PhD Research
Trinity College has a long-established tradition of research degrees in languages, literary and cultural studies. In 1776 Trinity College was the first university in the world to introduce the study of modern continental languages. Over the centuries, we have produced generations of high-achieving graduates. Today we are consistently ranked among the top universities in the world for the study of language.
Our internationally influential research makes significant and transformative contributions to cross-cultural knowledge and understanding in a range of fields relevant for navigating cultural diversity. We attract research students from around the world, who get close supervision and thorough research training to prepare them for careers inside and beyond academia.
Doctoral researchers in the School benefit from a tightly knit community of research students, access to a large variety of research training courses and excellent research facilities.
The School offers a structured PhD programme of normally four years’ duration, which is assessed by a thesis. It is also possible to complete the PhD part-time, and our PhDs can also be completed through distance learning.
Doctoral researchers are considered full members of their department and are encouraged to undertake teaching, organisation and participation of conferences and other research-based events throughout the academic year, and take their first steps into academic publishing.
More information (including the College’s PhD handbook) on postgraduate and PhD study at Trinity are available on the Graduate Studies website.
PhD programme structure
Our main research course is a Doctorate, or PhD. The Trinity PhD is called a “structured PhD”, because it entails not only concentrated study, but also a small amount of taught material and a series of milestones to pass along the way.
PhDs are normally undertaken after a candidate has taken a Master’s Degree in a subject closely related to their research. Candidates work under the supervision of one or more academic experts in their subject to complete their project. The final result of the project is a doctoral thesis of 80,000-100,000 words.
A doctoral thesis is a substantial piece of work which addresses the current state of the art in its subject. At its heart, a doctoral thesis develops new knowledge and challenges the boundaries of current human understanding.
Programme overview:
• 360 ECTS Credits in total (90 ECTS Credits per year)• The Doctorate is completed over four years
• It requires, on average, 36 hours of work per week (full-time)
• The supervisory team consists of a main supervisor and can also include secondary supervisors from either within the School or outside it, depending on the project
• Taught components take place during the two 12-week terms each year, and are drawn from an extensive catalogue of thematic and skills-based modules
• A total of 10-30 ECTS credits of taught modules are completed by each doctoral researcher over the course of the programme
• Milestones include regular meetings with supervisors, annual reviews, submission of the thesis, and a final viva voce examination
• The PhD is ideally suited for candidates who want to undertake research at the highest level. A Doctorate is required in many cases to undertake an academic career at the third level, and also builds many transferable skills that are in high demand in industry
FAQs for PhD Applicants
Can I pursue my degree in another language?
In some cases, permission may be granted to write research degree theses in languages other than English. However, this option requires discussion prior to undertaking the project.
Can I undertake this degree if I am based in another country?
Doctoral candidates may also opt to apply to pursue their degree from a distance if this is most conducive with their lifestyle and project. Distance learning PhDs have the same structure as non-distance learning PhDs, apart from that supervisions normally take place virtually. More information on the Non Resident PhD programme can be found on the Graduate Studies website.
Distance learning PhD candidates are still expected to visit Dublin once or twice per year, and to play an active role in university life where possible. Many of the scholarships that are available to doctoral researchers at Trinity are exclusively for research students working in-person in Dublin.
Can I study related MPhil programme modules as a PhD candidate?
A range of MPhil Modules in the School are open to PhD students in fulfilment of the “structured PhD” requirement. A full list of modules are available on the Graduate Studies website. Doctoral candidates in the School are also able to apply to take modules from other schools in the Faculty if these align closely with their research plans.