Medieval Studies (Research)

Make an original, positive and lasting contribution to scholarship in medieval studies. A PhD is an opportunity to expand upon your interests and expertise as part of an active research community making impact across the globe.

Join us at the heart of Scotland’s historic capital. Most of the city centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the Old Town retaining many of its medieval buildings and streets, and museums housing fantastic medieval and Renaissance collections.

The University of Edinburgh has one of the largest communities of medieval and Renaissance specialists in the world - upwards of 70 researchers across the arts, humanities and social sciences.

We are the proud home of the cross-disciplinary Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies. Within this Centre, research interests are wide-ranging and global. They include:

• history and archaeology

• languages and literatures

• history of art, music and architecture

• law

We encourage PhD theses crossing boundaries between disciplines and subject areas. We can support this through the allocation of supervisors from different parts of the University. For example, within the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures (where the programme is based), we have medievalists in:

• Asian studies

• Celtic and Scottish studies

• English and Scottish literature

• European languages and cultures

• Islamic and Middle Eastern studies

Other Schools involved in the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies include:

• History, Classics and Archaeology - currently the Centre lead

• Edinburgh College of Art

• Divinity

Over the course of your PhD, you will complete an original body of work under the expert guidance of at least two supervisors. Your thesis will be around 80,000 words.

Our programme includes access to skills training, including research methodologies specific to medieval studies. Our research collections, resources and facilities are outstanding.