The PhD in Anthropology offers the opportunity to develop and deliver an original research project under the supervision of two academic staff members. Students are supported by close mentorship, tailored training, and a thriving research community. From the outset, all postgraduate researchers become part of one of our research groups, each hosting a lively programme of weekly events, workshops, and discussions throughout the year.
Students may pursue either a Sociocultural or Biological Anthropology pathway, with both routes culminating in a thesis. The first year of the degree provides a strong foundation, including a dedicated biweekly research seminar that supports students in shaping their ideas and producing a 7,000-word progression script outlining their project and its scholarly context. This is assessed through a progression viva with two internal examiners. Successful completion marks a key milestone, enabling students to move forward into fieldwork/data collection in the second year. The third and final year is dedicated to analysis and writing. A staff-led writing seminar supports students toward a successful thesis submission while a series of career development workshops help students prepare for what comes next.
We welcome applications from prospective students looking to complete their degree on a part-time basis. Many staff members are also happy to provide remote supervision where students are not able to relocate to Durham for the entirety of their degree. Please note that PhD scholarships generally require students to reside in Durham during their studies and part-time international students may not be eligible for a student visa.
We are delighted that you are considering joining us as a PhD researcher. Our department accepts applications on a rolling basis for October, January, and April start dates, although deadlines may apply for students pursuing a scholarship to fund their studies. Please follow the five steps below to make an application.
1. Consider funding options: Students have the option of funding their own studies or pursuing a scholarship. Scholarships available to our students include NINE-DTP, IAPETUS, Transformative Humanities, Global Grand Challenges, Chinese Scholarship Council (Chinese citizens) and Khodorkovsky Scholarship (Russian citizens). You may be eligible for additional scholarships depending on your region of residence and other criteria (full list of funding opportunities here). Most students will apply for acceptance to our programme by early December to be eligible for major scholarship competitions with deadlines January-February.
2. Identifying suitable supervisors: Before making an application, you must identify two staff members willing to act as your primary and secondary supervisors. Please carefully review the profiles of academic staff members in our department and reach out to individual staff members with expertise relevant to your project to ask whether they would be willing to supervise your research. In your email to potential supervisors, we suggest you include:
If you are struggling to identify a suitable supervisor, you can contact our Director of Postgraduate Research for guidance at anth.dpgr@durham.ac.uk.
3. Inform the department: Once you have identified your supervision team, please contact the PGR Coordinator (anthropology.pgr@durham.ac.uk) to confirm your intention to apply and discuss next steps.
4. Developing your application: Work closely with your supervisors to develop the strongest possible research proposal and other application materials, bearing in mind assessment criteria for any scholarship you will pursue.
5. Apply through the portal: Submit an application through the University’s postgraduate applicant portal (instructions here). Applications for funding are handled separately, usually after receiving an unconditional offer of admission from the University.
For questions concerning the PhD application process, please contact anthropology.pgr@durham.ac.uk
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