English Local History

It is possible to study for a DPhil (doctorate) in English Local History by part-time research. Students undertaking the DPhil part time normally study for four to six years. This compares with a full-time DPhil which normally takes three to four years to complete.

The part-time DPhil regulations require a minimum period of four years’ part-time study (equivalent to two years’ full-time). However, except where students are building on research and research skills developed by taking the MSc in English Local History the average time taken is approximately six years (equivalent to three years’ full-time).

The MSc and DPhil programmes are overseen by the University’s Continuing Education Board, and admission is through the Department for Continuing Education. All graduate students on these courses are now members of the department’s new graduate school.

If you are research student you may be required to undertake appropriate research training provided within the University. In addition, you will be strongly encouraged to participate in seminars and informal meetings with staff and other researchers. The major commitment of time will be to individual study and research, involving wide and intense reading, data collection and analysis, and writing.

Supervision on the DPhil programme is provided by specialist tutors from the department, elsewhere in Oxford and further afield. An impression of interests represented in the department’s teaching and research supervision can be seen in the advanced paper subjects offered as part of the master’s course:

• Power and patronage in the later medieval localities
• Kinship, culture and community: provincial elites in early modern England
• Poverty and the Poor Law in England 1660-1800
• Enclosure and rural change, 1750-1850
• Religion and community in England, 1830-1914

Applicants are normally expected to be predicted or have achieved a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours (or equivalent international qualifications), as a minimum, in any relevant subject. A good master's level qualification is usually, though not always required.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA normally sought is 3.7 out of 4.0.

If you hold non-UK qualifications and wish to check how your qualifications match these requirements, you can contact the National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (UK NARIC).

Other experience will be carefully considered and may be taken into account. No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

• Official transcript(s)
• CV/résumé
• Research proposal:Up to 1,000 words
• Written work:Two essays of 2,000 words each
• References/letters of recommendation:Three overall, generally academic

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Higher level