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History of Nineteenth-Century Britain at University of Buckingham - UCAS

Course options

2024 - 2025
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There are other course options available which may have a different vacancy status or entry requirements – view the full list of options

Open days

26Apr
University of Buckingham - Open Day
Postgraduate

Course summary

The University of Buckingham is:

  • Home of the two-year degree, the University of Buckingham, based in the South East of England, is ranked 6th for Student Satisfaction in the UK (National Student Survey, 2020).
  • We are proudly independent and not-for-profit, and offer courses in Allied Health, Business, Computing, Education, Humanities, Law, Medicine, Psychology and Security and Intelligence. We are one of the few universities in the UK that offer September and January start dates for almost all of our courses.
  • Based in Buckingham on a riverside campus, we are only 20 minutes’ from Milton Keynes central station and a short drive from Bicester, Aylesbury, Banbury and Northampton. There is free parking on-site and we are within easy reach of London and Oxford.
  • Our award-winning small class tutorials ensure every student is known by name and supported throughout their studies, including by dedicated personal tutors.
The PhD in Nineteenth-Century British 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 years if studying full-time and usually six years if studying part-time. There is also the possibility of early submission in cases where the student makes particularly rapid progress. There is an enormously broad range of possible thesis subjects in Nineteenth-Century British History, including the era’s rapid and disorienting transformation of economic and social life, its literary and scientific brilliance or cultural and religious uncertainty, or its halting and uneven but increasingly unmistakeable development of a form of political democracy. Given sufficient evidence to illuminate it, almost any aspect of the history of Nineteenth-Century Britain may potentially form an appropriate focus of study. The definition of the PhD subject is an iterative process, and it is usual for the candidate’s first thoughts on the topic to be modified in the course of the first year of study. A large proportion of our PhD students are engaged in full-time study, but there is also an option for part-time study where this fits better with a student’s other commitments. 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. All students are expected to engage with the academic life of the University, to attend skills-training meetings where these are relevant, as well as research seminars and workshops. PhD students are expected to attend the Humanities Research Institute’s graduate Research Days in their area of research – usually one per Term – and are encouraged to attend other seminars that may be relevant to their research. These provide an opportunity for PhD students to share their work with their peers, and to engage with visiting experts in their field. The University of Buckingham PhD is intended to impart all the skills necessary for the student to work as an independent researcher and writer – skills that are valued by both academic and non-academic employers. But the PhD can be undertaken just as fulfillingly as an exercise in the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, and as a means of exploring areas of enquiry that are of particular interest to the student. A number of our most successful student researchers are those who take up doctoral study at the end of a successful career in a different field or profession.

Assessment method

PhD students undertake supervised but independent research, at the end of which they submit a thesis embodying the results of that research. The length of the dissertation should not be fewer than 70,000 words and no longer than 80,000 words of text (excluding the thesis-abstract, appendices, footnotes, tables, and bibliography). This thesis must demonstrate familiarity with, and an understanding of the subject, its principal sources and authorities. It should display critical discrimination and a sense of proportion in evaluating evidence and the judgements of others. A PhD thesis must embody an original contribution to the knowledge of the discipline either by the discovery of new knowledge or by the exercise of a new and independent critical approach.

Entry requirements

Applicants are normally expected to have a first or upper second-class degree or significant relevant experience. Age is usually an irrelevancy and the University of Buckingham’s current doctoral students range in age from those in their twenties to those in their seventies. Academic ability is the only criterion regarded as relevant. Wherever possible, students are encouraged to begin their studies at the start of the academic year (in September), in order to be in step with their peers. Where this is not possible, however, entry points exist at the start of each academic term. Mature Students Age is no barrier to learning and we welcome all applications from all suitably qualified students. The University is committed to lifelong learning, and students joining the PhD programme will encounter a wide variety of age-ranges among their peers. International students We are happy to consider all international applications and if you are an international student, you may find it useful to visit our international pages for details of entry requirements from your home country. The University is a UKVI Student Sponsor. English levels If English is not your first language, please check our postgraduate English language requirements.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

England £24800 Whole course
Northern Ireland £24800 Whole course
Scotland £24800 Whole course
Wales £24800 Whole course
Channel Islands £24800 Whole course
EU £43500 Whole course
International £43500 Whole course
Republic of Ireland £43500 Whole 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.
History of Nineteenth-Century Britain at University of Buckingham - UCAS