The Program in PhD in British, Irish, and American Literatures in English comprises two phases, the first of which consists of three modules: core curriculum courses in the fields of literary theory, cultural studies, and a literary history stretching over the first three semesters; teaching, tutoring, mentoring, and other department-related activities (second and third semesters); individual research for the thesis (continuous) and revision for the final exam (fourth semester). Having earned the required credits and passed the final exam, students enter the second phase, wherein they are required to finish their theses with the help of their supervisors, and submit it two years after their final exam. The program is thus divided into two years of coursework and two years of research and writing, with tutors helping candidates all along on their way toward receiving their PhDs.

We offer MPhil and PhD research programmes in English (including American Studies), Comparative Literature or Linguistics for full or part-time study.

The development of this research programme should improve knowledge and understanding of English literature from its origins. Students are exposed to a variety of literary genres (poetry, theatre, fiction and non-fiction), as well as the main aesthetic, political, religious and social issues that have influenced and helped shape the literature of every era.

Graduates are highly qualified specialists in literary and cultural studies focused on English-speaking countries, especially the literature and cultures on the British Isles and in North America. They have a good command of theoretical and methodological approaches, are able to conduct independent research and to teach literary and cultural histories of the United Kingdom, USA, Ireland and other English-speaking countries, and related literary and cultural courses, at tertiary level. They can participate in team research projects and work in international research teams. Czech graduates have a good command of the terminology and style of the discipline in their mother tongue and possess basic knowledge of the reception of Anglophone literature in Czech culture.

This study program submitted for review aims to train professionals who can creatively apply their theoretical expertise in English studies within a broadly conceived context of education that spans all educational stages. The program also fosters ingenuity and flexibility, thus producing erudite experts who can reassess the ever-changing needs of foreign language teaching and incorporate these into their methodology. Perhaps most importantly, the study program submitted for review is a symbiosis between the major field of study (i.e. English philology, spanning linguistic and literary-cultural aspects) on the one hand, and didactics of English and applied didactics on the other. This is a program without specialization.

PhD by research via Distance Learning is awarded after successfully completing a theoretical research specialization. This research is presented in the form of a doctoral thesis. The PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) is the only doctoral degree that can be achieved through distance learning. The main requirement for a PhD online through distance learning is to present and discuss a thesis of at least 100 pages for review and evaluation by an academic committee at Selinus University. The development of this research programme should improve knowledge and understanding of English literature from its origins. Students are exposed to a variety of literary genres (poetry, theatre, fiction and non-fiction), as well as the main aesthetic, political, religious and social issues that have influenced and helped shape the literature of every era. Research in this area is not only fundamental for the future professorship of candidates to understand the literature understudy, but must also develop the related historical aspects of the English language. By mastering these concepts, candidates can gain a deeper appreciation of the development and expansion of English literature worldwide.

The doctoral degree program in literature in English provides advanced instruction in traditional areas of literary studies and in contextual, interdisciplinary, and transnational approaches to literature and culture.