The Section welcomes postgraduate students wishing to pursue doctoral research in Polish, Russian, and/or Ukrainian Studies or more broadly comparative topics. All lecturers in the Section are available to supervise students for three-year PhD research degrees. Research students benefit from a vibrant research culture and a varied programme of Section events. For further information about the PhD course in this Faculty, please consult the dedicated pages for Postgraduate Study in this Faculty, and the Postgraduate Admissions Office webpages.
The Section of Slavonic Studies is particularly noted for its expertise and international standing in the fields of Pre-Modern East Slavic culture; Polish, Russian and Ukrainian Literatures of the 19th- and 20th-centuries; Slavonic Linguistics; Nationalism Studies; Film and Visual Culture; Memory Studies; Sensory History; and Russian Imperial and Soviet History. Information about the research areas of core staff can be obtained here.
Although formal application for a PhD must be made through the ccentral Postgraduate Admissions Office, you are encouraged to make direct contact with the relevant member(s) of academic staff and to discuss the feasibility of your topic. General questions about the course may be addressed to the Section's liaison for graduate studies, Dr Anna Berman.
The usual prerequisite for acceptance to the PhD is a mark of distinction in the MPhil or equivalent degree in a relevant subject. Applicants should also note that the first year of doctoral study is a probationary one and students are only officially 'registered' for the PhD after satisfactory completion of a formal assessment at the end of the first year of study.
Part-time Research
The Slavonic Section also offers a part-time route to the PhD. This route might be suitable for graduates who work part-time; who are employed in the around Cambridge; or whose employer views such a programme of study as representing valuable staff development. Current employees of the University of Cambridge are also eligible to apply.
Students interested in studying part-time should discuss their application with the Section liaison for graduate studies, Dr Anna Berman. Further information on part-time research degrees in the University of Cambridge is available here.
