MPhil/PhD with the Institute of Historical Research

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

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

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

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

Subject Areas
The Institute of Historical Research(Opens in new window) offers doctoral research supervision in the following broad areas:

• Medieval British history

• Modern British history

• Local, regional and community histories of the British Isles

• Place and Identity

• Early medieval Northumbria and the north

• Later medieval armies and warfare

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

• Late medieval and early modern urban history

• Digital history and Historical GIS

• History of propaganda in the twentieth century

• History of the First and Second World Wars

• History of emotions in modern Britain

• The everyday lives of ‘ordinary’ people

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

• The British Commonwealth and British decolonisation

• History and policy

• Medievalism and other usages of the past

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