PhD at the Institute of Classical Studies

The School of Advanced Study at the University of London brings together eight internationally renowned research institutes to form the UK's national centre for the support of researchers and the promotion of research in the humanities.

The Institute of Classical Studies (ICS) is a national and international research centre for the study of the languages, literature, history, art, archaeology, and philosophy of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds.

With its world-class library the ICS provides an important academic focus for postgraduates and scholars from universities throughout the world in association with the Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies and the Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies. ICS also serves as the meeting place of the main Classics organisations in the UK.

Full-time study for the PhD degree entails three or a maximum of four years' independent research, culminating in the writing of a thesis of not more than 100,000 words. Part-time students complete the same programme in six or a maximum of eight years.

You'll initially be registered for our MPhil and then, providing your progress has been satisfactory, be upgraded to our PhD programme.

Throughout your study, you will work closely with a supervision team of two or more specialists, who will support your work and provide advice and feedback. You will meet them every fortnight in the early stages of your project and at least monthly thereafter. Alongside your supervisor you will also have access to the support of the Doctoral Centre, the Careers Service and our nationally-leading programme of research training and researcher development. You will be a member of a rich research environment, nurtured by regular seminars in which you will be encouraged to participate.

Shortly after submission of the thesis, you will attend an oral examination (‘viva’) conducted by two examiners drawn from a British or world university, who may suggest ways to improve and develop the final text.

It is now possible to register for a PhD by Practice, giving you the opportunity to develop a body of creative work as part of your doctoral research. Unlike a traditional PhD, you will be assessed on the creative output of your research in addition to a shorter written thesis.

Examples of the creative output could include an exhibition, art installation, a film, a translation or a piece of software. This element is worth two-thirds of the whole award, with the 30,000-word written critical component contributing the final third.

The PhD by Practice is available to study on campus or by distance learning, with the same admission criteria as our other research degrees.

Before submitting an application you are advised to contact a member of the ICS academic staff who has interests in your proposed field of study to discuss your proposal. A list of academic staff and their interests can be found in the Academic Leadership section.

• Dr Gabriel Bodard
  Reader in Digital Classics
  
  Topics: 
  Gabriel would be interested in supervising doctoral projects on:
  • Digital editing (especially historical texts such as inscriptions, papyri, manuscripts)
  • XML, TEI, EpiDoc, and digital publishing
  • The impact of digital humanities on scholarship (especially in Classics)
  • Digital prosopography, onomastics and geography
  • Interdisciplinary approaches to objects and the texts written on them
  • Linked open data and ancient or historical sources
  • Digital approaches to teaching, especially language teaching 
     
• Professor Susan Deacy
  Associate Fellow
• susan.deacy@sas.ac.uk
  
  Topics:
• Ancient Greek religion (esp. gods), mythology, disability, gender and sexuality
• Ancient Greek history, literature and culture and its postclassical receptions
• Experiential applications of classical mythology
   
• Dr Emlyn Dodd
  Senior Lecturer, Institute of Classical Studies
  
  Topics:
• Roman archaeology, including urban and rural, especially in Italy, Greece, the Aegean and Türkiye.
• Agriculture and production from the Iron Age through Late Antiquity, especially of wine and olive oil.
• Greek and Roman trade and economies.
   
• Prof Katherine Harloe
  Director, Institute of Classical Studies
  
  Topics: 
  Katherine would be interested in supervising projects in:
  • classical reception studies and the classical tradition
  • history of political thought 
  • queer classics and 
  • classics in the contemporary world
     
• Professor Thomas Harrison
  Associate Fellow
  
  Topics: 
  • Early Greek historiography, esp. Herodotus
  • Greek religion
  • Greek interactions with foreign peoples
  • The history of scholarship from the 19th to the 20th centuries

With its world-class library the ICS provides an important academic focus for postgraduates and scholars from universities throughout the world in association with the Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies and the Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies. ICS also serves as the meeting place of the main Classics organisations in the UK.

Postgraduates are encouraged to attend the Institute’s broad range of research seminars and guest lectures, which provide an excellent opportunity to hear and discuss papers by leading scholars from the UK and abroad, as well as to meet others interested in a particular field of study.

The Institute is also committed to an expanding programme of research training on aspects of Classical antiquity and related disciplines. The regular series of Postgraduate Work-in-Progress seminars attracts participants from throughout the UK; student-organised conferences also play an increasingly important role in the Institute’s events programme.

More broadly, the School of Advanced Study itself offers excellent resources for inter-disciplinary research by bringing together eight internationally renowned research institutes that support the promotion of research in the humanities.

The School of Advanced Study is also home to Senate House Library, the central library for the University of London. The art deco building, which the School and Senate House Library are part of, is a literary landmark in the heart of Bloomsbury, located next to the British Museum. The Library occupies the fourth to the nineteenth floors of the building, with a range of historic library reading rooms and collections.

Much like the Institute itself, the School offers a broad range of events, seminars and conferences that we encourage our research students to engage with.

Our research students can also take advantage of a varied and challenging research training programme, with general research skills training and research methodologies courses provided through the School and subject-specific training provided within the institutes.

Distance learning offers you a more flexible way to study for a postgraduate degree in the humanities – combining innovative learning and teaching techniques with the ability to study from anywhere in the world.

We offer three master’s courses and a range of PhD supervision via distance learning. Our research degrees via distance learning allow you to study for a University of London MPhil or PhD degree from anywhere in the world. The programme is run on the same basis as campus-based programmes.

The School of Advanced Study will offer students with an appropriate topic and level of local resource the opportunity to undertake a PhD by distance learning. These students are required to attend our London campus at set intervals to complete an intensive research training module, for upgrade, and for the viva but will otherwise study at their own location. This option is available to UK, EU and international students on the same basis as our on-campus PhD programmes (three years full time, six years part time). Fees are the same as for our on-campus PhD programmes. 

Important note: It may not always be possible for all institutes and supervisors to offer the option of distance learning, as some topics are not appropriate to be studied this way. As such, we strongly recommend that you check first - before applying.

If you would like to be considered for our Research Degree programme via Distance Learning, please download and fill out the Research Degrees by Distance Learning form, to attach to your online application.

Before submitting an application, you are advised to discuss your proposal with a member of the academic staff who has interests in your proposed field of study. You can find our academic staff's contact details and areas of expertise in the Supervisors section.

Before agreeing to accept you, the School will require you to submit a research proposal, so it is worthwhile to have drafted this before formally applying. See the Guidelines on drafting your research proposal.

Candidates will normally receive an initial response to their application within 28 working days. Those who have been formally interviewed will normally be informed within one week as to whether they are to be offered a place.

Note: in accordance with regulations research students will be registered for the MPhil degree in the first instance. Upgrading to PhD will be considered in the second year for full-time students and in the third or fourth year for part-time students.

Fees are set annually and cover registration, tuition, and (in the case of research students) supervision.

Fees are quoted per annum -- that is, you will need to pay at least the fee quoted below for each year of your studies. Please note that tuition fees are subject to annual uplift. The University of London reserves the right to alter or withdraw courses and amend other details without prior notice.

See the Tuition Fees for 2024-25 - listed by Institute.

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

We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries that you don't need to pay back and are awarded based on personal circumstances or academic achievement. Funding at postgraduate level is competitive so it’s a good idea to plan financially before starting your course. 

For information about fees and funding from the School of Advanced Study, please visit the SAS Fees and Funding page.

The SAS Careers Service works with students and graduates of all ages and at all stages of career development across all the institutes. Our mission is to provide high-quality information about careers and skills, and professional advice and guidance. We help students with their career development, either within their current field of work or in something completely new. 

SAS students can access 1-2-1 guidance appointments throughout their studies and for up to 2 years after graduating, to help them plan their next steps, whatever they might be. We also offer CV, cover letter, and application advice as well as mock interviews with the SAS Careers Consultant who will empower you to feel more confident in your interview performance.