Faculty of Arts and Humanities

Welcome to the Faculty of Arts and Humanities

We nurture thoughtful, critical and engaged citizens for a rapidly changing and complex world.

We are proud to be recognised as a leading Faculty of Arts and Humanities worldwide and to exercise the responsibilities that this position brings with it. We set out to provide leadership in the Arts and Humanities nationally and internationally; our work is intended to enrich, shape and transform lives. We nurture thoughtful, critical and engaged citizens for a rapidly changing and complex world.

Vision and mission

Prebends bridge with Cathedral in background

Explore our Departments

If you are considering studying one of our undergraduate or postgraduate programmes, then we’d invite you to explore our website to find out more about our Departments and the innovative research-led education that we offer.

See all Arts and Humanities Departments

Welcome to new and prospective students

If you are joining us this year, we know you’ve worked really hard for this. We’ve also worked hard to provide an intellectually challenging programme of studies for your time with us and are looking forward to welcoming you to our academic community. Congratulations and welcome to the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Durham!

Welcome to Durham

Transformative Humanities

Transformative Humanities harnesses the effectiveness and power of humanities research and education to link across fields and sectors enriching, shaping, and transforming lives.

Find out more about the Transformative Humanities

Talking Humanities Podcast

In this episode, learn more about the establishment of game studies, film to video game adaptations, participatory games development, issues around archiving our games heritage, and how gaming can transform the way we think about culture and the humanities.

Listen to the latest Talking Humanities podcast

World-leading status affirmed in QS World University Rankings 2025

Durham is now ranked 89th in the world top 100 universities. Our top performance came in the Sustainability category, where we ranked 19th in the world. We also have a world-class reputation with employers, being ranked 65th.

Learn more about the QS World University Rankings

Durham University Professor co-organises first major UK retrospective of iconic French director Claude Chabrol at the Ciné Lumière in London

'Behind the Mirror: Family Secrets' is the first major UK retrospective of French director Claude Chabrol, organised in collaboration with the director’s daughter and collaborator, Cécile Maistre-Chabrol, and Chabrol specialist Prof. Catherine Dousteyssier-Khoze from Durham University's School of Modern Languages and Cultures.

Find out more about 'Behind the Mirror: Family Secrets'

Professor Catherine Dousteyssier-Khoze from our School of Modern Languages and Cultures

Meet our students and staff from North America

Find out more about our students and members of staff from North America studying and working across all our departments.

Find out more about our departments

Faculty of Arts and Humanities on LinkedIn

Get updates and stay in touch - follow us on LinkedIn!

Visit Faculty of Arts and Humanities LinkedIn page

What's new?

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IMEMS receives major donation to address 21st century challenges through the prism of the past

Researchers at the University’s Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies (IMEMS) have been awarded a significant philanthropic investment aimed at advancing research to address critical global challenges.

Global research
Digital revolution in humanities research

Our top-rated Computer Science department is leading the charge in bringing high-performance computing (HPC) to the humanities through a new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funded project.

Research news
$The image portrays a collection of stone, fractured and cracked, reaching out from a chaotic tangle of wires.$
Reimagining the imagination at the world’s largest literary festival

Researchers from our Institute for Medical Humanities have taken our innovative ReaderBank project to the Jaipur Literature Festival in Rajasthan, India.

Global research
PhD scholar reveals the emotional impact of the White Ship disaster

Harriet Strahl, a PhD student in our History department, has shed new light on the emotional and societal repercussions of the 1120 White Ship disaster.

Research news
Durham subjects among world top 100

Four of our subjects have been ranked among the world’s top 100 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2025.

Research news
Professor Peter Vickers uncovers new method to measure global scientific consensus

A team of international researchers led by Professor Peter Vickers from our top-rated Philosophy department has developed a breakthrough method for gathering and analysing global scientific opinion with speed and precision.

Research news
Congratulations to Dr Katherine McDonald - Philip Leverhulme Prize winner 2024

Dr Katherine McDonald wins prestigious Philip Leverhulme Prize for 2024 with her project 'The Linguistics of Roman Slavery'. Photo credit Dr Christopher Haddad

Research news

IMEMS receives major donation to address 21st century challenges through the prism of the past

Researchers at the University’s Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies (IMEMS) have been awarded a significant philanthropic investment aimed at advancing research to address critical global challenges.

Global research

Image of a skyline with a shooting star in the horizon

Digital revolution in humanities research

Our top-rated Computer Science department is leading the charge in bringing high-performance computing (HPC) to the humanities through a new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funded project.

Research news

$The image portrays a collection of stone, fractured and cracked, reaching out from a chaotic tangle of wires.$

Reimagining the imagination at the world’s largest literary festival

Researchers from our Institute for Medical Humanities have taken our innovative ReaderBank project to the Jaipur Literature Festival in Rajasthan, India.

Global research

Four people standing smiling at the camera

PhD scholar reveals the emotional impact of the White Ship disaster

Harriet Strahl, a PhD student in our History department, has shed new light on the emotional and societal repercussions of the 1120 White Ship disaster.

Research news

King Henry I on his throne, mourning. Table of his children and Matilda's two sons. The White Ship is depicted in a disabled condition behind.

Durham subjects among world top 100

Four of our subjects have been ranked among the world’s top 100 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2025.

Research news

Three young people seated left, looking right, smiling

Professor Peter Vickers uncovers new method to measure global scientific consensus

A team of international researchers led by Professor Peter Vickers from our top-rated Philosophy department has developed a breakthrough method for gathering and analysing global scientific opinion with speed and precision.

Research news

Congratulations to Dr Katherine McDonald - Philip Leverhulme Prize winner 2024

Dr Katherine McDonald wins prestigious Philip Leverhulme Prize for 2024 with her project 'The Linguistics of Roman Slavery'. Photo credit Dr Christopher Haddad

Research news

More news

Digital revolution in humanities research

Our top-rated Computer Science department is leading the charge in bringing high-performance computing (HPC) to the humanities through a new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funded project.

Research news
$The image portrays a collection of stone, fractured and cracked, reaching out from a chaotic tangle of wires.$
Spotlight on: Professor Philip Goff – challenging the foundations of science through philosophy

Our ‘Spotlight On’ series highlights some of our pioneering researchers who are leading transformative work. Professor Philip Goff from our Department of Philosophy is challenging the long-held quantitative focus of physical science through his work on consciousness.

Research news
PhD scholar reveals the emotional impact of the White Ship disaster

Harriet Strahl, a PhD student in our History department, has shed new light on the emotional and societal repercussions of the 1120 White Ship disaster.

Research news

Digital revolution in humanities research

Our top-rated Computer Science department is leading the charge in bringing high-performance computing (HPC) to the humanities through a new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funded project.

$The image portrays a collection of stone, fractured and cracked, reaching out from a chaotic tangle of wires.$

Spotlight on: Professor Philip Goff – challenging the foundations of science through philosophy

Our ‘Spotlight On’ series highlights some of our pioneering researchers who are leading transformative work. Professor Philip Goff from our Department of Philosophy is challenging the long-held quantitative focus of physical science through his work on consciousness.

Black and white image of Professor Philip Goff set against a white background

PhD scholar reveals the emotional impact of the White Ship disaster

Harriet Strahl, a PhD student in our History department, has shed new light on the emotional and societal repercussions of the 1120 White Ship disaster.

Durham students visit Sweden for first Durham-Uppsala Summer School

Our students visited our partner university in Sweden for the first ever Durham-Uppsala Summer School, an exchange programme with a focus on sustainability.

Durham news
Landmark Syriac Studies conference brings international research excellence to UK

A landmark conference about Syriac Studies brought more than 70 researchers from 20 countries to Durham last month. The event was a hub for academic collaboration and knowledge sharing. It was also a formative experience for early-career scholars. Here, the organisers reflect on the key highlights of the conference and why there has recently been a major revival of academic interest in Syriac Studies.

Durham news
The diversity of the university experience helps students become good citizens

How do universities produce good citizens? For Mathew Guest, Professor of the Sociology of Religion, research on interfaith relations may have the answer.

Durham news

Durham students visit Sweden for first Durham-Uppsala Summer School

Our students visited our partner university in Sweden for the first ever Durham-Uppsala Summer School, an exchange programme with a focus on sustainability.

A group of smiling students posing for a group photo, surrounded by trees

Landmark Syriac Studies conference brings international research excellence to UK

A landmark conference about Syriac Studies brought more than 70 researchers from 20 countries to Durham last month. The event was a hub for academic collaboration and knowledge sharing. It was also a formative experience for early-career scholars. Here, the organisers reflect on the key highlights of the conference and why there has recently been a major revival of academic interest in Syriac Studies.

A group photo taken at the Syriac Studies in the UK conference

The diversity of the university experience helps students become good citizens

How do universities produce good citizens? For Mathew Guest, Professor of the Sociology of Religion, research on interfaith relations may have the answer.