how to get a phd in history uk

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PhD in History

The PhD is taught by individual supervision .

There are lots of opportunities on offer: you can gain instruction in specialist disciplines, such as palaeography, languages, and computing; you can undertake training in professional skills appropriate for historians; you will be able to attend research seminars and workshops, and lots more. There is also now training available in transferable skills, such as communication, self-awareness and team-building. Although you will be focusing on your own research for most of your time, we want to help you to become a well-rounded and successful PhD candidate.

• 3-4 years full-time
• 5-7 years part-time

If you are interested in part-time study, please visit our Part-Time PhD in History page for more information.

At a glance

Students will research and write a doctoral thesis of up to 80,000 words, representing   an original contribution to knowledge.

They will be supported throughout   the course by a Supervisor, an experienced Cambridge academic who will provide   one-to-one   advice and feedback. At the same time, the student will take part in Cambridge's vibrant research community,   attending seminars, postgraduate workshops and a broad spectrum of skills training.

Students are formally assessed twice. At the end of their third term, they submit a Progress Essay (up to 10,000) words and meet formally   with their Supervisor and Advisor (another academic who provides additional guidance). This meeting determines whether the student has made sufficient progress to complete their thesis on schedule.

At the end of their research project, students submit their completed thesis and take part in an oral ('viva voce') examination on its contents. The two examiners will be leading academics in the   field.  

Students can expect to receive:  

• Regular oral feedback from their supervisor, as well as termly online feedback reports;
• Oral feedback from peers during postgraduate workshops and seminars;
• Access to regular training sessions and relevant undergraduate lectures to develop key skills;
• Support for fieldwork research;
• Opportunities to teach and supervise undergraduate students in their field of research.

If you have any questions, drop us a line on  [email protected]

What are we looking for?

We see the primary purpose of the PhD being the preparation and presentation of a substantial piece of original research. From the very beginning of the PhD course, the student focuses on the writing of the doctoral dissertation. History is a broad subject which covers many areas, and we are always very excited to see the sheer range of research proposals submitted. When looking at this, we consider:

• Whether it represents a significant contribution to learning through the discovery of new knowledge, the connection of previously unrelated facts, the development of a new theory or the revision of older views;
• Whether it takes due account of previously published work on the subject and you are therefore well-read;
• Whether the thesis is clearly and concisely written, without exceeding the maximum limit of 80,000 words (excluding footnotes and bibliography).

If a research proposal is likely to take significantly longer than three years to complete, we don’t tend to accept it. However, if your topic seems feasible within the time-frame then we will be very interested!

Are there any course requirements?

Please also see the ‘ Requirements ’ tab in the prospectus on Graduate Admissions page:

For full-time PhD candidates, we require that you pursue supervised research in residence in Cambridge for nine consecutive terms (three calendar years). ‘In residence’ means living within a distance of 10 miles from the centre of Cambridge.

The dissertation must be submitted by the end of the twelfth term, earlier if possible.

In terms of applicant requirements, you can see our language and academic requirements on the link provided above. Otherwise, we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply – we are a multicultural university and in your life as a PhD candidate, you will meet people from all over the world! The PhD is intellectually demanding so consider whether you have the self-motivation to pursue research at a high level of scholarship, and whether you have the enthusiasm to keep going when the going gets tough. You will not be alone in your studies, though – there are plenty of people here to help, including supervisors, administrators, college tutors, as well as many others.

PhD students are expected to begin their studies at the start of the term they choose to enter, usually October, January, or April. You will be in residence continuously throughout the year, apart from short breaks for research.

As the full-time PhD requires full-time study, we ask that students do not take any outside employment (even part-time employment).

How is the PhD examined?

Once you have submitted a full dissertation, it is examined by two examiners. These examiners are appointed by the Degree Committee after consultation with your supervisor. You will then have a viva voce – an oral examination – on the dissertation and the general field of your knowledge into which your dissertation falls. The University of Cambridge does not offer any qualifying grades or credits, so you will be awarded a pass or a fail – we hope it’s the former!

The below outlines, for full-time candidates, the registration and submission dates:

Minimum number of terms of research needed before submitting

• Qualification: PhD
• Term (1 being your first term): 9

Minimum number of terms of research which need to be in Cambridge (in order to qualify for the PhD)

• Term (1 being your first term): 3

End of term by which your draft dissertation must be submitted to your supervisor

• Term (1 being your first term): 10

Absolute final submission deadline

• Term (1 being your first term): 12

Maximum number of terms for which an exemption or allowance will be made following a one-year course

For full-time PhD students their first year is a probationary year, at the end of which they undertake something called the RAE. This is the Registration Assessment Exercise, which is held between the student, the supervisor, and an Advisor (we appoint them for you). You submit work and then have a meeting to discuss what you have submitted, in order to check that you are on track and help you continue to frame your research.  This exercise should take place in the third term of study. Once registered by the Faculty Degree Committee, you are a registered PhD student; up until this point, you are a NOTAF, which means ‘not at first registered’.

The piece of work you submit for the RAE is likely to be surveying your field of research, summarising progress so far, proposing a research strategy and timetable, and indicating the original contribution to knowledge that is intended.

Although it might sound like a scary process, this is your chance to shine and show off how much work you have done during your first year and how your research is coming along! It’s also a chance to discuss any problems, issues, or worries you may have with your research in a formal setting, though you will have ample opportunity to do this with your supervisor before the third term RAE.

Often, you will be starting the PhD course with a background of suitable research training which you undertook before admission, e.g. your Masters or MPhil degree. While you are at Cambridge, you can broaden this as much as you wish with the number of different opportunities available.

You may find it useful to consult our current Postgraduate Training pages

There are also plenty of other options within the University, for example other Departments and Faculties, as well as University-wide seminars, workshops, and conferences held throughout the year. There is a fantastic Language Centre as well as a specialist training system .This is before we’ve even started on what may be offered through your particular college!

Your supervisor is an excellent resource to use in terms of asking what is available and if there is anything which would suit you. They will be happy to help.

We actively encourage all of our full-time students to complete their PhDs within three years.

In order to help you stay on track, we ask that every full-time candidate undergo an assessment exercise in the Lent Term of their third year of research. You submit a one- to two-page synopsis of your dissertation together with a timetable for completion. You then have a formal discussion with your supervisor, and sometimes the Advisor.

The major government grant-giving bodies expect all our full-time students to complete within a maximum of four years. Therefore, in order to secure future funding for its students, the Degree Committee monitors its submissions rates closely. This is why we place emphasis on your research proposal being something feasible for completion in three years, and also why we have the first and third year assessments in order to help you as much as we can.

The fourth year isn’t guaranteed, so do try to plan your topic within a three-year time span. By that time, we hope you’ll be eager to get started on your career after the training you will have received at Cambridge!

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Study at one of the top History departments in the UK, ranked fifth in the UK for the quality of our research in the most recent Research Excellence Framework.  

Based in the heart of London, we are located close to some of the country’s best resources for historical research, including our very own Liddell Hart military archives.

These archives are unique to King’s, cover more than a century of modern history and war, and are free for King's students to use.   

At King’s we also have further collections of more than 5 million archives, rare books, photographs and illustrations that span more than 500 years of world history. 

Whatever your research passion, we offer specialist PhD supervision in a wide variety of subject areas, from the medieval to the modern periods, covering British and Irish, European, and Global and Imperial History, as well as the History of Science, Technology and Medicine.  

History Research

MPhil/PhD Research from the Department of History at King's College London, option of joint PhD with Hong Kong University/National University of Singapore.

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Palaeography & Manuscript Studies

MPhil/PhD Research in Palaeography & Manuscript Studies at King's College London.

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The Department of History currently has around 60 active researchers and over 100 PhD students

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PhD History / Overview

Year of entry: 2024

• View full page
• Bachelor's (Honours) degree at 2:1 or above (or overseas equivalent); and 
• Master's degree in a relevant subject – with an overall average of 65% or above, a minimum mark of 65% in your dissertation and no mark below 55% (or overseas equivalent) 
• Any strong relevant professional experience will be considered on a case by case basis.

Full entry requirements

Apply online

Please ensure you include all  required supporting documents at the time of submission, as incomplete applications may not be considered. 

Application Deadlines 

For consideration in internal funding competitions, you must submit your completed application by  12 January 2024. 

If you are applying for or have secured external funding (for example, from an employer or government) or are self–funding, you must submit your application before the below deadlines to be considered. You will not be able to apply after these dates have passed. 

• For September 2024 entry:  30 June 2024 
• For January 2025 entry:  30 September 2024 

Programme options

Programme overview.

• Our interests span from the early Medieval to the present day, across Britain, continental Europe, South and East Asia, Africa and the Americas.
• Join a large and lively PhD researcher community, with over 40 established members of research-engaged staff.
• Top 5 History department in the UK for research (overall GPA, REF2021).
• We are committed to investing in our History department, and have welcomed 20 new academic staff in the last four years.

We will be conducting our PGR virtual open week in October 2024. Find out about future events and postgraduate research sessions by signing up for our email alerts.

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows:

• PhD (full-time) UK students (per annum): £4,786 International, including EU, students (per annum): £21,500
• PhD (part-time) UK students (per annum): £2,393

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

Please note for the majority of projects where experimentation requires further resource: higher fee bands (where quoted) will be charged rather than the base rate for supervision, administration and computational costs. The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive and, therefore, you will not be required to pay any additional bench fees or administration costs.

All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of the course for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for International students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit: postgraduate fees . Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your project.

Scholarships/sponsorships

There are a range of scholarships, studentships and awards to support both UK and overseas postgraduate researchers, details of which can be found via the links below.

To apply University of Manchester funding, you must indicate in your application the competitions for which you wish to be considered. The deadline for most internal competitions, including AHRC NWCDTP and School of Arts, Languages and Cultures studentships is 12 January 2024. 

All external funding competitions have a specified deadline for submitting the funding application form and a separate (earlier) deadline for submitting the online programme application form, both of which will be stated in the funding competition details below.

For more information about funding, visit our funding page to browse for scholarships, studentships and awards you may be eligible for.

• ESRC North West Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP) PhD Studentships - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• AHRC North West Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership (NWCDTP) PhD Studentships - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• School of Arts, Languages and Cultures PhD Studentships 2024 Entry - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• China Scholarship Council - The University of Manchester (CSC-UoM) Joint Scholarship Programme - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• School of Arts, Languages and Cultures New Generation PhD Studentships - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• President's Doctoral Scholar (PDS) Awards - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• Trudeau Doctoral Scholarships 2024 Entry
• Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (High Income Countries)
• Humanities Doctoral Academy Humanitarian Scholarship 2024 Entry

Contact details

See: About us

Programmes in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of programmes in related subject areas.

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The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website .

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website .

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PhD in History

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Course closed:

History is no longer accepting new applications.

The PhD in History is an advanced research degree, awarded on the basis of a thesis and an oral viva voce examination. The primary purpose of the PhD is the preparation and presentation of a substantial piece of independent and original academic research, completed in three or four years if studying full-time and five years if studying part-time.

Every PhD student in the Faculty of History is supported by a supervisor (or in some cases, supervisors). Supervisors are experts in their field of study and support students throughout the PhD. Students will also benefit from the advice and support of other academic members of the Faculty who will be involved in progression through the various stages of the PhD, from the registration assessment exercise at the end of the first year through to the completion of the thesis.

Most of our PhD students study here full-time but each year we admit a number of students who wish to study on a part-time basis. Part-time study can be ideal for those who are looking to gain a postgraduate qualification without leaving employment and wish to develop their careers while they continue earning, or for those who are home-based for whatever reason and wish to develop their skills. However, it’s important to note that the part-time PhD at Cambridge is not a distance-learning course. Part-time students are expected to fully engage with the Faculty, to integrate into the research culture of the University and to attend the University on a regular basis for supervision, study, skills training, research seminars and workshops.

Throughout their time at the Faculty, PhD students are encouraged to attend one or more of the Faculty’s postgraduate workshops in their subject group or area of research. These workshops are spaces for PhD students to share their work and collaborate with visiting speakers, academic and peers. 

Learning Outcomes

The Cambridge PhD is designed as structured, flexible and individual preparation for becoming a professional researcher. It will help students develop the core skills needed by arts, humanities or social sciences professional researcher of the future, which are valued by both academic and non-academic employers.

The Faculty’s MPhil programmes provide excellent preparation for doctoral study and many of our MPhil students choose to stay at Cambridge to pursue a Cambridge PhD.

Students wishing to continue to the PhD are normally expected to achieve an overall average of 70 in their MPhil with a mark of at least 70 in their dissertation.

Admission to the PhD is always subject to the availability of a suitable supervisor.

The Postgraduate Virtual Open Day usually takes place at the end of October. It’s a great opportunity to ask questions to admissions staff and academics, explore the Colleges virtually, and to find out more about courses, the application process and funding opportunities. Visit the  Postgraduate Open Day  page for more details.

See further the  Postgraduate Admissions Events  pages for other events relating to Postgraduate study, including study fairs, visits and international events.

Key Information

3-4 years full-time, 4-7 years part-time, study mode : research, doctor of philosophy, faculty of history, course - related enquiries, application - related enquiries, course on department website, dates and deadlines:, michaelmas 2024 (closed).

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Funding Deadlines

These deadlines apply to applications for courses starting in Michaelmas 2024, Lent 2025 and Easter 2025.

Similar Courses

• Political Thought and Intellectual History MPhil
• Modern British History MPhil
• History of Art and Architecture MPhil
• World History MPhil
• History of Art PhD

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History MPhil/PhD

London, Bloomsbury

The UCL History MPhil/PhD programme offers students the possibility to study in the heart of London in a vibrant and diverse research community. Students will work with world-leading academics, gaining the skills to move into careers both within and outside academia.

Important notice

We are aware of issues relating to new applicants registering for graduate courses within SITS. We are investigating the cause and a fix as a matter of urgency. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

UK tuition fees (2024/25)

Overseas tuition fees (2024/25), programme starts, applications accepted.

Applications closed

• Entry requirements

A minimum of a Master’s degree in a relevant discipline from a UK university, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 4

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website .

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

You will have access to our vast academic expertise and a plethora of networking opportunities; you will also be able to help organise events. We offer individual research supervision from world-leading historians and are committed to providing a PhD programme that reflects our students' diverse needs.

Who this course is for

Studying for a PhD requires individuals to be self-motivated, independent and committed to their research topic.

What this course will give you

With its wide-ranging expertise, covering almost all areas of historical scholarship, and its proximity to institutions such as the British Library, the Institute of Historical Research and the Warburg Institute, UCL offers unique conditions for doctoral research in history. Our staff, as well as our student body, are from all over the world, creating a diverse research environment.

In addition to the department's regular training sessions, most doctoral students participate in the Institute of Historical Research seminars and take modules at the UCL Doctoral School. Our research students regularly organise their own workshops, conferences and seminars, including an annual postgraduate research conference hosted at UCL.

The foundation of your career

Recent graduates have taken up academic posts at the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Kent and St Andrews, whilst others have entered careers in the civil service and the cultural sector, working as archivists and curators in institutions such as the Tower of London.

Employability

As part of the degree, students get training designed to help enhance their employability. The department runs a bi-weekly Research Training Seminar, which includes sessions that focus specifically on skills needed for academics and guidance on careers outside of academia. There is also a wide variety of courses available to students via the Skills Development programme, including languages, academic writing for non-native English speakers, and professional and career development sessions on getting published and research and analysis methods. The department is strongly connected with UCL's Careers Service and delivers specialist sessions for research students.

Students have excellent opportunities to connect with other scholars and relevant professionals. The department supports those organising and attending conferences, including the annual event that postgraduates run within the department. Students are strongly encouraged to attend and give conference papers, establishing contacts with academics and peers in their field. Speakers at the Research Training Seminar include colleagues from History, other UCL departments and from other universities, libraries, archives, and heritage organisations across the UK. Networking is also facilitated by events organised nearby at the Institute of Historical Research, the Royal Historical Society, and the AHRC Doctoral Training Partnership consortium, which includes KCL and the School of Advanced Study.

Teaching and learning

Most of the three or four years during which you are studying for your PhD will be spent engaging in independent research in consultation with your supervisor. Regular meetings with this supervisor will inform the structure and timescale of your research. Your work and these meetings will be recorded in a compulsory research log, which allows you and the department to be sure that you are making appropriate progress.

As a History PhD student, you are invited to attend Research Training Seminars, which run roughly fortnightly during the first two terms of each academic year. These seminars offer skills training and host research presentations from students in the later years of the programme; they are compulsory for you to attend until your upgrade. Many students later in the PhD process will continue to attend relevant sessions.

PhD students will produce a thesis of no more than 100,000 words. 

Attendance at the weekly (two-hour) Research Training Seminar is compulsory for PhD students in their first year. Meetings with supervisors will be regular but arranged on an individual basis. Predominantly, students will be engaged in self-directed study.

Research areas and structure

• American and Latin American history
• Ancient history (in particular, Greek, Roman and the ancient Near East)
• Medieval history
• Early modern and modern history of Britain and Europe
• Intellectual history
• Transnational history
• History of medicine

The department currently hosts a number of UK Research Council-funded projects including 'Women in the Miners' Strike', 'The Nahrein Network: New Ancient History Research for Education in Iraq and its Neighbours', and 'Democracy, Autocracy, and Sovereign Debt'.

Research environment

At any one time, the Department of History contains between 70 and 90 postgraduate research students working on topics that range chronologically from the ancient Near East to twentieth-century Europe and the Americas. The department hosts several projects funded by UK and European research councils .

As a student on a research degree, you will usually be registered for three years (full-time) or five years (part-time), with the option of a further year as a completing research student (CRS) in which to finish writing up your research.

You are expected to upgrade from MPhil to PhD status after around 12 months; this usually occurs in the third term of your first year of (full-time) study. You will be required to submit an upgrade packet, which includes a case study based on your research and a plan for the rest of your thesis. You will make an oral presentation before supervisors and other students, and you will be interviewed by a panel including your secondary supervisor, the graduate tutor, and an external examiner not involved in your supervision. Successful completion of the upgrade allows you to transfer to full PhD status.

As a student on a part-time research degree, you will usually be registered for five years, with the option of a further year as a completing research student (CRS) in which to finish writing up your research.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk . Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team .

Fees and funding

Fees for this course.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees .

Additional costs

Additional research costs associated with PhD research vary depending on the project. Some students may need to complete research trips, both in the UK and overseas, depending on the scope of their research.

Students whose PhD is being funded by an external body will likely receive a research allowance as part of their award. The department also allows all PhD students to apply for funding to support their research at two points in the academic year (although this is not guaranteed). Funding is allocated on a case-by-case basis, and non-funded students without other research funds are prioritised when allocations are made.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs .

Funding your studies

Students who wish to be considered for most of the major funding schemes must submit their application to UCL before our departmental deadline. All applications received by this date will be considered for any UCL funding scheme for which they are eligible. External funding organisations may require you to complete additional, separate application forms. For more information on this please see  our Funding page .

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website .

UCL Research Opportunity Scholarship (ROS)

Deadline: 12 January 2024 Value: UK rate fees, a maintenance stipend, conference costs and professional development package (3 years) Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need Eligibility: UK

We recommend that students identify and contact their potential supervisor before they submit their application to us. More guidance is available on our Prospective Students page . 

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

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Duration: 4 years full time or 5 years part time

Institution code: R72

Campus: Egham and Central London

UK fees * : £4,786

International/EU fees ** : £23,400

We are one of the largest and most diverse history departments in the United Kingdom. We offer expert supervision in a wide range of subject areas, both in geographic and chronological terms - from the Reconstruction South of the US to colonial Tahiti, and from ancient Rome to contemporary Britain.

Research clusters with a global reputation include the study of the Holocaust and comparative genocide, material culture and gender history, Public History, the history of South Asia and the Islamic World, the history of early Christianity and Late Antiquity, and Byzantine and Crusading History.

Our postgraduate student body is as diverse as our subject specialisations, including many overseas and mature students. Our department places central importance on public engagement with many of our colleagues sharing their expertise regularly on television and radio, and writing for a wider reading public. We also maintain close partnerships with institutions like the British Museum, the Museum of London, Kew Gardens and the Imperial War Museum to give our research public impact.

Research facilities and environment

Much of our research is organised in dedicated research centres and research clusters that run seminar programmes, prestigious annual lectures, and conferences. Centres and Institutes based in the Department of History include The Holocaust Research Institute, Hellenic Institute, Bedford Centre for the History of Women and Gender, London Centre for Public History and Heritage, and Centre for the Study of the Body and Material Culture). Our emphasis on Public History is reflected in a range of institutional partnerships that include several collaborative PhD projects.

Our doctoral programme is funded by the TECHNE consortium, a network of academic institutions with a humanities focus that favours interdisciplinary research with public impact.

Royal Holloway houses a growing research archive with material related to Victorian history, women’s history and South Asian history. As a London university we also offer easy access to the British Library, the National Archives, Senate House Library, the Institute of Historical Research, The Commonwealth Institute, The Wiener Library, and a host of other research bodies and institutions.

MRes degrees require dissertation of up to 40,000 words which is assessed by an internal and external examiner. Similar to a PhD degree, the dissertation is not graded, but assessed for necessary corrections. A viva voce is only required at the examiner’s request.

PhD degrees require a dissertation of up to 100,000 words which is assessed by an internal and external examiner (not members of the supervisory team). The dissertation is not graded but assessed for necessary corrections. A viva voce examination is a required part of the assessment process.

Entry requirements

For the MRes we require a good undergraduate degree in History or a cognate subject (usually of a British 2.1 or above standard). Non-standard backgrounds may be considered. For the MPhil/PhD we normally require a good Masters degree in History or in a subject that is cognate with History (such as Politics or English Literature). There are minimum English language requirements for overseas students in line with general admission policies to the college.

English language requirements

All teaching at Royal Holloway is in English. You will therefore need to have good enough written and spoken English to cope with your studies right from the start.

The scores we require

• IELTS: 6.5 overall. Writing 7.0. No other subscore lower than 5.5.
• Pearson Test of English: 61 overall. Writing 69. No other subscore lower than 51.
• Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English (ISE): ISE III.
• Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) grade C.
• TOEFL ib: 88 overall, with Reading 18 Listening 17 Speaking 20 Writing 26.

Country-specific requirements

For more information about country-specific entry requirements for your country please see  here .

We are proud of our many successful postgraduate research students that have gone on to academic positions in the UK and around the world. Several recent holders of doctoral awards have joined the civil service, or are working in the burgeoning heritage and museum sector. But this is by no means the only career choice available to History PhDs and MPhils. The skills associated with working on a disciplined research project for an extended period of time are also valued by employers outside the university system. For a small but significant number of mature students a research degree marks a break from a successful professional career, and a chance to cultivate life-long specialist research interests.

Fees & funding

Home (UK) students tuition fee per year*: £4,786

EU and international students tuition fee per year**: £23,400

Other essential costs***: There are no individual costs greater than £50 per item.

…How do I pay for it? Find out more about   funding options,   including loans, grants,   scholarships   and bursaries. 

* and ** These tuition fees apply to students enrolled on a full-time basis in the academic year 2024/25.

* Please note that for research courses, we adopt the minimum fee level recommended by the UK Research Councils for the Home   tuition fee. Each year, the fee level is adjusted in line with inflation (currently, the measure used is the Treasury GDP deflator). Fees displayed here are therefore subject to change and are usually confirmed in the spring of the year of entry.   For more information on the Research Council Indicative Fee please see the   UKRI website.

** This figure is the fee for EU and international students starting a degree in the academic year 2024/25.   

Royal Holloway reserves the right to increase all postgraduate tuition fees annually, based on the UK’s Retail Price Index (RPI). Please therefore be aware that tuition fees can rise during your degree (if longer than one year’s duration), and that this also means that the overall cost of studying the course part-time will be slightly higher than studying it full-time in one year. For further information, please see our  terms and conditions .

***   These estimated costs relate to studying this particular degree at Royal Holloway during the 2024/25 academic year and are included as a guide. Costs, such as accommodation, food, books and other learning materials and printing, have not been included. 

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Study Postgraduate

Mphil/phd in history (2024 entry).

Course code

30 September 2024

3-4 years full-time; 5-7 years part-time

Qualification

University of Warwick

Explore our MPhil/PhD in History.

With a reputation for national and international excellence and innovation, our History Department was ranked fourth in the country for the highest combined percentage (90%) of world-leading and internationally excellent research outputs (REF 2021). Surrounded and supported by a host of exceptional historians, you will be exposed to diverse and international views, people and research, all encouraging and challenging you to think unconventionally and creatively about the past.

Course overview

The breadth of expertise and experience in the History Department (currently forty or so full-time members of staff), along with a thriving culture of research, seminars and conferences, make Warwick one of the very best universities in the UK to undertake research in history. Our Department achieved a 93% overall satisfaction result in the 2021 Postgraduate Research Experience Survey, one of the highest in the country.

PhD students normally complete their degrees within three to four years of full-time study, or five to six years part-time. As a research student, your closest contact will be with your supervisor, or supervisors, who will meet with you regularly to discuss your work, and agree a programme of reading, research and writing with you.

Additional support and training, including English language support for those studying for a PhD in a second language, are provided by the Department, Arts Faculty and the Graduate School, as well as by History’s many reading groups, seminars, workshops and conferences. History researchers will benefit from the University Library’s Research Exchange, a dedicated postgraduate conference and study area, with state-of-the-art facilities.

For postgraduate queries, please email PGHistoryOffice at warwick dot ac dot uk

For further information, please visit the History Department web pages .

General entry requirements

Minimum requirements.

2:1 undergraduate degree and Master's degree (or equivalent) in History or a closely related subject

English language requirements

You can find out more about our English language requirements Link opens in a new window . This course requires the following:

• Overall IELTS (Academic) score of 7.0 and component scores of two at 6.0/6.5 and the rest at 7.0 or above.

All of our courses are delivered in English so, if English is not your first language, you have not graduated from an English speaking university or worked in an English speaking environment for at least two years you must demonstrate a minimum overall standard in a recognised English Language Test . The certificate will be required as evidence.

International qualifications

We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications.

For more information, please visit the international entry requirements page Link opens in a new window .

Additional requirements

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.

Our research

The Department of History at Warwick has particular strengths in the history of the early modern and modern periods. Our Faculty have expertise in subjects across the world, and a number of specialist Research Centres facilitating new research by students and scholars.

You can search our academic staff by their areas of expertise .

Warwick’s History Department features a host of exceptional historians and has an outstanding national and international reputation.

Our historians highlight global and innovative perspectives on traditional themes and share an enthusiasm for history beyond the confines of academia. Their research and teaching reflects a cutting-edge take on established historical fields and ideas. They are prepared to take an unconventional view. This willingness to look beyond the traditional boundaries of the discipline makes for a distinctive learning environment at Warwick.

The Department has an outstanding reputation as pioneering practitioners of social, cultural, early modern, European, Latin American and medical history, and has more recently been at the forefront of developing the methodologies of the new global history. Inspired by an expansive and inclusive vision of historical research, our historians' work is multi-disciplinary and draws on environmental, literary, visual and material sources spanning the globe across five centuries.

The Department’s commitment to supporting research that is internationally field-leading, innovative, and engaged is underpinned by the belief that understanding the past helps to shape the present and the future.

Research within the Department is underpinned by three key guiding principles: rendering visible people, objects, themes, institutions and processes whose histories have been neglected, misunderstood or under-valued; achieving engagement and impact for our findings, within academia, museums and archives and beyond; and internationalism, in terms of the scope of research, the composition of the Department, and our approach to collaboration.

If you are intellectually curious, and prepared for your investigations to take you into unexpected territories, you will be at home in Warwick’s Department of History.

You can also read our general University research proposal guidance.

Find a supervisor

Find your potential supervisor using the link below and contact them to discuss what you would like to research.

View our History Staff Directory where you will be able to explore the areas of expertise, research centres and research networks within the department. If you need additional guidance please email us .

You can also see our general University guidance about finding a supervisor .

Tuition fees

Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course at the start of the academic year, or at the start of your course, if later. Academic fees cover the cost of tuition, examinations and registration and some student amenities.

Find your research course fees

Fee Status Guidance

We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.

Do you need your fee classification to be reviewed?

If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.

Find out more about how universities assess fee status

Additional course costs

As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of field trips or costs associated with travel abroad.

For departmental specific costs, please see the Modules tab on the course web page for the list of core and optional core modules with hyperlinks to our  Module Catalogue  (please visit the Department’s website if the Module Catalogue hyperlinks are not provided).

Associated costs can be found on the Study tab for each module listed in the Module Catalogue (please note most of the module content applies to 2022/23 year of study). Information about module department specific costs should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below:

• Core text books
• Printer credits
• Dissertation binding
• Robe hire for your degree ceremony

Scholarships and bursaries

Scholarships and financial support

Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.

History Funding Opportunities

Find out more about the various funding opportunities that are available in our department.

Living costs

Find out more about the cost of living as a postgraduate student at the University of Warwick.

History at Warwick

Each year, we attract excellent students like you to Warwick.

We will help you develop the skills needed to conduct research, including in the archives, engage critically with your sources, and support you in developing critical thinking and writing skills.

Whether you’re working with classmates in seminars and workshops, or getting involved with the History Society, at every turn you’ll find like-minded people who share your fascination with the past and its significance in the present.

Get to know us better by exploring our departmental website. Link opens in a new window

Our courses

• Early Modern History (MA)
• Global and Comparative History (MA)
• History (MA by Research)
• History (MPhil/PhD)
• History of Medicine (MA)
• Modern History (MA)

Read more about our courses on the History website:

• History Postgraduate Taught courses
• History Postgraduate Research courses

How to apply

The application process for courses that start in September and October 2024 will open on 2 October 2023.

For research courses that start in September and October 2024 the application deadline for students who require a visa to study in the UK is 2 August 2024. This should allow sufficient time to complete the admissions process and to obtain a visa to study in the UK.

How to apply for a postgraduate research course  

After you’ve applied

Find out how we process your application.

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Postgraduate fairs.

Throughout the year we attend exhibitions and fairs online and in-person around the UK. These events give you the chance to explore our range of postgraduate courses, and find out what it’s like studying at Warwick. You’ll also be able to speak directly with our student recruitment team, who will be able to help answer your questions.

Join a live chat with our staff and students, who are here to answer your questions and help you learn more about postgraduate life at Warwick. You can join our general drop-in sessions or talk to your prospective department and student services.

Departmental events

Some academic departments hold events for specific postgraduate programmes, these are fantastic opportunities to learn more about Warwick and your chosen department and course.

See our online departmental events

Warwick Talk and Tours

A Warwick talk and tour lasts around two hours and consists of an overview presentation from one of our Recruitment Officers covering the key features, facilities and activities that make Warwick a leading institution. The talk is followed by a campus tour which is the perfect way to view campus, with a current student guiding you around the key areas on campus.

Connect with us

Learn more about Postgraduate study at the University of Warwick.

We may have revised the information on this page since publication. See the edits we have made and content history .

Why Warwick

Discover why Warwick is one of the best universities in the UK and renowned globally.

9th in the UK (The Guardian University Guide 2024) Link opens in a new window

67th in the world (QS World University Rankings 2024) Link opens in a new window

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About the information on this page

This information is applicable for 2024 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our terms and conditions to find out more.

PhD History Research Programme (V300)

We offer a wide menu of stimulating and innovative programmes, across diverse chronological and geographical fields of research.

The programme is also available via distance learning, which is designed for people who wish to study without travelling to Southampton regularly.

Introducing your degree

Studying history can help us define a path for our future society; it helps us to discover where we came from and how our civilisation evolved. Become an expert in your chosen field of research through the PhD History Research Programme. Take a step back in time and research history on a global scale. Develop your own understanding and work with specialists in this field, while networking with fellow like-minded students.

Programme Overview

We are known nationally and internationally for our excellence in research and teaching, and are continually improving the scope and delivery of our activities. We aim to generate a community of doctoral graduates equipped to act as research leaders in the discipline of History.

History at Southampton has one of the broadest communities of specialists in the UK, spanning the period from the Ancient World to the Contemporary era. Supervision is offered across a number of regions including Britain, Europe, America and South Asia, in the fields of political, social, economic, gender, imperial and maritime history.

Staff have strong interests in gender history, the history of identities, and the study of history and memory of migration, and offer supervision in a range of subject areas, including interdisciplinary research projects with Humanities colleagues.

Career opportunities are wide ranging and varied. Opportunities exist as a member of a research team in academic, leading toe future leadership positions within an academic context. The nature of the generic and discipline-specific skills obtained during your study make your experience and skills attractive to a range of organisations post-qualification.

Doctoral Programme Director:

Professor Mark Stoyle Tel: +44 (0) 23 8059 4860 Email: [email protected] www.southampton.ac.uk/history

View the doctoral programme profile for this course

Application process and required supporting documents

• University online application including a personal statement
• Research proposal
• 2 references
• English language (if relevant)
• Sample of written work

Candidates are advised to contact prospective supervisors with the subject of their proposed research prior to application.

Contact for postgraduate enquiries: Tel: +44 (0)23 8059 7433 [email protected]        www.southampton.ac.uk/history

Duration: up to 4 years (full time); up to 7 years (part time)

Assessment: Thesis (max 75,000 words), viva voce

Start date: Normally September and January each year

Closing date: 3 months before start date (also dependent on funding body deadlines); an application decision cannot be guaranteed in time for programme commencement unless a complete application is received in good time - students requiring a visa to study should also allow extra time for visa processes; informal enquiries welcome at any time

Entry Requirements

Typical entry requirements, academic entry requirements : first or upper second class honours degree and normally masters at merit level*, or an equivalent standard in other qualifications approved by the university in history or a cognate discipline..

(Merit 60%-69%, Distinction 70%+)

English language entry requirements : IELTS 6.5 overall, with a minimum of 6.5 in all components, or an equivalent standard in other qualifications approved by the University.

Selection process

Selection process: Online application and interview

Applications will be assessed under the following

• Evidence of general academic aptitude
• Preparedness or promise for doctoral research
• Quality of the research project proposal
• Fit with Southampton's research expertise

Applicant Quality: Your application will be judged against the following criteria:

• it provides evidence that you meet our entry requirements
• it demonstrates your personal suitability and commitment to undertake Doctoral study
• it provides supportive references that indicate your suitability to undertake a PhD
• it presents a well-focused and high quality research proposal which indicates potential to contribute original research to the discipline
• it demonstrates critical awareness of the scholarly field to which the research will contribute, and appropriate methods to carry out this work
• it may strengthen your application if you can demonstrate genuine interest in working with a named academic in the department 

Personal Statement: Use your Personal Statement to provide additional information relevant to your application. This should include the following:

• outline your reasons for wishing to conduct postgraduate research in your chosen area
• explain how your proposed research matches the research environment and supervisory expertise offered by History at Southampton
• reflect on how your education, skills, and experience will equip you for PhD study and to undertake your planned research
• indicate details of any other achievements/interests
• indicate any special circumstances pertaining to the academic record
• tell us what you hope to get from the programme

This page contains specific entry requirements for this course. Find out about equivalent entry requirements and qualifications for your country.

Programme Structure

Typical course content.

The PhD by Research programme has no modules per semester. Instead it is an entirely research-oriented programme in which students conduct original research under the guidance of their supervisors.

Learning and Supervision

In addition, you will further develop through opportunities to engage with the Centre for Colonial and Post-Colonial Studies, the Parkes Centre for the Study of Jewish/non-Jewish Relations, the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Culture, the Southampton Centre for Eighteenth Century Studies, and the Southampton Centre for Nineteenth Century Research Studies. Some research projects are further enhanced by the access to the resources of the Parkes Library and the Palmerston and Mountbatten Papers in the Special Collections of the University Library.

Fees & funding

Tuition fees.

Fees for postgraduate research degrees vary across the University. All fees are listed for UK and international full-time and part-time students alphabetically by course name.

Scholarships, bursaries, sponsorships or grants may be available to support you through your course. Funding opportunities available to you are linked to your subject area and/or your country of origin. These can be from the University of Southampton or other sources.

Learning & Teaching

A postgraduate research degree from Humanities at Southampton offers you the wide and varied experience you should expect from a leading research university. We are committed to providing a relevant, modern and above all enjoyable environment in which to undertake your research project, along with the opportunity to gain the additional skills and understanding you need to start a career in any number of areas including academia.

How will you learn?

On a postgraduate research programme is led by academic staff, allowing you to engage with, and contribute to, the world-leading research carried out in Humanities at Southampton. Independent learning is the main element of undertaking postgraduate research, but we will guide you through the research experience by providing not only a dedicated supervisory team who will be on hand to help you to shape and direct your research project, but also a programme of research and transferrable skills training to prepare you not only for the project, but also for the career path you may wish to follow after its completion. If there are gaps in your knowledge when you start with us, you can join our taught masters students on one of their courses to provide you with the additional grounding you need.

We view our doctoral candidates as early stage researchers, so expect you to get involved with the wider research environment within, and external to, the university. Our disciplines have many unique and exciting additional opportunities for you engage with: such as visiting Chawton House Library, the former home of Jane Austen; studying the Broadlands Archive, containing the papers of Palmerston and Mountbatten; being part of one of our student-led interdisciplinary reading groups; and the chance to hear from visiting speakers from international universities who are frequent part of our research centre-led lecture and seminar series. You will have many opportunities to give papers and presentations, receiving feedback from peers and colleagues on how you can improve your work, maximise its effectiveness and gain recognition for your efforts.

Students on the Distance Learning pathway have electronic access to learning resources (e.g. Blackboard; VLE; EAP Toolkit, an online English for Academic Purposes self-access resource) as well as additional support from the learning technologists based in the Faculty’s eLanguages unit. The Hartley Library offers an extensive and growing collection of e-books and electronic articles (JSTORE).

The goal of a PhD is a final thesis of 75,000 words. Assessment methods for progress relating to your research thesis will include oral presentations, written assignments, research proposal and progression reviews including Confirmation of PhD Registration. Summative assessment of the research thesis will include a viva voce examination with internal and external examiners.

Professional development

A PhD will enable you to further develop the key skills employers seek, such as: time management; problem solving; team work; deadline and project management; cultural awareness; working independently; using your initiative; relationship-building; critical thinking and research analysis. Above all, you will learn to communicate your ideas and enthusiasm for your research to a wide range of audiences.

Study locations

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How to Apply for a PhD in History?

The application deadline for the PhD Programme is in January every year. If you want your proposal to be successful, however, you’re advised to start working on your application well in advance. We recommend you follow these steps in the weeks and months before the deadline:

• If you’re interested in applying for a PhD in History, your first step is to identify a potential supervisor in the department. You can read the faculty research profiles to find a good match.
• You should then contact the Postgraduate Convenor  and/or a potential supervisor to express your interest in the PhD programme. She or he will then be able to discuss your proposed project with you and provide any feedback before you draft a research proposal.
• The research proposal is the single most important part of your PhD application. It’s where you set out the topic of your proposed project, the questions you’ll be investigating, and the methodology you’ll be using. Before drafting your proposal, you should read this guide we’ve prepared to help you write one.
• Once you’ve drafted your research proposal, you should send it to your potential supervisor. She or he will read it and provide you with feedback ahead of the application deadline.
• Once you have a polished research proposal, you can fill in the relevant application form . You can also indicate on the application form if you would like to apply for a funded studentship from the Open-Oxford-Cambridge Doctoral Training Partnership .
• You are also asked to identify two referees whom we can contact for a reference to assess your application. It’s a good idea to contact your referees well ahead of the application deadline and ensure they’re happy to provide a reference in support of your application.

What happens next?

In the days following the application deadline in January, a selection panel of members of the History Department will assess each application. The strongest applications will be shortlisted, and those applicants will be invited for an interview at The Open University’s main campus in Milton Keynes. Following the interviews, applicants will be informed of the outcome of their applications.

Competition for places in the PhD Programme is high and meeting the minimum entry requirement does not guarantee an offer of admission. It is also not always possible to identify a full supervisory team for a proposed project, regardless of how strong the proposal is and how well a candidate performs at the interview.

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History PhD/ MA by Research (On-Campus or by Distance Learning)

Annual tuition fee 2024 entry: UK: £4,778 full-time, £2,389 part-time International: £21,840 full-time; £10,920 part-time (distance learning only) More detail .

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As a postgraduate researcher in the Department of History you'll work alongside academic staff whose research is at the forefront of current historical scholarship.

The Department of History is ranked eighth in the country based on Grade Point Average in the Research Excellence Framework 2021, according to the Times Higher Education. The Department is unrivalled in the geographical and chronological breadth of its research. 

Free Webinar - Masters programmes in History and Cultures - 7 December 2023, 12pm-1pm (GMT)

We are hosting an online webinar specifically for prospective students interested in our Masters programmes in the School of History and Cultures. The event will be taking place via Zoom on Thursday 7 December, from 12pm – 1pm (GMT). It will cover our Masters programmes in African Studies and Anthropology; Classics, Ancient History and Archaeology; Heritage Studies; and History.

Book your place

Funding available for 2021 entry

The John Pagett Scholarship offers £4,000 to fund historical, archaeological or natural history postgraduate research focusing Shropshire or the immediate region. Deadline 30 June 2021.

Find out more and apply now

AHRC funding for PhD students

The University of Birmingham is part of the Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Partnership (M4C), offering Arts and Humanities Research Council PhD studentships for campus-based programmes. These include a number of Collaborative Doctoral Award opportunities. Each studentship includes research fees, a substantial maintenance grant and additional research training support. Applications are open until 12:00 (noon), 13 January 2021.

Find out more

Scholarships for 2024 entry

The University of Birmingham is proud to offer a range of scholarships for our postgraduate programmes. With a scholarship pot worth over £2 million, we are committed to alleviating financial barriers to support you in taking your next steps.

Each scholarship has its own specific deadlines and eligibility criteria. Please familiarise yourself with the information on individual scholarship webpages prior to submitting an application.

Explore our scholarships

We offer two postgraduate research-only programmes, whether you are looking to complete your academic studies with a PhD or pursue your research at Masters level. Find out more about what to expect from a PhD and MA by Research .

At Birmingham, Postgraduate Taught and Postgraduate Research students also have the opportunity to learn graduate academic languages free of charge, to support your studies.

• Graduate School Language Skills

The library facilities at Birmingham have been essential to my work, as has the ongoing and thoughtful support I’ve received from my supervisors. To help the transition back to academia, there are a number of courses and seminars available that have enabled me to develop my editing, writing and presenting skills, which are important to my day-to-day work. Howard

Why study this course?

• Breadth of expertise : From medieval Iran to the modern United States, our staff provide expertise across British, European and world history from around 500 to the present day. Our core strengths include medieval history, cultural and social history, politics, economics, religion, war studies, the history of the Midlands, the history of sexuality and emotion, and the history of the environment.
• Stimulating environment : We offer exciting opportunities to participate in the broader research culture of the Department of History. This includes seminars and workshops run by postgraduate research students and those organised by members of staff, which generate a lively inter- and multi-disciplinary research culture, through delivery of papers and broadening intellectual horizons.
• Research opportunities :There are a number of opportunities for collaboration across the University, particularly in the fields of Byzantine, Latin American, and Art History, as well as Philosophy, Politics and Anthropology. The extensive holdings of the University’s library, and ready access to other regional archives and libraries, offer abundant raw material for research.
• Training and support : Extensive support in academic writing, research skills, and career development is available to our research students through the College of Arts & Law Graduate School as well as our library and careers network teams .
• Develop research leadership : Our postgraduates run international and interdisciplinary workshops, seminar series, and conferences and are supported to develop leadership in their fields through publications and public engagement.

The postgraduate experience

The College of Arts and Law offers excellent support to its postgraduates, from libraries and research spaces, to careers support and funding opportunities. Learn more about your postgraduate experience .

We charge an annual tuition fee. Fees for 2024 entry are as follows:

• UK: £4,778 full-time; £2,389 part-time *
• International: £21,840 full-time; £10,920 part-time (distance learning only)

The same fees apply to both campus-based and distance learning study. The distance learning programme also includes one fully-funded visit to campus in the first year of study.

The above fees quoted are for one year only; for those studying over two or more years, tuition fees will also be payable in subsequent years of your programme.

* For UK postgraduate research students the University fee level is set at Research Council rates and as such is subject to change. The final fee will be announced by Research Councils UK in spring 2024.

Eligibility for UK or international fees can be verified with Admissions. Learn more about fees for international students .

Paying your fees

Tuition fees can either be paid in full or by instalments. Learn more about postgraduate tuition fees and funding .

How To Apply

Application deadlines.

Postgraduate research can start at any time during the year, but it is important to allow time for us to review your application and communicate a decision. If you wish to start in September 2024, we would recommend that you aim to submit your application and supporting documents by 1 June 2024.

If the programme has a Distance learning option then students will usually attend a residential visit in September or January, and those students wishing to attend the September residential are also encouraged to apply by 1 June 2024. The visit will take place at the end of September/beginning of October and you will receive further details once you have accepted your offer.

Six easy steps to apply for a postgraduate research course in the College of Arts and Law

Six steps to apply for our Postgraduate Research courses

Do you have an idea for an interesting research project? You can follow our six easy steps to apply to study for our postgraduate research courses . These include guidance on identifying funding opportunities and writing your research proposal .

Please also see our additional guidance for  applicants to the PhD Distance Learning study mode .

Please note: While our PhD programmes are normally studied in three years full-time or six years part-time, and Masters-level research programmes one year full-time or two years part-time, many programmes have a longer length listed in course or funding applications. This is because the course length is defined as the maximum period of registration, which includes a period of supervised study plus a thesis awaited period. The maximum period of registration for a full-time PhD is four years (three years supervision plus one year thesis awaited). For a full-time Masters-level research programme, it is two years (one year supervision plus one year thesis awaited). For part-time programmes, the periods are double the full-time equivalent.

Making your application

• How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate research programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online. We have put together some helpful information on the research programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page . Please read this information carefully before completing your application.

Our Standard Requirements

Our requirements for postgraduate research are dependent on the type of programme you are applying for:

• For MRes and MA by Research programmes, entry to our programmes usually requires a good (normally a 2:1 or above) Honours degree, or an equivalent qualification if you were educated outside the UK, usually in a relevant area.
• Applicants for a PhD will also need to hold a Masters qualification at Merit level or above (or its international equivalent), usually in a relevant area.

Any academic and professional qualifications or relevant professional experience you may have are normally taken into account, and in some cases, form an integral part of the entrance requirements.

If you are applying for distance learning research programmes, you will also be required to demonstrate that you have the time, commitment, facilities and experience to study by distance learning.

If your qualifications are non-standard or different from the entry requirements stated here, please contact the admissions tutor.

International students

IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band is equivalent to:

• TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 21 Listening, 22 Speaking and 21 in Writing
• Pearson Test of English (PTE): Academic 59 in all four skills
• Cambridge English (exams taken from 2015): Advanced - minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 169 in any component

Learn more about international entry requirements

International Requirements

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 14/20 from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of the Licenciado or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Argentinian university, with a promedio of at least 7.5, may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Applicants for PhD degrees will normally have a Maestria or equivalent

Applicants who hold a Masters degree will be considered for admission to PhD study.

Holders of a good four-year Diplomstudium/Magister or a Masters degree from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 2.5 will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students with a good 5-year Specialist Diploma or 4-year Bachelor degree from a recognised higher education institution in Azerbaijan, with a minimum GPA of 4/5 or 80% will be considered for entry to postgraduate taught programmes at the University of Birmingham.

For postgraduate research programmes applicants should have a good 5-year Specialist Diploma (completed after 1991), with a minimum grade point average of 4/5 or 80%, from a recognised higher education institution or a Masters or “Magistr Diplomu” or “Kandidat Nauk” from a recognised higher education institution in Azerbaijan.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 75% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a CGPA of 3.0-3.3/4.0 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Students who hold a Masters degree from the University of Botswana with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 (70%/B/'very good') will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Please note 4-year bachelor degrees from the University of Botswana are considered equivalent to a Diploma of Higher Education. 5-year bachelor degrees from the University of Botswana are considered equivalent to a British Bachelor (Ordinary) degree.

Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

A Licenciatura or Bacharelado degree from a recognised Brazilian university:

• A grade of 7.5/10 for entry to programmes with a 2:1 requirement
• A grade of 6.5/10for entry to programmes with a 2:2 requirement

Holders of a good Bachelors degree with honours (4 to 6 years) from a recognised university with a upper second class grade or higher will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.  Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good post-2001 Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students with a minimum average of 14 out of 20 (or 70%) on a 4-year Licence, Bachelor degree or Diplôme d'Etudes Superieures de Commerce (DESC) or Diplôme d'Ingénieur or a Maîtrise will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Holders of a bachelor degree with honours from a recognised Canadian university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. A GPA of 3.0/4, 7.0/9 or 75% is usually equivalent to a UK 2.1.

Holders of the Licenciado or equivalent Professional Title from a recognised Chilean university will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Applicants for PhD study will preferably hold a Magister degree or equivalent.

Students with a bachelor’s degree (4 years minimum) may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. However please note that we will only consider students who meet the entry guidance below.  Please note: for the subject areas below we use the Shanghai Ranking 2022 (full table)  ,  Shanghai Ranking 2023 (full table) , and Shanghai Ranking of Chinese Art Universities 2023 .

需要具备学士学位（4年制）的申请人可申请研究生课程。请根据所申请的课程查看相应的入学要求。 请注意，中国院校名单参考 软科中国大学排名2022（总榜） ，  软科中国大学排名2023（总榜） ，以及 软科中国艺术类高校名单2023 。  

Business School    - MSc programmes (excluding MBA)  

商学院硕士课程（MBA除外）入学要求

School of Computer Science – all MSc programmes 计算机学院硕士课程入学要求

College of Social Sciences – courses listed below 社会科学 学院部分硕士课程入学要求 MA Education  (including all pathways) MSc TESOL Education MSc Public Management MA Global Public Policy MA Social Policy MA Sociology Department of Political Science and International Studies  全部硕士课程 International Development Department  全部硕士课程

  All other programmes (including MBA)   所有其他 硕士课程（包括 MBA）入学要求

Please note:

• Borderline cases: We may consider students with lower average score (within 5%) on a case-by-case basis if you have a relevant degree and very excellent grades in relevant subjects and/or relevant work experience. 如申请人均分低于相应录取要求（5%以内），但具有出色学术背景，优异的专业成绩，以及（或）相关的工作经验，部分课程将有可能单独酌情考虑。
• Please contact the China Recruitment Team for any questions on the above entry requirements. 如果您对录取要求有疑问，请联系伯明翰大学中国办公室   [email protected]

Holders of the Licenciado/Professional Title from a recognised Colombian university will be considered for our Postgraduate Diploma and Masters degrees. Applicants for PhD degrees will normally have a Maestria or equivalent.

Holders of a good bachelor degree with honours (4 to 6 years) from a recognised university with a upper second class grade or higher will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.  Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Bacclaureus (Bachelors) from a recognised Croatian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 4.0 out of 5.0, vrlo dobar ‘very good’, or a Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a Bachelors degree(from the University of the West Indies or the University of Technology) may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. A Class II Upper Division degree is usually equivalent to a UK 2.1. For further details on particular institutions please refer to the list below.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Masters degree or Mphil from the University of the West Indies.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum overall grade of 6.5 out of 10, or a GPA of 3 out of 4, and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Bakalár from a recognised Czech Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 1.5, B, velmi dobre ‘very good’ (post-2004) or 2, velmi dobre ‘good’ (pre-2004), or a good post-2002 Magistr (Masters), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum overall grade of 7-10 out of 12 (or 8 out of 13) or higher for 2:1 equivalence and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters/ Magisterkonfereus/Magister Artium degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of the Licenciado or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Ecuadorian university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Grades of 70% or higher can be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Magister/Masterado or equivalent qualification, but holders of the Licenciado with excellent grades can be considered.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 75% from a recognised institution. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Bakalaurusekraad from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 4/5 or B, or a good one- or two-year Magistrikraad from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree with very good grades (grade B, 3.5/4 GPA or 85%) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. 

Holders of a good Kandidaatti / Kandidat (old system), a professional title such as Ekonomi, Diplomi-insinööri, Arkkitehti, Lisensiaatti (in Medicine, Dentistry and Vetinary Medicine), or a Maisteri / Magister (new system), Lisensiaatti / Licenciat, Oikeustieteen Kandidaatti / Juris Kandidat (new system) or Proviisori / Provisor from a recognised Finnish Higher Education institution, with a minimum overall grade of 2/3 or 4/5, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters/Maîtrise with a minimum overall grade of 13 out of 20, or a Magistère / Diplôme d'Etudes Approfondies / Diplôme d'Etudes Supérieures Specialisées / Mastère Specialis, from a recognised French university or Grande École to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Magister Artium, a Diplom or an Erstes Staatsexamen from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 2.5, or a good two-year Lizentiat / Aufbaustudium / Zweites Staatsexamen or a Masters degree from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good four-year Ptychio (Bachelor degree) with a minimum overall grade of 6.5 out of 10, from a recognised Greek university (AEI), and will usually be required to have completed a good Metaptychiako Diploma Eidikefsis (Masters degree) from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

4-year Licenciado is deemed equivalent to a UK bachelors degree. A score of 75 or higher from Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC) can be considered comparable to a UK 2.1, 60 is comparable to a UK 2.2.  Private universities have a higher pass mark, so 80 or higher should be considered comparable to a UK 2.1, 70 is comparable to a UK 2.2

The Hong Kong Bachelor degree is considered comparable to British Bachelor degree standard. Students with bachelor degrees awarded by universities in Hong Kong may be considered for entry to one of our postgraduate degree programmes.

Students with Masters degrees may be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a good Alapfokozat / Alapképzés or Egyetemi Oklevel from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 3.5, or a good Mesterfokozat (Masters degree) or Egyetemi Doktor (university doctorate), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a 60% or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of the 4 year Sarjana (S1) from a recognised Indonesian institution will be considered for postgraduate study. Entry requirements vary with a minimum requirement of a GPA of 2.8.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a score of 14/20 or 70% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution, with 100 out of 110 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Students who hold the Maitrise, Diplome d'Etude Approfondies, Diplome d'Etude Superieures or Diplome d'Etude Superieures Specialisees will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees (14-15/20 or Bien from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 12-13/20 or Assez Bien is considered comparable to a UK 2.2).

Students with a Bachelor degree from a recognised university in Japan will be considered for entry to a postgraduate Masters degree provided they achieve a sufficiently high overall score in their first (Bachelor) degree. A GPA of 3.0/4.0 or a B average from a good Japanese university is usually considered equivalent to a UK 2:1.

Students with a Masters degree from a recognised university in Japan will be considered for PhD study. A high overall grade will be necessary to be considered.

Students who have completed their Specialist Diploma Мамаң дипломы/Диплом специалиста) or "Magistr" (Магистр дипломы/Диплом магистра) degree (completed after 1991) from a recognised higher education institution, with a minimum GPA of 2.67/4.00 for courses requiring a UK lower second and 3.00/4.00 for courses requiring a UK upper second class degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate Masters degrees and, occasionally, directly for PhD degrees.  Holders of a Bachelor "Bakalavr" degree (Бакалавр дипломы/Диплом бакалавра) from a recognised higher education institution, with a minimum GPA of  2.67/4.00 for courses requiring a UK lower second and 3.00/4.00 for courses requiring a UK upper second class degree, may also be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/50

Holders of a good Postgraduate Diploma (professional programme) from a recognised university or institution of Higher Education, with a minimum overall grade of 7.5 out of 10, or a post-2000 Magistrs, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a score of 16/20 or 80% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in Libya will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of a Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved score of 70% for 2:1 equivalency or 65% for 2:2 equivalency. Alternatively students will require a minimum of 3.0/4.0 or BB to be considered.

Holders of a good pre-2001 Magistras from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 8 out of 10, or a good post-2001 Magistras, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes

Holders of a good Bachelors degree from a recognised Luxembourgish Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 16 out of 20, or a Diplôme d'Études Supérieures Spécialisées (comparable to a UK PGDip) or Masters degree from a recognised Luxembourgish Higher Education institution will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees (70-74% or A or Marginal Distinction from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 60-69% or B or Bare Distinction/Credit is considered comparable to a UK 2.2).

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised Malaysian institution (usually achieved with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average minimum of 3.0) will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a good Bachelors degree from the University of Malta with a minimum grade of 2:1 (Hons), and/or a Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree (Honours) from a recognised institution (including the University of Mauritius) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2:1).

Students who hold the Licenciado/Professional Titulo from a recognised Mexican university with a promedio of at least 8 will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Students who have completed a Maestria from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree, licence or Maîtrise and a Masters degree, with a score of 14/20 or 70% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Students with a good four year honours degree from a recognised university will be considered for postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. PhD applications will be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 60-74% or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Doctoraal from a recognised Dutch university with a minimum overall grade of 7 out of 10, and/or a good Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree (minimum 4 years and/or level 400) from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum GPA of B/Very Good or 1.6-2.5 for a 2.1 equivalency, and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters, Mastergrad, Magister. Artium, Sivilingeniør, Candidatus realium or Candidatus philologiae degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a CGPA of 3.0/4 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in the Palestinian Territories will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3/4 or 80% for 2:1 equivalency or a GPA of 2.5/4 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.    

Holders of the Título de Licenciado /Título de (4-6 years) or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Paraguayan university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Grades of 4/5 or higher can be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent.  The Título Intermedio is a 2-3 year degree and is equivalent to a HNC, it is not suitable for postgraduate entry but holders of this award could be considered for second year undergraduate entry or pre-Masters.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Título de Maestría / Magister or equivalent qualification, but holders of the Título/Grado de Licenciado/a with excellent grades can be considered.

Holders of the Licenciado, with at least 13/20 may be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent. The Grado de Bachiller is equivalent to an ordinary degree, so grades of 15+/20 are required.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Título de Maestría or equivalent qualification.

Holders of a good pre-2001 Magister from a recognised Polish university with a minimum overall grade of 4 out of 5, dobry ‘good’, and/or a good Swiadectwo Ukonczenia Studiów Podyplomowych (Certificate of Postgraduate Study) or post-2001 Magister from a recognised Polish university with a minimum overall grade of 4.5/4+ out of 5, dobry plus 'better than good', will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Licenciado from a recognised university, or a Diploma de Estudos Superiores Especializados (DESE) from a recognised Polytechnic Institution, with a minimum overall grade of 16 out of 20, and/or a good Mestrado / Mestre (Masters) from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised Romanian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 8 out of 10, and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree/Diploma de Master/Diploma de Studii Academice Postuniversitare (Postgraduate Diploma - Academic Studies) or Diploma de Studii Postuniversitare de Specializare (Postgraduate Diploma - Specialised Studies) to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Диплом Специалиста (Specialist Diploma) or Диплом Магистра (Magistr) degree from recognised universities in Russia (minimum GPA of 4.0) will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes/PhD study.

Students who hold a 4-year Bachelor degree with at least 16/20 or 70% will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.   

Students who hold a Maitrise, Diplome d'Etude Approfondies,Diplome d'Etude Superieures or Diplome d'Etude Superieures Specialisees will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. A score of 14-15/20 or Bien from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 12-13/20 or Assez Bien is considered comparable to a UK 2.2

Students who hold a Bachelor (Honours) degree from a recognised institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 (or a score of 60-69% or B+) from a well ranked institution will be considered for most our Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees with a 2:1 requirement.

Students holding a good Bachelors Honours degree will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a good three-year Bakalár or pre-2002 Magister from a recognised Slovakian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 1.5, B, Vel’mi dobrý ‘very good’, and/or a good Inžinier or a post-2002 Magister from a recognised Slovakian Higher Education institution will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Diploma o pridobljeni univerzitetni izobrazbi (Bachelors degree), Diplomant (Professionally oriented first degree), Univerzitetni diplomant (Academically oriented first degree) or Visoko Obrazovanja (until 1999) from a recognised Slovenian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 8.0 out of 10, and/or a good Diploma specializacija (Postgraduate Diploma) or Magister (Masters) will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor Honours degree (also known as Baccalaureus Honores / Baccalaureus Cum Honoribus) from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most Masters programmes will require a second class upper (70%) or a distinction (75%).

Holders of a Masters degree will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a Bachelor degree from a recognised South Korean institution (usually with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average 3.0/4.0 or 3.2/4.5) will be considered for Masters programmes.

Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 7 out of 10 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 60-74% or a CGPA 3.30/4.0 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Kandidatexamen (Bachelors degree) or Yrkesexamen (Professional Bachelors degree) from a recognised Swedish Higher Education institution with the majority of subjects with a grade of VG (Val godkänd), and/or a good Magisterexamen (Masters degree), International Masters degree or Licentiatexamen (comparable to a UK Mphil), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good "PostGraduate Certificate" or "PostGraduate Diploma" or a Masters degree from a recognised Swiss higher education institution (with a minimum GPA of 5/6 or 8/10 or 2/5 (gut-bien-bene/good) for a 2.1 equivalence) may be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0, 3.5/5 or 75% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Bachelor degree (from 75% to 85% depending upon the university in Taiwan) from a recognised institution will be considered for postgraduate Masters study. Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for entry to our postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Masters degree or Mphil from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students with a Bachelors degree from the following universities may be considered for entry to postgraduate programmes:

• Ateneo de Manila University - Quezon City
• De La Salle University - Manila
• University of Santo Tomas
• University of the Philippines - Diliman

Students from all other institutions with a Bachelors and a Masters degree or relevant work experience may be considered for postgraduate programmes.

Grading Schemes

1-5 where 1 is the highest 2.1 = 1.75 2.2 = 2.25 

Out of 4.0 where 4 is the highest 2.1 = 3.0 2.2 = 2.5

Letter grades and percentages 2.1 = B / 3.00 / 83% 2.2 = C+ / 2.5 / 77%

Holders of a postdoctoral qualification from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.  Students may be considered for PhD study if they have a Masters from one of the above listed universities.

Holders of a Lisans Diplomasi with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0/4.0 from a recognised university will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a Yuksek Diplomasi from a recognised university will be considered for PhD study.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most Masters programmes will require a second class upper (2.1) or GPA of 3.5/5.0

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree / Диплом бакалавра (Dyplom Bakalavra), Диплом спеціаліста (Specialist Diploma) or a Dyplom Magistra from a recognised Ukrainian higher education institution with a minimum GPA of 4.0/5.0, 3.5/4, 8/12 or 80% or higher for 2:1 equivalence and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

The University will consider students who hold an Honours degree from a recognised institution in the USA with a GPA of:

• 2.8 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for entry to programmes with a 2:2 requirement 
• 3.2 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for entry to programmes with a 2:1 requirement 

Please note that some subjects which are studied at postgraduate level in the USA, eg. Medicine and Law, are traditionally studied at undergraduate level in the UK.

Holders of the Magistr Diplomi (Master's degree) or Diplomi (Specialist Diploma), awarded by prestigious universities, who have attained high grades in their studies will be considered for postgraduate study.  Holders of the Fanlari Nomzodi (Candidate of Science), where appropriate, will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of the Licenciatura/Título or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Venezuelan university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Scales of 1-5, 1-10 and 1-20 are used, an overall score of 70% or equivalent can be considered equivalent to a UK 2.1.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Maestria or equivalent qualification

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised Vietnamese institution (usually achieved with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average minimum GPA of 7.0 and above) will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.  Holders of a Masters degree (thac si) will be considered for entry to PhD programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree with a minimum GPA of 3.5/5.0 or a mark of 2.0/2.5 (A) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.   

Students who hold a good Bachelor Honours degree will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. 

Research in the Department of History has unique chronological and geographical depth, covering a wide range of British, European and world history from the early medieval period to the present, so we are able to provide expert supervision across a variety of topics.

Please contact a staff member working in your area of interest in the first instance. A summary of our key research areas, and staff working within those, can be found below.

• Early modern history
• Environmental history
• Gender, sexuality and race
• Global history
• Medieval history
• Modern British history
• Modern European history
• Religious history
• War and conflict

Related research

• Birmingham Research Institute for History and Cultures
• Centre for Modern and Contemporary History
• Centre for Reformation and Early Modern Studies
• Centre for the Study of the Middle Ages
• Centre for War Studies
• Centre for Midlands History and Cultures

The University of Birmingham is the top choice for the UK's major employers searching for graduate recruits, according to The Graduate Market 2024 report .

Your degree will provide excellent preparation for your future career, but this can also be enhanced by a range of employability support services offered by the University and the College of Arts and Law.

The University's Careers Network  provides expert guidance and activities especially for postgraduates, which will help you achieve your career goals. The College of Arts and Law also has a dedicated  careers and employability team  who offer tailored advice and a programme of College-specific careers events.

You will be encouraged to make the most of your postgraduate experience and will have the opportunity to:

• Receive one-to-one careers advice, including guidance on your job applications, writing your CV and improving your interview technique, whether you are looking for a career inside or outside of academia
• Meet employers face-to-face at on-campus recruitment fairs and employer presentations
• Attend an annual programme of careers fairs, skills workshops and conferences, including bespoke events for postgraduates in the College of Arts and Law
• Take part in a range of activities to demonstrate your knowledge and skills to potential employers and enhance your CV

What’s more, you will be able to access our full range of careers support for up to 2 years after graduation.

Postgraduate employability: History

Our History postgraduates develop a broad range of transferable skills that are highly valued by a range of employers. These skills include: familiarity with research methods; the ability to manage large quantities of information from diverse sources; the ability to organise information in a logical and coherent manner; the expertise to write clearly and concisely and to tight deadlines; critical and analytical ability; the capacity for argument, debate and speculation; and the ability to base conclusions on statistical research.

Some of our History postgraduates go on to use their studies directly, for example in heritage or in museums. Others use their transferable skills in a range of occupations including finance, marketing, teaching and publishing. Employers that graduates have gone on to work for include Royal Air Force, Ministry of Defence, University of Birmingham, Royal Air Force Museum and University of Oxford.

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History MPhil; PhD

Our MPhil and PhD in History offers research opportunities in areas as diverse as medicine, death, historical demography, gender, women's history and urban culture.

You are currently viewing course information for entry year:

Start date(s):

• September 2024
• January 2025

As an MPhil or PhD in History student you'll join a research environment in which ambitious and original ideas can flourish.

Many of the research opportunities in history are interdisciplinary. They're available for most periods of history and in most geographical regions.

Supervision is normally available in the following subject areas:

• North America (Professor SM Grant, Dr B Baker)
• Russia and Eastern Europe (Professor S Ghervas, Dr R Dale)
• Central Europe (Professor T Kirk, Professor D Siemens)
• Latin America (Dr K Brewster)
• Spain and Portugal (Dr A Quiroga)
• Ireland and Northern Ireland (Dr S Ashley, Dr F Campbell, Dr S Campbell)
• twentieth and twenty-first century Britain (Dr M Farr)
• modern China (Dr J Lawson)
• English Civil War and French Revolutionary Wars (Dr R Hammersley)
• genders, sexuality, family and marriage in eighteenth-century Britain (Professor H Berry)
• fertility, birth control and contraception in Greece (Dr V Hionidou)
• history of imperialism and gender in modern Asia (Dr S Sehrawat)
• gender, especially masculinity, in the medieval Islamic world (Dr N Clarke)
• masculinities in early modern Britain; gender in reformation Europe (Dr A Morton)
• gender and sexuality in eighteenth and nineteenth-century Britain (Dr J Andrews)
• history of modern China (Dr J Lawson)
• history of medieval Japan (Dr P Garrett)
• history of South Asia; history of colonial India (Dr S Sehrawat)
• history of the twentieth-century Islamic world, especially Egypt and Sudan (Dr W Berridge)
• history of the medieval Islamic world (Dr N Clarke)
• world history, comparative perspectives across medieval Eurasia, Africa and the Americas (Dr S Ashley)
• race relations in the United States (Professor SM Grant, Dr B Baker, Dr B Houston)
• British imperial history, especially with regard to landed elites and technological transfer (Dr A Tindley)
• classical, early modern and modern medicine, history of medical history as a discipline and medical humanities (Dr T Rütten)
• history of death and sepulchral rites in Germany (Dr F Schulz)
• early modern Britain (Professor J Boulton)
• mental illness, psychiatry and asylums in early modern and Victorian Britain; social and cultural history of diseases and death; narrative, literature and medicine socio-cultural history of and death/mortality (Dr J Andrews)
• health, welfare and poverty in eighteenth and nineteenth-century Britain (Professor J Boulton, Professor H Berry)
• mental health, psychiatry, asylums and deinstitutionalisation in modern Britain (Dr V Long)
• history of the body; colonial medicine, military medicine and hospitals in India (Dr S Sehrawat)
• military medicine in Soviet Russia (Dr R Dale)
• famines, historical demography, public health, abortion, hospitals, popular medicine, medicine in modern Greece (Dr V Hionidou)
• healthcare and healthcare politics in modern Britain (Professor G Smith, Dr V Long)
• history of bodies; history of sexualities and gender; history of venereal disease; public health in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries; medical ethics in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries (Dr L Sauerteig)
• early modern political thought and religious beliefs (Dr R Hammersley)
• European historiography (Dr L Racaut)
• Anti-Catholicism in England, 1500-1800 (Dr A Morton)
• religion and identity, conversion to Christianity between 400-1100AD (Ms AE Redgate)
• Islamist ideology (Dr W Berridge)
• Buddhism in medieval Japan (Dr P Garrett)
• medieval Islamic intellectuals and modern interpretations of the medieval Islamic past (Dr N Clarke)
• fascist ideology (Dr A Quiroga)
• religion and psychiatric/medical care (Dr J Andrews)
• peace and peace-making in modern Europe (Professor S Ghervas)
• twentieth-century French and British social and labour history; unemployment; social movements and protest (Dr M Perry)
• labour and business history in the cotton industry (Dr B Baker)
• work, health and disability in modern Britain (Dr V Long)
• the civil rights movement in the United States (Dr B Houston)
• civil protest and revolution in Egypt and Sudan (Dr W Berridge)
• labour in modern China (Dr J Lawson)
• oral history of health and primary care, family and community, ethnicity and migration, public history and memory in twentieth-century Britain (Professor G Smith)
• social memory and oral history (Dr M Perry, Dr S Campbell)
• oral history of famines, families, birth control, migration, ethnic Greeks from former Soviet Union, memory of famines (Dr V Hionidou)
• oral history in twentieth-century US history, public history (Dr B Houston)
• Scottish environmental history and land management (Dr A Tindley)
• history of the Vikings (Dr S Ashley)
• Anglo-Saxon England (Ms A E Redgate, Dr S Ashley)
• modern British politics (Dr M Farr, Dr F Campbell)
• Anglo-Irish relations (Dr S Campbell)
• modern Central European politics (Professor D Siemens, Professor Tim Kirk)
• twentieth-century France (Dr M Perry)
• history of the United States in the nineteenth and twentieth century (Professor SM Grant, Dr B Houston, Dr B. Baker)
• the politics of culture and sport (Dr K Brewster, Dr C Brewster)
• maritime history, Russia and East Europe (Professor S Ghervas)
• satire and laughter during the ‘long Reformation’ in Britain (Dr A Morton)
• history of the press in early modern France (Dr L Racaut)
• history of mass media and journalism (Professor D Siemens)
• eighteenth-century urban cultures in Britain (Professor H Berry)
• seventeenth-century London (Professor J Boulton)
• urban culture in the Habsburg Empire (Professor T Kirk)
• urban reconstruction in Soviet Russia (R Dale)
• print and material culture in seventeenth and eighteenth-century Britain and France, history of the urban commons (Dr R Hammersley)

Find out more about areas of supervision for an MPhil and PhD in History

There are also opportunities for joint supervision with Latin American researchers in the School of Modern Languages.

Important information

We've highlighted important information about your course. Please take note of any deadlines.

Please rest assured we make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the programmes, services and facilities described. However, it may be necessary to make changes due to significant disruption, for example in response to Covid-19.

View our  Academic experience page , which gives information about your Newcastle University study experience for the academic year 2023-24.

See our  terms and conditions and student complaints information , which gives details of circumstances that may lead to changes to programmes, modules or University services.

Related courses

Qualifications explained.

Find out about the different qualification options for this course.

An MPhil is available in all subject areas. You receive research training and undertake original research leading to the completion of a 40,000 - 50,000 word thesis.

Find out about different types of postgraduate qualifications

A PhD is a doctorate or doctoral award. It involves original research that should make a significant contribution to the knowledge of a specific subject. To complete the PhD you will produce a substantial piece of work (80,000 – 100,000 words) in the form of a supervised thesis. A PhD usually takes three years full time.

How you'll learn

Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:

We offer a wide range of projects for the thesis. These will be provided by our academics. You can also propose your own topic.

Our mission is to help you:

• stay healthy, positive and feeling well
• overcome any challenges you may face during your degree – academic or personal
• get the most out of your postgraduate research experience
• carry out admin and activities essential to progressing through your degree
• understand postgraduate research processes, standards and rules

We can offer you tailored wellbeing support, courses and activities.

You can also access a broad range of workshops covering:

• research and professional skills
• careers support
• health and safety
• public engagement
• academic development

Find out more about our postgraduate research student support

Your development

Faculty of humanities and social sciences (hass) researcher development programme .

Each faculty offers a researcher development programme for its postgraduate research students. We have designed your programme to help you:

• perform better as a researcher
• boost your career prospects
• broaden your impact

Through workshops and activities, it will build your transferable skills and increase your confidence.

You’ll cover:

• techniques for effective research
• methods for better collaborative working
• essential professional standards and requirements

Your researcher development programme is flexible. You can adapt it to meet your changing needs as you progress through your doctorate.

Find out more about the Researcher Education and Development programme

Doctoral training and partnerships

There are opportunities to undertake your PhD at Newcastle within a:

• Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT)
• Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP)

Being part of a CDT or DTP has many benefits:

• they combine research expertise and training of a number of leading universities, academic schools and academics.
• you’ll study alongside a cohort of other PhD students
• they’re often interdisciplinary
• your PhD may be funded

Find out more about doctoral training and partnerships

If there are currently opportunities available in your subject area you’ll find them when you search for funding in the fees and funding section on this course.

The following centres/partnerships below may have PhD opportunities available in your subject area in the future:

• ESRC Northern Ireland/North East (NINE) Doctoral Training Partnership
• Northern Bridge Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership

Your future

Our careers service.

Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.

Visit our Careers Service website

Quality and ranking

All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body

From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK

Check the government’s website for more information .

The School of History, Classics and Archaeology has high-quality facilities.

These include museums and archives such as:

• the Great North Museum: Hancock
• The Gertrude Bell Archive

Computing facilities with access to relevant databases. You can also access outstanding library facilities, on campus and around the city.

Find out more about our School's facilities

Fees and funding

Tuition fees for 2024 entry (per year), home fees for research degree students.

For 2024-25 entry, we have aligned our standard Home research fees with those set by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) . The standard fee was confirmed in Spring 2024 by UKRI.

If your studies last longer than one year, your tuition fee may increase in line with inflation.

Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.

EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support.

If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here .

Scholarships

We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See  our   searchable postgraduate funding page  for more information.  

What you're paying for

Tuition fees include the costs of:

• matriculation
• registration
• tuition (or supervision)
• library access
• examination
• re-examination

Find out more about:

• living costs
• tuition fees

If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.

You can check this in the How to apply section .

If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.

For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.

Search for funding

Find funding available for your course

Entry requirements

The entrance requirements below apply to 2024 entry.

Qualifications from outside the UK

English language requirements, admissions policy.

This policy applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate admissions at Newcastle University. It is intended to provide information about our admissions policies and procedures to applicants and potential applicants, to their advisors and family members, and to staff of the University.

Download our admissions policy (PDF: 201KB) Other policies related to admissions

Credit transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) can allow you to convert existing relevant university-level knowledge, skills and experience into credits towards a qualification. Find out more about the RPL policy which may apply to this course

• How to apply

Using the application portal

The application portal has instructions to guide you through your application. It will tell you what documents you need and how to upload them.

You can choose to start your application, save your details and come back to complete it later.

If you’re ready, you can select Apply Online and you’ll be taken directly to the application portal.

Alternatively you can find out more about applying on our applications and offers pages .

Open days and events

You'll have a number of opportunities to meet us throughout the year including:

• campus tours
• on-campus open days
• virtual open days

Find out about how you can visit Newcastle in person and virtually

Overseas events

We regularly travel overseas to meet with students interested in studying at Newcastle University.

Visit our events calendar for the latest events

• Get in touch

Questions about this course?

If you have specific questions about this course you can contact:

Sandra Fletcher Postgraduate Secretary School of History, Classics and Archaeology Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 7966 Email: [email protected]

For more general enquiries you could also complete our online enquiry form.

Fill in our enquiry form

Our Ncl chatbot might be able to give you an answer straight away. If not, it’ll direct you to someone who can help.

You'll find our Ncl chatbot in the bottom right of this page.

Keep updated

We regularly send email updates and extra information about the University.

Receive regular updates by email

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Chat online with current students with our Unibuddy platform.

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PhD at the Institute of Historical Research

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Apply now to this course

Undertaking doctoral research allows you to develop in-depth knowledge, while making a meaningful contribution to your chosen field.

With guidance from our expert supervisors, you'll carry out extensive independent research culminating in a thesis of up to 100,000 words. 

This degree presents the opportunity to gain expertise in your area of interest while also honing a range of transferable skills. On completing this course, you'll be well prepared for specialist career paths both within academia and beyond.

The Institute of Historical Research has a broad remit to cover the history of the world from the fourth to the twenty-first century, but has particular strengths in British and European history. 

Subject Areas

The  Institute of Historical Research  offers doctoral research supervision in the following broad areas:

• Medieval British history

• Modern British history

• Local, regional and community histories of the British Isles

• Place and Identity

• Early medieval Northumbria and the north

• Later medieval armies and warfare

• Urban and metropolitan history (especially London), including comparative approaches across Europe and elsewhere

• Late medieval and early modern urban history

• Digital history and Historical GIS

• History of propaganda in the twentieth century

• History of the First and Second World Wars

• History of emotions in modern Britain

• The everyday lives of ‘ordinary’ people

• Architecture, planning and the built environment in Britain from the twentieth century onward

• The British Commonwealth and British decolonisation

• History and policy

• Medievalism and other usages of the past

Before submitting an application you are advised to contact a member of the Institute's academic staff who has interests in your proposed field of study to discuss your proposal. A list of academic staff and their interests can be found  here .

Contact the Institute

Key information, the institute of historical research.

The Institute of Historical Research was founded in 1921 to address the limited opportunities for historical research and training in the UK. 

The IHR was significant in its aim to place the UK historical profession in a global context, bringing international scholars together in a variety of fora. It was designed to provide historically informed research to government, to serve as a repository of bibliographic information, to be a testing ground for new historical ideas and methods, and a meeting place for historians of all nationalities.

The School of Advanced Study

The  School of Advanced Study  at the  University of London  brings together  eight internationally renowned research institutes  to form the UK's national centre for the support of researchers and the promotion of research in the humanities.

Course structure

The degree can be taken full time over three years (or a maximum of four) or part time over six years (or a maximum of eight), with entry in January or October. You'll initially be registered for our MPhil and, providing your progress has been satisfactory, will then be upgraded to our PhD programme.

The primary activity of the PhD programme is the writing of a thesis of up to 100,000 words. There is no formal coursework, but you will be expected to participate in a Work in Progress seminar each term and to present at that seminar from your second year onward.

You're also encouraged to participate in the regular seminars held at the Institute during the academic year. After submission of the thesis, you will attend an oral examination conducted by an internal examiner, from the University of London, and an external examiner, normally from another British university.

Distance Learning

The School of Advanced Study will offer students with an appropriate topic and level of local resource the opportunity to undertake a PhD by distance learning. These students are required to attend our London campus at set intervals to complete an intensive research training module, for upgrade, and for the viva but will otherwise study at their own location. This option is available to UK, EU and international students on the same basis as our on-campus PhD programmes (three years full time, six years part time). Fees are the same as for our on-campus PhD programmes. Please note that not all institutes and supervisors offer this option, and that some topics are not appropriate to be studied this way.

If you would like to be considered for our Research Degree programme via Distance Learning, please download and fill out the  Research Degrees by Distance Learning form , to attach to your online application.

Opportunities and facilities

You'll have access to the world-renowned Wohl library, with over 200,000 history books and periodicals, and to the Institute’s digital and online resources. You can also take advantage of free access to the University of London’s Senate House Library with over a million books, and other unique collections such as the Institute of Classical Studies Library and the Warburg Institute Library.

The Institute is at the centre of academic history, and has partnerships with numerous nationally and internationally renowned library and art collections, as well as links with the cultural and heritage sector, professional bodies, Guilds and Livery Companies, Archives, the City of London and higher education institutions in the UK and internationally.

You'll be welcomed to the wide range of history seminars and specialist research training programmes, as well as benefitting from the Institute’s network of Senior, Honorary, Research and Associate fellows. There are opportunities to work alongside the established research centres in History – the Centre for the History of People, Place and Community and the History & Policy Unit.

As part of the School of Advanced Study (SAS), University of London, you'll also benefit from a collaborative, interdisciplinary research environment. You’ll learn from leading specialists in your field; hone your research skills in our highly regarded training programmes; expand your knowledge through an extensive calendar of events, conferences and seminars and become part of a worldwide network of humanities scholars. You will also have access to training opportunities from across the University of London’s colleges through the Bloomsbury Learning Exchange (BLE) and Bloomsbury Postgraduate Skills Network (BPSN).

How to apply

Before submitting an application you are advised to contact a member of the Warburg academic staff who has interests in your proposed field of study to discuss your proposal. A list of academic staff and their interests can be found  here .

Before agreeing to accept you, the School will require you to submit a research proposal, so it is worthwhile having this drafted ahead of a formal application.  Guidelines on drafting your research proposal .

Candidates will normally receive an initial response to their application within 28 working days. Those who have been formally interviewed will normally be informed within one week as to whether they are to be offered a place.

Note : in accordance with regulations research students will be registered for the MPhil degree in the first instance. Upgrading to PhD will be considered in the second year for full-time students and in the third or fourth year for part-time students.

Supervisors

Dr adam chapman.

• Lecturer in Medieval History; Editor, Victoria County History

Email  |  Research Profile

Topics :  

• Late medieval England and Wales (c. 1250-1500)
• Later medieval armies and warfare
• Local and regional history

Adam is Editor and Training Co-ordinator with the Victoria County History and one of the organisation’s central office editorial staff based at the Institute of Historical Research. Adam received an MA in Medieval History from the University of East Anglia in 2003, followed in 2010 by a doctorate from the University of Southampton. Before joining the VCH, Adam worked on the AHRC-funded project ‘The Soldier in Later Medieval England, 1369-1453’, and in a variety of teaching and research roles at several UK higher education institutions. Adam specialises in the history of Wales and England from the thirteenth century to the fifteenth. His research interests include the cultural effects of war on medieval society, the development of the medieval landscape, and tracing the lives and careers of individuals through documentary records. He is also interested in the development and application of new technology to historical and archaeological research. He has published on the role of Wales and the Welsh in later medieval England.

Please note that occasionally the Institute will co-supervise with individuals outside of the IHR in order to enhance the breadth of expertise available to the student.

Prof Catherine Clarke

Director of the Centre for the History of People, Place, and Community 

E-mail  |  Research Profile  

• Medieval history
• Cultural history
• Place and identity
• Heritage (including interpretation practice)
• Medievalism and other uses of the past

Interdisciplinary approaches (including digital methods, creative, and practice-based elements

Catherine is a cultural historian specialising in the Middle Ages, but she also works across a wide range of periods on questions of place, identity, heritage (including interpretation practice), and uses of the past (especially medievalism). Before moving to the IHR, Catherine’s disciplinary background was in English Language and Literature: she was a Professor in English Literature at the University of Southampton for seven years, and remains a Visiting Professor in English there. She has also led a number of large, multi-disciplinary projects spanning literature, history, historical geography / archaeology and digital humanities. She is thus particularly well equipped to supervise inter-disciplinary PhD projects, and keen to receive proposals in areas that bridge traditional disciplines and period boundaries, include digital methods, or involve creative, applied, engaged or practice-based elements.

Prof Claire Langhamer

Director of the Institute of Historical Research.

Email  |  Research Profile

• Modern Britain
• Emotions and Feeling
• Everyday Life
• Life Writing and Mass Observation

Claire's research focuses on twentieth- and twenty-first-century Britain. She is particularly interested in the intersections between the social, the cultural and the emotional, and has tried to develop new ways of working across these categories using life writing, particularly that found within the Mass Observation Archive, and oral history. Her publications on women’s lives include studies of leisure, home and employment and a collaboration with Penny Tinkler and Stephanie Spencer on Women in Fifties Britain (2017). Her work on girls’ autobiographical writing culminated in a trade book - Class of ’37, co-written with Hester Barron - which explores the lives of one particular class of twelve and thirteen-year-old Bolton schoolgirls who wrote essays for Mass Observation in 1937. The book uses both their own writing and the memories of their descendants.  Claire’s interest in emotion has led her to historicize individual feelings and employ emotion more broadly as a category of historical analysis. Her work with Ian Gazeley on interwar happiness brought emotion and economics together; her publications on love - including the monograph, The English in Love (2013) - challenged existing chronologies of social and cultural change. She continues to explore the history of love through her editorship of the modern volume of Bloomsbury’s A Cultural History of Love which will examine love in all its forms, within a global context. Claire’s other research projects explore emotion during war, at work and in politics. A British Academy-sponsored collaboration with Lucy Noakes and Claudia Siebrecht resulted in in the co-edited volume, Total War: an Emotional History (2020) and she is currently writing a book on Feelings at Work in modern Britain which is under contract with Oxford University Press. She has published articles and chapters on the emotional politics of the 1940s and 1950s and a monograph on The Emotional Reconstruction of Postwar Britain is in its early stages.

Claire has supervised twenty-three PhDs to completion on a diverse range of topics and welcomes enquiries from students interested in pursuing doctorates in the social and cultural history in modern Britain.  

Professor Jo Fox

Director of the Institute of Historical Research; Professor of Modern History 

• History of modern propaganda and psychological warfare
• History of the First and Second World Wars
• European and British History, 1900-present
• History of communications and media

Professor Jo Fox is Director of the Institute of Historical Research and Professor of Modern History at the University of London. She joined the Institute in January 2018 and was previously Professor of Modern History and Head of Department at Durham University, where she began her academic career in 1999.

Jo is a specialist in the history of propaganda and psychological warfare in twentieth-century Europe. She has published on propaganda in Britain and Germany during the First and Second World Wars, in particular exploring the connections between propaganda and popular opinion. She is currently working on a history of rumour in the Second World War and, with David Coast (Bath Spa), on a major project on rumour and politics in England from 1500 to the present day.

Jo has contributed to broadcasts for the BBC (Woman’s Hour, Making History, The One Show, and various documentaries for BBC4, including acting as historical consultant for The Documentary Film Mob) and BBC Radio 4, including presenting an episode of Document on ‘Scotland’s Lord Haw-Haw', CBC (Canada), PBS (United States), Channel 10 (Australia) and ABC (Australia). Jo is also active in the museums, archives, and heritage sectors. In addition to supervising three AHRC Collaborative Doctoral students, she regularly assists museums and archives in their public programmes and exhibitions.

Dr Justin Colson

Senior Lecturer in Urban and Digital History

• Urban and Digital History
• History of Towns and Cities
• London: Late Medieval and Early Modern Periods
• Societies and Cultures through Digital and Spatial Techniques

Justin Colson moved to the IHR in 2022, having previously worked as a lecturer at the University of Essex, and earlier as a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Exeter. Justin has responsibilities at the Institute including Layers of London, digital projects, and research training and teaching. He is also co-convenor of the IHR’s People, Place and Community Seminar and the Digital History Seminar. 

Justin’s research explores urban life and communities through a range of social, economic, and cultural lenses. Having completed a PhD thesis on London neighbourhoods in the fifteenth century, he specialises on the history of London between the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries, but also explores towns and cities throughout Britain and Europe across the medieval and early modern periods, and beyond.

Spatial approaches and methods are integral to Justin’s work, and he makes extensive use of digital tools including Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Social Network Analysis (SNA). He uses these techniques not only to explore previously invisible patterns amongst the records of pre-modern lives, but also to communicate the place of the past in new and exciting ways. 

He is therefore keen to supervise not only historical and interdisciplinary PhD projects on the history of London and other towns and cities in the medieval and early modern periods, but also to (co)supervise topics considering the use of space, place, landscape, streetscape, and mapping across all periods.

Justin is also reviews editor for  Urban History , a council member of the  London Record Society , and a member of the steering committee of the  Pre-Modern Towns Group .

Prof Philip Murphy

Director of History & Policy at the IHR

Topics :  

• Twentieth-century British and Commonwealth history
• British Monarchy and the Post-War Commonwealth
• Post-war British decolonization particularly in Africa
• Post-war African politics

Professor Philip Murphy is Director of History & Policy. He is a Professor of British and Commonwealth History at the University of London and also joint editor of the Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History. Philip joined the School of Advanced Study in 2009 as Director of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies. 

Philip's research interests include Twentieth-century British and Commonwealth history, including aspects of post-war British decolonization particularly in Africa, and post-war African politics. The British Monarchy and the Post-War Commonwealth. Also an interest in the Conservative party, right wing politics in Britain, and the European colonial empires since the nineteenth century. Intelligence History, MI5 (the Security Service) in the colonial Empire, and the activities of the British, Commonwealth and US intelligence communities in the twentieth century. Currently writing a biography of the journalist Andrew Roth.

Dr Simon Trafford

Director of Studies and Lecturer in Medieval History

• Early medieval migration
• The kingdom of Northumbria, c.450 – c.1100
• Popular medievalism
• 1800 – present
• Early medieval seas and rivers

Simon's broad interests are in the history and archaeology of early medieval Europe, c.350-1150. He specialises in later Anglo-Saxon England, especially the kingdoms of Northumbria and York, and concentrating in particular on migration, identity, and gender. Recently he has been developing projects in various types of human engagement with the sea and water in early medieval Britain. He also maintains a keen interest in modern constructions and appropriations of the early medieval past, with a particular concentration on representations of the vikings in popular culture.

The School of Advanced Study is a unique environment in which to study the humanities.  The School strives to reflect the latest developments in thinking across the humanities disciplines it supports and to ensure that its programmes reflect this.   We are also aware that the needs of our students are constantly changing.  With that in mind, the School continually reviews the its programmes and, as part of that process, reserves the right to alter or discontinue them. 

We assure you that we carry out these exercises at no detriment to any enrolled students. Students enrolled on any programme that we discontinue will be able to complete that programme within a reasonable timeframe and with all the necessary resources at their disposal. The School will communicate any anticipated changes with students as early as possible.

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History PhD

• Full-time: 36 months
• Part-time: 36 to 72 months
• Start date: 1 October 2023, 1 December 2023, 1 February 2024, 1 April 2024 and 1 July 2024
• UK fees: £5,100
• International fees: £21,500

Research overview

At Nottingham, we have a large Department of History, with over fifty research-active academics. You will benefit from:

World-leading research supervision

• Ranked 7th in the UK for research power (2021), according to Times Higher Education
• 90% of the department’s research is classed as 'world-leading' or 'internationally excellent' (Research Excellence Framework 2021)

Watch our staff discussing their research expertise

Extensive chronological supervisory expertise

Our staff have broad research interests, covering all historical periods from the early middle ages ( c. 500- c. 1500), through the Early Modern era ( c. 1500- c. 1800) and the modern period (1789-1945) to the contemporary history of present day (post-1945).

Wide-ranging geographical scope

Our research scope includes the UK and Western Europe, Eastern Europe and Russia, China and Japan, South Asia, Middle East and North Africa and North America.

A range of historical approaches and genres

Our academics specialise in a range of historical methodologies across all periods, including:

• Black studies
• Colonial and diplomatic history
• Cultural history
• Economic and urban history
• Histories of conflict and protest
• Histories of the environment
• Histories of sexuality and gender
• Medical and disability history
• Political history
• Religious history
• Social history

And many others…

This is your opportunity to explore your research interests with expert guidance, and change the way we understand the past!

During the course of your studies, doctoral students can apply to work as a Postgraduate Teaching Assistant (PGTA) within the Department of History. These PGTA contracts, offered on a part-time annualised hours contract of employment, will allow students to gain invaluable teaching experience delivering and supporting seminars, as well as marking, assessing and giving feedback on students’ work. Dedicated training and professional development is provided.

• Find a supervisor for your research
• Write a research proposal
• Apply for funding

Alumni and career profiles

Undertaking doctoral study at Nottingham provides a wide range of transferable skills. Read testimonials from recent alumni.

• Dr Bethany Marsh (2019) - Impact and experiences of victims of violence and conflict in Britain and Ireland during the early modern period
• Dr Jon Rowson (2020) - Modern Russian social and economy history
• Dr Freddie Stephenson (2020) - The cultural history of health under British imperialism in colonial China
• Dr Matt McGinn (2023) - Football and national identity in modern Galicia (Spain)

Course content

A PhD in History is mainly made up of independent study, with supervision meetings spread throughout the year.

The PhD involves a minimum of three years full-time or six years part-time directed research, at the end of which you will produce an 100,000-word thesis on your chosen subject. You will also take a verbal examination called a viva voce, where you explain your project in depth to an examination panel.

What is the thesis pending period?

All periods of registration are followed by a period of writing-up (called the thesis-pending period) when tuition fees are not paid and students are writing up their thesis.

Annual review

All students take part in annual review assessments to ensure that their project is progressing satisfactorily. An annual review usually consists of a written report.

For full-time students, the first year is probationary (first two years for part-time students), and the first year annual review involves a viva with an independent internal assessor.

Entry requirements

All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements below apply to 2024 entry.

Meeting our English language requirements

If you need support to meet the required level, you may be able to attend a presessional English course. Presessional courses teach you academic skills in addition to English language. Our  Centre for English Language Education is accredited by the British Council for the teaching of English in the UK.

If you successfully complete your presessional course to the required level, you can then progress to your degree course. This means that you won't need to retake IELTS or equivalent.

For on-campus presessional English courses, you must take IELTS for UKVI to meet visa regulations. For online presessional courses, see our CELE webpages for guidance.

Visa restrictions

International students must have valid UK immigration permissions for any courses or study period where teaching takes place in the UK. Student route visas can be issued for eligible students studying full-time courses. The University of Nottingham does not sponsor a student visa for students studying part-time courses. The Standard Visitor visa route is not appropriate in all cases. Please contact the university’s Visa and Immigration team if you need advice about your visa options.

We recognise that applicants have a variety of experiences and follow different pathways to postgraduate study.

We treat all applicants with alternative qualifications on an individual basis. We may also consider relevant work experience.

If you are unsure whether your qualifications or work experience are relevant, contact us .

You will be required to provide a PhD proposal with your application, which will set out the structure of your project.

We encourage you to get in touch with a member of academic staff about your research proposal before submitting an application. They may be able to help you with your proposal and offer support to find funding opportunities in your area.  Details of research supervisors . 

The basis of a good proposal is usually a set of questions, approaches, and objectives which clearly outline your proposed project and what you want to accomplish. The proposal should also clearly demonstrate how you are going to accomplish this.

A PhD proposal should be a minimum of 1000 words. There is no upward limit for proposals, although successful proposals are often not much longer than about 2000-3000 words. You should consider:

• the methodologies that you will use in your project (as appropriate)
• the necessary resources and facilities you will need to carry out your project

It is also helpful to include:

• a summary of any further research experience, in addition to your academic qualifications. This could include work undertaken at undergraduate or masters level, or outside the educational system
• the name of the supervisor who may supervise the project

Find out more about  how to write a research proposal.

Our step-by-step guide contains everything you need to know about applying for postgraduate research.

Additional information for international students

If you are a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you may be asked to complete a fee status questionnaire and your answers will be assessed using guidance issued by the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) .

These fees are for full-time study. If you are studying part-time, you will be charged a proportion of this fee each year (subject to inflation).

Additional costs

All students will need at least one device to approve security access requests via Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). We also recommend students have a suitable laptop to work both on and off-campus. For more information, please check the equipment advice .

Books 

You'll be able to access most of the books you’ll need through our libraries, though you may wish to buy your own copies of core texts. The Blackwell's bookshop on campus offers a year-round price match against any of the main retailers (i.e. Amazon, Waterstones, WH Smith).

Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Programme

Midlands4Cities (M4C) PhD students benefit from a high quality package of:

• enhanced support and training
• expert supervision
• excellent networking opportunities

You must apply for a place at Nottingham before submitting your M4C application.

Midlands Graduate School ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP)

ESRC DTP studentships provide funding for 1+3 years of MA and PhD study or 3-years funding for PhD study (for those who can demonstrate masters-level qualifications in core social science research methods) in:

• area studies
• economic and social history

You must apply for a place at Nottingham before submitting your application.

There are many ways to fund your research degree, from scholarships to government loans.

Check our guide to find out more about funding your postgraduate degree.

Regular supervision

You will have a team of at least two supervisors. Full-time students will meet with their supervisory team at least 10 times each year (six times for part-time students).

When a project requires expertise which spans to two or more departments in the university, we may be able to offer co-supervision with colleagues in other disciplines, and for students with Midlands4Cities  or  Midlands Graduate School funding , co-supervision at other universities too.

Your supervisors will help you to realise your research project and to guide you through your research. Many students will also attend conferences and publish papers in conjunction with their supervisors, to gain valuable experience and contacts in the academic community.

Researcher training and development

The Researcher Academy is the network for researchers, and staff who support them. We work together to promote a healthy research culture, to cultivate researcher excellence, and develop creative partnerships that enable researchers to flourish.

Postgraduate researchers at Nottingham have access to our online Members’ area, which includes a wealth of resources, access to training courses and award-winning postgraduate placements.

Graduate centres

Our graduate centres are dedicated community spaces on campus for postgraduates.

Each space has areas for:

• socialising
• computer work
• kitchen facilities

Student support

You will have access to a range of support services , including:

• academic and disability support
• childcare services
• counselling service
• faith support
• financial support
• mental health and wellbeing support
• visa and immigration advice
• welfare support

Students' Union

Our Students' Union represents all students. You can join the Postgraduate Students’ Network or contact the dedicated Postgraduate Officer .

There are also a range of support networks, including groups for:

• international students
• black and minority ethnic students
• students who identify as women
• students with disabilities
• LGBT+ students

SU Advice provides free, independent and confidential advice on issues such as accommodation, financial and academic difficulties.

Where you will learn

Hallward library.

Benefit from Hallward Library's extensive collection of physical books and journals, online repositories of ebooks and ejournals, and study spaces, meeting rooms and computer labs.

History PhD – IT and study facilities

Students have access to the dedicated postgraduate research study space in the Humanities Building, as well as the Digital Transformations Hub. There is also a microfiche/film reader and printer. You can also use the Department of History's 24-hour on-site student computer suite with printing and scanning facilities. 

Digital Transformations Hub

As a researcher you have full access to the  Digital Transformations Hub  and can use our equipment and software for free.

University Park Campus

University Park Campus  covers 300 acres, with green spaces, wildlife, period buildings and modern facilities. It is one of the UK's most beautiful and sustainable campuses, winning a national Green Flag award every year since 2003.

Most schools and departments are based here. You will have access to libraries, shops, cafes, the Students’ Union, sports village and a health centre.

You can walk or cycle around campus. Free hopper buses connect you to our other campuses. Nottingham city centre is 15 minutes away by public bus or tram.

Whether you are considering a career in academia, industry or haven't yet decided, we’re here to support you every step of the way.

Expert staff will work with you to explore PhD career options and apply for vacancies, develop your interview skills and meet employers. You can book a one-to-one appointment, take an online course or attend a workshop.

International students who complete an eligible degree programme in the UK on a student visa can apply to stay and work in the UK after their course under the Graduate immigration route . Eligible courses at the University of Nottingham include bachelors, masters and research degrees, and PGCE courses.

Completing a History PhD will give you a range of key transferable skills, including:

• written and oral communication skills
• archival research skills
• data analysis skills
• teaching skills
• research collaboration skills

As a result, our graduates have moved onto:

• full-time academic posts
• post-doctoral work
• the public or private heritage and museum sector
• policy work for HM Government

80% of postgraduates from the School of History secured graduate level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation. The average annual salary for these graduates was £35,125.*

*HESA Graduate Outcomes 2019/20 data published in 2022 . The Graduate Outcomes % is derived using The Guardian University Guide methodology. The average annual salary is based on data from graduates who completed a full-time postgraduate degree with home fee status and are working full-time within the UK.

Related courses

Archaeology phd, archaeology mres, archaeological science mres, classics phd, research excellence framework.

The University of Nottingham is ranked 7th in the UK for research power, according to analysis by Times Higher Education. The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is a national assessment of the quality of research in UK higher education institutions.

• The Department of History placed 23rd out of 81 departments nationally for research activity, with more than 80% of outputs and 100% of both Impact and Environment rated as either 'World Leading' or 'Internationally Excellent'
• 90%* of our research is classed as 'world-leading' (4*) or 'internationally excellent' (3*)
• 100%* of our research is recognised internationally
• 51% of our research is assessed as 'world-leading' (4*) for its impact**

*According to analysis by Times Higher Education ** According to our own analysis.

This content was last updated on 06 February 2024 . Every effort has been made to ensure that this information is accurate, but changes are likely to occur between the date of publishing and course start date. It is therefore very important to check this website for any updates before you apply.

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When joining a research programme within History at Kent, you will become an active part of a welcoming, cutting-edge community, that delivers world-leading research.

Key information

• Duration MA 1 year full-time PhD 3 years full-time
• Start date MA - September. PhD - September, January and May
• Location Canterbury

There are two types of History programme. The MA by Research entails producing a 40,000-word thesis; the PhD programme demands a high level of research and analysis resulting in a 100,000 (PhD) word thesis. We welcome research applications across the range of expertise within the School.

Reasons to study our History MA by Research or PhD programme:

• Our staffs research interests and publications cover vast periods of history, enabling you to make use of field leading, professional support during your research and studies with us.
• We are the only History department in the UK to achieve a perfect score of 100% ‘world leading’ for both the impact of our research and our research environment. This extraordinary achievement has resulted in the Times Higher Education ranking History at Kent 1st in the UK.
• Kent’s Graduate and Researcher College, co-ordinates the Researcher Development Programme which covers a diverse range of topics, including subject-specific research skills, research management, personal effectiveness, communication skills, networking and team working, and career management skills.

About the School of History

The School of History at the University of Kent offers a great environment in which to research and study. Situated within the beautiful cathedral city of Canterbury, with its own dynamic history, the University is within easy reach of the main London archives and is convenient for travelling to mainland Europe.

There is a good community spirit within the School, which includes regular postgraduate social meetings, weekly seminars and a comprehensive training programme, with the full involvement of the School’s academic staff. You'll join a lively, research-led department where postgraduate students are given the opportunity to work alongside academics, recognised as experts in their respective fields. 

Thanks to the wide range of teaching and research interests in the School, we can offer a wide scope for research supervision covering the breadth and depth of world history. Find out more about the School's research centres and staffs specific research interests here .

Everything you need to know.

Entry requirements, study support.

A first or second class honours degree in a relevant subject (or equivalent).

A first or upper-second class honours degree in a relevant subject (or equivalent) and, normally, a taught MA qualification.

All applicants are considered on an individual basis and additional qualifications, professional qualifications and relevant experience may also be taken into account when considering applications. 

Please see our International Student website for entry requirements by country  and other relevant information. Due to visa restrictions, students who require a student visa to study cannot study part-time unless undertaking a distance or blended-learning programme with no on-campus provision.

English language entry requirements

This course requires a Good level of English language, equivalent to B2 on CEFR.  

Details on how to meet this requirement can be found on our English Language requirements webpage . 

Examples:  

IELTS 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each component 

PTE Academic 63 with a minimum of 59 in each sub-test 

A degree from a UK university 

A degree from a Majority English Speaking Country 

Need help with English?

Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes through Kent International Pathways .

Postgraduate research is a fantastic opportunity and significant investment in your future, enabling you to expand your knowledge, skills and career options – all while making a meaningful impact and contribution to an area you are passionate about.

At Kent, we also recognise the significant financial investment that comes with postgraduate study, and we offer a range of scholarships for our postgraduate researchers, to help keep your mind on your studies, and off your finances.

Scholarships can be broad, or specific to your situation, background or even country – so please do use our scholarships finder to discover the options available to you.

We also have research partnership funding with research councils and government schemes in specific areas of interest that can help you take your research to the next level with additional financial support.

Find out more on our fees and funding page and discover what option is right for you.

Teaching and assessment

Postgraduate resources.

The resources for historical research at Kent are led by the University’s Templeman Library: a designated European Documentation Centre which holds specialised collections on slavery and antislavery, and on medical science. The Library has a substantial collection of secondary materials to back-up an excellent collection of primary sources including the British Cartoon Archive, newspapers, a large audio-visual library, and a complete set of British Second World War Ministry of Information propaganda pamphlets.

The School has a dedicated Centre for the Study of Propaganda and War, which has a distinctive archive of written, audio and visual propaganda materials, particularly in film, video and DVD. Locally, you have access to: the Canterbury Cathedral Library and Archive (a major collection for the study of medieval and early modern religious and social history); the Centre for Kentish Studies at Maidstone; and the National Maritime Collection at Greenwich. Kent is also within easy reach of the country’s premier research collections in London and the national libraries in Paris and Brussels.

Dynamic publishing culture

Staff publish regularly and widely in journals, conference proceedings and books. Among others, they have recently contributed to: Journal of Contemporary History ; English Historical Review ; British Journal for the History of Science ; Technology and Culture ; and War and Society .

Researcher Development Programme

Kent's Graduate School co-ordinates the Researcher Development Programme for research students, which includes workshops focused on research, specialist and transferable skills. The programme is mapped to the national Researcher Development Framework and covers a diverse range of topics, including subject-specific research skills, research management, personal effectiveness, communication skills, networking and teamworking, and career management skills.

Medieval and early modern history

Covering c400–c1500, incorporating such themes as Anglo-Saxon England, early-modern France, palaeography, British and European politics and society, religion and papacy.

Modern history

Covering c1500–present, incorporating such themes as modern British, European and American history, British military history, and 20th-century conflict and propaganda.

History of science, technology and medicine

Incorporating such themes as colonial science and medicine, Nazi medicine, eugenics, science and technology in 19th-century Britain.

Staff research interests

Kent’s world-class academics provide research students with excellent supervision. The academic staff in this school and their research interests are shown below. You are strongly encouraged to contact the school to discuss your proposed research and potential supervision prior to making an application. Please note, it is possible for students to be supervised by a member of academic staff from any of Kent’s schools, providing their expertise matches your research interests. Use our ‘ find a supervisor ’ search to search by staff member or keyword.

Full details of staff research interests can be found on the School's website .

As the job market becomes increasingly competitive, postgraduate qualifications are becoming more attractive to employers seeking individuals who have finely tuned skills and abilities, which our programmes encourage you to hone. As a result of the valuable transferable skills developed during your course of study, career prospects for history graduates are wide ranging.

Our graduates go on to a variety of careers, from research within the government to teaching, politics to records management and journalism, to working within museums and galleries – to name but a few.

The 2024/25 annual tuition fees for this course are:

• History - MA at Canterbury
• History - PhD at Canterbury

For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide .

For students continuing on this programme fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* If you are uncertain about your fee status please contact [email protected] .

Your fee status

The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from  UKCISA  before applying.

General information

For students continuing on this programme, fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* 

Additional costs

General additional costs.

Find out more about  general additional costs  that you may pay when studying at Kent. 

Search our scholarships finder for possible funding opportunities. You may find it helpful to look at both:

• University and external funds
• Scholarships specific to the academic school delivering this programme.

We have a range of subject-specific awards and scholarships for academic, sporting and musical achievement.

Ready to apply?

Learn more about the  application process  or begin your application by clicking on a link below.

You will be able to choose your preferred year of entry once you have started your application. You can also save and return to your application at any time.

Need help deciding?

Our friendly team is on hand to help you with any queries you have.

Find the right supervisor for your and your research project.

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Everything you need to know about applying to Kent from abroad.

Apply for entry to History

• Full-time at Canterbury
• Part-time at Canterbury

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Supporting your success

We are here to support your postgraduate journey.

Kent ranked top 50 in The Complete University Guide 2024 .

Support for funding so you can focus on your studies.

Research excellence.

Kent has risen 11 places in THE’s REF 2021 ranking, confirming us as a leading research university.

It’s easy to study on or off campus at Kent – discover what is right for you.

• Schools & departments

PhD by Distance

The PhD by Distance programme allows students who are unable to commit to basing themselves in Edinburgh to study for a PhD in a field of History, Classics or Archaeology from their home country or city.

What's involved?

The PhD by Distance mode is available to all applicants for eligible HCA PhD programmes, who will apply via the Postgraduate Degree Finder . Applicants will select between on-campus and distance options, as well as between part-time and full-time options.

PhD by Distance students will receive the same level of support and supervision as on-campus students. The frequency with which students will meet with their supervisors, and method of communication for supervision sessions, will be provisionally agreed at the point of application and confirmed during induction. 

Please be aware that some funding bodies do not permit students to study by distance, for example both  ESRC  and  AHRC  regulations currently state that students must be residents at the Institution where they are studying.

Entry requirements

The entry requirements for the PhD by Distance are the same as for the School’s on-campus PhD programmes.  

In addition, applicants to the PhD by Distance will also be required to complete a PhD by Distance Applicant Admission Form. This form must be emailed to the Postgraduate Research Office ( [email protected] ) who will upload this to your application on your behalf.

Applicants should provide information about previous experience of distance study together with a statement detailing the potential risks and characteristics of distance learning. It is important that student’s applying for this mode of study recognise its particular challenges. While experience of studying at a distance is desirable in applying for the programme, this is not a specific requirement for admission. All of this should be discussed with the potential supervisor(s) prior to application and can be reflected on further during the admissions interview.

Applicants should also use this additional application form to provide details of the access they will have to research facilities at the normal site of study and where the core datasets that they will rely on are located.

Working whilst studying

The School understands that many students will take on paid work alongside their studies. The University’s guidance for full-time PhD students is that they should work no more than an average of 9 hours per week for across the academic year, to ensure they have time for their studies . While there are no specific rules about how many hours part-time students can work, the School recommends that part-time students allocate at least two to three days a week, on average across the year, to their PhD research. You should discuss any working patterns that you have with your proposed supervisor and reflect on the time you are devoting to your studies throughout your programme, particularly if you are struggling to make sufficient progress; this might well be a topic for discussion at annual reviews. Please note that if you need to apply for an extension at the end of your programme, you cannot use the fact that you had a job alongside your studies as a justification for this – an extension request can only be based on unforeseen circumstances. If you need to take on more work for a temporary period of time and this will impact on your studies, you should consider an Authorised Interruption of Studies.

Department of History of Art

PhD/MPhil in History of Art

Work in a supportive and stimulating research environment alongside staff who are experts in art history.

Pursue your research ambitions among passionate colleagues in one of the largest postgraduate art history communities in the UK.

We welcome students from all backgrounds, with a great range of intellectual interests. This includes students who are seeking an academic career and those who require a further professional qualification. We also welcome applicants who wish to extend their art-historical interests while pursuing other kinds of employment, as well as those who are seeking to develop an academic interest in their retirement.

Your research

The PhD requires a dissertation of not more than 90,000 words, to be submitted by full-time students after three years' study (full-time) or six years (part-time). We also offer a distance-learning variant if you're unable to travel to or in live York.

histart-admissions​@york.ac.uk

Related links

• Research degree funding
• Accommodation
• International students
• Life at York
• How to apply

Partnerships with museums and galleries

support your learning and research through collaborative expertise and enhanced access to collections and studentship opportunities.

=79th in the world

for the broad subject of arts and humanities (QS World University Rankings by subject, 2024).

1st in the UK

for research impact and environment in history of art - the support we give to researchers (Times Higher Education’s ranking of the latest REF results, 2021).

Humanities Research Centre

provides a fantastic research environment for postgraduate students in the humanities, and for postdoctoral scholars. The postgraduate work space is open 24/7.

Explore funding for postgraduates in the Department of History of Art.

Supervision

Explore the expertise of our staff and identify a potential supervisor.

Training and support

As an art history researcher at York, you'll have access to a range of training and resources to support you with your work. There are  plenty of innovative research activities for you to get involved in. These include research seminars, conferences, activities organised by our departmental research schools, study days and reading groups.

You'll also benefit from the rich array of research and training sessions at the  Humanities Research Centre .

Course location

This course is run by the Department of History of Art. You will be based on Campus West, with some teaching taking place at King's Manor. 

If you're studying by distance learning, you'll be required to attend campus at least twice a year for registration, training, meetings with the thesis advisory panel and the annual PhD conference.

Careers and skills

Our dedicated careers team offer specific support including a programme of professional researcher development and careers workshops , and 1:1 career support sessions. They will help you to develop your employability portfolio and to engage in activities that will build up your skills and experience within and outside your research work.

Career opportunities

• art sales specialist
• museum educator
• conservator

Entry requirements

You should have a 2:1 or first-class undergraduate degree, or equivalent. For the PhD, you should also have or be currently completing an MA degree, and we normally require an MA dissertation mark, where one is awarded, of at least 65 or equivalent.

Exceptions can be made if you've had an unusual career profile, but still have substantial related experience.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence of your ability.

Check your English language requirements

Apply for the PhD in History of Art

Apply for the PhD in History of Art (distance learning)

Apply for the MPhil in History of Art

Find a supervisor

Before you apply, you should contact a potential supervisor for your research. We welcome enquiries and encourage you to get in touch as early as possible. However, a scattershot approach - emailing all staff members regardless of the relationship between their research interests and yours - is unlikely to produce positive results. You're advised to make your research proposals as specific and clear as possible.

Sample of writing

You should submit a 1,500-word sample of academic writing. Where possible, the subject should concern art history, but if your background lies in other areas, we would welcome work in another field such as literature or history.

Personal statement

We are keen to hear about your academic and other experience. Please explain your interest in the subject, which may include approaches as well as periods or artists. Explain what has attracted you to our programme and what you would like to do here. If possible, please tell us your cohort position in your previous degree, based on your final award mark (for example, 2nd in a cohort of 50).

We'll invite you for an interview at York with your potential supervisor and the Director of Research Programmes, either before or after your submission.

You should be prepared to discuss the research proposal in depth, although we recognise that details may change over the course of your degree. You should be prepared to be flexible in adapting your interests to the sources and expertise available to you.

Overseas applicants will be interviewed by phone or Zoom.

If you need guidance, please email   [email protected] .

Have a look at the supporting documents you may need for your application.

Find out more about how to apply .

Discover York

We offer a range of campus accommodation to suit you and your budget, from economy to deluxe.

Discover more about our researchers, facilities and why York is the perfect choice for your research degree.

Graduate Research School

Connect with researchers across all disciplines to get the most out of your research project.

Meet us online or on campus

Find out all you need to know about applying to York

Scholarships

Find scholarships to support your studies [Add dept funding page link]