History PhDs
A PhD is likely to be the most challenging type of academic work you have ever done, but it will also be the most rewarding. It's an independent piece of research and writing that presents an original contribution to existing historical knowledge.
Specialisms
We have over 40 members of academic staff specialising in history from the ancient period to the modern-day with options encompassing the history of Britain and Europe to America and the wider world.
Key areas of specialism include:
- Late Antique and medieval history
- Early modern England and Europe
- The history of pre-colonial, nineteenth- and twentieth-century America
- The history of Britain and of Europe from the nineteenth century to the present day
- Global, international and imperial modern history
- Social, religious, cultural, gender and political history
- Medical humanities
- The history of enslavement
Supervision
You will normally have a supervisory team made up of a primary and secondary supervisor. Your supervisors will guide you in your research, helping you to plan your work and make sure that you have the skills that you need to succeed.
Training and development
As a PhD student you’ll have access to a range of training and development opportunities to help you get the best out of your research and develop professionally. The Department aims to create a research culture where your ideas can develop and flourish, and provide you with the facilities and support to complete your research project successfully.
Facilities
The Western Bank Library is the main library for research students and houses a number of outstanding bodies of research materials. These include several collections on modern British History, such as the wide-ranging holdings on fascism and anti-fascism, and the National Fairground Archive covering many aspects of popular entertainment.
The Professor Sir Ian Kershaw and William Carr collections provide extensive materials on German history, and the library also has substantial microfilm holdings covering areas of US and European history.
The Library contains complete runs of medieval sourcebooks in nineteenth-century editions, as well as the papers of Samuel Hartlib, the seventeenth century educationalist and natural philosopher.
Study space for PhD students
In addition to the over 4,000 study spaces in our three main libraries, the Department has its own dedicated PhD student workspaces with hot desks and access to networked computers, or the option to use your own laptop, and printers.
The Dainton Graduate Research Centre also offers additional dedicated and bookable workspace for PhD students.
Entry requirements, applying and your research proposal
Entry requirements
When assessing PhD applications, we take into account an applicant's academic background (including references and academic transcripts), the nature of the project and quality of the research proposal, as well as the capacity of the Department of History to offer appropriate supervision over the duration of the PhD.
In terms of academic entry requirements, applicants should normally have a suitable MA in History with a research-training element. The quality of performance at MA level will be taken into account when considering potential for PhD study.
We also normally expect applicants to have achieved a 2.1 or equivalent in a Bachelors degree in history or a related subject (i.e. English, languages, politics, philosophy, archaeology or journalism) from a recognised UK or overseas university.
If you are an international student, you need to provide proof of English Language proficiency with a minimum IELTS score of 7.0 with no less than 6.5 in each component (or equivalent).
For more information, visit the links below:
How to apply and write your research proposal
History Postgrad Forum
The student-led postgrad forum is the heart of the history postgraduate student community. Getting involved with the forum’s is a great way to meet other students, have your views heard and make the most of the social and research events on offer. And, if you become part of the forum committee, it can also be excellent way of building transferable skills for when you start looking for employment.
Postgraduate research groups
The forum includes a variety of postgraduate research groups where postgraduate students at all levels have the opportunity to work with other students and members of staff to create their own programme of speakers and research events.
These events are often speaker-based, with research students and staff from º¬Ð߲ݴ«Ã½ and elsewhere coming along to discuss their research. The is a great example.
Research culture and strengths
Our research interests extend chronologically from the ancient world to the twenty-first century; geographically from the UK to Western, Southern, Central and Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, South and East Asia, the Middle East and the USA; and thematically to include political, economic, social, cultural and intellectual history, with a distinct specialism in the application of digital technologies to historical research.
Thematic research hubs offer a focused space that combines staff and student research interests cutting across the usual chronological and geographical boundaries.
Examples of our research specialisms includes:
Our research centres see us take that further by working across faculty and University boundaries with staff from all over the world.
Find out more about research at º¬Ð߲ݴ«Ã½
History research seminars
Our regular research seminar series covers a huge range of topics. Seminars often host an external guest speaker talking about their latest research or feature a round table discussion.
These events are a great opportunity for students to get involved and find out more about the cutting-edge research that’s happening in your main area of interest and beyond.
Interdisciplinary Research Seminars
Many of our research centres also run their own research seminar series including:
Conferences and other research events
In addition to our usual research seminars, many of the research centres, networks and postgraduate discussion groups organise seminars, day conferences or special lectures during the year, often working in conjunction with staff and students across the faculty and the wider University.
Find out more about the research seminars and other events happening this year on our events page.
Postgraduate research colloquium
The Colloquium is the PhD students’ annual conference, where students present papers and share the latest insights into their research. Papers are welcome on any topic area, so the Colloquium always promises to be an interesting and intellectually engaging event!
It's an excellent opportunity for PhD students to build their experience of giving papers to an academic audience and answering questions on your research.
It is also a great chance for MA students to experience an academic conference and pick up tips ahead of the MA Conference Day that forms part of the Research Presentation module assessment.
Additional information
Course codes, time limits and funded periods
The exact length of your degree will depend on your funding source, this may also affect the course code that you register on. Students funded through Arts and Humanities or Hossein Farmy scholarships will usually have a funded period and time limit of 42 months. Students funded through WRoCAH will usually have a funded period and time limit of 40 months in the first instance (this may vary depending on your engagement with the WRoCAH training programme).