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King's College London

Study Experience

Key information

Award:
MPhil
PhD
Study mode:
Full time
Part time
Campus:
Strand Campus
Duration:
Expected to be PhD (initial registration for MPhil), three years FT, four-six years PT. October to October, February to February or June to June.

Joint PhDs available: Exciting opportunities to gain a joint PhD with the University of Hong Kong or National University of Singapore.

The Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures offers research strengths and opportunities for PhD supervision in Comparative Literature across all periods of modern, medieval and classical literature in major western European languages and in the modern languages of India, Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean. Special research focuses include: African literature, the literature of the Middle East, Romanticism and revolution, gender studies and classical reception studies. 

The Department has a vibrant and energetic research culture, in which postgraduate research students are fully involved. In the recent Research Excellence Framework assessment of our research (REF 2021) our research environment was rated 100% ‘world-leading’ (4*), and research impact was rated 87.5% ‘world leading’ and ‘internationally excellent’ (3*).

Current Number of students: 26

For recent staff publications and projects, please visit our People and Research and Expertise pages.

Partner organisations: ongoing co-operation in research and student exchange takes place between the programme and the Department of English and Comparative Literature at the University of North Carolina  at Chapel Hill.

The tuition fees below are for the first year of the course. These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

UK Tuition Fees 2025/26

Full time tuition fees: £6,600 per year (MPhil/PhD, Comparative Literature)

Full time tuition fees: £6,600 per year (MPhil/PhD Comparative Literature Joint PhD Option with University of Hong Kong or National University of Singapore)

Part time tuition fees: £3,300 per year

International Tuition Fees 2025/26

Full time tuition fees: £27,100 per year (MPhil/PhD, Comparative Literature)

Full time tuition fees: £27,100 per year (MPhil/PhD Comparative Literature Joint PhD Option with University of Hong Kong or National University of Singapore)

Part time tuition fees: £13,550 per year

UK Tuition Fees 2026/27

Full time tuition fees: £7,100 for the first year (MPhil/PhD, Comparative Literature)

Full time tuition fees: £7,100 for the first year (MPhil/PhD Comparative Literature Joint PhD Option with University of Hong Kong or National University of Singapore)

Part time tuition fees: £3,550 for the first year 

International Tuition Fees 2026/27

Full time tuition fees: £29,000 for the first year (MPhil/PhD, Comparative Literature)

Full time tuition fees: £29,000 for the first year (MPhil/PhD Comparative Literature Joint PhD Option with University of Hong Kong or National University of Singapore)

Part time tuition fees: £14,500 for the first year 

Base campus

The Quad - Strand campus
Strand Campus

Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.

Postgraduate research environment

Postgraduate research students in Comparative Literature have the opportunity to present their work at Departmental research seminars and to participate in in the annual departmental PGR conference. You also attend other research seminars as appropriate including at the Global Institutes and the research centres of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.  The various Institutes of the University of London School of Advanced Study run a wealth of seminars.

Postgraduate training

Training for postgraduate research students is offered at various levels throughout PhD registration, including, at King’s, the courses and sessions offered by the Department, the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, the Centre for Doctoral Studies and the King’s Language Centre. Further afield training is offered by the London Arts and Humanities Partnership and the Institute of Modern Languages Research of the University of London. Research training will include a range of different kinds, including research ethics and integrity, bibliographic and referencing skills, the opportunity to learn or improve language skills, career support, job applications, networking, working with community partners, and much more.

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The tuition fees below are for the first year of the course. These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

UK Tuition Fees 2025/26

Full time tuition fees: £6,600 per year (MPhil/PhD, Comparative Literature)

Full time tuition fees: £6,600 per year (MPhil/PhD Comparative Literature Joint PhD Option with University of Hong Kong or National University of Singapore)

Part time tuition fees: £3,300 per year

International Tuition Fees 2025/26

Full time tuition fees: £27,100 per year (MPhil/PhD, Comparative Literature)

Full time tuition fees: £27,100 per year (MPhil/PhD Comparative Literature Joint PhD Option with University of Hong Kong or National University of Singapore)

Part time tuition fees: £13,550 per year

UK Tuition Fees 2026/27

Full time tuition fees: £7,100 for the first year (MPhil/PhD, Comparative Literature)

Full time tuition fees: £7,100 for the first year (MPhil/PhD Comparative Literature Joint PhD Option with University of Hong Kong or National University of Singapore)

Part time tuition fees: £3,550 for the first year 

International Tuition Fees 2026/27

Full time tuition fees: £29,000 for the first year (MPhil/PhD, Comparative Literature)

Full time tuition fees: £29,000 for the first year (MPhil/PhD Comparative Literature Joint PhD Option with University of Hong Kong or National University of Singapore)

Part time tuition fees: £14,500 for the first year 

Base campus

The Quad - Strand campus
Strand Campus

Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.

Postgraduate research environment

Postgraduate research students in Comparative Literature have the opportunity to present their work at Departmental research seminars and to participate in in the annual departmental PGR conference. You also attend other research seminars as appropriate including at the Global Institutes and the research centres of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.  The various Institutes of the University of London School of Advanced Study run a wealth of seminars.

Postgraduate training

Training for postgraduate research students is offered at various levels throughout PhD registration, including, at King’s, the courses and sessions offered by the Department, the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, the Centre for Doctoral Studies and the King’s Language Centre. Further afield training is offered by the London Arts and Humanities Partnership and the Institute of Modern Languages Research of the University of London. Research training will include a range of different kinds, including research ethics and integrity, bibliographic and referencing skills, the opportunity to learn or improve language skills, career support, job applications, networking, working with community partners, and much more.

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Key information

Award:
MPhil
PhD
Study mode:
Full time
Part time
Campus:
Strand Campus
Duration:
Expected to be PhD (initial registration for MPhil), three years FT, four-six years PT. October to October, February to February or June to June.

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