oxford thesis history

Oxford theses

The Bodleian Libraries’ thesis collection holds every DPhil thesis deposited at the University of Oxford since the degree began in its present form in 1917. Our oldest theses date from the early 1920s. We also have substantial holdings of MLitt theses, for which deposit became compulsory in 1953, and MPhil theses.

Since 2007 it has been a mandatory requirement for students to deposit an electronic copy of their DPhil thesis in the Oxford University Research Archive (ORA) , in addition to the deposit of a paper copy – the copy of record. Since the COVID pandemic, the requirement of a paper copy has been removed and the ORA copy has become the copy of record. Hardcopy theses are now only deposited under exceptional circumstances.

ORA provides full-text PDF copies of most recent DPhil theses, and some earlier BLitt/MLitt theses. Find out more about Oxford Digital Theses, and depositing with ORA .

Finding Oxford theses

The following theses are catalogued on SOLO (the University libraries’ resource discovery tool) :

DPhil and BLitt and MLitt theses
BPhil and MPhil theses
Science theses

SOLO collates search results from several sources.

How to search for Oxford theses on SOLO

To search for theses in the Oxford collections on SOLO :

navigate to the SOLO homepage
click on the 'Advanced Search' button
click the 'Material Type' menu and choose the 'Dissertations' option
type in the title or author of the thesis you are looking for and click the 'Search' button.

Also try an “Any field” search for “Thesis Oxford” along with the author’s name under “creator” and any further “Any field” keywords such as department or subject.

Searching by shelfmarks

If you are searching using the shelfmark, please make sure you include the dots in your search (e.g. D.Phil.). Records will not be returned if they are left out.

Oxford University Research Archive (ORA)

ORA was established in 2007 as a permanent and secure online archive of research produced by members of the University of Oxford. It is now mandatory for students completing a research degree at the University to deposit an electronic copy of their thesis in this archive.

Authors can select immediate release on ORA, or apply a 1-year or 3-year embargo period. The embargo period would enable them to publish all or part of their research elsewhere if they wish.

Theses held in ORA are searchable via SOLO , as well as external services such as EThOS and Google Scholar. For more information, visit the Oxford digital theses guide , and see below for guidance on searching in ORA.

Search for Oxford theses on ORA

Type your keywords (title, name) into the main search box, and use quotes (“) to search for an exact phrase.

Refine your search results using the drop-downs on the left-hand side. These include:

item type (thesis, journal article, book section, etc.)
thesis type (DPhil, MSc, MLitt, etc.)
subject area (History, Economics, Biochemistry, etc.)
item date (as a range)
file availability (whether a full text is available to download or not)

You can also increase the number of search results shown per page, and sort by relevance, date and file availability. You can select and export records to csv or email.

Select hyperlinked text within the record details, such as “More by this author”, to run a secondary search on an author’s name. You can also select a hyperlinked keyword or subject.

Other catalogues

Card catalogue .

The Rare Books department of the Weston Library keeps an author card index of Oxford theses. This includes all non-scientific theses deposited between 1922 and 2016. Please ask Weston Library staff for assistance.

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses

You can use ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global to find bibliographic details of Oxford theses not listed on SOLO. Ask staff in the Weston Library’s Charles Wendall David Reading Room for help finding these theses.

Search for Oxford theses on ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global

Basic search.

The default Basic search page allows for general keyword searches across all indexes using "and", "and not", "and or" to link the keywords as appropriate. Click on the More Search Options tab for specific title, author, subject and institution (school) searches, and to browse indexes of authors, institutions and subjects. These indexes allow you to add the word or phrase recognised by the database to your search (ie University of Oxford (United Kingdom), not Oxford University).

Advanced search

The Advanced search tab (at the top of the page) enables keyword searching in specific indexes, including author, title, institution, department, adviser and language. If you are unsure of the exact details of thesis, you can use the search boxes on this page to find it by combining the key information you do have.

Search tools

In both the Basic and Advanced search pages you can also limit the search by date by using the boxes at the bottom. Use the Search Tools advice in both the Basic and Advanced pages to undertake more complex and specific searches. Within the list of results, once you have found the record that you are interested in, you can click on the link to obtain a full citation and abstract. You can use the back button on your browser to return to your list of citations.

The Browse search tab allows you to search by subject or by location (ie institution). These are given in an alphabetical list. You can click on a top-level subject to show subdivisions of the subject. You can click on a country location to show lists of institutions in that country. At each level, you can click on View Documents to show lists of individual theses for that subject division or from that location.

In Browse search, locations and subject divisions are automatically added to a basic search at the bottom of the page. You can search within a subject or location by title, author, institution, subject, date etc, by clicking on Refine Search at the top of the page or More Search Options at the bottom of the page.

Where are physical Oxford theses held?

The Bodleian Libraries hold all doctoral theses and most postgraduate (non-doctoral) theses for which a deposit requirement is stipulated by the University:

DPhil (doctoral) theses (1922 – 2021)
Bachelor of Divinity (BD) theses
BLitt/MLitt theses (Michaelmas Term 1953 – 2021)
BPhil and MPhil theses (Michaelmas Term 1977 – 2021)

Most Oxford theses are held in Bodleian Offsite Storage. Some theses are available in the libraries; these are listed below.

Law Library

Theses submitted to the Faculty of Law are held at the Bodleian Law Library .

Vere Harmsworth Library

Theses on the United States are held at the Vere Harmsworth Library .

Social Science Library

The Social Science Library holds dissertations and theses selected by the departments it supports.

The list of departments and further information are available in the Dissertations and Theses section of the SSL webpages.

Locations for Anthropology and Archaeology theses

The Balfour Library holds theses for the MPhil in Material and Visual Anthropology and some older theses in Prehistoric Archaeology.

The Art, Archaeology and Ancient World Library holds theses for MPhil in Classical Archaeology and MPhil in European Archaeology.

Ordering Oxford theses

Theses held in Bodleian Offsite Storage are consulted in the Weston Library. The preferred location is the Charles Wendell David Reading Room ; they can also be ordered to the Sir Charles Mackerras Reading Room .

Find out more about requesting a digitised copy, copyright restrictions and copying from Oxford theses .

EXPLORE THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD'S WORLD-CLASS RESEARCH

Members of the University of Oxford can deposit a wide range of research to ORA including articles, conference papers, theses and data.

Latest additions

Education, music, and the lives of undergraduates: collegiate a cappella and the pursuit of happiness, by Roger Mantie and Brent C. Talbot. Bloomsbury, 2020. ISBN: 978-1-350-19571-4
Cohort profile: Indian Study of Healthy Ageing (ISHA-Barshi)
Changes in oceanic radiocarbon and CFCs since the 1990s
Examples of topologically unknotted tori
Performance analysis and optimal resource allocation for large scale joint sensing and communication

Bodleian History Faculty Library at Oxford

A bodleian libraries blog.

History Thesis Fair for undergraduates on 4 May (week 2): explore – discover – meet specialists

We are delighted to run the History Thesis Fair for second-year undergraduates this year. Come and meet over 50 specialists to talk about resources for your dissertation topic.

Thursday 4 May afternoon (week 2)

Colleges B-N: 2-3pm & College O-W: 3-4pm

North Writing School, Examination Schools

The Fair is an excellent opportunity for students to gain a wider perspective on the wealth and riches of research sources available for your field of study.

At the Fair you can learn about resources you may not yet have yet considered and meet the curators of collections who can guide you towards relevant material or useful finding tools.

Over 30 stalls will cover many areas:

Archives and Manuscripts 1500-1800
Archives and Modern Manuscripts 1800-
College Libraries (Special Collections)
College Archives’ Collections
Early Printed Books
Institute of Historical Research Library / Senate House Library
Oxford Brookes University Special Collections and Archives
Oxfordshire History Centre
UK Government and International Intergovernmental Publications
Community History
Digital Scholarship
Disability History
Legal History
LGBTQ+ History
History of Science & Medicine
Oxford and Empire
Africa & Commonwealth
East Asia & South Asia
Eastern Europe and Russia
Great Britain & West Europe
Middle East, Hebrew & Judaica, Caucus & Central Asia
Latin America
United States

You will also have an opportunity to speak to other students who have previously written dissertations and learn about their TOP 10 TIPS .

The format of the Fair encourages you to explore and discover new materials at your own pace , to be curious , to network and to make connections to experts and their peers while also learning about creative use of sources in Digital Scholarship.

Accessibility

The main entrance to the Examination Schools is stepped. There is a ramped entrance immediately to the left of the main entrance. There is lift access throughout the building, two wheelchair accessible toilets and hearing support systems that can be deployed where needed throughout the building. Most areas of the building have level access.

The accessible toilet is gender neutral and is at the bottom of the staircase opp. Room 8.

If you have any queries, please email [email protected] .

Get yourself kitted out for your research

Image by Pexels from Pixabay

Doing research on your thesis also means that you will need to learn new skills , deepening your knowledge of resources and sources and how to go about locating and using them.

To help you on this exciting journey, the library has organised a series of talks, classes, and workshops which are designed to

Upskill your information searching and research skills;
Learn about the rich sources available to them in Oxford (and beyond) and know how to access them;
Learn how to handle the material, incl. archives, correct citation practices, ethical research practice, etc.;
Get to know relevant experts in Oxford libraries and archives.

Check out the classes and workshops set up for you to help you learn the skills you will need.

MPhil in History

Entry requirements
Funding and Costs

College preference

How to Apply

About the course

The MPhil in History is an innovative and intensive two-year course that provides a thorough training in historical methods. It offers a range of specialist options that draw on the latest research, and includes a sustained period devoted to archival research and writing.

The MPhil open to students with interests in any period of British, European or American history (which may also include non-European elements, eg European expansion, empire building or emigration). Those primarily interested in other parts of the world may like to consider the MSt in Global and Imperial History . The course will encourage you to develop practical and intellectual familiarity with advanced research in British, American and/or continental European history. It can serve either as free-standing master’s course or as comprehensive preparation for DPhil research in the fields of history within its scope. If you wish to apply for the DPhil you will be encouraged to develop your doctoral proposal in consultation with your supervisor during the first few months of your second year, so that you will be well placed to make a doctoral application.

You will have access to a comprehensive menu of skills training for graduate students, as well as a systematic schedule of introductions to the unrivalled research facilities of the University of Oxford, and will be encouraged to develop key research skills: these may include the ability to read and interpret manuscript sources, and competence in Latin or modern foreign languages. Please see the faculty website for further details (see the Further information and enquiries section).

The MPhil in History is an umbrella programme, comprising nine specific strands:

Medieval History
Early Modern History, 1500-1700
British and European History, 1700-1850
Modern British History, 1850 to the Present
Modern European History, 1850 to the Present
Intellectual History
History of War
Women's, Gender and Queer History

Course structure

All students apply for, and follow, a specific strand, taking compulsory core papers and two option papers, as well as undertaking an original research project. This structure gives access to a wide range of both general and specialised training within the field of history.

Core courses

Sources and Historiography: Taught in weekly classes during Michaelmas term of the first year, complemented by your work with your supervisor on the individual research element of the programme
Theory and Methods: As above, taught in weekly classes during Michaelmas term of the first year, complemented by your work with your supervisor on the individual research element of the programme
Writing History: Taught in weekly classes in Trinity term of the first year, complementing previous work done on historiography, sources, and methods by exploring the challenges faced by historians regarding the framing, structuring, and presentation of their work
Research Master Class: Taught in weekly classes in Michaelmas term of the second year, during which students present and receive feedback on their research

Optional subject course

A free choice of the options on offer taught in six weekly classes during Hilary term of the first and second year. More details of optional (and core) papers, as well as each strand, are available on the faculty website (see the Further information and enquiries section for further details). Please note that not every optional subject listed may be on offer every year.

Research project

An original research project, worked on throughout both years, under the guidance of your supervisor. Students are expected to commit the summer vacation between the two years and the Michaelmas term of the second year to archival research.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Faculty of History and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Offers will only be made if appropriate supervision is available.

It is usual practice that MPhil students have one supervisor, but a co-supervisor will be appointed if additional specialist knowledge is required. One supervisor must be a member of the Faculty of History, but a co-supervisor will be appointed if additional specialist knowledge is required. One supervisor must be a member of the Faculty of History, but a co-supervisor can be appointed from a different department.

Your supervisor(s) is there to provide advice, guidance, and support throughout your MPhil. You should meet your supervisor(s) early in your first term to establish a clear framework for your research and writing, and identify any skills training needed to undertake your research. There is no set timetable for the frequency of future meetings, but it is recommended that you meet your supervisor several times a term in both years, to discuss progress of your research and writing. You should also agree a timetable for the submission and return of drafts of your dissertation.

Please note that if you have contacted a potential supervisor prior to submitting your application, any indication made by an academic that they may be willing to supervise a potential project, is not a guarantee that you will be offered a place, or that the supervisor in question has capacity to supervise you in that particular year.

The Sources and Historiography and the Theory and Methods core courses are examined by an assessed essay submitted at the end of Michaelmas term of year one. You must also submit an annotated bibliography and dissertation proposal at this time.

The optional subjects will be examined according to the regulations governing the course, which could be by assessed essay or by examination, at the end of Hilary term in years one and two.

The Writing History core course is examined by an assessed essay submitted at the end of Trinity term of year one.

The Research Master Class is examined by an in-class presentation, which is marked on a pass-fail basis.

The research project is examined by a 30,000-word dissertation that is submitted in week six of Trinity term of year two.

Graduate destinations

About a quarter of master’s students proceed to doctoral work at Oxford, others continue academic study at other institutions. Other career destinations are as diverse as, but broadly in line with, undergraduate history career destinations: law, finance, management consultancy, civil service etc.

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made in circumstances of a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.

Entry requirements for entry in 2024-25

Proven and potential academic excellence.

The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying.

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours (a minimum of 68% overall and 68% for the dissertation) in a relevant discipline in the humanities or social sciences.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.75 out of 4.0.

Applicants are not expected to have a previous degree in history, but are expected to have experience of working historically. You will need to ensure that you link your proposed dissertation topic with your previous expertise, explain why you want to switch to study history, and show that you have already done some background research. Your submitted written work should show your writing and research skills in their best light, as it will be important to show that you have the necessary skills required for historical research.

If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

In the case of mature students/intended career changes professional experience in cognate areas may compensate for shortcomings in the formal academic record.
Publications are not required.

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's higher level . If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.

*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) † Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)

Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides further information about the English language test requirement .

Declaring extenuating circumstances

If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.

You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Supporting documents

You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Performance at interview

Interviews are not normally held as part of the admissions process.

Assessors may get in touch with an applicant by email in case of any queries, but this is very rare.

How your application is assessed

Your application will be assessed purely on your proven and potential academic excellence and other entry requirements described under that heading.

References and supporting documents submitted as part of your application, and your performance at interview (if interviews are held) will be considered as part of the assessment process. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed.

An overview of the shortlisting and selection process is provided below. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide more information about how applications are assessed .

Shortlisting and selection

Students are considered for shortlisting and selected for admission without regard to age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, sexual orientation, as well as other relevant circumstances including parental or caring responsibilities or social background. However, please note the following:

socio-economic information may be taken into account in the selection of applicants and award of scholarships for courses that are part of the University’s pilot selection procedure and for scholarships aimed at under-represented groups ;
country of ordinary residence may be taken into account in the awarding of certain scholarships; and
protected characteristics may be taken into account during shortlisting for interview or the award of scholarships where the University has approved a positive action case under the Equality Act 2010.

Processing your data for shortlisting and selection

Information about processing special category data for the purposes of positive action and using your data to assess your eligibility for funding , can be found in our Postgraduate Applicant Privacy Policy.

Admissions panels and assessors

All recommendations to admit a student involve the judgement of at least two members of the academic staff with relevant experience and expertise, and must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies or Admissions Committee (or equivalent within the department).

Admissions panels or committees will always include at least one member of academic staff who has undertaken appropriate training.

Other factors governing whether places can be offered

The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:

the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the About section of this page;
the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.

Offer conditions for successful applications

If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide more information about offers and conditions .

In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:

Financial Declaration

If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a Financial Declaration in order to meet your financial condition of admission.

Disclosure of criminal convictions

In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any relevant, unspent criminal convictions before you can take up a place at Oxford.

Intellectual life and community

Working as an Oxford graduate student is an exhilarating experience. History at Oxford stretches from around c.300 to the present and embraces an exceptionally broad geographical range. It comprises an active research community of up to 800 academics and graduate students.

The faculty’s research is organised around historical periods, research centres, or in collaborative and individual research projects, and graduates are key participants in the wide range of seminars, workshops and conferences run by the Faculty of History.

Further opportunities for exchange are provided by the interdisciplinary communities fostered within individual colleges, which also offer dedicated support for graduates by means of personal advisors. The Oxford Centre for Research in the Humanities (TORCH) offers a stimulating range of interdisciplinary activities. You are also encouraged to join the Oxford History Graduate Network (OHGN) , which fosters friendships, conversations and collaboration.

The Oxford environment provides a unique opportunity to develop intellectual curiosity whilst remaining focused on your own work without becoming blinkered - an integral part of a successful graduate career.

Libraries and archives

Graduates in Oxford are fortunate in having access to over a hundred libraries. The University's core research resource in the humanities are the Bodleian Libraries, whose combined collections contain more than 11 million printed items, in addition to more than 50,000 e-journals and a vast quantity of manuscripts, maps, music and other materials.

The Bodleian has been a library of legal deposit for 400 years. The Bodleian Libraries’ Special Collections Department attracts scholars from all over the world. Further strengths include the countless databases and digital resources currently offered by the Bodleian and being developed through Oxford’s Digital Humanities programme.

You are also able to draw on the specialist resources offered by the Bodleian History Faculty Library which provides dedicated support and training courses for all graduates. They also have access to the many college libraries and to college archives which can house significant collections of personal papers as well as institutional records dating back to the middle ages.

History in Oxford stretches from c 300 to the present, and embraces in addition to its British and European heritage an exceptionally broad range of World history. It comprises an active research community of up to 800 senior academics and graduate students, all contributing to a range of research seminars, lectures, academic societies, and personal contacts.

Research in the faculty is organised around historical periods and research centres, or in collaborative and individual research projects, and you will always be welcome at seminars, workshops and conferences across all periods and themes.

You will be encouraged to make use of these opportunities as widely as possible without endangering your own degree work. Striking the right balance between intellectual curiosity and temptation and intellectual discipline, and remaining focused without becoming blinkered, should be an integral part of a successful graduate career. The Oxford environment provides all the ingredients for this.

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The University expects to be able to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across the collegiate University in 2024-25. You will be automatically considered for the majority of Oxford scholarships , if you fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit your graduate application by the relevant December or January deadline. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential.

For further details about searching for funding as a graduate student visit our dedicated Funding pages, which contain information about how to apply for Oxford scholarships requiring an additional application, details of external funding, loan schemes and other funding sources.

Please ensure that you visit individual college websites for details of any college-specific funding opportunities using the links provided on our college pages or below:

Please note that not all the colleges listed above may accept students on this course. For details of those which do, please refer to the College preference section of this page.

Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the faculty's website.

Annual fees for entry in 2024-25

Further details about fee status eligibility can be found on the fee status webpage.

Information about course fees

Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges .

Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.

Where can I find further information about fees?

The Fees and Funding section of this website provides further information about course fees , including information about fee status and eligibility and your length of fee liability .

Additional information

There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees and living costs. However, as part of your course requirements, you may need to choose a dissertation, a project or a thesis topic. Please note that, depending on your choice of topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Living costs

In addition to your course fees, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.

For the 2024-25 academic year, the range of likely living costs for full-time study is between c. £1,345 and £1,955 for each month spent in Oxford. Full information, including a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs, is available on our living costs page. The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. When planning your finances for any future years of study in Oxford beyond 2024-25, it is suggested that you allow for potential increases in living expenses of around 5% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. UK inflationary increases will be kept under review and this page updated.

Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs).

If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief introduction to the college system at Oxford and our advice about expressing a college preference . For some courses, the department may have provided some additional advice below to help you decide.

The colleges accepting students on the MPhil in History vary according to your specialism:

MPhil in History (Medieval History) - TP_HY6A1

Balliol College
Brasenose College
Campion Hall
Christ Church
Corpus Christi College
Harris Manchester College
Hertford College
Jesus College
Keble College
Kellogg College
Lady Margaret Hall
Linacre College
Lincoln College
Magdalen College
Mansfield College
Merton College
New College
Oriel College
Pembroke College
The Queen's College
Regent's Park College
St Anne's College
St Catherine's College
St Cross College
St Edmund Hall
St Hilda's College
St Hugh's College
St John's College
St Peter's College
Somerville College
Trinity College
University College
Wadham College
Wolfson College
Worcester College
Wycliffe Hall

MPhil in History (Early Modern History 1500-1700) - TP_HY6B1

Blackfriars
St Antony's College

MPhil in History (British and European History 1700-1850) - TP_HY6C1

Mphil in history (modern british history 1850-present) - tp_hy6d1, mphil in history (modern european history 1850-present) - tp_hy6e1, mphil in history (us history) - tp_hy6f1, mphil in history (intellectual history) - tp_hy6g1.

Reuben College

MPhil in History (History of War) - TP_HY6H1

Mphil in history (women's, gender and queer history) - tp_hy6i1, before you apply.

Our guide to getting started provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

If it's important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under a December or January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance . Check the deadlines on this page and the information about deadlines and when to apply in our Application Guide.

Students are admitted to this course via one of nine strands, so you must decide which strand you would like to follow and select it when you choose your course. It may be possible to change your strand after admission in exceptional cases.

Application fee waivers

An application fee of £75 is payable per course application. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:

applicants from low-income countries;
refugees and displaced persons;
UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and
applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.

You are encouraged to check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver before you apply.

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

You do not need to contact anyone in the faculty before you apply and you are not responsible for finding your own supervisor. However, you are strongly encouraged to familiarise yourself with the research expertise within the faculty when preparing your research proposal, to make sure that there is a supervisor available in the same area as your proposed project. Offers will only be made if appropriate supervision is available. The faculty determines supervision arrangements, taking due account of the workload and commitments of its academics. If you are made an offer, a supervisor will be assigned to you, and identified in the offer letter.

Completing your application

You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents .

For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application .

If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.

Proposed field and title of research project

Under the 'Field and title of research project' please enter your proposed field or area of research if this is known. If the department has advertised a specific research project that you would like to be considered for, please enter the project title here instead.

You should not use this field to type out a full research proposal. You will be able to upload your research supporting materials separately if they are required (as described below).

Proposed supervisor

It is not necessary for you to identify a potential supervisor in your application.

However, please check that a supervisor with expertise in your proposed area of research is available before applying. Details can be found on the faculty website. You are free to consult a specialist in your field for advice on your project, if you think that would be helpful.

Referees: Three overall, academic preferred

Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.

References should generally be academic, though if you are returning to study after extended periods of non-academic employment then you are welcome to nominate professional referees where it would be impractical to call on your previous university tutors.

Your references will support intellectual ability, academic achievement, motivation, ability to work in both a group environment and sustained individual and self-motivated investigation.

Official transcript(s)

Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.

More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.

Statement of purpose and research proposal: A minimum of 500 to a maximum of 1,000 words in total

The statement of purpose and research proposal should be written as one combined piece.

You should convince the faculty that you have the right intellectual qualities, academic knowledge and skills to undertake the course, focusing on how you see the course as building upon your previous study

You should discuss what kinds of problems and issues you hope to engage with; what the current state of your knowledge and understanding of these is, and how you hope to advance that.

You should include a preliminary research proposal and title for your intended dissertation. This should supply a research question identifying the central issue or problem with which you intend to grapple, some account of the current state of scholarship in this area and an indication of the kinds of sources you hope to use.

You may also include what you hope to do with the qualification you gain.

Your statement and research proposal must be written in English. A bibliography may also be provided and is not included in the word count, though any footnotes should be included.

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

It is anticipated that your ideas will change and develop once you have begun the programme and have been exposed to new approaches, sources and methods. However, students applying to this course are expected to have a clear sense of the kind of research they wish to undertake.

This will be assessed for:

your reasons for applying
evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study
the coherence of the proposal, the ability to present a reasoned case in English
commitment to the subject, beyond the requirements of the degree programme
reasoning ability
ability to absorb new ideas, often presented abstractly, at a rapid pace.

Written work: An academic writing sample of no more than 4,000 words in total length

Written work should be from your most recent completed qualification, but does not need to relate closely to your proposed area of study. Extracts from a longer piece of work are welcome, but please include a preface which puts the work in context.

The work will be assessed for your:

understanding of problems in the area
ability to construct and defend an argument
powers of analysis
powers of expression.

It must be submitted in English (if this work has been translated, you must indicate if the translations are your own, or what assistance you had in producing the English text).

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document. Any footnotes should be included in the word count. A bibliography may also be provided and is not included in the word count.

Start or continue your application

You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please refer to the requirements above and consult our Application Guide for advice . You'll find the answers to most common queries in our FAQs.

Application Guide

Students are admitted to this course via one of nine strands, so you must decide which strand you would like to follow:

MPhil in History (US History) - TP_HY6F1

Admission status.

Closed to applications for entry in 2024-25

12:00 midday UK time on:

Friday 5 January 2024 Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships Final application deadline for entry in 2024-25

† Multiple strands - see "How to Apply" for codes *combined figure for all strands **Three-year average (applications for entry in 2021-22 to 2023-24)

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered by the Faculty of History

Course page on the faculty's website
Funding information from the faculty
Academic and research staff
Faculty research
Humanities Division
Residence requirements for full-time courses
Postgraduate applicant privacy policy

Course-related enquiries

Advice about contacting the department can be found in the How to apply section of this page

✉ [email protected] ☎ +44 (0) 1865 615000

Application-process enquiries

See the application guide

Bodleian Libraries
Oxford LibGuides
Slavonic and East European Area Studies
Theses and Dissertations

Slavonic and East European Area Studies: Theses and Dissertations

Free Online Resources

Introduction

Theses and dissertations are documents that present an author's research findings, which are submitted to the University in support of their academic degree. They are very useful to consult when carrying out your own research because they:

provide a springboard to scope existing literature
provide inspiration for the finished product
show you the evolution of an author's ideas over time
provide relevant and up-to-date research (for recent theses and dissertations)

On this page you will find guidance on how to search for and access theses and dissertations in the Bodleian Libraries and beyond.

Definitions

Terms you may encounter in your research.

Thesis: In the UK, a thesis is normally a document that presents an author's research findings as part of a doctoral or research programme.

Dissertation: In the UK, a dissertation is normally a document that presents an author's research findings as part of an undergraduate or master's programme.

DPhil: An abbreviation for Doctor of Philosophy, which is an advanced research qualification. You may also see it referred to as PhD.

ORA: The Oxford University Research Archive , an institutional repository for the University of Oxford's research output including digital theses.

Theses and dissertations

Reading theses and dissertations in the Bodleian Libraries
Theses and dissertations beyond Oxford

The Bodleian Libraries collection holds DPhil, MLitt and MPhil theses deposited at the University of Oxford, which you can consult. You may also be interested to read theses and dissertations beyond the University of Oxford, some of which can be read online, or you can request an inter-library loan.

Help with theses and dissertations

To find out more about how to find and access theses and dissertations in the Bodleian Libraries and beyond, we recommend the following:

Bodleian Libraries theses and dissertations Links to information on accessing the Bodleian Libraries collections of Oxford, UK, US and other international theses.
Oxford University Research Archive guide
Help & guidance for digital theses Information on copyright, how to deposit your thesis in ORA and other important matters
Guide to copyright The Bodleian Libraries' Quick guide to copyright and digital sources.

Anglophone theses can be found using the database, University Theses in Russian, Soviet, and East European Studies. You can find recent theses from the Moscow State University by checking the relevant subject dissertation council , which lists the theses defended over the past year.

Depositing your thesis

It is mandatory for students completing a research degree at the University of Oxford (registered to a programme of study on or after 1st October 2007) to deposit an electronic copy of their theses with the Oxford University Research Archive (ORA) in order to meet the requirements of their award. To find out more, visit the Oxford University Research Archive guide.

<< Previous: Free Online Resources
Last Updated: Apr 24, 2024 11:21 AM
URL: https://libguides.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/rees

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View past winners, 2024 byam shaw-brownstone thesis excellence award winners announced, posted on june 03, 2024 by mals program, amanda watson.

The 2024 Winners of the Thesis Excellence Awards have been announced! These awards are given in recognition of the outstanding thesis in each concentration each year.

James Washington, Jr - Creative Writing

Jasmine Shirey - Cultural Studies

Karina Madzari - Globalization Studies

Graeme Blackman - General Liberal Studies

Behishta Sadaat - Medical Humanities

Meet Eleanor Wikstrom, a Fil-Am Harvard Summa Cum Laude who pushed for the university's historic Filipino language course

Eleanor Wikstrom's work uplifting the Filipino and Filipino-American communities has just begun.

The California-based Fil-am recently graduated Summa Cum Laude from Harvard with a degree of Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies. She also gained the Sophia Freund Prize, which is the highest GPA in her college.

Her senior thesis on US colonialism in the Philippines won numerous awards including the Alexis de Tocqueville Prize for Best Thesis in Social Studies, the Senior Thesis Prize in Ethnicity, Migration, and Rights, and the Thomas Temple Hoopes Prize.

Speaking to PhilSTAR L!fe , Wikstrom considers these milestones incredibly meaningful because they represent a "win" for the Filipino and Filipino-American community.

"I understand that graduating Summa Cum Laude and having such distinctions on my thesis mean that it represents something more than myself, it's also a win for the Filipino community and the Filipino American community, and also for the community where I grew up in California. And so I think it's very meaningful for me," she told L!fe .

"[These awards are] the beginning of a lot of work. In some ways, it's the culmination of an academic career and a really extensive project that I've been working on for several years."

But her passion for the communities she represents doesn't end with her graduation. She added that it's work that she'll continue throughout the rest of her career and academics.

After Harvard, the Oakland native is set to study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom in 2025 as she's one of the recipients of the American Rhodes Scholarship. At Oxford, Wikstrom will study imperial and global history.

Representing Filipinos at Harvard

At Harvard, Wikstrom found that the Philippines and its communities in the US were underrepresented relative to its population in the country. About 4.5 million Filipinos and Filipino-Americans live in the United States according to a 2021 census .

"Going into a setting where there are very few Filipinos can be very difficult because it means that you don't really know if you're going to be able to learn more about your heritage or learn, learn more about your motherland or culture. But at the same time, it also means that you have to be very intentional about forming strong bonds with the other Filipinos that are there."

She continued, "[Since] I had the opportunity to meet other people who are equally as passionate about celebrating and uplifting the Philippines and their Filipino and Filipino American heritage, that ended up being one of the most meaningful parts of my time at Harvard, was connecting with other members of that community."

Wikstrom even played a pivotal role in pushing for a Filipino language course at Harvard as she wrote an opinion piece about its absence.

In 2023, the university began offering a course on Filipino for the first time in its nearly 400-year history. Cavite teacher Lady Aileen Orsal was hired as the subject's instructor.

"There's a really rich and important history behind the reason why Tagalog was so widely spoken in the United States, but that there was also a very conspicuous ignorance and gap about the Philippines in American education systems," she explained to L!fe.

Filipino is the fourth most spoken language in the United States behind English, Spanish, and Chinese.

With her senior thesis, she wanted to be able to trace back how colonialism in the Philippines changed what knowledge was considered valid and valuable. She also studied how this colonial rule, in turn, affected the United States, too.

"I grew up in the United States, and that's the setting that I'm most familiar with, I wanted to make sure that that side of the history was also being exposed and being taught that we could start reckoning with it and start teaching Tagalog at places like Harvard, or start teaching more Filipino history, because it's such a big part of the United States history as well, it just often gets obscured."

'The most important thing is to be genuine'

Wikstrom, also the co-president of Harvard Philippine Forum, implied to L!fe that her academic journey at Harvard wasn't smooth sailing.

"I wouldn't want to give the impression that it was still smooth sailing the whole time because I want to make sure that especially other Filipinos who go to Harvard understand that it's okay to struggle," she noted.

Wikstrom added, "[There's] a lot of the other things that they had in order to make sure that I could be successful, like knowing that it was okay to ask for help if I didn't know how to navigate something or if I thought I needed additional assistance. I was definitely living in the current learning curve."

When asked about tips for those hoping to get into Harvard, Wikstrom said, "I would say the most important thing is to be genuine."

"Harvard interviewers are reading thousands of applications a year. They know people who are trying to craft their narrative in order to seem like the most impressive thing. But if you genuinely love what you do, and you genuinely want to make a difference in the world—which sounds cliche, but I actually want to do that and there [are] many other people who actually want to do that," she shared.

Lastly, Wikstrom said that when entering universities like Harvard, one should know one's priorities, which include self-love and well-being.

"It's easy to think that if you just [grind] all the time, and [sleep] three hours a night, [spend] all of your time doing extracurriculars, that it'll lead to success. But if you're not taking care of yourself, it's not sustainable."

This article Meet Eleanor Wikstrom, a Fil-Am Harvard Summa Cum Laude who pushed for the university's historic Filipino language course was originally published in PhilSTAR L!fe

BA in History

The most striking thing about History at Oxford is its extraordinary range of choices. We offer more than 100 different options, reflecting the breadth of interests and expertise amongst the c. 150 professional historians who teach here. You can study options on African, Asian, American, British, European, and Global and Transnational History from the fading years of the Roman Empire to the present day. You have the opportunity to explore diverse approaches to the past, including by learning languages or by engaging with other disciplines such as art history, economics, gender or women’s studies.

If you are a highly motivated student who is passionate about studying History, the University of Oxford offers an unrivalled environment in which to study. You will work alongside your tutors and fellow students to debate how we understand the past and to gain skills that will allow you to change your future.

Year 1 (Prelims)

As a first-year student, you will study a wide range of time periods, places and methods. You will be introduced to new ways of studying history and you will learn crucial academic skills.

You will study:

Years 2 & 3 (Final Honours School)

In the final two years of study you have enormous choice. Some students range widely over time and space, others prefer to develop focused specialist interests, but you are all trained to do original research as historians. Your work will be assessed through 4 exams and 3 assignments.