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The School of Advanced Study is the UK’s national centre for the support and promotion of research in the humanities.

Why study with us

World-class postgraduate programmes in the humanities

We offer postgraduate programmes (MA, MRes, LLMMPhil, and PhD) in a wide range of humanities subjects. In addition to these campus-based programmes, we offer distance learning PhDs and master’s degree programmes. Our popular short courses and summer schools focus on specialist law subjects, literature, palaeography and book history, and oral history.

Unique learning and research environment

You'll benefit from the School’s collaborative research environment, specialist libraries, and opportunities to participate in an extensive programme of events. You can attend or present at one of our numerous research seminar series, which spark innovative thinking across disciplinary boundaries. You could also have the opportunity to organise national and international academic events, and we'll provide generous support enabling youto do so.

We are committed to delivering excellence in its research and teaching at all levels and to maintaining its high standards. Read our access and participation statement [Word].

Research training

Our research training programme draws on the extensive research and teaching expertise of staff in our institutes and the University of London. In addition to subject-specific training, we offer courses in the software and information management tools you'll need to complete your research effectively. Social media training is also available. 

Most of our research training is available free of charge to postgraduate students and early-career researchers across the UK.  

You'll also have access to seminars and research training offered by the London Arts and Humanities Partnership and the Bloomsbury Postgraduate Skills Network

Research training

Public and cultural engagement

You'll have opportunities to gain hands-on practical experience in creating humanities programming for the public. Chief among these is the national (and now international) Being Human festival, held in November each year, which brings together universities, museums, galleries, libraries, and other partners to stage stimulating and engaging activities that make humanities research accessible and relevant, strengthen community identity, and increase understanding of the relevance of the humanities to local and international issues.

We take pride in helping you benefit from public engagement activities, which can help you gain new perspectives and insights on their work. You can read more about our public engagement activities here.   

Academic writing support

We have dedicated academic writing support available to help you adjust to the demands of academic writing. This service offers confidential, one-to-one and group tutorials during which you can discuss any aspect of academic writing.

Training in Modern Languages for Research Students

If you're a research student you'll have access, via King’s College London, to specialist training in a range of modern languages. Facility in a modern language other than English not only underpins high quality research, but enriches personal and social development. Researchers in all disciplines need skills in spoken as well as written languages to communicate their research more broadly, to take up and make the most of opportunities to study and work overseas, or collaborate with overseas partners. 

Tower Bridge

Study in London

London is one of the most popular destinations for students, but why do so many people consider studying here? There are, of course, lots of reasons why students decide study in London, but we have condensed them into our top reasons to study in London to help make your choice of study destination just that bit easier.

Find our top reasons to study in London here

Fees and Funding

Our students fund their studies in a variety of ways including scholarships, bursaries and fellowships, as well as government loans and postgraduate loans.

Find out more