Our department works across art, architecture and design history and we welcome doctoral proposals across that breadth. You can see the range of our current students’ work, as well as completed doctorates. They all share the need to fulfil the benchmarks of a successful doctoral thesis, and one that demonstrates:

• A contribution to new knowledge through original research or other advanced scholarship
• A systematic acquisition of a substantial body of knowledge at the forefront of an academic discipline
• The ability to design and execute a project to deliver the above, and to modify it as required
• A detailed understanding of relevant research methods

You can read the Qualification Framework (Section 4.18 for doctoral programmes).

If this sounds like an impossible task – we don't want to put you off! – remember that it is a logical progression from Masters’ level work. However, there is also a significant step up in the amount and complexity you will be expected to research and write, to sustain a 100,000-word thesis. Not everyone enjoys the practice of writing to that extent, so be realistic about whether this is the right format for your desire to undertake research.

If you are already an Art History graduate with an appropriate Masters’ degree, you might feel a bit more confident looking back at what you have already achieved. Try reading sections 1-4 of the current national art history benchmark statement: it is a useful summary and you could find that it provides inspiration for how to express and refine your doctoral proposal. Think about the language and concepts used here.

Find out more about 'How would I do a PhD in the Art History department?'