CIRCL PhD

Scroll Down

Sadly, the MA (M(Res)) in Children’s Literature has been closed by the University of Reading and is no longer accepting applications for 2025-26. Anyone who has already applied will receive formal notification from the University in due course. This website will remain live for CIRCL PhD and academic research.

The world-famous MA in Children’s Literature was the oldest in Britain based on literary and cultural studies approaches. The MA was taught by leading international experts in Children’s and Young Adult Literature and was run by the ‘Graduate Centre for International Research in Childhood: Literature, Culture, Media (CIRCL)’. It was formally a Master’s Research (MRes) because it provided excellent training for further research at PhD level, but it was a fully taught degree. This was an academically outstanding course on Children’s and Young Adult Literature and its history, critical approaches and theoretical issues. It also included engagement with childhood and young adult studies and children’s media. It is notable that the kind of critical thinking and reading taught on this M(Res) could not be done by Artificial Intelligence (AI)! This remains the case also for the CIRCL PhD.

[circl dot] CIRCL

CIRCL-PhD

PhD
CIRCL-Careers

Careers
CIRCL-MRes

Student Views

PhD Students’ Application

Applications for the CIRCL PhD are through the University of Reading’s online application system. The buttons on this page will take you to these links. If you have any questions about the CIRCL PhD please read the PhD page. For more questions feel free to contact our staff.

PhD Student’s Application

For more information
Contact CIRCL staff[contact us icon]

Latest News