We have an international postgraduate community of MPhil and PhD students, working on an extraordinarily wide range of topics in Greek and Latin, ancient history and archaeology, philosophy, rhetoric and the reception of ancient literature.
The Department is a vibrant and friendly environment in which to work and to meet other researchers. We run research showcases for our staff and students from all sub-disciplines to share current work in progress at several points in the academic year, which offer an opportunity to speak about current research challenges and achievements.
A series of Postgraduate Training workshops offered through the School of Humanities includes career-oriented sessions, general training on skills and methods, preparing for upgrades and vivas, and advice on publishing in a variety of contexts. Our Research Centres provide specialised seminars and involve postgraduate students fully in their programmes of events. PhD students also benefit from access to a dedicated workspace on campus.
Our postgraduates are also part of the wider University of London research culture, especially through the Institute of Classical Studies in Senate House with its unrivalled library facilities and seminar programme. Other research facilities in London include The British Library and the Warburg Institute for the study of the Classical Tradition, as well as opportunities for collaboration and exchange of ideas with classicists in the other London University departments at UCL, KCL, and Birkbeck.
Further afield, our postgraduates take part in many national and international conferences. Royal Holloway students have recently taken key roles in the organisation of AMPAL (the Annual Meeting of Postgraduates in Ancient Literature) and AMPRAW (the Annual Meeting of Postgraduates in Reception of the Ancient World) and have given papers at conferences in (among other places) the Netherlands, Hungary, Greece and South Africa.
We also offer postgraduate research programmes, an MRes in Classical Reception by Research, and an MRes in Rhetoric.
Discover our research centres.
Applying
If you’re considering applying for Classics PhD, first see if there is a member of staff working in your area of interest, and get in touch with them to explore your project.
You can also contact Dr. Liz Gloyn, the department's Research Lead, to discuss who might be the best fit for supervising your project, and to ask any other questions you might have about studying for your PhD with us.
Funding
Enquiries from prospective doctoral applicants are welcome at any time of year. See how funding your PhD works.
