history phd manchester

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Gain advanced research skills and knowledge in one of a broad range of history specialisms.

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PhD History / Programme details

Year of entry: 2024

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Programme description

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Our History PhD programme is a three-year course of study (or six years of part-time study) that enables you to carry out a piece of in-depth research in the area that most interests you.

Our research interests stretch from the early Middle Ages to the end of the 20th century, and our geographical range includes Britain, continental Europe, South and East Asia, Africa and the Americas.

You will prepare a thesis under the guidance of two supervisors with specialist expertise. Your progress is monitored at regular meetings of your research panel (two supervisors plus a reviewer who is independent of the supervisory team), which also provides guidance on research training and career development.

The aim of the programme is to turn you into a fully-fledged independent researcher, and you are from the outset encouraged to disseminate your work at seminars and conferences and by publishing in high-quality locations.

The programme culminates in the submission of an 80,000-word dissertation that makes an original contribution to historical knowledge.

As a postgraduate researcher in the History department, you will join a large and lively research community. We have over 40 established members of staff engaged in research, often in ways that help to re-shape their fields, and there are also many historians working in other departments and research institutes across the University.

The University is committed to investing in History, which has recruited 20 new staff in the last four years.

Special features

Research environment

We are ranked 4th among history departments in the UK for the quality of our research according to the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014.

• 82% of our overall research activity was recognised as 'world leading' or 'internationally excellent'. (REF 2014)
• 100% of our research environment was judged to be 'world-leading' or 'internationally excellent'. (REF 2014)
• 80% of our research in history has also been judged to have 'outstanding' or 'very considerable' impact. (REF 2014)

Find out more about our History research .

Graduate School

All of our postgraduate students become members of the Graduate School when you start at Manchester. It has dedicated facilities for students and offers opportunities to collaborate with other postgraduates.

Additional programme information

Equality, diversity and inclusion  is fundamental to the success of The University of Manchester, and is at the heart of all of our activities. 

We know that diversity strengthens our research community, leading to enhanced research creativity, productivity and quality, and societal and economic impact. 

We actively encourage applicants from diverse career paths and backgrounds and from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation and transgender status. 

All appointments are made on merit. 

The University of Manchester and our external partners are fully committed to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Teaching and learning

Your research will normally be supervised by two members of staff - usually from the History department, but if appropriate, from another department in the University.

Close supervision based on regular production of written work is at the heart of the PhD student's working life. But your supervisors will aim to nurture your capacities as an independent researcher, and equally central to the learning process is your ability to take advantage of the wider opportunities offered by the University - seminars, conferences, reading groups, training courses, and the like.

We offer one of the UK's fullest and most innovative training programmes in the humanities, artsmethods@manchester .

This provides a rich menu of courses on methods (eg using medieval manuscripts, interview methods, using newspapers in research) and theory ('Using Marx'. 'Using Foucault', 'Using Cultural Studies'), as well as researcher-led conferences organised by groups of PhD students (eg 'How does gender mean? Debates and applications in modern Britain').

Historians working on the interface with the social sciences also have access to the social sciences counterpart, methods@manchester , which offers a similar range of opportunities.

These two programmes are reinforced by the Humanities Researcher Development programme, which offers generic training - eg on academic networking, or how to prepare for your viva - and courses aiming to enhance your career development.

The Faculty of Humanities runs a placement programme which offers PhD researchers the opportunity to develop their public engagement skills and/or their employability skills by undertaking a period of work with an organisation outside academia - a museum, an archive, or a festival, for example.

Recent History PhDs have undertaken placements with the People's History Museum, the Greater Manchester Museum of Transport, and Bramall Hall.

We also have a well-established exchange with the European University Institute, Florence , under which one or two of our PhD researchers each year will be able to spend a semester at the EUI, enhancing their skills in international networking and benefiting from a different kind of research environment. 

Coursework and assessment

This programme requires regular attendance at the University, except during periods of approved 'fieldwork', ie archival research away from Manchester.

It is not available on a distance-learning basis, since regular engagement with the University's research environment as well as with your supervisors is integral to your development as a researcher.

Part-time students should ensure a minimum of two full days in the working week for their studies for the same reason; evening and weekend study on its own is unlikely to be sufficient.

Your progress will be reviewed by your research panel, consisting of your two supervisors and one other member of staff.

This will meet with you once per semester (or once per year for part-time students) to give you formal feedback on your work and report on your progress to the School.

Please note that the first year of the PhD programme and the first two years of the part-time programme are probationary: at the end of this period, your panel is required to confirm that you have made satisfactory progress towards completion and may therefore proceed.

Thereafter, progression through each year of the programme is dependent on your ability to produce evidence of continuing progression.

The PhD is assessed on the basis of a thesis up to 80,000 words. This is examined by two examiners, one of whom is external to the University.

An oral examination is an integral part of the assessment process.

Manchester is home to one of the UK's five National Research Libraries - one of the best-resourced academic libraries in the UK and widely recognised as one of the world's greatest research libraries.

Find out more about libraries and study spaces for postgraduate research students at Manchester.

We also have one of the largest academic IT services in Europe - supporting world-class teaching and research. There are extensive computing facilities across campus, with access to standard office software as well as specialist programmes, all connected to the campus network and internet.

Every student is registered for email, file storage and internet access. If more demanding computer access is required, our specialist computing division can provide high-end and specialist computing services.

The Graduate School offers dedicated state of the art facilities to research students, including common rooms and workstations.

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PhD History

The university of manchester, manchester, united kingdom, # =33 qs subject rankings, 36 months program duration, history main subject area, program overview, main subject, study level, admission requirements, exam scores, important dates, tuition fee and scholarships, scholarships.

One of the important factors when considering a master's degree is the cost of study. Luckily, there are many options available to help students fund their master's programme. Download your copy of the Scholarship Guide to find out which scholarships from around the world could be available to you, and how to apply for them.

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QS WUR Ranking By Subject

More programs from the university, bachelor ug.

Part of the prestigious Russell Group of universities, The University of Manchester enjoys an international reputation for pioneering research and innovation.

According to the 2025 QS Ranking of World Universities, Manchester is ranked 34th in the world and 6th in the UK. Now the largest single-site university in the UK, based in the heart of one of the most exciting cities in the world, Manchester is also a truly international institution - with over 160 nationalities represented.  Manchester is a truly comprehensive university and boasts strength in all areas of Humanities, Science, Engineering, Biology, Medicine and Health.

Consistently among the most targeted university by the UK’s top employers (High Fliers Report) and enjoying a top 50 reputation among employers globally (QS).

The University of Manchester is one of Britain's most famous and forward-thinking universities, with a rich heritage stretching back to 1824 and an exciting agenda for the future.  Our story is one of world firsts and brilliant discoveries, with 25 Nobel Prize winners having worked or studied here. Many major advances of the 20th century began here, including the birth of the computer, the work that led to the splitting of the atom and the founding principles of modern economics. Today, research remains at the heart of the University and the quality, breadth and volume of research activity is unparalleled in the UK, with strong collaborative links with industry across the globe.

The University’s campus has benefitted from a £1 billion capital investment programme features beautiful heritage buildings and new developments such as a new building for Alliance Manchester Building School and MECD, the single largest home for engineering in any UK university. The campus also features a museum, art gallery, concert venues and the biggest Students’ Union in the UK with over 400 clubs and societies. 

Follow the University of Manchester on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat and X.

Arts and Humanities (6)

Ba american studies, ba ancient history, ba ancient history and archaeology, ba ancient history and history, ba arabic studies, ba arabic and a modern european language, ba archaeology, ba archaeology and anthropology, ba archaeology and history, ba architecture, ba art history and arabic, ba art history and chinese, ba art history and english literature, ba art history and french, ba art history and german, ba art history and history, ba art history and italian, ba art history and japanese, ba art history and portuguese, ba art history and russian, ba art history and spanish, ba chinese studies, ba chinese and japanese, ba classical studies, ba classics, ba drama and english literature, ba drama and film studies, ba english language, ba english language and arabic, ba english language and chinese, ba english language and english literature, ba english language and french, ba english language and german, ba english language and italian, ba english language and japanese, ba english language and portuguese, ba english language and russian, ba english language and spanish, ba english literature, ba english literature and american studies, ba english literature and french, ba english literature and german, ba english literature and history, ba english literature and italian, ba english literature and spanish, ba english literature with creative writing, ba film studies and english language, ba film studies and english literature, ba film studies and history of art, ba french studies, ba french and chinese, ba french and german, ba french and italian, ba french and japanese, ba french and portuguese, ba french and russian, ba french and spanish, ba geography, ba geography with international study, ba geography with professional placement, ba german studies, ba german and chinese, ba german and italian, ba german and japanese, ba german and portuguese, ba german and russian, ba german and spanish, ba history and american studies, ba history and arabic, ba history and french, ba history and german, ba history and italian, ba history and portuguese, ba history and russian, ba history and sociology, ba history and spanish, ba history of art, ba italian studies, ba italian and chinese, ba italian and japanese, ba italian and portuguese, ba italian and russian, ba italian and spanish, ba japanese studies, ba latin and english literature, ba latin and french, ba latin and italian, ba latin and linguistics, ba latin and spanish, ba linguistics, ba linguistics and arabic, ba linguistics and chinese, ba linguistics and french, ba linguistics and german, ba linguistics and italian, ba linguistics and japanese, ba linguistics and portuguese, ba linguistics and russian, ba linguistics and social anthropology, ba linguistics and sociology, ba linguistics and spanish, ba middle eastern studies, ba modern history with economics, ba music and drama, ba philosophy, ba philosophy and religion, ba portuguese and chinese, ba portuguese and japanese, ba russian studies, ba russian and chinese, ba russian and japanese, ba russian and portuguese, ba russian and spanish, ba spanish and chinese, ba spanish and japanese, ba spanish and portuguese, ba spanish, portuguese and latin american studies, ba world literatures, baecon economics and philosophy, bass philosophy and criminology, bass philosophy and politics, bass philosophy and quantitative methods, bsc fashion buying and merchandising, bsc fashion technology, bsc geography, bsc geography with international study, bsc geography with professional placement, bsc planning and real estate, bsc planning and real estate with professional placement, mplan planning, mplan planning and real estate with professional placement, mplan planning with professional placement, business and management (6), bsc fashion management, engineering and technology (6), beng aerospace engineering, beng chemical engineering, beng civil engineering, beng computer systems engineering, beng computer systems engineering with industrial experience, beng electrical and electronic engineering, beng electrical and electronic engineering with industrial experience, beng electronic engineering, beng electronic engineering with industrial experience, beng mechanical engineering, beng mechanical engineering with management, beng mechatronic engineering, beng mechatronic engineering with industrial experience, bsc actuarial science and mathematics, bsc artificial intelligence, bsc artificial intelligence with industrial experience, bsc artificial intelligence with an integrated foundation year, bsc computer science, bsc computer science (human computer interaction), bsc computer science (human computer interaction) with industrial experience, bsc computer science and mathematics, bsc computer science and mathematics with industrial experience, bsc computer science with industrial experience, bsc software engineering, bsc software engineering with industrial experience, meng aerospace engineering, meng aerospace engineering with industrial experience, meng aerospace engineering with management, meng artificial intelligence, meng artificial intelligence with industrial experience, meng chemical engineering, meng chemical engineering (energy and the environment), meng chemical engineering with energy and environment, meng chemical engineering with industrial experience, meng chemical engineering with study in europe, meng civil engineering, meng civil engineering (enterprise), meng civil engineering with industrial experience, meng civil and structural engineering, meng computer science, meng computer science (human computer interaction), meng computer science (human computer interaction) with industrial experience, meng computer science with industrial experience, meng computer systems engineering, meng computer systems engineering with industrial experience, meng electrical and electronic engineering, meng electrical and electronic engineering with industrial experience, meng electronic engineering, meng electronic engineering with industrial experience, meng mechanical engineering, meng mechanical engineering with industrial experience, meng mechanical engineering with management, meng mechatronic engineering, meng mechatronic engineering with industrial experience, meng software engineering, meng software engineering with industrial experience, life sciences and medicine (6), bass social anthropology and criminology, bass social anthropology and philosophy, bass social anthropology and quantitative methods, bass social anthropology and sociology, bds dentistry (first-year entry), bds dentistry (pre-dental entry), bnurs adult nursing, bnurs children's nursing, bnurs mental health nursing, bsc anatomical sciences, bsc anatomical sciences with industrial/professional experience, bsc anatomical sciences with a modern language, bsc biochemistry, bsc biochemistry with industrial/professional experience, bsc biochemistry with a modern language, bsc biology, bsc biology with industrial/professional experience, bsc biology with science and society with industrial/professional experience, bsc biology with a modern language, bsc biomedical sciences, bsc biomedical sciences with industrial/professional experience, bsc biomedical sciences with a modern language, bsc biotechnology, bsc biotechnology with industrial/professional experience, bsc cell biology, bsc cell biology with industrial/professional experience, bsc cell biology with a modern language, bsc cognitive neuroscience and psychology, bsc cognitive neuroscience and psychology with industrial/professional experience, bsc developmental biology, bsc developmental biology with industrial/professional experience, bsc developmental biology with a modern language, bsc genetics, bsc genetics with industrial/professional experience, bsc genetics with a modern language, bsc global health (intercalated), bsc healthcare science (audiology), bsc immunology, bsc immunology with industrial/professional experience, bsc immunology with a modern language, bsc life sciences, bsc life sciences with industrial/professional experience, bsc life sciences with a modern language, bsc medical physiology, bsc medical physiology with industrial/professional experience, bsc medical physiology with a modern language, bsc microbiology, bsc microbiology with industrial/professional experience, bsc microbiology with a modern language, bsc molecular biology, bsc molecular biology with industrial/professional experience, bsc molecular biology with a modern language, bsc neuroscience, bsc neuroscience with industrial/professional experience, bsc neuroscience with a modern language, bsc optometry, bsc oral health science, bsc pharmacology, bsc pharmacology and physiology, bsc pharmacology and physiology with industrial/professional experience, bsc pharmacology with industrial/professional experience, bsc pharmacology with a modern language, bsc plant science, bsc plant science with industrial/professional experience, bsc plant science with a modern language, bsc psychology, bsc speech and language therapy, bsc zoology, bsc zoology with industrial/professional experience, bsc zoology with a modern language, bsocsc social anthropology, bachelor of midwifery, biology with science & society, mbchb medicine, mbchb medicine (6 years including foundation year), mpharm pharmacy, mpharm pharmacy with a foundation year, msci anatomical sciences, msci biochemistry, msci biology, msci biomedical sciences, msci biotechnology, msci cell biology, msci cognitive neuroscience and psychology, msci developmental biology, msci genetics, msci immunology, msci medical physiology, msci microbiology, msci molecular biology, msci neuroscience, msci pharmacology, msci plant science, msci zoology, mspchlangther speech and language therapy, natural sciences (6), bsc chemistry, bsc chemistry with medicinal chemistry, bsc earth and planetary sciences, bsc environmental management, bsc environmental management with professional placement, bsc environmental science, bsc materials science and engineering, bsc mathematics, bsc mathematics and philosophy, bsc mathematics and physics, bsc mathematics and statistics, bsc mathematics with financial mathematics, bsc mathematics with a modern language, bsc medical biochemistry, bsc medical biochemistry with industrial/professional experience, bsc physics, bsc physics with astrophysics, bsc physics with philosophy, bsc physics with theoretical physics, mchem chemistry, mchem chemistry (with international study), mchem chemistry with industrial experience, mchem chemistry with medicinal chemistry, mearthsci earth and planetary sciences, mearthsci earth and planetary sciences with industrial experience, mearthsci earth and planetary sciences with international study, mearthsci earth and planetary sciences with a research placement, meng materials science and engineering, meng materials science and engineering with biomaterials, meng materials science and engineering with corrosion, meng materials science and engineering with metallurgy, meng materials science and engineering with nanomaterials, meng materials science and engineering with polymers, meng materials science and engineering with textile technology, menvsci environmental science, menvsci environmental science with industrial experience, menvsci environmental science with international study, menvsci environmental science with a research placement, mmath mathematics, mmath mathematics and statistics, mmath mathematics with financial mathematics, mmath&phys mathematics and physics, mphys physics, mphys physics with astrophysics, mphys physics with philosophy, mphys physics with study in europe, mphys physics with theoretical physics, msci medical biochemistry, social sciences and management (6), ba comparative religion and social anthropology, ba criminology, ba criminology with international study, ba east asian studies, ba east asian studies with international study, ba film studies and arabic, ba film studies and archaeology, ba film studies and chinese, ba film studies and east asian studies, ba film studies and french, ba film studies and german, ba film studies and history, ba film studies and italian, ba film studies and japanese, ba film studies and linguistics, ba film studies and middle eastern studies, ba film studies and music, ba film studies and portuguese, ba film studies and russian, ba film studies and spanish, ba politics and arabic, ba politics and chinese, ba politics and french, ba politics and german, ba politics and italian, ba politics and japanese, ba politics and modern history, ba politics and portuguese, ba politics and russian, ba politics and spanish, ba politics, philosophy and economics, ba religions and theology, ba religions, theology and ethics, ba theological studies in philosophy and ethics, baecon development studies, baecon development studies and social statistics, baecon economics and politics, bass criminology and quantitative methods, bass politics and criminology, bass politics and quantitative methods, bass politics and social anthropology, bass politics and sociology, bass sociology and criminology, bass sociology and philosophy, bass sociology and quantitative methods, bsc education, bsc educational psychology, bsocsc politics and international relations, bsocsc sociology, llb law with criminology, llb law with international study, llb law with politics.

According to the 2025 QS Ranking of World Universities, Manchester is ranked 34th in the world and 6th in the UK. Now the largest single-site university in the UK, based in the heart of one of the most exciting cities in the world, Manchester is also a truly international institution - with over 160 nationalities represented.  Manchester is a truly comprehensive university and boasts strength in all areas of Humanities, Science, Engineering, Biology, Medicine and Health, ranking top 10 in the UK for 44 subjects according to QS.

Consistently among the most targeted university by the UK’s top employers (High Fliers Report) and enjoying a top 50 reputation among employers globally (QS), Manchester has an exceptional reputation for employability.

The University of Manchester is one of Britain's most famous and forward-thinking universities, with a rich heritage stretching back to 1824 and an exciting agenda for the future.  Our story is one of world firsts and brilliant discoveries, with 25 Nobel Prize winners having worked or studied here. Many major advances of the 20th century began here, including the birth of the computer, the work that led to the splitting of the atom and the founding principles of modern economics. Today, research remains at the heart of the University and the quality, breadth and volume of research activity is unparalleled in the UK, with strong collaborative links with industry across the globe.

The University’s campus has benefitted from a £1 billion capital investment programme features beautiful heritage buildings and new developments such as a new building for Alliance Manchester Building School and MECD, the single largest home for engineering in any UK university. The campus also features a museum, art gallery, concert venues and the biggest Students’ Union in the UK with over 400 clubs and societies. 

MA Architecture and Urbanism

Ma art gallery and museum studies, ma classics and ancient history, ma creative writing, ma egyptology, ma english literature and american studies, ma heritage studies, ma linguistics, ma medieval and early modern studies, ma modern languages and cultures, ma modern and contemporary literature, ma philosophy, ma playwriting, ma screenwriting, ma translation and interpreting studies, mphil chinese studies, mphil french studies, mphil german studies, mphil history, mphil italian studies, mphil japanese studies, mphil portuguese studies, mphil spanish studies, msc biomedical egyptology, msc planning, msc real estate development, msc real estate distance learning, msc research methods with human geography, msc textile technology (technical textiles), msc urban design and international planning, master of architecture (march), musm music (ethnomusicology), musm music (musicology), msc international fashion retailing, msc management and information systems: change and development, msc management and information systems: change and development (distance learning), mphil aerospace engineering, mphil civil engineering, mphil computer science, mphil electrical and electronic engineering, mphil environmental engineering, mphil mechanical engineering, mphil nuclear engineering, msc acs: advanced web technologies, msc acs: artificial intelligence, msc acs: computer security, msc acs: digital biology, msc acs: semantic technologies, msc acs: software engineering, msc actuarial science, msc advanced chemical engineering, msc advanced computer science, msc advanced control and systems engineering, msc advanced control and systems engineering with extended research, msc advanced electrical power systems engineering, msc advanced engineering materials, msc advanced process integration and design, msc aerospace engineering, msc communications and signal processing, msc communications and signal processing with extended research, msc corrosion control engineering, msc data science (applied urban analytics), msc data science (computer science data informatics), msc data science (mathematics), msc data science (social analytics), msc electrical power systems engineering, msc electrical power systems engineering (distance learning), msc engineering project management, msc geographical information science, msc health data science, msc icts for development, msc mechanical engineering design, msc nuclear science and technology, msc petroleum exploration geoscience, msc petroleum geoscience for reservoir development and production, msc reliability engineering and asset management, msc renewable energy and clean technology, msc renewable energy and clean technology with extended research, msc structural engineering, msc subsurface energy engineering, msc thermal power & fluid engineering, ma anthropological research, ma social anthropology, ma visual anthropology, mclin res clinical research, md medicine, mph public health (web-based learning), mphil basic dental science, mphil biomaterials science and dental technology, mphil biomedical imaging sciences, mphil biostatistics, mphil cancer sciences, mphil cardiovascular sciences, mphil cell matrix research, mphil clinical psychology, mphil communication disorders, mphil dental health sciences, mphil dermatological sciences, mphil drug design, development & delivery, mphil health psychology, mphil history of science, technology and medicine, mphil inflammation sciences, mphil medicine, mphil nursing, mphil pharmacology, mphil pharmacy practice, mphil pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences, mphil physiology, mphil plant science, mphil primary care and health services research, mphil psychology, mphil public health, mphil reproductive sciences, mphil stem cell research, mphil structural biology, mres cardiovascular health and disease, mres dental public health, mres experimental medicine (cancer), mres experimental medicine (dermatology), mres experimental medicine (hearing health), mres experimental medicine (musculoskeletal), mres experimental medicine (respiratory), mres health and social care, mres infection biology, mres medical sciences, mres oncology, mres primary care (web-based learning), mres psychology, mres public health (web-based learning), mres reproduction and pregnancy, mres tissue engineering for regenerative medicine, msc (clin) fixed and removable prosthodontics, msc (clin) oral and maxillofacial surgery, msc (clin) orthodontics, msc (clin) periodontology, msc advanced audiology studies, msc advanced audiology studies (paediatric pathway), msc advanced clinical practice (paediatrics), msc advanced community pharmacy practice, msc advanced leadership for professional practice (nursing), msc advanced leadership for professional practice (social work), msc advanced restorative dentistry, msc advanced therapy medicinal products, msc audiology, msc bioinformatics and systems biology, msc biological sciences, msc biotechnology and enterprise, msc business psychology, msc cancer research and molecular biomedicine, msc cell biology, msc clinical dentistry (paediatric dentistry), msc clinical immunology, msc clinical pharmacy, msc clinical rheumatology & musculoskeletal medicine, msc clinical and health psychology, msc dental public health (mdph), msc developmental biology, msc endodontics (dental specialties), msc evidence-based health care, msc fixed and removable prosthodontics (dental specialties), msc forensic psychology and mental health, msc genomic medicine, msc global health, msc health psychology, msc history of science, technology and medicine, msc investigative ophthalmology and vision science, msc medical imaging science, msc medical microbiology, msc model-based drug development, msc molecular pathology, msc neuroimaging for clinical & cognitive neuroscience, msc neuroscience, msc occupational hygiene, msc occupational medicine, msc oral and maxillofacial surgery (dental specialties), msc organisational psychology, msc pharmaceutical industrial advanced training (piat), msc pharmaceutical technology and quality assurance, msc physician associate studies, msc precision medicine, msc primary mental health care pathway - apimh, msc skin ageing and aesthetic medicine, msc specialist practice (cancer), msc in clinical dentistry (endodontics), ment chemistry, mphil atmospheric sciences, mphil biological chemistry, mphil chemistry, mphil environmental biology, mphil materials, mphil materials chemistry, mphil mathematical sciences, mphil nano and functional materials, mphil occupational & environmental health, mphil organic chemistry, mphil physical chemistry, mphil theoretical chemistry, msc analytical science, msc applied mathematics, msc biochemistry, msc biomaterials, msc cancer biology and radiotherapy physics, msc chemistry, msc clinical biochemistry, msc environmental governance, msc environmental impact assessment & management, msc environmental monitoring, modelling and reconstruction, msc nanomaterials, msc pollution & environmental control, msc polymer materials science and engineering, msc pure mathematics, msc pure mathematics and mathematical logic, msc research methods with planning and environmental management, msc by research astronomy and astrophysics, msc by research fluids and soft matter physics, msc by research nano and functional materials, msc by research nuclear physics, msc by research particle physics, msc by research theoretical physics, llm corporate governance, llm healthcare ethics and law, llm healthcare ethics and law (distance learning), llm intellectual property law, llm international financial law, llm international trade transactions, llm public international law, llm security and international law, llm transnational dispute resolution, ma criminology, ma digital technologies, communication and education, ma educational leadership, ma educational leadership in practice, ma film studies, ma gender, sexuality and culture, ma healthcare ethics and law, ma healthcare ethics and law (distance learning), ma human rights - law/political science pathway (standard route), ma human rights - political science (standard route), ma humanitarianism and conflict response, ma intercultural communication, ma international education, ma international political economy (standard), ma international relations (standard), ma peace and conflict studies, ma political economy (standard route), ma political science - european politics & policy pathway (standard route), ma political science - governance and public policy pathway (standard route), ma political science - philosophy and political theory, ma political science - political theory pathway (standard route), ma politics, ma religions and theology, ma security and international law, ma social work, ma sociology, med psychology of education, mphil east asian studies, mphil health economics, mphil latin american cultural studies, mphil middle eastern studies, mphil social work, mres criminology, mres criminology (social statistics), msc deaf education, msc global urban development and planning, msc healthcare ethics and law (intercalated), msc human resource development (international development), msc humanitarian practice, msc international development, msc international development: environment climate change and development, msc international development: globalisation, trade and industry, msc international development: politics, governance and development policy, msc international development: poverty conflict and reconstruction, msc international development: poverty, inequality and development, msc organisational change and development, msc research methods with education, msc research methods with international development, msc science communication, msc social research methods and statistics, msc sociological research, msc statistics, msc urban regeneration and development, musm composition (electroacoustic music and interactive media), musm composition (instrumental and vocal music), arts and humanities (5), phd arab world studies, phd archaeology, phd architecture, phd art history and visual studies, phd chinese studies, phd classics and ancient history, phd english and american studies, phd french studies, phd german studies, phd human geography, phd interpreting studies, phd italian studies, phd japanese studies, phd linguistics, phd philosophy, phd physical geography, phd portuguese studies, phd spanish studies, phd translation and intercultural studies, engineering and technology (5), dprof reliability engineering & asset management, phd aerospace engineering, phd civil engineering, phd electrical and electronic engineering, phd environmental engineering, phd mechanical engineering, phd nuclear engineering, phd petroleum geoscience, life sciences and medicine (5), clinpsyd doctorate in clinical psychology, dcounspsych counselling psychology, dedchpsy educational and child psychology, mrc dtp phd programme, phd anthropology, media and performance, phd basic dental sciences, phd biomaterials science and dental technology, phd biomedical imaging sciences, phd biostatistics, phd cancer sciences, phd cardiovascular sciences, phd cell matrix research, phd clinical dentistry, phd clinical psychology, phd communication disorders, phd dermatological sciences, phd drug design, development & delivery, phd health psychology, phd history of science technology and medicine, phd inflammation sciences, phd medicine, phd nursing (4 years), phd pharmacology, phd pharmacy practice, phd pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences, phd physiology, phd plant science, phd primary care and health services research, phd psychology, phd public health, phd reproductive sciences, phd social anthropology, phd social anthropology with visual media, phd stem cell research, phd structural biology, natural sciences (5), phd advanced metallic systems cdt, phd applied mathematics, phd astronomy and astrophysics, phd atmospheric sciences, phd biological chemistry, phd biological physics, phd condensed matter physics, phd earth science, phd environmental biology, phd environmental geochemistry and geomicrobiology, phd financial mathematics, phd inorganic chemistry, phd materials, phd materials chemistry, phd mathematics in actuarial science, phd nanostructured materials, phd occupational & environmental health, phd organic chemistry, phd physical chemistry, phd planning and environmental management, phd pure mathematics, social sciences and management (5), phd east asian studies, phd education, phd health economics, phd latin american cultural studies, phd middle eastern studies, phd politics, phd science, technology and innovation policy, phd social statistics, phd social work (4 years), phd sociology, phd statistics.

Search through our options for PhD study as well as professional doctorates and one-year research programmes such as our MPhil or MRes degree.

Types of programmes

A PhD is a Doctor of Philosophy - a research degree lasting between three and four years and awarded in recognition of the successful completion of a programme of supervised research within the allocated time, the results of which show evidence of originality and independent, critical judgement and constitute an addition to knowledge.

The DCounsPsych is a Professional Doctorate in Counselling Psychology which is three years in duration and requires candidates to meet the academic and professional entry requirements.

The DEdChPsy is a Professional Doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology which is three years in duration and requires candidates to meet the academic and professional entry requirements.

MRes is a Master’s of Research degree lasting 12 months. They are available in Humanities as:

• MRes Criminology
• MRes Criminology (Social Statistics)
• MRes Management

Explore our programes

Programme finder.

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Postgraduate research programmes

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Studentships and funding.

Search through our list of awards and studentships to support your postgraduate research study.

Explore funding options

How to apply

Learn more about the application process in the Faculty of Humanities and read the guidance from the Doctoral Academy

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Department of History, Politics and Philosophy

Understanding change and continuity over different periods and locations.

About the department

Our lively, diverse department is home to over 1,000 students and more than 50 academic staff.

We offer a student-centered approach to learning across our foundation, undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral degrees.

Our teaching is future-focused, practice led, and supported by collaborations with outside organisations. It provides a cutting-edge education that prepares our students for graduate-level employment or further study. 

Our thriving research culture inspires our teaching and allows students to work regularly with leading experts. We’re committed to excellence in research, and to driving forward knowledge that has real-world impact locally, nationally and internationally.  

Interdisciplinarity sits at the heart of what we do, providing creative synergies between the key areas of:

Ancient history

Archaeology

Critical social and political theory

Digital politics

Disability studies

European philosophy

Gender studies

Global governance

Intellectual history

International relations

Modern European history

Regional history and heritage

The National Student Survey

Our people and courses

Our people: Department of History, Politics and Philosophy

Discover the experts who work in the department

Take a look at our current vacancies.

Study with us

• Foundation and undergraduate courses

Featured research

Histories and Cultures of Conflict

Manchester Country House Network

Cultures of Disability research cluster

Contact information, connect with us.

Join one of our LinkedIn groups to connect with alumni, staff, and current and future students.

• LinkedIn MMU Politics and International Relations LinkedIn group
• LinkedIn MA International Relations and Global Communications LinkedIn group
• LinkedIn MA Philosophy LinkedIn group
• LinkedIn MA History LinkedIn group

Current PhD students

• Shatha Alahmadi - 'A comparative investigation of the semantics-phonology interface. Focussensitive particles in Hijazi Arabic and English'
• John Ayshford - 'On Liberty and Virtue: unearthing John Stuart Mill's Republicanism'
• Scott Backrath - 'Global Biopiracy in the Age of Empire: Indigeneity, Decolonisation, and the Politics of Botanical Knowledge in the British World, c.1600-1800'
• Samuel Barber - 'Urban Heresy: Perceptions, Portrayals, and Punishments in Toulouse and Albi-1150 - 1321'
• Inigo Bing - 'What was the Impact of Claud Cockburn on Communism and the Left in Britain and the USA, 1929 - 1951'
•   - 'The Karen People in Burma and Britain: Refugees, Identity and Memories'
• Lee Brooks - 'The Heart of the Country and the Fulcrum of Power? The Diocese of Lincoln and the Centre of Political and Ecclesiastical Geography in England c. 1066-1200'
• Robert Brown - "Masculinity, Celebrity and Motor Cultures: Donald Campbell's Speed Records c.1945-1970'
• Nabila Choudhury - 'Resistance of the Veil: The Muslim Woman and Hijab between Imperialism, Orientalism and Islamism in North Africa'
• Helen Corlett - 'Through a family lens: life, identity and aspiration in north-west England (c.1790-1880)'
• William Curtis - 'Lombard Identity in a Post-Lombard World: Mainland Southern Italy c.1050-1130'
• Camilla De Koning - 'Royal Enterprise: Reconsidering the Crown's Engagement in Britain's Emerging Empire, 1660-1775'
• Lucy Elliott - 'Sleeping well in the early modern world: an environmental approach to the history of sleep care'
• Jamie Farrington - 'Understanding the Impact of Injury and Infection Among the Workers and the Wealthy of the Quarry Bank Mill (1847-1920) and the Use of Heritage for Contemporary Communities'
• Katherine Fliegel - 'For the Love of God: Male Cross-Dressing and Religion in Pagan Anglo-Saxon England'
• Jake Gandy - 'Making Multi-racial England: Race, Class and Space c. 1968 - 1990'
• Jun Gao - ' Huanshu (illusion) in China: From the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century'
• Abhinava Goswami - 'Sport in the City and the City in Sport: Football, Urbanity and Belonging in Calcutta in the Twentieth Century'
• Abigail Greenall - 'Nurturing Happiness: Affective Health and Wellbeing in the North West of England, c.1550-1700'
• William Hambly - 'The Mediterranean Viking Age c.1000-c.1150'
• Jennifer Haywood - 'Queer Beside the Sea: Male Homosexuality in British Coastal Resorts, 1918 - 1990'
• Vendula Hoppe - 'Velvets in Renaissance Europe: Making Consumerist Cultures 1400-1700'
• Lucia Inglehearn Ambler - 'Models of Religious'
• Joseph Manock - 'Famines, Epidemics and Emotions in Colonial India, 1871-1921'
• Melanie Marsh - 'Memory, Emotion and the Lifecycle: Women and the Production, Ownership and Dissemination of their Textiles, 1660 - 1760'
• Aneurin Merrill-Glover - 'Mosslands in Early Modern Lancashire: Carbon, Community and Conservation 1500 - 1800'
• Joseph Moore - 'Fighting for Free Enterprise: The Business Right and British Conservatism 1945-1979'
• Christopher Nelson - 'The Early Medieval Library of Lincoln Cathedral'
• Catherine Nevell - 'The New Learning: A Study of the Impact of the Reformation on Schools in Tudor England'
• Josephine Nevill - 'Communism, nationalism and pan-Africanism: Anti-colonial thinking and Africa 1920-1960'
• George Odysseos - 'The Third World and the Mediterranean: The Cypriot Anti-Imperial ‘hub’ and Socialist networks, c.1960 - 1976'
• Ayotunde Ojo - 'The World Health Organization and Nigeria: A History of Collaboration, 1952- 1969'
• Takao Osanai - 'Yorkshire and the Port of Hull in the Early Modern Northern European Economy'
• Lily Pearson - 'Racism, Football and the Media 1885-2016'
• Eve Pennington - 'Mothers of Modernity: Women's Experiences of New Towns in North West England, 1961-1989'
• Joseph Richardson - 'Rise of Russian Capitalism'
• Esther Rollinson - 'Revisiting the English Catholic Household: Faith, Family and Identity, 1660-1750'
• Ruby Rutter - 'Comfort, Consumption and Women in the Eighteenth-Century English Country House'
• Kayleigh Simpson - 'Pride or Prejudice? Lesbian discourse during the AIDS crisis in Manchester, 1980-1995'
• Catherine Smith - 'Cultures of Underwater Exploration'
• Alexander Spacey - 'The Social and Cultural Experience of Hollywood Cinema in 1960s Britain'
• Anne Stokes - 'Commemorating a Struggle: Memorials to the American Civil Rights and Black Power Movements'
• Samuel Taylor - ''The Local is National'': The Greensboro, New York, and Madison Commissions on the Status of Women, 1973-1989'
• Jonathan Tickle - 'England, Ecgberht and Exceptional Fortunes: The Legitimation of Power and Authority Between the Ninth and Eleventh Centuries'
• Emi Tozawa - 'The Revival of Forgotten Emotions? Historical Memory, Popular Culture, and the Hidden Christians of Japan'
• Maria Tumiotto - 'Female students’ role in colonial Bengal popular movements'
• Adam Waddingham  - An Intellectual History of Euroscepticism within British Political Thought c.1945-1997'
• Georgina Watson - 'War, Wealth and God's Will: The Order of Saint Stephen between Crusade and Commerce in the Late Sixteenth Century'

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MPhil/PhD in History

Manchester metropolitan university, different course options.

• Key information

Course Summary

Tuition fees, entry requirements, university information, similar courses at this uni, key information data source : idp connect, qualification type.

PhD/DPhil - Doctor of Philosophy

Subject areas

Course type.

Discover your research degree study options, including areas of expertise for our academic supervisors. Our research degrees will help you advance or change your career, deepen your expertise, and expand your research and practical skills. Join an innovative research cluster focusing on digital society and culture. We provide a comprehensive development programme for research students.

UK fees Course fees for UK students

For this course (per year)

International fees Course fees for EU and international students

You should, as a minimum, have a first or 2.1 honours degree or an equivalent qualification. We also expect that you will have an MA or Masters level degree, but in exceptional circumstances may offer you a place to study a PhD without an MA.

Manchester Metropolitan University (Manchester Met) is a higher education institution that prides itself on providing a warm, engaging and supportive environment to over 6,000 postgraduate students. The university is divided into four distinct faculties, enabling the effective streamlining of expertise, resources and funding to the relevant schools and departments, and enhancing the postgraduate experience. These are: the Faculty of Arts and... more

Full time | 1 year | 30-SEP-24

Secondary History with QTS PGCE

Ma public history and heritage, master's by research in history.

Full time | 1 year | OCT-24

• MyManchester
• Faculty StaffNet

• Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine

Postgraduate research

We have a thriving postgraduate research community and always welcome applicants interested in undertaking postgraduate research.

We offer expert supervision in a wide range of research areas. To find out about current staff research interests and identify potential supervisors, please browse the research profiles of our academic staff.

Our postgraduate research programmes

We offer PhD and MPhil awards in History of Science, Technology and Medicine. The MPhil can be regarded as a preparatory course for the PhD, or as a free-standing research qualification.

For more information, please visit the PhD/MPhil in History of Science, Technology or Medicine Programme page .

Any questions? Please contact our Postgraduate Research Coordinator and PGR Tutor, Dr Vladimir Jankovic .

Our students

Our research students cover a wide range of ages and backgrounds and play an important role in the intellectual and social life of the Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine.

They are encouraged to attend our seminars and less formal activities, and several of our recent conferences have been organised, or co-organised, by research students.

Most of our research students work mainly in the Centre itself, while others attend regular meetings but are based primarily outside Manchester. 

CHSTM PhD students maintain their own blog , where you can find profiles of our current students.

Learn about potential funding opportunities for our postgraduate research students.

See how you can find out more about our programme by visiting us on an open day.

MSt in History (Intellectual History)

• Entry Requirements
• Funding and Costs

College preference

• How to Apply

About the course

The MSt in History (Intellectual History) will give you the opportunity to study thinkers and ideas from the fourth to the twenty-first centuries, in diverse transnational geographical contexts.

The MSt is designed to improve your practical and intellectual grasp of research processes, ability to conceptualise and engage with historical problems, and enlarge your understanding of the historical and historiographical context in which your own research is set. The course can serve as either a free-standing graduate qualification, or as a springboard to doctoral study. Students wishing to proceed to doctoral study will be encouraged to develop their doctoral proposals during the first few months of the MSt. Skills training and option-choice are flexible and open-ended, to allow you to gain the knowledge and training needed to complete your research project. Taking a uniquely interdisciplinary approach to Intellectual History, with both chronological and global reach, you will have the opportunity to study thinkers and ideas from the fourth to the twenty-first centuries, in diverse transnational geographical contexts. The course is designed to encourage students to work in and between areas such as Global Intellectual History, the History of Scholarship, the History of Science, the History of Art, Historiography and the History of Political Ideas.

Oxford is home to one of the largest communities of intellectual historians in the world, with expertise in every major area of Intellectual History, supported by world-class resources. Further information about Intellectual History research and activities can be found through the faculty website.

You are encouraged to engage with the faculty’s lively research culture of seminars, workshops, and discussions groups , which are programmed throughout each week, and sessions often involve leading international scholars. The faculty also runs the Oxford History Graduate Network , which fosters conversations and collaborations between graduate students. Interdisciplinary activities are available through The Oxford Centre for Research in the Humanities (TORCH) .

Course structure

You will take two compulsory core courses and an optional subject course, as well as undertake an original research project. These courses are supported by a skills programme for general historical or field-specific training. This structure gives access to a wide range of both general and specialised training within the field of history.

Core courses

1. Sources and Historiography

This is a weekly 1.5 hour seminar in Michaelmas term. This course will introduce you to the philosophical background and methodological approaches to Intellectual History. You will study a combination of key thinkers for example, Michel Foucault, Arthur Lovejoy, and Quentin Skinner, along with new approaches to the discipline such as comparative, feminist and global intellectual history. Part-time students will take this course in year one.  2. Theory and Methods

The format is a 1.5 hour weekly seminar in Michaelmas term. It will cover current methodological and theoretical approaches. Students and course tutors will choose six of these from a syllabus of nine. Part-time students will take this course in year two.

Optional subject course

Options are taught in a tutor-led, group setting in Hilary term. You will choose one option course from a list and this will be taught in six weekly two-hour classes during Hilary term. Part-time students will take an option course in year one. Options particularly relevant to Intellectual history include:

• The Twelfth-Century Renaissance 
• The dawn of the Global World, 1450-1800: Ideas, Objects, Connections
• Selfhood in history: 1500 to the present
• Creating the Commonwealth: Politics and Religion in Grotius, Hobbes and Locke
• The Enlightenment, c. 1680-1800: Ideas and the public sphere

More information on options is available through the Faculty website. Not every optional subject listed may be on offer every year.

Research Project

You will work on original research project throughout the course, under the guidance of your supervisor. Students are expected to commit the Easter vacation and Trinity term to archival research and writing. You will be invited to present and receive feedback on your work-in-progress at a workshop specific to this course at the start of Trinity term. If studying part-time, you will be expected to complete the dissertation at the end of Trinity term in year two.

Skills Provision

Additional lectures, classes, and tutorials take place in Michaelmas and Hilary terms to provide general and specific training. You will discuss what training you need to undertake your research project with your supervisor. Training available includes document and object handling, palaeography, oral history, text analysis software, GIS software, and statistical analysis. Language training is also available, with the faculty organising special courses for historians in French, German, Spanish, and Italian. Other modern language courses are available through the University’s Language Centre. Courses in Latin and other medieval languages are also available. Further details on language learning can be found on the faculty website. 

The course can be studied full-time or part-time with both modes requiring attendance in Oxford. Full-time students are subject to the  University's Residence requirements.  Part-time students are required to attend course-related activities in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year.

Full-time students will complete the course in nine months. 

Part-time students will complete the course in eighteen months and are not subject to residence requirements, but are required to attend the faculty in person for classes, skills training, research activities, and supervision. You should expect to be in Oxford for up to two days a week in term time. Distance learning is not available.

Resources to support your study

As a graduate student, you will have access to the University's wide range of world-class resources including libraries, museums, galleries, digital resources and IT services.

The Bodleian Libraries is the largest library system in the UK. It includes the main Bodleian Library and libraries across Oxford, including major research libraries and faculty, department and institute libraries. Together, the Libraries hold more than 13 million printed items, provide access to e-journals, and contain outstanding special collections including rare books and manuscripts, classical papyri, maps, music, art and printed ephemera.

The University's IT Services is available to all students to support with core university IT systems and tools, as well as many other services and facilities. IT Services also offers a range of IT learning courses for students, to support with learning and research.

You will be able to draw on the specialist resources offered by the Bodleian History Faculty Library which provides dedicated support and training courses for all graduates. You can also access the many college libraries and college archives which  house significant collections of personal papers as well as institutional records dating back to the middle ages.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Faculty of History and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Offers will only be made if appropriate supervision is available.

It is usual practice that MSt students have one supervisor, but a co-supervisor will be appointed if additional specialist knowledge is required. One supervisor must be a member of the Faculty of History, but a co-supervisor can be appointed from a different department.

Your supervisor(s) is there to provide advice, guidance, and support throughout. You should arrange to meet your supervisor(s) early in your first term to establish a clear framework for your research and writing, and identify any skills training needed to undertake your research. There is no set timetable for the frequency of future meetings, but it is recommended that you arrange to meet your supervisor several times each term, to discuss progress of your research and writing. You should also agree a timetable for the submission and return of drafts of your dissertation.

If you contact a potential supervisor prior to submitting your application, any indication made by an academic that they may be willing to supervise a potential project, is not a guarantee that you will be offered a place, or that the supervisor in question has capacity to supervise you in that particular year.

The core courses are assessed by a Methodology Essay and you must also submit an annotated bibliography and dissertation proposal, all to be submitted in January. 

The optional subject course is assessed according to the regulations for that course, usually an assessed essay or exam, at the end of Hilary term.

The research project is examined by a 15,000-word dissertation that is submitted at the end of Trinity term.

Graduate destinations

About a quarter of master’s students proceed to doctoral work at Oxford; others continue academic study at other institutions. Other career destinations are as diverse as, but broadly in line with, undergraduate history career destinations: law, finance, management consultancy, civil service etc.

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made if a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency occurs. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.

Entry requirements for entry in 2025-26

Proven and potential academic excellence.

The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying. 

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

• a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours (a minimum of 68% overall and 68% for the dissertation) in a relevant discipline in the humanities or social sciences.

For applicants with a bachelor's degree from the USA, the minimum overall GPA that is normally required to meet the undergraduate-level requirement is 3.6 out of 4.0. However, successful candidates normally have a GPA of 3.75 or higher.

Applicants are not expected to have a previous degree in history, but are expected to have experience of working historically. You will need to ensure that you link your proposed dissertation topic with your previous expertise, explain why you want to switch to study history, and show that you have already done some background research.

If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

• In the case of mature students/intended career changes professional experience in cognate areas may compensate for shortcomings in the formal academic record.
• Publications are not required.

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's  higher level . If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.

*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) † Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)

Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides  further information about the English language test requirement .

Declaring extenuating circumstances

If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.

You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Supporting documents

You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Performance at interview

Interviews are not normally held as part of the admissions process.

Assessors may get in touch with an applicant by email in case of any queries, but this is very rare.

Offer conditions for successful applications

If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide more information about offers and conditions . 

In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:

Financial Declaration

If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a  Financial Declaration  in order to meet your financial condition of admission.

Disclosure of criminal convictions

In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any  relevant, unspent criminal convictions  before you can take up a place at Oxford.

Evidence of ability to study for employed part-time applicants 

If you are applying for part-time study and are currently employed, you may be asked to provide evidence that your employment will not affect your ability to study and that you can commit sufficient time to fulfil all elements outlined in the course description. You may be asked to provide details about your pattern of employment and obtain a statement from your employer confirming their commitment to make time available for you to study, to complete coursework, and attend course and University events and modules.

Other factors governing whether places can be offered

The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:

• the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the About section of this page;
• the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
• minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.

History in Oxford stretches from c 300 to the present, and embraces in addition to its British and European heritage an exceptionally broad range of World history. It comprises an active research community of up to 800 senior academics and graduate students, all contributing to a range of research seminars, lectures, academic societies, and personal contacts.

Research in the faculty is organised around historical periods and research centres, or in collaborative and individual research projects, and you will always be welcome at seminars, workshops and conferences across all periods and themes.

You will be encouraged to make use of these opportunities as widely as possible without endangering your own degree work. Striking the right balance between intellectual curiosity and temptation and intellectual discipline, and remaining focused without becoming blinkered, should be an integral part of a successful graduate career. The Oxford environment provides all the ingredients for this.

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For entry in the 2025-26 academic year, the collegiate University expects to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across a wide range of graduate courses.

If you apply by the January deadline shown on this page and receive a course offer, your application will then be considered for Oxford scholarships. For the majority of Oxford scholarships, your application will automatically be assessed against the eligibility criteria, without needing to make a separate application. There are further Oxford scholarships available which have additional eligibility criteria and where you are required to submit a separate application. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential.

To ensure that you are considered for Oxford scholarships that require a separate application, for which you may be eligible,  use our fees, funding and scholarship search tool  to identify these opportunities and find out how to apply. Alongside Oxford scholarships, you should also consider other opportunities for which you may be eligible including  a range of external funding ,  loan schemes for postgraduate study  and any other scholarships which may also still be available after the January deadline as listed on  our fees, funding and scholarship search tool .

Details of college-specific funding opportunities can also be found on individual college websites:

Select from the list:

Please refer to the College preference section of this page to identify which of the colleges listed above accept students for this course.

For the majority of college scholarships, it doesn’t matter which college, if any, you state a preference for in your application. If another college is able to offer you a scholarship, your application can be moved to that college if you accept the scholarship. Some college scholarships may require you to state a preference for that college when you apply, so check the eligibility requirements carefully.

Further information about funding opportunities  for this course can be found on the faculty's website.

Annual fees for entry in 2025-26

Full-time study.

Part-time study

Information about course fees

Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges .

Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.

Where can I find further information about fees?

The Fees and Funding  section of this website provides further information about course fees , including information about fee status and eligibility  and your length of fee liability .

Additional information

There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees and living costs. However, as part of your course requirements, you may need to choose a dissertation, a project or a thesis topic. Please note that, depending on your choice of topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Living costs

In addition to your course fees and any additional course-specific costs, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.

Living costs for full-time study

For the 2025-26 academic year, the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student is between £1,425 and £2,035 for each month spent in Oxford. We provide the cost per month so you can multiply up by the number of months you expect to live in Oxford. Depending on your circumstances, you may also need to budget for the  costs of a student visa and immigration health surcharge and/or living costs for family members or other dependants that you plan to bring with you to Oxford (assuming that dependant visa eligibility criteria are met).

Living costs for part-time study

Your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you will still need to cover your cost of living on a full-time basis for the duration of your course, even if you will not be based in Oxford throughout your studies. While the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student living in Oxford is between £1,425 and £2,035 per month, living costs outside Oxford may be different.

Part-time students who are not based in Oxford will need to calculate travel and accommodation costs carefully. Depending on your circumstances and study plans, this may include the  cost of a visitor visa to attend for short blocks of time (assuming that visitor visa eligibility criteria are met).

Further information about living costs

The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. For study in Oxford beyond the 2025-26 academic year, it is suggested that you budget for potential increases in living expenses of around 4% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. For further information, please consult our more detailed information about living costs , which includes a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs.

Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs). 

If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief  introduction to the college system at Oxford  and our  advice about expressing a college preference . 

If you are a current Oxford student and you would like to remain at your current Oxford college, you should check whether it is listed below. If it is, you should indicate this preference when you apply. If not, you should contact your college office to ask whether they would be willing to make an exception. Further information about staying at your current college can be found in our Application Guide. 

The following colleges accept students for full-time study on this course:

• Balliol College
• Blackfriars
• Brasenose College
• Campion Hall
• Christ Church
• Corpus Christi College
• Exeter College
• Harris Manchester College
• Jesus College
• Keble College
• Kellogg College
• Lady Margaret Hall
• Linacre College
• Lincoln College
• Magdalen College
• Merton College
• New College
• Oriel College
• Pembroke College
• The Queen's College
• Regent's Park College
• Reuben College
• St Anne's College
• St Catherine's College
• St Cross College
• St Hilda's College
• St Hugh's College
• Somerville College
• University College
• Wadham College
• Wolfson College
• Worcester College
• Wycliffe Hall

The following colleges accept students for part-time study on this course:

Before you apply

Our guide to getting started provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

If it is important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under the January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance . Check the deadlines on this page and the information about deadlines and when to apply in our Application Guide.

Application fee waivers

An application fee of £75 is payable for each application to this course. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:

• applicants from low-income countries;
• refugees and displaced persons; 
• UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and 
• applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.

You are encouraged to  check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver  before you apply.

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

You do not need to contact anyone in the faculty before you apply and you are not responsible for finding your own supervisor. However, you are strongly encouraged to familiarise yourself with the research expertise within the faculty when preparing your research proposal, to make sure that there is a supervisor available in the same area as your proposed project. Offers will only be made if appropriate supervision is available. The faculty determines supervision arrangements, taking due account of the workload and commitments of its academics. If you are made an offer, a supervisor will be assigned to you, and identified in the offer letter.

Completing your application

You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents .

For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application .

If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.

Proposed field and title of research project

Under the 'Field and title of research project' please enter your proposed field or area of research if this is known. If the department has advertised a specific research project that you would like to be considered for, please enter the project title here instead.

You should not use this field to type out a full research proposal. You will be able to upload your research supporting materials separately if they are required (as described below).

Proposed supervisor

It is not necessary for you to identify a potential supervisor in your application.

Referees: Three overall, academic preferred

Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.

References should generally be academic, though if you are returning to study after extended periods of non-academic employment then you are welcome to nominate professional referees where it would be impractical to call on your previous university tutors.

Your references will support intellectual ability, academic achievement, motivation, ability to work in both a group environment and sustained individual and self-motivated investigation.

Official transcript(s)

Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.

More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.

Statement of purpose and research proposal: A minimum of 500 to a maximum of 1,000 words in total

The statement of purpose and research proposal should be written as one combined piece.

You should convince the faculty that you have the right intellectual qualities, academic knowledge and skills to undertake the course, focusing on how you see the course as building upon your previous study

You should discuss what kinds of problems and issues you hope to engage with; what the current state of your knowledge and understanding of these is, and how you hope to advance that.

You should include a preliminary research proposal and title for your intended dissertation. This should supply a research question identifying the central issue or problem with which you intend to grapple, some account of the current state of scholarship in this area and an indication of the kinds of sources you hope to use.

You may also include what you hope to do with the qualification you gain.

Your statement and research proposal must be written in English. A bibliography may also be provided and is not included in the word count, though any footnotes should be included.

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

It is anticipated that your ideas will change and develop once you have begun the course and have been exposed to new approaches, sources and methods. However, students applying to this course are expected to have a clear sense of the kind of research they wish to undertake.

This will be assessed for:

• your reasons for applying
• evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study
• the coherence of the proposal, the ability to present a reasoned case in English
• commitment to the subject, beyond the requirements of the degree course
• reasoning ability
• ability to absorb new ideas, often presented abstractly, at a rapid pace
• your ability to commit sufficient time to study and fulfil all elements outlined in the course description if you are applying for part-time study. 

Written work: An academic writing sample of no more than 4,000 words in total length

Written work should be from your most recent completed qualification, but does not need to relate closely to your proposed area of study. Extracts from a longer piece of work are welcome, but please include a preface which puts the work in context.

The work will be assessed for your:

• understanding of problems in the area
• ability to construct and defend an argument
• powers of analysis
• powers of expression.

It must be submitted in English (if this work has been translated, you must indicate if the translations are your own, or what assistance you had in producing the English text).

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document. Any footnotes should be included in the word count. A bibliography may also be provided and is not included in the word count.

Start or continue your application

You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please  refer to the requirements above  and  consult our Application Guide for advice .

Apply - Full Time Apply - Part Time Continue application

After you've submitted your application

Your application (including the supporting documents outlined above) will be assessed against the entry requirements detailed on this course page. Whether or not you have secured funding will  not  be taken into consideration when your application is assessed. You can  find out more about our shortlisting and selection process  in our detailed guide to what happens next.

Find out how to manage your application after submission , using our Applicant Self-Service tool.

ADMISSION STATUS

Open to applications for entry in 2025-26

12:00 midday UK time on:

Tuesday 7 January 2025

Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships Final application deadline for entry in 2025-26

† Combined figure for all History MSt courses, except for TS_HJ1, TS_LVBY1 and TS_HR1 *Three-year average (applications for entry in 2022-23 to 2024-25)

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered by the Faculty of History

• Course page on the faculty's website
• Funding information from the faculty
• Academic and research staff
• Faculty research
• Humanities Division
• Residence requirements for full-time courses
• Postgraduate applicant privacy policy

Course-related enquiries

Advice about contacting the department can be found in the How to apply section of this page

✉ [email protected] ☎ +44 (0) 1865 615000

Application-process enquiries

Application guide

Alternatively, use our A–Z index

Attend an open day

Discover more about your subject

PhD Art History and Visual Studies / Overview

Year of entry: 2025

• View full page

International applicants must provide one of the following:

• 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)

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  13 January 2025.

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 2025 entry:  30 June 2025
• For January 2026 entry:  30 September 2025

Programme options

Programme overview

• 91% of our research activity was recognised as 'world leading' or `internationally excellent' REF2021.
• Be part of a vibrant teaching and research environment, where the interests of academic staff, students and professionals converge.
• Take advantage of our strong working relationships with museums and galleries throughout Britain and abroad.
• Explore original art in Manchester's many galleries.

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

Fees for entry in 2025 have not yet been set. For reference, the fees for the academic year beginning September 2024 were 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 for 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 13 January 2025.

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. 

You will need to be nominated by your proposed supervisor for a number of our scholarships. Therefore, we highly recommend you discuss these funding opportunities with your supervisor first, so they can advise on your suitability and ensure you meet nomination deadlines.

For more funding information, visit our funding page or our funding database to search for scholarships, studentships and awards you may be eligible for.

• 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
• Paul Nash Bursary (Art History and Cultural Practices) 2024 Entry
• Trudeau Doctoral Scholarships 2024 Entry
• Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (High Income Countries)
• Humanities Doctoral Academy Humanitarian Scholarship 2024 Entry
• Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (Least Developed Countries and Fragile States)
• 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

Contact details

See: About us

Programmes in related subject areas

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

• Art History and Visual Studies

Regulated by the Office for Students

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 .