Course summary
The Institute of Commonwealth Studies (ICwS) is the only postgraduate academic institution in the UK devoted to the study of the Commonwealth. The Institute has been supervising interdisciplinary doctoral degrees for over half a century. With guidance from our expert supervisors, you'll carry out extensive independent research culminating in a thesis of up to 100,000 words. Broadly speaking the focus of research degrees has increasingly been on the humanities and cognate social sciences, particularly on the subjects of human rights, globalization and development, politics, and Commonwealth history. Full-time study for the PhD degree entails three or a maximum of four years' independent research, 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. The Institute of Commonwealth Studies offers doctoral research supervision in the following broad areas:
- Climate change
- Human rights
- Ecocide, environmental destruction and human rights
- Genocide studies
- African politics, governance and development
- International human rights law
- Ethnicity: conflict and accommodation in plural societies
- Protection of refugees
- Minority and Indigenous rights protection
- Dynamics of armed conflict and forced displacement
- Globalisation, security and conflict
- Promoting freedom of expression and digital rights
- Strengthening the rule of law
- The Commonwealth as an international organisation
- Non-governmental public actors, civil society and development
Entry requirements
The degree can be taken full time over three years (or a maximum of four) or part time over five years (or a maximum of six), with entry in either October or January. You'll initially be registered for our MPhil and then, providing your progress has been satisfactory, be upgraded to our PhD programme. The primary activity of the PhD programme is the writing of a thesis of up to 100,000 words. There is no formal coursework, but you will be expected to participate in a weekly seminar on Work in Progress and to present a paper every year from your second year onwards. In your first year you are required to attend a weekly class on Techniques of Scholarship. You're also encouraged to participate in the regular seminars held at the Institute during the academic year. After submission of the thesis, you will attend an oral examination conducted by an internal examiner, from the University of London, and an external examiner, normally from another British university. Graduates are awarded a University of London degree. Distance Learning The School of Advanced Study offers 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. Please note that not all institutes and supervisors offer this option, and that some topics are not appropriate to be studied this way. 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 from our website, to attach to your online application.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
No fee information has been provided for this course
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.
Sponsorship information
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 about funding opportunities available for this degree here: https://www.sas.ac.uk/postgraduate-study/fees-funding
Provider information
Institute of Commonwealth Studies
Senate House
Malet Street
London
WC1E 7HU
Course contact details
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