Prospective Doctoral Students
PhD positions linked to employment are generally advertised directly by the department through the University of Bern job portal. Alternatively, PhD studies may be pursued within a doctoral program or through one of the University's affiliated graduate schools.
If you wish to apply independently for a PhD in our department, you should submit a research proposal to the professor whose research interests most closely align with your own. You can find information about the research expertise of the department's professors here. If your research topic differs significantly from their areas of expertise, you are advised to seek PhD supervision elsewhere.
Your proposal should include:
- a CV
- an abstract (500 words)
- an outline describing the theoretical and methodological basis of the proposed thesis (minimum 2500 words)
- bibliography (minimum 25 references)
- a copy of your MA dissertation
- a letter of recommendation from one of your professors
- applicants from outside Switzerland whose country does not have English as a primary language must provide an IELTS certificate (minimum score of 7.0) or a TOEFL iBT certificate (minimum score of 100).
Please note that applications will only be considered if the MA degree was awarded by a state or registered university and has a minimum grade of 5 ("good") or equivalent. You must also meet all the university's admission requirements.
Once the professor has reviewed your proposal, they will inform you whether you may proceed with a formal application for admission to the university.
After your formal application has been processed, the university will inform you whether you have been admitted to study for a PhD in our department.
For more information on persuing a PhD, consult the department's guide for prospective PhD candidates, the University of Bern's information on doctoral studies, and the Faculty's PhD guidance.
Current Doctoral Students
All doctoral studies at the Faculty of Humanities are governed by the Promotionsreglement der Philosophisch-historischen Fakultät der Universität Bern.
For guidance on completing your PhD in the Department of English, consult the guide for accepted PhD candidates.
Further information on PhD completion is available on the Faculty website.
Funding
Information on funding opportunities for PhD students is available on the departmental page and the German-language Faculty page. For specific questions, please contact the relevant funding organisation.
