History Research MPhil/PhD, option of joint PhD with HKU/NUS

Overview

The History Department at Kings is one of the top 5 history departments in Europe (QS Subject Rankings 2021). Our aim is to provide outstanding training and supervision in most branches of medieval, early modern and modern history to prepare students for careers both within the academy and beyond.

Department of History – 86% of its research rated either ‘world leading (4*) or ‘Internationally excellent (3*) in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021).

The department has strength in all periods (from late antiquity to the present day) across an array of global settings. It is closely associated with inter-disciplinary research centres such as the Sir Michael Howard Centre for the History of War, the Centre for Late Antique and Medieval Studies, and Kings Contemporary British History. 

You will be supervised by leading figures in your field, and participate in a lively and supportive historical research culture within the department (which has around 65 staff and 90 PhD students), and the wider London historical community, notably with our partners within the London Arts and Humanities Partnership: UCL and the School of Advanced Study (which includes the Institute for Historical Research). London also hosts quite outstanding library and archival resources for most historical specialisms, covering most of the world. We offer specialist supervision in many areas, including from the medieval to the modern periods, covering in each period, British and Irish, European, and Global and Imperial History, as well as the History of Science, Technology and Medicine.

The Department receives major research grants from the AHRC, Leverhulme Trust, British Academy and Wellcome Trust. Students work on projects including cooperative ones with museums and other organisations and participate in exchanges and visits with many partner organisations including the University of North Carolina and Jawaharlal Nehru University. There is also an option of undertaking a joint PhD with Hong University or the National University of Singapore.

Students in the history department are eligible to apply for full funding (fees and maintenance) from the London Arts and Humanities Consortium. Residence requirements apply. In addition to this a Hans Rausing studentship provides full maintenance and fees (either home or overseas) for a PhD student working on the history of science and technology. The department provides a number of additional bursaries to postgraduate students.

To study at King's, it is essential that you can communicate effectively in English and are able to do so in an academic environment. You are usually required to provide certification of your competence in English before starting your studies.

• register on the King's Apply Portal
• complete our online application form