The School of Humanities, based in our historic Regent Street building, offers a vibrant, multidisciplinary research environment, at the centre of which are several innovative research groups and centres.
We have a well-established PhD programme and you can study with us in, or across, a wide range of disciplines, including modern languages, visual culture, English literature, history, linguistics and translation studies.
How to apply
For queries about any aspect of the application process, or to discuss where your research idea might fit within our specialisms, please contact Dr Sylvia Shaw via email at [email protected] in the first instance.
You can find more information about study options on our Mode of study page.
PhD via MPhil
The majority of students will apply via the PhD via MPhil route. You can read more about the application process and entry requirements on our How to apply page.
PhD by published work
If you intend to apply for a PhD by Published Work please refer to the information on our PhD by published work page as the application process differs from the normal MPhil/PhD. Before applying, you should first make contact with the relevant academic for an informal discussion of your publications. You should only submit a formal application at this stage.
Apply now
Apply for the following subjects
Apply to our research degrees using the links below.
- English Literature
- English Language
- Creative Writing
- History
- Linguistics
- Modern and Applied Languages
- Visual Culture
You'll be able to select your subject area in the 'Supporting Information' section of the application form.
January 2026 start
| Mode of study | Apply now |
|---|---|
| Full-time | Apply nowApply for MPhil/PhD full-time course with a January 2026 start date |
| Part-time | Apply nowApply for MPhil/PhD part-time course with a January 2026 start date |
| PhD by Published Work | Apply nowApply for MPhil/PhD by published work with a January 2026 start date |
September 2026 start
| Mode of study | Apply now |
|---|---|
| Full-time | Apply nowApply for MPhil/PhD full-time course with a September 2026 start date |
| Part-time | Apply nowApply for MPhil/PhD part-time course with a September 2026 start date |
| PhD by Published Work | Apply nowApply for MPhil/PhD by published work with a September 2026 start date |
Subjects in which PhDs are offered
- Arabic Studies
- Contemporary Chinese Studies
- English Language
- English Literature
- French and Francophone Studies
- History
- Linguistics
- Museums and Heritage
- Spanish and Latin American Studies
- Translation Studies
- Visual Culture and Cultural Studies
The School of Humanities is multi-disciplinary and welcomes applications for doctoral projects which span two or more areas of expertise.
Studentships
The Graduate School and each of the academic schools at the University of Westminster are committed to doctoral programmes which encourage and make possible excellent research. As part of this, we are committed to offering a range of studentships.
Find out about all current studentships being offered across the university on our Studentships page.
Research groups and centres
We host, or contribute to, several research institutes and centres: