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Introduction

The Inter-university PhD Programme in Advanced English Studies: Linguistics, Literature and Culture, run by the Universities of Santiago de Compostela (USC) [COORDINATING INSTITUTION], A Coruña (UDC) and Vigo (UVigo), in Galicia (Northwestern Spain), is an accredited programme which meets the high standards of excellence of the European System of Higher Education. It has been evaluated and approved by the Spanish Ministry of Education (ID MEC: 5600811; date: 22/07/2013), the regional Quality Accreditation Agency of Galicia (ACSUG), and the National Quality Evaluation and Accreditation Agency for Higher Education (ANECA).

This new PhD programme builds on the strength of previous doctoral programmes which have received Official Recognition for Excellence from the Spanish Ministry of Education for the period 2011-2014, under grants MEE2011-0070 and MEE2011-0300 (BOE 20/10/2011). Only four other PhD programmes in the field of English Studies were awarded this distinction.

Objectives

The main objective of the PhD in English Studies is to train students to undertake research in the different fields of  English Studies. More specifically, doctoral candidates will be provided with the professional skills and competences to write a doctoral thesis under the supervision of a specialist in the three Departments involved in the programme. This will include the following:

• To identify a topic of study and carry out a method of analysis that will produce innovative results;
• To be able to write in English according to the academic conventions and requirements;
• To be able to interpret and use bibliography in the different fields of English Studies;
• To present and disseminate the results obtained in the national and international academic meetings;
• To be able to understand and evaluate critically the reception of the results by the academic community; and, finally,
• To be able to use effectively information and communication technologies applied to the different areas of English Studies.

Specific  objectives in the areas of Language and Linguistics will include the following:

• To design experiments and research projects related to language variation and change, language cognition and language acquisition with special reference to English.
• To get acquainted with the main research methods and models in the analysis of the English language.
• To deal with synchronic and diachronic perspectives to the study of English.
• To be able to draw connections between language and identity culture and education.
• To be able to present and share knowledge with professionals from different areas: sociologists, teachers, language policy specialists, translators, etc.
• Specific objectives in the areas of Literature and Culture of the English-speaking countries will include the following:
• To design research projects related to English, American, Irish and Postcolonial Literature.
• To design research projects related to the culture of the English-speaking countries.
• To be able to draw connections between Literature and other cultural manifestations such as Cinema, Arts, Music, etc.

Coordinators: 

Margarita Estévez Saá (USC): margarita.estevez.saa@usc.es // pd.estudosingleses@usc.es

María Jesús Lorenzo Modia (UDC): maria.lorenzo.modia@udc.es

Javier Pérez Guerra (UVigo): jperez@uvigo.es

​Facts and figures

• 2020/2021 academic year: 129 students (UDC: 39; USC: 52; UVigo: 38)
• 20% foreign students.
• An average of 20% of our students have been awarded scholarships either by the Ministry of Education or by the Xunta de Galicia to conduct their doctoral studies.
• Full-time students: 70%; Part-time students: 30%
• Most of our students carry out research stays in different European and American universities.
• Number of thesis defended in the programme since 2013/2014: 29 (28 of them achieved the highest mark "Sobresaliente Cum Laude"; and 18 were distinguished with the International Mention).
• 20 out of 29 of our former PhD Students are already working (more than 50% at different Spanish universities)
• Teaching staff: 17 Full Professors; 35 Associate Professors; 6 Lecturers
• Research lines: 
  

  Studies in English Literature and Culture

  Corpus Studies, Cognition, Variation and Language Change in English

  Studies in American Literature and Culture

  Linguistics Applied to Translation and the Teaching of English

  Studies in English Discourse

  Studies in Irish Literature and Culture

  Other Literatures in English

• International research groups and networks: 2 research networks and 14 research groups participate in the PhD Programme.  

• Further information at the  INTERNATIONAL DOCTORAL SCHOOLS:

  -ESCOLA DE DOUTORAMENTO INTERNACIONAL USC: https://www.usc.gal/gl/centros/ciedus/

  -ESCOLA INTERNACIONAL DE DOUTORAMENTO UDC: https://www.udc.es/gl/eid/

           -ESCOLA INTERNACIONAL DE DOUTORAMENTO UVigo: https://www.uvigo.gal/es/estudiar/organizacion-academica/eido-escuela-internacional-doctorado