oxford history phd students

After Your Application

The History Faculty gets a lot of applications for graduate study (about 1250 in 2021-22) and we take their assessment seriously. Each application is assessed by at least one member of Faculty staff, and checked by the (academic) Graduate Admissions Co-ordinator and the Admissions Officer. We understand that you will be eager to know the outcome of your application, but giving applications the care they deserve takes time.

The information on this page is to give you an overview of what will happen to your application after it is submitted.

Assessment of your application

When the deadline has passed, the central graduate admissions office gathers all the History applications together, checks them, and passes all the approved and complete applications to the Faculty. This is usually done within two weeks of the closing date. Any incomplete applications are passed to the Faculty later and the Faculty decides whether to accept them.

The applications are then sorted into subject strands and applications for each strand securely distributed to teams of assessors. Applications are assessed based on:

• Previous academic results
• Written work
• Background knowledge and skills

Using these criteria, Masters applications are given a score out of 40, and DPhil applications are given a score out of 50. Assessors will also check if appropriate supervision is available and recommend whether an offer should be made, based on the assessment score and supervisor availability. Assessors also indicate the academic conditions (degree results) for any offer.

The assessments for each strand are then sent to the Graduate Admissions Co-ordinator and (administrative) Admissions Officer, who double check assessment scores and supervisor availability, convert academic conditions to the applicant’s institution (where necessary), and add any English language requirements.

There is a finite capacity for the numbers of students that can be taught in total, and for each strand. The assessment score needed for an applicant to be made an offer varies from year to year, depending on the number and strength of applications. There is a minimum standard below which offers will not be made.

Receiving an offer or rejection

After the assessments for a strand are checked, admissions office staff update the University record system to record offers (including academic conditions) and rejections. When everything is recorded, offer letters are generated and emailed out by the admissions office. Rejection notifications are sent out automatically. Offers and rejections are sent out by strand, so don’t worry if someone applying to a different strand has heard but you haven’t. Everyone will receive the outcome of their application and we try and co-ordinate timing so offers and rejections for each strand are sent out on the same day, but cannot control the time of day that rejection notices are sent.

Given the number of applications, and our assessment processes, it does take some weeks before decisions are sent out. DPhil decisions are usually sent out at the beginning of March, and Masters decisions in mid-March.

Accepting or declining your offer

The offer letter constitutes a formal offer of a place at the University of Oxford on the course stated. By accepting the offer, you enter into a contract with the University. However, accepting the offer is not binding, and you can withdraw at any time, for any reason, before the course starts. There is no charge for withdrawing and you will not be liable for any fees. Your offer will have a deadline to reply, which may be before you hear from a college or about funding. If you are unsure that you will be able to take your place, you should accept the offer by the deadline and withdraw later if necessary.

It’s fine to accept multiple offers from Oxford, both from within History and from other departments, but you will only be able to enrol on one course.

If you decline the offer it cannot be reinstated.

College places

If you are made an offer, you are guaranteed a college place, but not at a particular college. When a college decides to offer you a place, they will contact you directly. If you receive notification that your choice of college will not be offering you a place, your application will go back into the pool and be allocated to a different college, who will then decide whether to offer you a place. This process continues until an offer is made. The History Faculty has no control over college allocations or college decisions.

Declining your college offer automatically declines your University offer.

We realise that getting funding is important and necessary for most students, but unfortunately there is not enough funding for everyone. Competition for funding is intense and awarded on the basis of academic merit. Only a small proportion of offer holders, usually about 20%, are awarded funding through the university. Notification could be at any time between you receiving an offer and the end of June. Only successful candidates are notified, and please do continue to search for external funding after you have received an offer. Please be aware that only a minority of students receive funding from the University, and you are strongly advised to search for external funding.

More details on how funding is awarded can be found on the funding page.

Fulfilling your conditions

If you accept your offer, you will need to fulfil the academic conditions of your offer by the deadline given (usually 31 July) by providing us with an official transcript of your results.

Please note that any transcripts attached to your application cannot be used to fulfil your academic conditions. They can only be used for selection and assessment. In order to verify a transcript, we need a copy sent directly by the awarding institution, so you will need to contact your previous university and ask them to send a copy of your final transcript to the graduate admissions office, or give us access to a secure digital version.

Oxford students do not need to send a transcript, but do need to inform us when your results are available.

Your college will give you a separate deadline for the fulfilment of financial conditions.

Once you have fulfilled all your conditions, we will send you a confirmation letter and a University Card form, which you need to return in order to enrol on your course and be set up on the university IT systems. 

If you need a visa, we will provide you with a Certificate of Acceptance of Study (CAS) number after you have fulfilled all the conditions of your offer. You need the CAS number before you can apply for your visa, but we cannot start the process until you have fulfilled all of your conditions (academic and financial). You will first receive a draft of the CAS statement, which you must check carefully as the information must match the information on your passport exactly. 

Any previous study in the UK undertaken on a student/tier 4 visa must be declared (only study on a student visa needs to be declared).

When you have confirmed the draft information is correct, we will submit the request to UKVI and you will be emailed your CAS number a day or two later.

Deferrals can only be considered after all offer conditions (both academic and financial) are passed, and then only if there are unexpected and unforeseeable circumstances that prevent you taking your place that year. This can include academic opportunities that will enhance your studies, but cannot include financial reasons.

DPhils can be deferred for one, two, or three terms. Masters degrees can only be deferred for three terms.

The Faculty (Co-ordinator of Graduate Studies, Director of Graduate Studies and your supervisor) must first agree to the deferral, before asking your college if they agree. If both agree, the request then goes to the central Graduate Admissions Office for confirmation.

Before term starts

You must return your University card form with plenty of time before terms starts. If you do not return the form you will not be able to enrol on your course and you will not have access to any university IT systems. If you are current Oxford student you must still return the form.

Towards the end of September, you will receive a welcome email from the History graduate office with details of induction events and some course information. You may also get an email from the course convenor for your strand and/or your supervisor. These emails will use your Oxford email address.

Amending & incomplete applications

The Faculty does not have access to applications until they are checked and released by the central admissions office, and cannot replace documents uploaded after submission. If you want to replace a document in your application, you need to contact the central admissions office [ Ask a question (custhelp.com) ].

If you receive notification that your application has been deemed incomplete by the central admissions office, you must email [email protected] straight away. If you do not, it is unlikely that your application will be assessed.

If you have a query not covered by the information above, please contact  [email protected]

University of Oxford | After you Apply

Graduate applicant self service.

Graduate Admissions

Admissions are now closed..

Graduates are encouraged to make use of these opportunities as widely as possible. Striking the right balance between intellectual curiosity and discipline, and remaining focused without becoming blinkered, is an integral part of a successful graduate career. The Oxford environment provides all the ingredients for you to develop these skills while engaging fruitfully with others in the field.

All graduate students have an academic supervisor (or sometimes two or more co-supervisors) with expertise in relevant areas, to help you identify and acquire the knowledge and skills you need to complete your research. You don’t need to find your own supervisor before you apply.

We admit about 250 graduate students each year, with an overall equal gender balance. Approximately half of our graduate students are from beyond the UK, and about 20% of the annual intake receive university funding.

The Faculty offers a range of taught graduate courses (Masters) as well as three research-based DPhil options.

Getting in Touch

The Faculty and University pages should give you the information you need before applying, and guide you through the application process – please do read them thoroughly!

If you have a question that’s not covered, please email [email protected]

PhD or MA by Research

Find a course

Start dates.

January 2024 / June 2024 / September 2024

Application deadline

It typically takes up to four months (five months for International and EU applicants) from application to enrollment on your programme. This is subject to all the necessary documentation being in place.

Course length

Full time: 1 - 3 years

Part time: 1 - 4 years

School of Education, Humanities and Languages

Funding status

Self-funded

[email protected]

Staff in History offer supervision across a range of subject areas, and have an excellent track record of supervising PhDs and MAs by Research. We pride ourselves on the quality of our research and the support that we give to our postgraduate students.

The study of History takes place within the School of Education, Humanities and Languages. We are a vibrant and inclusive research community whose work is supported by a variety of research councils, charities and international agencies, among them the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the Leverhulme Trust and the Wellcome Trust.

All of our research students are members of the Faculty’s Doctoral Training Programme and the University’s Graduate College. You will be encouraged to become involved in our research activities and will have the opportunity to work alongside academics who are at the forefront of a number of world-leading research projects.

Research expertise

We strongly recommend that prior to submitting a full application you identify and make contact directly with a potential Director of Studies. Please look at our research group pages and individual staff profiles to help you identify the appropriate member of staff and to find out whether your proposed research focus is one that we can supervise.

We comprise two internationally recognised research centres and several research groups. All support the work of our research students in an environment that encourages collaboration, critical dialogue and intellectual creativity.

Institutes and Centres

• Centre for Medical Humanities (CMH)
• Oxford Centre for Methodism and Church History (OCMCH)
• Early Modern History
• History of Art and Visual Culture
• History of Crime
• History of the Family and of Emotions
• Medicine, Health and Society Research
• Modern Political and International History
• Religion and Belief

Degree routes

All students enrol as probationer research students. During the first year you will formally register your research proposal for one of the below routes. 

The degree for which you register will depend on your academic qualifications and research experience. 

MA by Research

These research degrees allow students to critically investigate and evaluate an approved topic and combine the equivalent of up to one semester’s taught programme (focusing on research training) with a major research project. As with other research degrees, they are examined by thesis and viva.

Thesis: 30,000 words.

Length of study: 1 year full time or 2 years part time. 

Entry requirement:  The minimum entry requirement for the degree of MA, MSc and LLM by Research is a lower second-class UK honours degree or equivalent qualification.

There are two routes toward obtaining a PhD. 

MPhil/PhD route

By far the most popular and common is the MPhil/PhD route. This entails students initially registering for the degree of MPhil/PhD, before transferring to full PhD status, should sufficient progress have been made with their work. Transfer to full PhD status normally happens after 18 months for full time students and after roughly 24-26 months for part time students.

Thesis: 80,000 - 100,000 words.

Length of study: minimum of three years full time and four years part time.

Entry requirement: the minimum entry requirement for the MPhil/PhD route is:

• a first-class or upper second-class UK honours degree
• a relevant master’s qualification
• or an equivalent qualification. 

Applications from those holding qualifications other than the above will be considered on their merits and in relation to the nature and scope of the work proposed.   

The alternative route toward obtaining a PhD is known as a PhD Direct in which the student registers directly to study for a PhD. Accordingly, the student does not need to undergo a formal transfer assessment and the minimum period of study is shorter compared to the MPhil/PhD route.   

Thesis: 80,000 - 100,000 words.

Length of study: minimum of two years full time and three years part time.

Entry requirement: This is the same as for the MPhil/PhD route, except that the student must demonstrate an exceptional level of preparedness and aptitude for PhD study, for instance in the form of an MPhil degree or an outstanding performance at Masters level in an area very closely aligned with the PhD.

Research Degree involving Creative Work

You may undertake a programme of research in which your own creative work or practice forms the most significant part of the intellectual enquiry. They must be undertaken as part of a registered research programme.  Thesis: for a PhD,15,000 - 25,000 words. for an MPhil, 8,000 - 10,000 words.  Length of study: minimum of three years full time and four years part time.

Entry requirement: a recent master’s degree in a discipline appropriate to the proposed research. The master’s needs to have included research training and a research project.

In exceptional cases, applicants who have a good honours degree (or equivalent) may apply if they have appropriate research or professional experience at postgraduate level which has resulted in published work, written reports or other appropriate evidence of accomplishment.

Research Degree involving preparation of an Edition of Works

This allows you to complete a programme of research where the main focus is the preparation of a scholarly edition of: 

• a text or texts
• musical or choreographic work
• other original artefacts.

The final submission includes: 

• a copy of the edited text(s) or collection of artefact(s)
• appropriate textual and explanatory annotations
• a substantial introduction and critical commentary which set the text in the relevant historical, theoretical or critical context. 

Thesis: for a PhD, 30,000 - 40,000 words. for an MPhil, 15,000 - 20,000 words. 

PhD by Published Work

The degree of PhD on the basis of published work may be awarded to candidates whose submitted work: 

• reflects the same academic standards as those which operate for a traditional PhD based upon an approved programme of supervised research
• forms a coherent programme of research
• demonstrates the use of appropriate research methodology
• and makes an original and sufficient contribution to the present state of knowledge in a particular field to the satisfaction of the examiners. 

Thesis/critical appraisal: 7,500 - 15,000 words.

Length of study:  Normally 1 year.

Entry requirements: Applicants should normally have had a very clear and demonstrable association with Oxford Brookes University (e.g. as a past student or member of staff, as an associate lecturer undertaking regular teaching at Brookes, or as a research collaborator with an established member of staff). The submission for examination comprises the published work on which the application is based, together with a supporting critical appraisal of this work.

Why Oxford Brookes University?

• Each research student in the Faculty will be allocated £700 (£350 for MA by Research students) towards the costs associated with specific research activities during the research programme.
• Close supervision from experts in your chosen research area, including joint supervision across departments for interdisciplinary projects. 
• research seminars with presentations from high profile external guest speakers
• specialist seminars organised by individual research groups and clusters
• methodology workshops.
• You will also be encouraged to submit publications to leading research journals.
• You may have the opportunity to develop your teaching, mentoring and demonstrating skills by undertaking paid teaching activities for up to six hours a week. You may also be required to attend the Associate Teachers course which is run by the University Oxford Centre for Academic Enhancement and Development .
• As a core part of the Faculty’s Doctoral Training Programme, the School offers also high quality research training and study facilities that can be accessed by both full-time and part-time students. PhD students can also apply for reader access to the Bodleian Library.
• All our research students also become part of the University’s Graduate College , which runs a comprehensive programme of training sessions and workshops.

After you graduate

Career prospects.

We are passionate about fostering the careers of our researchers and ensure that they gain research skills training, leadership experience and teaching practice as part of the doctoral programmes we offer.

Bespoke careers advice is also embedded into our programme as we think this is a key element of your personal and professional development during your time with us.

As a graduate from the School of Education, Humanities and Languages, you will go on to a range of careers. Recent graduates have gone into professions including:

• advertising
• the civil and diplomatic services
• public relations
• sales and marketing
• the heritage industry.

How to apply

Entry requirements.

Please see the specific entry requirement details in the degree routes section above.

If you choose to study full-time you must be able to devote a minimum of 35 hours per week over a 44-week year to your research. You should not undertake more than 20 hours per week paid employment or other commitments (including a maximum of six hours per week teaching, demonstrating, or other paid work directly related to your research training).

If you choose to study part-time you must be able to devote a minimum of 15 hours per week over a 44-week year to the programme of research.

You must also meet our  residence requirements .

English language requirements

Applicants whose main language is not English must meet the Faculty’s English language requirements. The minimum IELTS score required for entry to the research degree programme is 6.5–7 overall.

In addition, we require a minimum of 6.5 in each component of the test. We do not accept IELTS certificates that are over two years old.

Application process

It is essential that you first check whether your specific research interests can be adequately supervised before submitting a full application. To do this please email the Research Administrator ( [email protected] ) your provisional research proposal. This should be 1500–2000 words in length and should include a title and a summary of the proposed subject area.

There is no specific format for research proposals but the following areas are usually covered:

• introduction
• evidence of background reading and knowledge/previous experience of research area
• details of research methods proposed to carry out the project
• the aims of the research project and any proposed hypotheses/outcomes
• literature review
• how your research project will make an original and independent contribution to knowledge.

If your area of research can potentially be supervised you will be encouraged to submit a full application  via our online application system .

The Research Administrator will acknowledge receipt of your application by email. We strive to make a decision within one month of receiving your application. Please note, however, decisions may take longer during busier periods of the academic year.

Supporting documents

Please read through the  list of supporting documentation must be uploaded along with your application or emailed separately.

Tuition fees

Fees quoted are for the first year only. If you are studying a course that lasts longer than one year, your fees will increase each year.

For International fees the following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support. 

Home fees are set by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and are released approximately five months before the start of each academic year.

If you have any questions about fees, get in touch with the Research Degrees Team at  [email protected] .

How and when to pay

Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.

• For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
• For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy  page

Compulsory costs

Optional costs, funding your studies, financial support and scholarships.

Featured funding opportunities available for this course.

All financial support and scholarships

View all funding opportunities for this course

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Course details

Espionage, intelligence and national security.

You can opt to attend this teaching event either online (via a livestream) or in person at Rewley House, Oxford. You will be given the option of how you wish to attend during the enrolment process. You can only pick one option. If your preferred attendance format is fully booked, you can email us to be put on the waiting list. For those who wish to attend online, please read the  IT requirements  below before enrolling.

This day school was originally scheduled for 13 April 2024.

This event will examine both the history of espionage and the trends that shape the intelligence world and international security situation in the 21st century.

We will grapple with key introductory theoretical issues in intelligence and counterintelligence, including concepts such as the intelligence cycle and methods of intelligence collection and dissemination.

We will study the place of espionage and intelligence in the lives of individuals and in modern day society, in relation to national and international security threats that we all face every day. In doing so, you will be introduced to the mechanics of modern-day intelligence and will examine the histories and methods of the main modern-day intelligence gathering agencies – the CIA, MI5, SIS, Mossad and the KGB/FSB, as well as some of their predecessors, tracing the development of espionage theory and techniques and seeking to understand the evolution and nature of international intelligence relationships.

Historical case studies will be used along the way so that you can see theory and technique in practice and understand and analyse intelligence successes and failures. We will also consider the practical concerns and challenges faced by intelligence officers and services, and the ethics of intelligence.

Please note: this event will close to enrolments at 23:59 BST on 12 June 2024.

Programme details

9.45am: Registration at Rewley House reception (for in-person attendees)

10am: An introduction to the world of intelligence 

11.15am: Tea/coffee break

11.45am: The history of espionage 

1pm: Lunch break

2pm: Modern intelligence frameworks and practice 

3.15pm: Tea/coffee break

3.45pm: Intelligence successes, failures and the ethics of espionage  

5pm: End of day

Recommended reading

Andrew, C., The Secret World (Penguin, 2019) 

Dover, R., M. Goodman and C. Hillebrand (eds.), Routledge Companion to Intelligence Studies (Routledge, 2013) 

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit or are a full-time student in the UK you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees.

Concessionary fees for short courses

Dr Sarah Miller

Dr Sarah-Louise Miller is a historian of war and conflict, specialising in the Second World War and the use of military intelligence. She is currently a visiting scholar at the University of Oxford’s Faculty of History, and is a member of Kellogg College, Oxford. She is also a full-time lecturer in the Defence Studies Department at King’s College London. Sarah writes widely on intelligence and the Second World War, and appears regularly on British television, having featured on various history documentaries for the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky History.

Application

Please use the 'Book' button on this page. Alternatively, please  contact us  to obtain an application form. 

Accommodation

Accommodation is not included in the price, but if you wish to stay with us the night before the course, then please contact our Residential Centre.

Accommodation in Rewley House - all bedrooms are modern, comfortably furnished and each room has tea and coffee making facilities, Freeview television, and Free WiFi and private bath or shower rooms.  Please contact our Residential Centre on +44 (0) 1865 270362 or email  [email protected]  for details of availability and discounted prices.

IT requirements

For those joining us online.

We will be using Zoom for the livestreaming of this event. If you’re attending online, you’ll be able to see and hear the speakers, and to submit questions via the Zoom interface. Joining instructions will be sent out prior to the start date. We recommend that you join the session at least 10-15 minutes prior to the start time – just as you might arrive a bit early at our lecture theatre for an in-person event.

Please note that this course will not be recorded.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support

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Course closed:

History is no longer accepting new applications.

The PhD in History is an advanced research degree, awarded on the basis of a thesis and an oral viva voce examination. The primary purpose of the PhD is the preparation and presentation of a substantial piece of independent and original academic research, completed in three or four years if studying full-time and five years if studying part-time.

Every PhD student in the Faculty of History is supported by a supervisor (or in some cases, supervisors). Supervisors are experts in their field of study and support students throughout the PhD. Students will also benefit from the advice and support of other academic members of the Faculty who will be involved in progression through the various stages of the PhD, from the registration assessment exercise at the end of the first year through to the completion of the thesis.

Most of our PhD students study here full-time but each year we admit a number of students who wish to study on a part-time basis. Part-time study can be ideal for those who are looking to gain a postgraduate qualification without leaving employment and wish to develop their careers while they continue earning, or for those who are home-based for whatever reason and wish to develop their skills. However, it’s important to note that the part-time PhD at Cambridge is not a distance-learning course. Part-time students are expected to fully engage with the Faculty, to integrate into the research culture of the University and to attend the University on a regular basis for supervision, study, skills training, research seminars and workshops.

Throughout their time at the Faculty, PhD students are encouraged to attend one or more of the Faculty’s postgraduate workshops in their subject group or area of research. These workshops are spaces for PhD students to share their work and collaborate with visiting speakers, academic and peers. 

Learning Outcomes

The Cambridge PhD is designed as structured, flexible and individual preparation for becoming a professional researcher. It will help students develop the core skills needed by arts, humanities or social sciences professional researcher of the future, which are valued by both academic and non-academic employers.

The Faculty’s MPhil programmes provide excellent preparation for doctoral study and many of our MPhil students choose to stay at Cambridge to pursue a Cambridge PhD.

Students wishing to continue to the PhD are normally expected to achieve an overall average of 70 in their MPhil with a mark of at least 70 in their dissertation.

Admission to the PhD is always subject to the availability of a suitable supervisor.

The Postgraduate Virtual Open Day usually takes place at the end of October. It’s a great opportunity to ask questions to admissions staff and academics, explore the Colleges virtually, and to find out more about courses, the application process and funding opportunities. Visit the  Postgraduate Open Day  page for more details.

See further the  Postgraduate Admissions Events  pages for other events relating to Postgraduate study, including study fairs, visits and international events.

Key Information

3-4 years full-time, 4-7 years part-time, study mode : research, doctor of philosophy, faculty of history, course - related enquiries, application - related enquiries, course on department website, dates and deadlines:, michaelmas 2024 (closed).

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Funding Deadlines

These deadlines apply to applications for courses starting in Michaelmas 2024, Lent 2025 and Easter 2025.

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Article contents

Eduardo mondlane.

• Livio Sansone Livio Sansone Anthropology, Federal University of Bahia
• https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190277734.013.1237
• Published online: 13 December 2023

Eduardo Chivambo Mondlane (1920–1969) was one of the founders of the Mozambique Liberation Front (Frelimo) and its first president until his assassination. Generally considered one the “fathers” of independent Mozambique and the unifier of this young country, in recognition of that and his academic standing—he had a PhD in sociology—the main university of Mozambique is named after him. His singular, exciting, cosmopolitan, and engaged life has thus far attracted less international attention than could be expected, even though, over the last decade, also on account of his centennial in 2020, a growing national and international scholarship is developing around several facets of Mondlane’s biography. One aspect that is still relatively unexplored is his academic training and many years spent abroad studying in South Africa, Portugal, and the United States. His international training and showing how this had a profound impact on his performance as leader of Frelimo.

• anthropology
• cosmopolitan
• independence

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date: 08 June 2024

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Doctor of Education Leadership

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America needs transformative leaders in preK–12 education whose passion for education quality and equity is matched by a knowledge of learning and development, the organizational management skills to translate visionary ideas into practical success, and a firm grasp of the role of context and politics in shaping leadership. Graduates of the three-year, multidisciplinary Doctor of Education Leadership (Ed.L.D.) Program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education will be prepared to become those leaders.

The Ed.L.D Program — taught by faculty from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, the Harvard Business School, and the Harvard Kennedy School — will train you for system-level leadership positions in school systems, state and federal departments of education, and national nonprofit organizations. Ed.L.D. is a full-time, three-year program built on a cohort learning model. Cohorts consist of up to 25 students from diverse professional backgrounds (including district/charter management leaders, nonprofit directors, principals, teachers, and policy researchers) who progress through the program together.

All Ed.L.D. students receive a full tuition funding package plus stipends, work opportunities, and a paid third-year residency at a partner organization.

The Ed.L.D. Program prepares graduates to do work for the public good in the American public education sector, whether that be at the system or state level. Specifically, the program is designed to accelerate the progress graduates make toward achieving meaningful impact in influential roles and/or crossing boundaries in the following spaces in the public education sector:

• PreK–12 district or CMO leadership roles : superintendent of schools, chief academic officer, and/or deputy superintendent
• Foundation/philanthropy roles:  director, president and CEO, senior fellow
• Education nonprofit roles : president or executive director of backbone or collective impact organizations which support preK–12 schools. Ed.L.D. graduates will lead education nonprofits that explicitly focus on improving outcomes and opportunities for children, families, and communities.
• State or federal education leadership roles : commissioner or deputy commissioner roles. Could also include public education advocacy or education policy advisers to senior government officials.
• Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation roles:  Founder, CEO, president

Curriculum Information

The Ed.L.D. curriculum is a balance of multidisciplinary coursework and practice-based learning. Core courses and electives are taught by recognized leaders from across Harvard’s graduate programs in fields like data-based education reform, organizational change and innovation, and effective leadership strategies for urban schools. You will develop and test your leadership skills through team projects and an immersive third-year residency.

All students in the cohort take the same classes in four foundational content areas: learning and teaching, leadership and organizational change, politics and policy, adult development, and leadership inside and out (including one-on-one executive coaching). Courses taken during the first-year focus on practice-based learning and serve as the framework of your first-year experience.

Sample HGSE Courses

• Leading Change
• How People Learn
• Ed.L.D. Proseminar
• Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Learning
• Race, Equity, and Leadership
• Practicing Leadership Inside and Out
• Sector Change
• The Workplace Lab for System-Level Leaders

View  all courses  in the Academic Catalog.

Each cohort member works with program advisers to choose an individualized sequence of electives from any of the Harvard graduate schools. You will work closely with the program faculty and staff during your second year to determine the best match with a partner organization for your third-year residency. Matches are driven by mutual interest between the resident and the partner organization, and each student's career and learning goals and geographic preferences.

• Second Year Practicing Leadership Inside and Out
• Driving Change 
• Education Sector Nonprofits
• Negotiation Workshop
• Coaching with Equity in Mind
• Ethnic Studies and Education
• Deeper Learning for All:  Designing a 21st Century School System
• Institutional Change in School Organizations, Systems, and Sectors

You will take part in a 10-month paid residency at one of our partner organizations. There, you will work on a strategic project which synthesizes your experience and learning into a written Capstone project. You will stay connected to your Ed.L.D. cohort and HGSE through technology and by returning to Harvard periodically for intensive workshops.

Paid Residency 

Our partner organizations include school systems and departments of education, as well as some of the nation's most influential and dynamic nonprofit, mission-based for-profit, and philanthropic organizations.

You will be intentionally pushed out of your comfort zones and asked to work systemically and make a significant contribution to the partner organization. In addition, the residency will provide you with the professional mentoring, practical experiences, and network of connections they need to position themselves as future leaders in the education sector. 

Strategic Project 

You will define (with supervisors from your partner organization) a strategic project on which to focus. You will have the opportunity to lead one or two major efforts on behalf of the organization, such as the creation or implementation of current initiatives. The project allows you to practice and improve leadership skills, add important value to the mission and strategy of the partner organization, work systemically, and hold high-level accountability.

During the residency period, you will produce a written Capstone. The Capstone is a descriptive, analytic, and reflective account of your third-year leadership contributions to a strategic project within an Ed.L.D. partner organization. It is a demonstration of your ability to engage others, develop strategy to successfully address and diagnose challenges, work toward a vision and goals, and learn from the results.

Sample Topics

• Accountability, Coherence, and Improvement: Leadership Reflection and Growth in the Los Angeles Unified School District
• Leadership Development for Entrepreneurial Education Leaders Working to Build Public & Private Sector Support
• Disrupting Teacher Preparation: Lessons in Collaboration and Innovation Across the Learning to Teach Community of Practice
• Pursuing Educational Equality for English Language Learners

Sample Summaries 

• Breaking Down Silos in a School District: Findings from an Ed.L.D. Project in Montgomery County
• Expanding Students' Access to Meaningful STEM Learning Opportunities Through Strategic Community Partnerships
• Developing a New Teacher Leadership and Compensation System in Iowa: A Consensus-Based Process
• Finding Great Teachers for Blended-Learning Schools

GSE Theses and Dissertations from Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard (DASH)

Program Faculty

Ed.L.D. students learn with renowned faculty from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard Business School, and Harvard Kennedy School. Faculty from the three schools share their individual expertise in the Ed.L.D. Program and work collaboratively to provide a challenging and coherent experience for students. Faculty who teach in the Ed.L.D. core curriculum and advise Ed.L.D. students include:

Faculty Director

Frank D. Barnes

Frank Barnes is faculty director of the Doctor of Education Leadership Program. He has over 30 years experience as an educator, researcher, and organizer. As a chief accountability officer, he led turnaround efforts for large public school districts, including Boston Public Schools and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

Kathryn Parker Boudett

Ebony N. Bridwell-Mitchell

Jennifer Perry Cheatham

Elizabeth City

Candice Crawford-Zakian

Marshall Ganz

Adria D. Goodson

Deborah helsing.

Monica C. Higgins

Deborah Jewell-Sherman

Lisa Laskow Lahey

Mary Grassa O'Neill

Irvin Leon Scott

Catherine Snow

Michael L. Tushman

Martin west.

Introduce Yourself

Tell us about yourself so that we can tailor our communication to best fit your interests and provide you with relevant information about our programs, events, and other opportunities to connect with us.

Program Highlights

Explore examples of the Doctor of Education Leadership experience and the impact its community is making on the field:

Do We Need Happiness Teachers?

After a trip to meet with the Dalai Lama, an Ed.L.D. student says we do

Combatting Chronic Absenteeism with Family Engagement 

As post-COVID absenteeism rates continue unabated, a look at how strong family-school engagement can help

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‘The last TCC graduate ever’: Dominican Republic native makes history during commencement

Tallahassee Community College graduate Aliyah Salce was one of 1,375 students in TCC’s last graduating class before the official Tallahassee State College naming this summer.

But the moment was extra special for Salce, a 20-year-old Dominican Republic native.

She was the last person to cross the stage.

“I didn't even realize I was the very last person until I sat down after walking and my friend texted me saying, ‘You made history. You were the last TCC graduate ever,’ ” said Salce, who earned her associate’s degree on May 2 during the college’s commencement at the Tucker Civic Center.

“Graduating college as a first-generation student meant a lot to me on its own, but to be in the last graduating class of such an iconic school — and then on top of that, to be the last graduate ever — is really cool,” she added. “TCC was always gonna be a huge part of me, but now it's an even bigger part.”

The TCC graduation ceremony came just a few weeks after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the state legislation that will allow TCC to be renamed TSC in the college’s efforts of having the new name match its increased national recognition. While the state legislation was signed into law in April, the name change will become effective July 1.

Related news: Now it’s official: TCC to become Tallahassee State College after DeSantis OKs name change

'One of the best decisions I ever made in my life'

Salce was born in the Dominican Republic and moved to Miami, Florida, when she was 16 years old. She then moved to Tallahassee to attend TCC with plans of transferring to Florida State University .

“It was a big change for me to move here,” Salce said. “I had already moved from a different country, and a year and a half later, I moved seven hours away from my family. It was really scary, but the change was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life.”

Salce will be attending FSU in the fall to major in political science with a minor in international affairs and hopes to become a lawyer.

During her time at TCC, she joined the Forensics Team — one of the strongest community college speech and debate teams in the country that allows students to compete and attend tournaments across the nation.

The team recently participated in the Phi Rho Pi Southeast Region Tournament in Reno, Nevada, in April and secured the Overall Team Sweeps and Debate Sweeps titles while also coming in second place in the Individual Events Sweeps category.

Salce says being a part of the team — where she was a varsity member — was one of her best experiences while at TCC, and that graduating from the two-year college was a “bittersweet” moment.

“I'm going to miss TCC,” Salce said. “I really fell in love with my time there, the people I met and my professors.”

Salce was the last person to cross the stage at commencement since graduating members of the Forensics Team were the last group of students to receive their degrees, according to a TCC spokesperson.

Ahead of Salce were her graduating teammates Trevor Bell, Janelle Dixon and Grace Duvet.

TCC transforming into 'something greater'

Duvet — who will also be attending FSU in the fall to major in political science with a minor in communications — says she was glad to experience TCC before it officially becomes TSC.

“I kind of feel like I got a taste of TCC before it transforms into something greater,” said 20-year-old Duvet, who was named a student honoree in TCC’s 24th annual Cherry Hall Alexander African American History Calendar .

“In the same way that people usually have a before and after photo, I feel like I got to experience part of the before stages of this college,” Duvet added.

TCC Forensics Team Head Coach John Schultz says the graduating team members are the “absolute epitome of excellence.”

“For us to have the opportunity to celebrate their final moments as Eagles with President Murdaugh was beyond amazing,” Schultz said. “I know each of them treasured it as a storybook ending to their wonderful journey at our college. I couldn’t be more proud of their endless dedication and hard work.”

Contact Tarah Jean at  [email protected]  or follow her on X:  @tarahjean_ .

We understand that funding is a huge issue for most applicants, but there is a finite amount of funding available through the university and colleges. Funding is very competitive and only a small proportion of offers will be funded (approximately 20% of students from the 2021 intake received university/college funding).  You are therefore strongly encouraged to search for external sources of funding.

Funding is available at a university, divisional, and college level. Some awards are available to all students and some have specific criteria such as subject, nationality, type of degree, age, gender, or a combination of these. Not all awards are available every year.

Applying for funding

Most awards do not require a separate application and all offer-holders are automatically considered for all the awards for which they are eligible. However, some awards do require a separate application and you must check before you submit your (course) application:

• Information university and divisional awards are on the  university scholarship page
• Some college awards require the applicant to name that college on their application.

Once you have submitted your application, you cannot submit anything further that will influence funding decisions. 

Faculty nominations

The first stage of the funding process is for the Faculty to submit nominations for the big (in terms of numbers awarded) awards: AHRC, ESRC, Clarendon, Ertegun.  Faculty assessors from each strand make recommendations for funding, which are gathered together by the History funding committee, who decide which candidates to nominate. The Faculty is only allowed to make a certain number of nominations for each award. Nominations from all relevant faculties/departments are considered by a board for each award, who decide which candidates are awarded funding. Successful candidates are notified directly by the funding board.

AHRC funding via the Open-Oxford-Cambridge Doctoral Partnership (OOC DTP)

• Requires a separate application form
• You must tick the box on the (course) application box
• Only available for DPhil study

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• No separate application needed
• Open to all graduate candidates across the university

Economic and Social Research Council Grand Union Doctoral Training Partnership (ESRC DTP)

• Open to Economic and Social History only
• Available for DPhil study and Masters applicants who intend to continue to a DPhil

Ertegun Graduate Scholarship Programme in the Humanities

Ahrc cdp studentship - growing up queer: 1790-1918.

Your application should include:

• Applications should be submitted to by Friday 3rd May (midday, UK time)
• A personal statement (max 600 words) demonstrating your interests and aptitude for exploiting the distinctive opportunity the studentship provides.
• A research proposal (max1,500 words) outlining your anticipated research focus,  questions and methods within the remit set out above.
• A sample of academic writing – for example,  an MA / MSt essay or dissertation.

Faculty nominations for these awards are made by the end of February, and successful candidates notified in April.

For scholarships with specific eligibility criteria, the Faculty will be given a list of eligible candidates and asked to nominate a certain number of candidates from that list. Nominations for these awards are usually made from mid-April onwards.

Funding and colleges

Some colleges have funding awards of their own that are separate from central university funding. You need to check each college individually for these awards and their terms and conditions. The Faculty nominates candidates for certain awards, but there are also awards that do not involve the Faculty and are made directly by the college.

If you have been awarded funding linked to a particular college, you must accept a place at that college. If you have already been made an offer by a different college, you will be moved college.

Have I got funding?

You will be contacted by email if you are awarded funding. The email will come directly from the body awarding the funding, not the Faculty. Notifications are usually sent out between the end of March and the end of May, but could continue into June.

If you have not been awarded funding you will not be contacted. 

Please note that you will be informed of funding decisions directly by the funding body, not the Faculty. We don’t know exactly when decisions will be made, or candidates notified!

This fully-funded studentship is available from October 2024. The award will cover course fees for the duration of DPhil fee liability, and a living cost stipend at the annual UKRI rate (£19,237 in 2024-25)

Closing date: Midday, Friday May 3rd  

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