Research degrees

45% of our current PhD students have won scholarships funded by the AHRC or ESRC. We also have an exceptionally strong record of attracting highly competitive UKRI-funded Collaborative Doctoral Awards which embed our students in major cultural organisations.

History at Leicester offers opportunities for doctoral research in a wide range of subjects.

Apply for a PhD or MPhil in History. 

Minimum and maximum periods of registration

• PhD full-time: Minimum 2 years*, Maximum 4 years
• PhD part-time: Minimum 3 years*, Maximum 6 years
• MPhil full-time: Minimum 1 year, Maximum 2 years
• MPhil part-time: Minimum 2 years, Maximum 4 years

*This excludes the one year writing up period.

Our PhD programmes are either campus-based or by distance learning, allowing you to gain a University of Leicester research degree wherever you are in the world.

Supervision

All research students are allocated a primary and secondary supervisor, who you meet regularly and receive expert supervision from on an individual basis or through joint supervision. Supervisors will provide guidance on the planning of your research programme, using literature and sources and requisite techniques. They will also help you plan, define goals and monitor the progress of your research.

Research students on PhD, MD, PsyD, or MPhil programmes must complete an initial probation period at the start of their research degree. Before the end of your probation period you will be required to complete a probation review; this will be after nine months (for full-time students) or 18 months (for part-time students). This usually lasts for around an hour, and allows the examiners (your supervisor/s and another member of staff) to assess your progress and advise you on the future direction of your research.

Research training 

The Doctoral College provides an introduction to research at the University in the first week of the autumn term, and also provides training courses and practical workshops for postgraduate students during the year.

Funding and scholarships

• Midlands4Cities PhD funding opportunities
• Collaborative Doctoral Studentships (AHRC and ESRC scholarships)
• Midlands Graduate School ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership
• Stanley Burton Centre PhD scholarships
• M4C DTP Collaborative Doctoral Award (CDA)

The University of Leicester offers a range of additional scholarships and discounts for Home and International research students. 

PhD projects

• Current PhD research projects

International students

We welcome applications from students of all nationalities. Our postgraduate community includes researchers from all over the world, including Brazil, China, France, Germany Italy, Iraq, Kuwait and the United States. We have extensive research expertise in European, American, Global and Colonial History.

There are a number of current funding opportunities for international students wishing to study at Leicester.