History PhD

University of Aberdeen

The first principal of King’s College – Hector Boece – was a historian, and today’s History Department has been thriving since its foundation in 1898. It is part of the School of Divinity, History and Philosophy and has close interdisciplinary cooperation with Humanities, Social Sciences, Physical and Computing Sciences and Medicine subjects in the University. Our students come from all over the world to explore Scottish, European and World History of all periods from the Middle Ages to the 21st Century. Areas of study include Scottish and European History, Global History, Scandinavian History and Culture, Early Modern and Medieval Europe, Poland-Lithuania, Enlightenment Studies, the History of Ideas, Religion, Philosophy and Science – all led by supervisors who are scholars with an international reputation in their field. Founded by Bishop Elphinstone in 1495, the University holds excellent library resources and rich archival materials for historians to exploit, including the archives of the Catholic Church in Scotland, archives on the social and cultural history of the North-East of Scotland, the history of science, and many collections on the history of Scotland in its European context. Aberdeen provides a unique research environment for doctoral students, with opportunities for postgraduate training and a lively research seminar culture.