History

History at Edinburgh is one of the largest and most distinguished departments of its kind.

Our teaching offers a rich diversity of topics, delivered by a diverse, multinational group of historians whose interests cross many periods, regions and specialisms.

You will be assigned two supervisors who will provide expert academic guidance on your chosen research topic. You will meet regularly to discuss your progress and research plans, as well as drafts of your thesis/dissertation chapters, conference papers and potential articles.

In addition to individual supervision, you will also have access to research training and postgraduate seminars.

Research interests within History are extremely wide-ranging and include:

• medieval culture, religion, gender, and law
• historical theory
• early modern witchcraft and the occult
• the Italian Renaissance
• North America from the colonial era
• intellectual history from Machiavelli to Marx
• genocide
• Nazi and post-war Germany
• Russia and the Soviet Union
• the Cold War
• political, social, and cultural aspects of the history of China, Japan and India in the modern era

We hold particular expertise in:

• Pre-modern history: our research interests lie in the social, political, religious and cultural history of Europe – from the fall of Rome to the Renaissance, with particular emphasis on England, France and Italy.
• Modern British and Irish history: we have particular interests in early modern religion, belief and intellectual history (including the Scottish Enlightenment); social and political history; relations between Britain and Ireland; Irish migration; and international relations and warfare.
• Modern European history: specialisms include astrology and belief; Renaissance Venice; 18th-century political and intellectual history; genocide; France; Germany; Russia and the Soviet Union; and Spain.
• American history: our expertise includes revolutionary and early national America; the Civil War; US diplomatic history in the 19th and 20th centuries; politics in the 20th century; African-American history and the civil rights movement.
• Non-western history: we research African history; the history of the British Empire and Commonwealth; and modern India, Pakistan, China and Japan.

• A UK 2:1 honours degree in a relevant discipline and a relevant masters degree with a mark of at least 65% in the dissertation and 65% overall, or their international equivalents.
• IELTS: total 7.0 (at least 6.0 in each module)
• TOEFL-iBT: total 100 (at least 20 in each module)
• PTE(A): total 67 (at least 56 in each of the "Communicative Skills" sections)
• CAE and CPE: total 185 (at least 169 in each module)
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with a pass in all four components

Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• ✔️ Flexible study schedule
• ✔️ Experienced teachers
• ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

Scholarships

• School of History, Classics & Archaeology Doctoral Awards
• Research scholarships for international students
• Principal's Career Development PhD Scholarships