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Study humanities in London

Join an unrivalled scholarly community as you pursue your postgraduate study and research in the humanities.

The School of Advanced Study is the UK’s national centre for the support and promotion of research in the humanities. Located at the heart of the University of London in Bloomsbury, the School consists of eight internationally known research institutes.

The School offers nearly thirty full- and part-time postgraduate degrees (MA, MRes, LLM, MPhil, and PhD) in a range of humanities subjects, including art history, classics, Commonwealth studies, English and American literature and culture, history and historical research, human rights, Latin American studies, law and modern languages.

In addition to our London-based courses, we offer both master’s degrees and doctoral degrees through online learning. Our popular short courses and summer schools focus on specialist law subjects, literature, palaeography and book history, and oral history, among other subjects.

As a student, you’ll benefit from the vibrant and collaborative research environment created by our eight institutes:

  • Study with leading specialists in your field.
  • Hone your research skills in our highly regarded training programmes.
  • Expand your knowledge through our extensive calendar of events.
  • Become part of a worldwide network of humanities scholars.

Our central London location provides easy access to world-class research resources and the expertise of some of the best academic institutions, museums, and libraries in the world, including Senate House Library and six specialist libraries, which together form one of the most significant arts, humanities, and social science collections in the UK.

The British Museum, British Library, UCL, SOAS, Birkbeck, Institute of Education, School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, LSE, and King’s College London are all nearby.

Courses you can study on campus in London

PhD and MPhil

PhD at the Institute of Classical Studies

Undertake doctoral research on the ancient world, including languages, literature, history, art, archaeology or philosophy of the ancient Greek and Roman times.
MA

MA History, Place and Community

Explore the fundamental building blocks of human society and identity: communities, places and groups, with this master's in History, Place and Community.
PhD and MPhil

PhD at the Refugee Law Initiative

Contribute to our understanding of international refugee law and policy with a PhD from the UK's only academic hub dedicated to research in this crucial field.
MA and MRes

MA History of the Book

Learn about the making, manufacturing, distribution and reading of books with a master's degree in the History of the Book.
PhD and MPhil

PhD at the Warburg Institute

Explore your interests in cultural and intellectual history with a research degree at the renowned Warburg Institute. Study online or on campus in Bloomsbury.
PhD and MPhil

PhD Digital Humanities

Earn a prestigious PhD as part of an interdisciplinary research hub dedicated to the use of digital techniques in humanities scholarship in the UK and beyond.
PhD and MPhil

PhD Digital Humanities by Practice

Unlike a traditional PhD, this programme allows students to be assessed on the creative output of their research in addition to a shorter written thesis.