheme of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). UK nationals/permanent residents are eligible for an award covering fees and maintenance; EU nationals are eligible for fees-only awards. Part-time as well as full-time research students may apply.
Several other sources of funding are relevant to nationals of particular countries or in particular areas of study. Relevant schemes for overseas students include the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan; the SSHRC (for Candadian citizens); the Marshall Scholarships and the Fulbright Commission awards (for American citizens); and the General Sir John Monash Foundation (for Australians). Other awards may also be on offer from an applicant’s country of origin. The International Office on campus is very helpful in these matters; applicants are urged to consult its website: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/international/admissions/offerholders as well as the website of the Graduate School: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/academicoffice/gsp/scholarship/funding/phd.
International links
The Department of Italian has ERASMUS-exchange links with the following universities: Arezzo, Brescia, Cagliari, Catania/Ragusa, Forlì, Genoa, Messina, Naples, Pavia, Pescara, Pisa (Statale and Normale), Rome, Salerno, Siena, Turin, Trieste, Urbino and Verona. Ties are developing with Venice (Ca’ Foscari) and Bologna. Italian postgraduate students from these institutions wishing to spend 3 months at Warwick should contact David Lines (D.A.Lines@warwick.ac.uk) to explore the feasibility of extending existing agreements in this direction. Likewise, the University of Warwick is building links with a number of universities in North America, in addition to the exchange it already runs with the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The latter agreement allows doctoral students, on a competitive basis, to apply to spend one of their 3 years at Wisconsin.
- PhD Studentships, Discrete Mathematics and Its Applications (DIMAP), University of Warwick, UK
- Chancellor’s International Scholarships, University of Warwick, UK
- PhD Studentships in Molecular Dynamics and/or Monte-Carlo Simulations of an Ion-channel, University of Warwick, UK
- Master Scholarships in Complex Systems Science, Erasmus Mundus, Europe
- Erasmus Mundus Scholarships - MA in International Performance Research (MAIPR)
- MBA Scholarships, Bournemouth University, UK
- PhD Studentships, Bournemouth University, UK
- Fully Funded Research MPhil/PhD Programmes in Linguistics at The University of Hong Kong
- Fully Funded Research Assistants, IMDEA Networks, Spain
- Drugs, Security and Democracy Fellowship in Latin America and the Caribbean
Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure the above information is current and correct. However, applicants should contact the appropriate administering body before making an application, as details do change frequently.
