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Research
Research programmes are best suited to students who have a clear idea of a topic they would like to investigate in detail. There are two types of programme. The MA by Research entails producing a 40,000-word thesis; the MPhil and PhD programmes demand a high level of research and analysis resulting in a 60,000 (MPhil) or 100,000 (PhD) word thesis.
All first-year research students attend a Methodologies and Research Skills seminar, which is split between components run by the School and others provided by the Faculty of Humanities. This training improves your knowledge of both historical theory and methods of using primary material, and can assist in funding applications.
The School of History is able to offer supervision on a wide range of topics and subject areas. For some guidelines as to who might be best suited for supervision in a range of popular areas, please see below. Further information on staff research interests can be found on our staff pages.
History MA, MPhil, PhD
Drawing upon the world-class academics within the School, we welcome research applications across the full range of expertise.
Cartoons and Caricature MA, MPhil, PhD
The British Cartoon Archive was established in 1973 at the University of Kent, to collect and preserve British cartoons of social and political comment, and make them freely available for study. It is a library, archive, gallery and registered museum, dedicated to the history of British cartooning over the last 200 years. CartoonHub, an online cartoon database shared with a number of other institutions, is also the world’s largest electronic archive of cartoons, with a catalogued database of over 120,000 images, the majority of which are stored in original in the Centre. It is therefore an excellent resource for research students, capable of supporting a range of different research interests and specialities.
History of Science, Technology and Medicine MA, MPhil, PhD
The School’s complementary Centres for the History of Medicine, Ethics and Medical Humanities and the Sciences have a strong postgraduate research group, and support full or part-time research. Recently completed theses include projects on 19th-century literature and science, the relations between instrument makers and natural philosophers, the history of home computers, the construction of engineering science in Britain, and the history of Porton Down. Current research includes literature and science in 20th-century cultural context, the popularisation of science in France, and spatial themes in the history of science.
Supervision & Staff Interests
Medieval and early modern history
Covering c.400-c.1500, incorporating such themes as Anglo-Saxon England, early-modern France, palaeography, British and European politics and society, religion and papacy.
Staff: Dr Barbara Bombi, Dr Alixe Bovey, Professor Grayson Ditchfield, Professor Kenneth Fincham, Dr Helen Gittos, Dr David Grummitt, Dr David Ormrod, Dr David Potter.
Modern history
Covering c.1500-present, incorporating such themes as modern British, European and American history, British military history, and 20th-century conflict and propaganda.
Staff: Dr Philip Boobbyer, Dr Timothy Bowman, Professor Mark Connelly, Dr Stefan Goebel, Dr Karen Jones, Dr Giacomo Macola, Professor David Welch, Dr John Wills.
History of science, technology and medicine
Incorporating such themes as colonial science and medicine, Nazi medicine, eugenics, science and technology in 19th-century Britain.
Staff: Dr Julie Anderson, Dr Pratik Chakrabarti, Professor Ulf Schmidt, Dr Charlotte Sleigh, Professor Crosbie Smith.
Entry Requirements and Study Options
Entry
- Minimum 2.1 or equivalent in history or a relevant subject (for example, politics, international relations, archaeology). In certain circumstances, the School will consider candidates who have not followed a conventional education path. These cases are assessed individually by the Director of Graduate Studies.
Attendance
- MA one year full-time or two years part-time;
- MPhil two years full-time or three years part-time;
- PhD three years full-time or five years part-time.
Other qualifications? Unsure?
If you have any other qualifications, any questions, or are unsure on anything regarding the above entry and attendance, please do not hesistate to contact us. We're happy to help!
Location
The School of History is based at the University of Kent's Canterbury campus.
Called Durovernum by the Romans, Canterbury is a city steeped in history and as such makes a stimulating environment for anyone wishing to study the past. The green and leafy campus is situated on a hill overlooking the city, and is conveniently located for travel to both London and the continent.
The resources available to undergraduates are also excellent. Historians gain access to a wealth of books, journals and other resources through the university's Templeman Library (which is home to over a million items, and the British Cartoon Archive), alongside privileged access to the Canterbury Cathedral Library and Archives. This represents an opportunity to work with a range of top-quality primary sources - such as the Cathedral's unique collection of medieval and early modern manuscripts.