Program Overview

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Postgraduate Research

Study

Key information

Award:

MPhil

PhD

Study mode:

Full time

Part time

Campus:

Strand Campus

Duration:

Expected to be: MPhil minimum two years FT, three years PT; PhD minimum three years FT, four-six years PT. Starting in February, June or October.

About the department

The Department of History at King's has a long and distinguished tradition in world leading, cutting-edge research. Our staff and research students are fully engaged in original historical scholarship, ranging from late antiquity to the present day. Our excellent PhD completion rate is the product of the individual care which we offer to our research students, and the stimulating research culture of which they are part. The department has consistently received very high ratings in the government’s research assessment exercises (RAE), as well as league tables, teaching assessments and National Student Surveys.

Research culture

With over 80 doctoral students, the Department of History boasts a lively and vibrant research culture. Research students are encouraged to present their work at the regular departmental seminar: presenting a short paper to this seminar is now part of the upgrade process from MPhil to PhD status. Staff and students play a leading role in several of the interdisciplinary research centres at King’s, within our Arts & Humanities Research Institute. They also regularly contribute to a wide range of specialist seminars at the Institute of Historical Research (IHR), many of which are convened by King's academics. We have recently joined forces with UCL and the University of London School of Advanced Study, bringing together our PhD provision within the London Arts & Humanities Partnership. LAHP offers an unrivalled range of training opportunities for research students, and brings together an unrivalled range of scholarly and supervisorial expertise.

Study in London

London offers unparalleled diversity and richness to historians of all periods, with the largest concentration of libraries and archives in the UK including the major document repositories at the National Archives, National Maritime Museum, Imperial War Museum, British Library, and the valuable library holdings here at King's, at the IHR and at Senate House.

Teaching opportunities

Research students can apply to become Graduate Teaching Assistants (usually from their second year onwards) to assist members of staff in delivering historical outline modules to undergraduate students. Full training is provided to enable students to make the best use of this opportunity to acquire valuable teaching experience.

Joint PhD programme

Exciting opportunities are available to undertake a joint PhD programme either with Hong Kong University (HKU) or the National University of Singapore (NUS).

How to apply

1. Application procedure

Those intending to apply for research degrees in the department should search the staff pages on the history website to identify a supervisor appropriate to their intended field of study and contact them to discuss their research proposal in detail prior to making an official application.

They should reach our directly and once they have confirmed with their intended supervisor that the topic is one they would be able to supervise, applicants should apply online.

Applications will not be considered until the department has received two references, an official transcript from the candidate's last place of study and a research proposal with the application. All applicants for graduate research will be interviewed and they may be requested to supply some written work on an appropriate subject with their formal application.

Admission to our research programmes will initially be for the MPhil but we expect students to transfer to the PhD after an appropriate period, by agreement with their supervisor and the Departmental Postgraduate & Research Committee.

2. Personal statement and supporting information

You will be asked to submit the following documents in order for your application to be considered:

• Personal Statement: A personal statement is required. This can be entered directly into the online application form (maximum 4,000 characters) or uploaded as an attachment to the online application form (maximum 2 pages).
• Research Proposal: The proposal (5 - 10 pages in length) should explain in some detail precisely the field of study that you want to contribute to and current research gaps, what you want to do and how you propose to do it.
• Previous Academic Study: A copy (or copies) of your official academic transcript(s), showing the subjects studied and marks obtained. If you have already completed your degree, copies of your official degree certificate will also be required. Applicants with academic documents issued in a language other than English, will need to submit both the original and official translation of their documents.
• References: Two references are required with at least one academic. Professional references will be accepted if you have completed your qualifications over five years ago.
• Other: Applicants may wish to include a CV (Resume) or evidence of professional registration as part of their application.

3. Application closing date

We encourage you to apply as early as possible so that there is sufficient time for your application to be assessed. We may need to request further information from you during the application process.

The final application deadlines are detailed below; on these dates, the programme will close at 23:59 (UK time) and we will open for the corresponding intake in 2026 soon after the same intake has passed in 2025.

• February 2025 entry – 20 October 2024 for Overseas fee status and 20 November 2024 for Home fee status
• June 2025 entry – 20 March 2025 for Overseas fee status and 11 April 2025 for Home fee status
• October 2025 entry – 25 July 2025 for Overseas fee status and 25 August 2025 for Home fee status
• February 2026 entry – 20 October 2025 for Overseas fee status and 20 November 2025 for Home fee status
• June 2026 entry – 20 March 2026 for Overseas fee status and 11 April 2026 for Home fee status

Please note that funding deadlines may be earlier than the application deadlines listed above.

Fees or Funding

UK Tuition Fees 2024/25

• Full time tuition fees: £6,168 per year (MPhil/PhD, History Research)
• Full time tuition fees: £6,168 per year (MPhil/PhD, History Research with Hong Kong University or National University of Singapore)
• Part time tuition fees: £3,084 per year (MPhil/PhD, History Research)

International Tuition Fees 2024/25

• Full time tuition fees: £24,786 per year (MPhil/PhD, History Research)
• Full time tuition fees: £24,786 per year (MPhil/PhD, History Research with Hong Kong University or National University of Singapore)
• Part time tuition fees: £12,393 per year (MPhil/PhD, History Research)

UK Tuition Fees 2025/26

• Full time tuition fees: £6,600 per year (MPhil/PhD, History Research)
• Full time tuition fees: £6,600 per year (MPhil/PhD, History Research with Hong Kong University or National University of Singapore)
• Part time tuition fees: £3,300 per year (MPhil/PhD, History Research)

International Tuition Fees 2025/26

• Full time tuition fees: £27,100 per year (MPhil/PhD, History Research)
• Full time tuition fees: £27,100 per year (MPhil/PhD, History Research with Hong Kong University or National University of Singapore)
• Part time tuition fees: £13,550 per year (MPhil/PhD, History Research)

These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

Study environment

Base campus

Strand Campus

Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.

Entry requirements

UK requirements

• Bachelor's degree with 1st class or 2:1 honours degree and a Master of Arts with Distinction or Merit in a related subject.
• In exceptional cases, particularly strong applicants who do not hold a Distinction or Merit in their Master's degree may be considered.

Equivalent International qualifications

Select a country to view the equivalent qualifications.

English language requirements

English language band: C

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

Nationals of majority English speaking countries (as defined by the UKVI) who have permanently resided in this country are not usually required to complete an additional English language test. This is also the case for applicants who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree (of at least three years duration), a postgraduate taught degree (of at least one year), or a PhD in a majority English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI) within five years of the course start date.