Student Research

Undergraduate

In the curriculum: Modules

Research is embedded across the curriculum in English and Comparative Literary Studies. Our modules are designed to engage the student's individual interests and encourage them to pursue these through their assessment and learning choices.

Shakespeare and Selected Dramatists of His Time is one such example. As part of this module students are challenged to devise their own research projects, the outcome of which can be either an essay or a creative project. Uniquely, students can also choose how they want to learn, whether in Shakespeare without Chairs workshops, Hybrid Shakespeare sessions or in excitingly discursive Seminars.

A few examples of Shakespeare and Selected Dramatists of His Time Student Essays and Creative Projects:

In the curriculum: Dissertation

The English department has an optional third-year dissertation module. The dissertation module is usually taken in replacement of a 30 CATS taught module. The research proposal must first be approved by the department. For more information and applying visit the dissertation page.

Extra-curricular research opportunities

Intercalated Year

English students have an opportunity to spend a year abroad in one of Warwick's partner institutions. For more information on how to express your interest, apply and for the ful list of partner universities visit the Intercalated Year page.

Modules in other departments

Second and third-year (ie. honours-level) English students may also take modules from other departments following discussion with their Personal Tutor. Students will need to approach other Departments directly to enquire about what modules are on offer. To find out more visit the Modules page.

Student Blogs

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Sophie Miller

Examples of departmental student research projects

URSS Projects & Student Research Profiles

Creative Writing Portfolio

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Postgraduate

Research opportunities for postgraduate taught students

At the English and Comparative Literary Studies you will be joining a department that values its graduate students and encourages them to become part of our thriving research culture. We offer four MA programmes with major MA Dissertation component:

MA Dissertation

Alongside modules students get achance to pursue their distinct research interests in the dissertation. This is an opportunity to develop a new idea from one of the modules into something longer, or to write on a subject or a figure that has always fascinated you.

Students often use their MA dissertations as springboards to PhD projects, and have sometimes gone on to publish parts of their work in scholarly journals.

MA students are supported in their development as researchers through workshops and by dedicated research active staff in the department. More information about the disaertation can be found on the dedicated MA Dissertation page.

Annual English PG Symposium

This annual event is a wonderful opportunity for English PG students to explore and showcase new departmetnal researh and network with postgraduate researchers. All students are invited to attend as well as present their work and ideas.

For a chance to rpresent at the Symposium applicants need to submit a 250-words abstract and an academic biography. Papers on any and all topics are considered.

A PG Work in Progress Session also runs as part of the Symposium to support those students wishing to develop their research ideas further before submitting a full paper to be presented at the next Symposium. For more information on this year's and past Symposiums visit the PG Symposium page or get in touch with the team.

Research Conferences

Department organises and runs regular conferences for different areas of interest. Examples of recent Conferences include The Descent into the Classical Underworld or Imperial Cultures of the United States.

Research Seminars

Department runs a series of research seminarsFor a full list of the upcoming seminars visit the Research Seminars page.

Sidelights on Shakespeare is another seminar series open to our PG student community.

Feminist Dissent

Feminist Dissent is an online peer-reviewed journal hosted at the University of Warwick, UK and edited by an Editorial Collective consisting of academics, writers, artists and activists. It invites submissions of original and unpublished work that reflect the aims and principles of the journal. Feminist Dissent includes full-length academic articles, shorter Voices of Dissent pieces and book and film reviews in each issue.

Other Opportunities

Departmental research culture spans across a range of extra curricual student research opportunities. These include:

All of our PG students are invited to participate and become active members of our growing research community across the department and faculty.

Prizes & Awards

Whislt at Warwick PG students are also encouraged to learn more about the:

Library for English

The Library offer dedicated support for English PG student in their studies, providing a whole range of texts and materials that may be of use for independent student research, essays and dissertations. For more information and support visit Library for Engish page.

Student research opportunities outside of the Department

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Academic Support Librarian

Your Academic Support Librarian provides targeted support in your subject area, helping you to develop information and research skills during your course.

Support and training is available in:

literature searching
finding, using, and evaluating information
referencing and avoiding plagiarism
reference management tools
using digital tools

Browse a full range of Library courses, visit and enrol on the dedicated Moodle learning pageLink opens in a new window.

It is an excellent starting point for any student researcher. You can access subject support with dedicated discipline key electronic sources, contacts, resources, professional bodies, as well as guidance and other resources related to studying and conducting research in your faculty and disciplineLink opens in a new window.

For interdisciplinary research and projects spanning your department and degree interests, please visit the full list of library subject supportLink opens in a new window or contact the library at academicsupport@warwick.ac.uk or library@warwick.ac.uk

The Library can also buy materials for your subject. Contact the Library with requests for book purchase, skills training or for any assistance with your research at academicsupport@warwick.ac.uk

Academic Writing Day

Academic Writing Day is a full day writing workshop that runs from 10am to 4pm and include topics such as:

stages and requirements of writing
organisation and structure of assignments and essays
paragraph construction
language and style academic style
ethics in writing and research, referencing
reporting (paraphrase/summary)

The day covers all major aspects of academic writing for taught students, and is a combination of lectures and seminars. The topics aim to address in depth the challenges posed by essay/assignment writing. Check out the workshop page and book your place at the next Academic Writing Day.

After attending the Academic Writing Day you can continue developing your research skills at the Academic Writing Open Fora.

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British Conference of Undergraduate Research

The British Conference of Undergraduate Research promotes undergraduate research in all disciplines. The Conference meets annually every Spring in a different British university. Undergraduates of all levels are invited to submit papers, posters, workshops and performances to the Conference. Abstracts are peer-reviewed and those accepted will be invited to attend the conference. The call for papers is usually published in the autumn.

An undergraduate research conference is just like any other academic conference. There will be spoken papers, lectures, poster presentations and workshops — but each one will be delivered by undergraduate students presenting work they have done either as part of their course, internship, or individual project. For two days, you will be able to talk to undergraduate researchers from your own disciplines, and you will also learn a lot about how other disciplines approach research problems.

If you are an undergraduate student, this is a great opportunity to meet students from other universities and share your work. Many courses include opportunities to develop independent research. You might be working on a dissertation, or you may have devised your own topic for an assessment. You might have worked with an external company, or worked with a researcher over the summer to help them with their research project. All research is welcome at this conference, in any discipline taught in Higher Education.

Find out more on the BCUR website.

Please note: Conference fees are usually covered by student's own university. Check with your department before submitting to the Conference and/or registering to attend.

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Doctoral Positions in Social Science Genetics available across 8 Universities

Applications are invited for thirteen PhD studentships in Social Science Genetics across eight European Universities that constitute the European Social Science Genetics Network (ESSGN). The Doctoral Network is funded by the EU Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) and includes:

Erasmus University Rotterdam (NL)
University of Bologna (IT)
University of Bielefeld (DE)
University of Bristol (UK)
University of Oslo (NO)
University of Oxford (UK)
University of Uppsala (SE)
VU University Amsterdam (NL).

We invite applications from eligible students for studentships that commence in Sept/Oct 2023.

Find out more or apply here.

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EndNote training: EndNote is software which helps you to organise your references and to automatically format citations, reference lists and bibliographies in Word. It is an essential tool for any student researcher.

Useful downloads, videos, training material and support

Want to know more about managing your references, saving time and avoiding plagiarism? Sign up to one of EndNote Online Workshops.

The workshop will introduce you to your enhanced EndNote Online (formerly EndNote Web) account, enable you to add references to your library and use the Cite While You Write function in Microsoft Word to generate citations and bibliographies.

More support and help with Endnote endnoteweb@warwick.ac.uk (EndNote Online) or helpdesk@warwick.ac.uk (Endnote Desktop)

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Global Research Priorities (Energy) bursary

Since 2012, the Energy GRP have been supporting up to 5 Undergraduate Summer Placements, each with a bursary of up to £2,000. The Energy GRP bursaries are affiliated with the University's Undergraduate Research Support Scheme (URSS), and are to help with living costs and expenses associated with a research project and will be paid directly to the student. The project normally lasts between 4 and 10 weeks and supports energy research. Students from any department are welcome to apply and the Energy GRP encourage applications from both science and non-science disciplines.

The scheme is open to all Warwick undergraduate students, usually non-finalists.

The Energy GRP are particularly interested in projects that develop connections between departments and with external partners.

Find out more on the Energy GRP website

Global Research Priorities (Materials) bursary

The Materials GRP support up to eight Summer Placements, each with an award of up to £2,000. The Materials GRP bursaries are affiliated with the University's Undergraduate Research Support Scheme (URSS), and are to help with living costs and expenses associated with students’ chosen projects. The project lasts between eight to ten weeks and must involve the study of Materials. The level of support depends on the length of the project, based on a calculation of £200 per week, up to a maximum of 10 weeks, or £2,000.

Students from any department are encouraged to apply, but they must secure their own project before they apply.

Priority is given to (in the following order):

new collaborations (i.e. where the two academic supervisors have not previously worked together)
new projects (i.e. where there is an existing link between supervisors, but a new area of research is being explored)
existing collaborations

Find out more on the Materials GRP website

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IATL Interdisciplinary Modules

The Institute for Advanced Teaching & LearningLink opens in a new window (IATL) hosts a range of interdisciplinary undergraduate and postgraduate modules that encourage students from different departments and faculties to formulate relevant questions and propose novel ideas via independent and collaborative research. Students are encouraged to further develop those ideas for publication.

Browse the latest list of UG and PG modules available this academic year and register your interest in taking a UG or PG IATL module, or contact the team via iatl.modules@warwick.ac.uk

Please note: UG modules are available to all undergraduate students in years 2, 3, or 4, and PG modules to all Master's/PGT students, but require home department approval. Speak to your personal tutor or Director of Studies to find out more.

IATL Project Support

As a global community, changing circumstances have inspired many of us to reflect more deeply than ever on the importance of cultivating community and imagining possible futures for education. In response, IATL has reconceptualised the project support we offer to develop innovative approaches to fostering community and imagining the future of learning at Warwick. IATL will be offering workshops, resources, expertise and funding of up to £1500 to support projects. Areas in which IATL shares practice include co-creation, interdisciplinarity, cultivating communities of learning, practices of teaching and learning, innovative assessment practices, student as researcher, wellbeing practices and international teaching and learning. This opportunity is open to both students and staff and widens the focus to emphasise support and the development of communities of practice, as well as on funding.

Visit IATL's Project Support page to find out more information on these and other research and funding opportunities, requirements, and deadlines.

You are welcome to discuss any aspect of these research opportunities and your application with the IATL team. Please contact the team at IATL.Projectsupport@warwick.ac.uk

IATL Student Ensemble

The Student Ensemble is a trans-disciplinary group of Warwick students and an alumni network that facilitates learning through performance practice. Established at the CAPITAL Centre in 2009 (with funding from the Higher Education Academy), this group has since worked with international practitioners and local communities at the Emerge Festival and Laboratory as well as visiting professionals and graduate companies.

Find out more on the IATL website

International Conference of Undergraduate Research (ICUR)

Led and sponsored by the University of Warwick and Monash University, the International Conference of Undergraduate Research (ICUR) is an annual, two-day academic conference. Using video-conferencing technology, ICUR provides undergraduate researchers with a unique opportunity to present and discuss their own research – in any discipline in real-time, without having to leave their home university.

ICUR challenges undergraduate students to rethink their work in an international context. As a forum, it requires presenters to consider the perspective of students from different backgrounds, and to anticipate what may be shared across cultures and local contexts. This challenge translates to research questions as well, encouraging students to examine global and regional trends in their research field, and how these might conflict with local concerns and specificities.

Since its establishment in 2013, more than 2000 students from 17 institutions on 5 continents have presented at ICUR. At Warwick alone, 568 students have presented since ICUR began.

Find out more on the ICUR website.

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Library Study Blog: The blog is designed to connect students with information, support and their community. It contains posts offering tips and secrets on a wide range of study skills for example improving presentations, avoid plagiarism pitfalls, preventing library fines and much more. Posts are written both by Library staff and by students about their study experiences.

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Master's Academic Writing Programme

Master's Academic WritingLink opens in a new window is the first step into research writing. Your examinations are mostly based on (module) written assignments, leading to your dissertation. Your writing should be able to demonstrate not only your ability to analyse, critically engage with material and develop complex arguments, but also aspects of originality. You can find a range of courses on academic writing, critical thinking and discipline specific literature reviews. Browse the coursesLink opens in a new window and select those that suit you best.

Master's Skills Programme

The Master's Skills ProgrammeLink opens in a new window brings together several of the development opportunities that are offered to Warwick Master’s students in one place.

Organising yourself and your time
Planning and managing projects
Academic study skills
Critical thinking
Critical writing
Speed reading
Taking notes effectively
Planning and managing projects
Effective literature searching
Introduction to Master's Writing
On Track - dissertation workshops*

*Your school may also offer specific dissertation support - check with your personal tutor

There is also support available for group research projects:

Becoming more assertive
Working in a team
Intercultural training
Leading a group project
Planning and managing projects

For a full list of workshops visit the Programme pageLink opens in a new window and sign up for the workshops that interest you and develop your skills!

Workshops run across all three terms and can be used towards the Warwick Skills Portfolio AwardLink opens in a new window.

If you think the Programme is missing a workshop that you are interested in, please email the the Programme team the details at skills@warwick.ac.uk

Monash-Warwick Alliance funding

Monash University and the University of Warwick have formed a strategic alliance that aims to enhance the experiences of students at both universities through the development of new models of education and research collaboration.

The Student-led Activity Scheme provides support for activities that seek to integrate the student bodies of both universities, develop ”globally-engaged students” through working as part of international teams, increase both the impact and profile of existing student-led activities at both universities, and transfer knowledge and innovation in student activities across both campuses.

Examples of activities which can be considered for support include academic-related events (e.g. summits, student conferences), cultural and intercultural activities, including sporting events, and skills development events.

The Student-led Activity Scheme provides support of up to a maximum of £15,000 (for expenses incurred by Warwick students).

Find out more on the Monash-Warwick Alliance website

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PG Hub: The Postgrad Hub (PG Hub) is a dedicated space for postgrads, enabling them to access support, work in a collaborative environment and socialise with peers. Click on the link to check availability, latest updates, support, and exclusive postgraduate and research events.

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Reinvention Journal

Reinvention is an online, peer-reviewed journal, dedicated to the publication of high-quality undergraduate student research. The journal welcomes academic articles from all disciplinary areas. All articles undergo rigorous peer review, based on initial editor screening and refereeing by two or three anonymous referees. Reinvention is published bi-annually and only houses papers written by undergraduate students or papers written collaboratively by undergraduate students and academics.

Reinvention is published through the Institute for Advanced Teaching and Learning and is an open access journal. Students are encouraged to make their work as interactive as possible and to include tables, diagrams and links to films, photographs and other websites where appropriate. Papers should be between 2,000 and 5,000 words in length, not including the abstract, bibliography and any appendices. They receive thorough feedback on their paper, regardless of whether it gets published or not.

Students also receive training on writing for publications, learning about what a journal article is, how it’s structured, and how to critically revise one’s publications.

Find out more on the Reinvention website

Research and Study Skills (for UG and Master's students)

The Student Development team at Student Opportunity offer training and support to develop your research and study skills. You might find the following workshops particularly interesting:

For a full list of workshops visit the Undergraduate Skills Programme or the Master's Skills Programme web pages. Sign up for the workshops on MyAdvantage. Workshops run across all three terms and can be used towards the Warwick Skills Portfolio Award. If you think a workshop that you are interested in is missing, please complete our bespoke workshop request form.

You can also visit one of the drop in session with a Writing mentor, a Numerical Skills Mentor, book a 1:1 academic skills appointment, or explore online learning and skills development resources on Warwick's Skills Youtube channel.

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Undergraduate Research Scholarship Scheme (URSS): The Undergraduate Research Scholarship Scheme (URSS) gives students the chance to become directly involved in the research work of the University, experience what it's like to be a member of a research team and take part in cutting-edge research. URSS is a competitive scheme that provides living expenses (up to £1,000) and skills development training to support successful applicants who wish to carry out a summer research project as an addition to their undergraduate degree course. Undertaking a summer research project via the URSS is more than just doing a project – it will give you dedicated skills training opportunities too. The Scheme gives you both a taste of research, invaluable for those looking to pursue postgraduate study, and also adds further value to your degree from Warwick. URSS has been in place since 2002, with students on the scheme having travelled to Europe and further afield to undertake the research.

Find out more on the URSS website.

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English and Comparative Literary Studies

Student Research

Undergraduate

In the curriculum: Modules

In the curriculum: Dissertation

Extra-curricular research opportunities

Examples of departmental student research projects

Postgraduate

Research opportunities for postgraduate taught students

Student research opportunities outside of the Department

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M

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Explore the Student Research hub

Have an idea? Email your department to find out more.

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