Dr. Clair Wills

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Biography

Clair Wills arrived at the University of Cambridge in 2018 to take up the post of King Edward VII Professor of English Literature. Previously, she taught at Princeton University, Queen Mary University of London, and the University of Essex. Her graduate work in the late 1980s at Oxford focused on contemporary Northern Irish poetry, particularly the works of Paul Muldoon and Medbh McGuckian. She has maintained a strong interest in Irish literature and history, researching Irish feminism and women's writing, the history of Ireland during the World War, and post-war Irish emigration to England. Her recent work explores the cultural history of post-war immigration to Britain and the experiences within psychiatric hospitals as carceral institutions in both Britain and Ireland. Wills is a Fellow of the British Academy and an Honorary Member of the Royal Irish Academy. She writes regularly for the London Review of Books and the New York Review of Books.

Research Interests

Experience

King Edward VII Professor

2018-01-01 — Present

University of Cambridge • Cambridge, England

Professor of English Literature overseeing the study and research of Irish literature and its cultural context.

Lecturer

2000-01-01 — 2018-01-01

Princeton University • Princeton, USA

Lectured on English Literature with an emphasis on Irish poetry.

Lecturer

1995-01-01 — 2000-01-01

Queen Mary University of London • London, England

Lectured on themes of Irish Literature and cultural studies.

Lecturer

1990-01-01 — 1995-01-01

University of Essex • Colchester, England

Lectured in English Literature focusing on post-war immigration and Irish cultural narratives.

Requirements for University of Cambridge

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.7
IELTS
Listening
Required:7
Reading
Required:7
Writing
Required:7
Speaking
Required:7
Overall
Required:7.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:25
Reading
Required:25
Writing
Required:25
Speaking
Required:25
Total
Required:110
Prerequisites
UK Bachelor's Degree with good Upper Second Class Honours or international equivalent Background in international relations, politics, law, economics, security or history is a definite asset
Application Checklist
  • Two academic references
  • Official transcripts
  • CV/Resume
  • Personal statement (approx 500 words)
  • Research proposal (1-2 pages/500 words)
  • Application fee (£50)
Specialization Notes

Standard postgraduate requirements for Department of Politics and International Studies (POLIS) and related humanities departments.