CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
Annual call, by the end of June.
SCHOLARSHIPS
The SELLT PhD program offers three to four positions each year, depending on the University’s decisions, one of which is without a scholarship, according to the ranking established by the admission exam.
The partner University of Silesia in Katowice (Poland) offers two scholarships to students who have passed the admission to Sapienza: one to the top-ranked candidate and one to the candidate admitted without a Sapienza scholarship.
APPLICATION
Applicants have 30 days to submit their application.
Prerequisite for admission: a Cambridge or IELTS certification (also obtainable at the Sapienza Language Centre – CLA Sapienza).
Required level: C2.
ADMISSION EXAM
The admission exam takes place between July and September.
The Examining Committee, appointed by the end of June, is composed of three regular members (two from Sapienza and one from Silesia) and three alternates. The Committee must be approved by the PhD Board and then by the Department Council.
The admission exam includes a written test, an oral test, and the presentation of a research proposal.
For the written test, candidates refer to two distinct reading lists, attached to this page: one for the linguistic-translation curriculum and one for the literary and cultural curriculum (English and Anglo-American literature).
For the written test (a short essay), the Committee prepares two sets of three titles for each curriculum. One title from each set will be drawn on the day of the test.
The evaluation of the written test determines which candidates are admitted to the oral examination, which focuses on the candidate’s research proposal.
The research proposal must be attached to the application. Priority will be given to projects related to the specific research areas of the PhD program (see presentation page) and to the profiles of the members of the PhD Board.
COURSES
The SELLT PhD program lasts three years.
It is aimed at students interested in acquiring advanced critical and analytical skills for conducting specialized research in literature, linguistics, and translation, as well as in related cultural and disciplinary areas (e.g., Anglo-American and postcolonial literatures).
The PhD program aims to develop competencies:
a) in the history and periodization of literature, focusing on major epochs, including the contemporary age;
b) in textual analysis, with attention to critical methodologies, especially those of English-speaking cultures;
c) in literary theory and its relation to other literatures;
d) in linguistic inquiry, considering both communicative and literary aspects through the tools of contemporary stylistics and discourse analysis;
e) in Translation and Adaptation Studies, focusing on theoretical and methodological developments of the last thirty years;
f) in History of the English Language, particularly in historical linguistics and pragmatics.
Courses are designed each year to enhance and refine the doctoral students’ knowledge and skills in these areas.
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Year I: Courses are mandatory, with a maximum of two absences.
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Year II: Courses are recommended. Doctoral students are expected to attend scheduled events, participate in conferences and initiatives both within and outside Sapienza, and submit at least one chapter of their final dissertation.
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Year III: Courses are recommended, but the main activity is completing the final dissertation.
YEARLY ASSESSMENTS
End of Year I (September): Students
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discuss the texts from a reading list agreed upon with their supervisor, and
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present and discuss new developments of their research project before a committee composed of the supervisors of the doctoral students of that cohort.
End of Year II (September): Doctoral students
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submit at least one chapter of their thesis;
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discuss the progress of their project before a committee composed of professors from the University of Silesia and their supervisors;
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students not enrolled in the joint PhD program have an interview with the members of the Sapienza PhD Board.
After the evaluations, the PhD Board must formally approve the advancement to the next year and communicate the results by the first week of October, to ensure the timely continuation of scholarships.
STUDY PERIODS ABROAD AND AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SILESIA
A study period of up to six months at the University of Silesia is expected, and likewise a period at Sapienza for Polish students. The timing and arrangements must be agreed upon with the supervisors.
During the three years, when attendance is not mandatory, students may also spend time at other universities, where they can acquire useful tools and resources for their research projects. Partial funding may be available, especially for students without a scholarship.
THESIS SUBMISSION AND EXTERNAL REVIEWERS
For students whose home university is Sapienza, the thesis must be submitted by October 31 of the third year, unless an extension has been approved by the PhD Board.
The thesis must be uploaded to the Infostud platform.
Two external reviewers, selected by Sapienza, are appointed and approved by the Board by September.
A third external reviewer is appointed by the University of Silesia.
The reviewers may:
a) approve the thesis as it is;
b) request minor revisions;
c) request major revisions.
If the thesis is approved as it is, the candidate must defend it by February 28, before a designated committee (see below).
If revisions are required, the candidate must revise and resubmit the thesis to the same reviewers.
The official Sapienza circular with the relevant deadlines is attached to this page.
FINAL COMMITTEE AND DEFENSE
According to the established deadlines (see attachment), for joint PhD students, the final defense committee will be composed of four members – two appointed by Sapienza and two by Silesia.
For non-joint PhD students, the final committee will be composed of three members – two external and one internal to the SELLT Board.
All committees must be approved by the PhD Board and then by the Department Council.