
Postgraduate research
We offer postgraduate research programmes and studentships in almost 40 diverse subject areas across four Schools.
The Humanities Doctoral Academy is home to more than 800 postgraduate researchers from more than 90 different countries, embracing disciplines as diverse as business, arts, languages and cultures, environment, education and development, and social sciences.
As a research community, we think critically to tackle issues big and small.
We’re always looking to make an impact with everything we do, with a shared ambition to always do better.
Video: Our postgraduate research community
Your postgraduate research programme naturally centres around exploring your chosen research with the support of your supervisors, however, you will also be part of a much wider community of researchers, each with their own individual interests, talents, and goals.
The Humanities Doctoral Academy is home to a diverse and passionate group of researchers, which brings a real sense of community to your peer group, complementing your postgraduate research experience with their support, inspiration, and friendship.
We encourage interdisciplinary working and collaboration, and you will be respected and valued for your individual contributions, working in partnership with our wider academic community.
There are plenty of opportunities to take an active role in developing the community, including organising workshops, seminars, and conferences, joining reading groups, or becoming a postgraduate research representative where you act as a voice for your cohort.
You can get involved with the wider teaching community as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, helping to guide our undergraduates' education by sharing your expertise.
Video: Making an impact
As a postgraduate researcher, you'll be encouraged to use your skills, expertise, and findings to make a difference, whether it be locally - working with communities within Manchester - or globally.
The connections we have with communities, organisations, and individuals outside of our campus give you the chance to form relationships, exchange knowledge and shape your research to have the greatest impact.
Course finder
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Accounting and Finance
This PhD programme pathway provides advanced training to develop leading research in Accounting, Market-based Accounting Research (MBAR) and Finance.
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Architecture
Architecture studies at Manchester take place at the Manchester School of Architecture (MSA), one of the top architecture schools in the UK.
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Art History and Cultural Practices
Study modern and contemporary art, architectural history, museum studies, and the intersections of art and science.
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Arts Management and Museology
Explore a suite of programmes on museology, heritage, and arts management at the Institute for Cultural Practices (ICP).
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Classics, Ancient History, Archaeology and Egyptology
Explore the ancient world, from the Near East and Egypt to the Hellenistic and Roman Empires, with Classics, Ancient History, Archaeology, and Egyptology (CAHAE).
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Criminology
Criminology is the study of crime – its measurement and definition, causes and effects, and social implications.
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Drama
Theatre studies, performance, applied theatre, and screen studies delivered through lectures, seminars, tutorials, and group practical projects.
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Economics
Economics is the study of the way in which incentives affect behaviour, and economists analyse how choices are made and their influence on society as a whole.
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Education
Addressing social justice and enabling educational change through scholarly activities and collaborative partnerships with professionals.
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English Literature and Creative Writing
Course units range from Anglo-Saxon literature to 21st-century writing and film and cover medieval romance to the postcolonial and postmodern.
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Geography
Research and teaching by Manchester geographers set national and international research agendas in human and physical geography.
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Global Development
Development courses promote social justice, economic development, and greater equality within countries, particularly for marginalised groups.
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History
Modern British and European cultural history, economic and social history from the Middle Ages to the 20th century, and the study of late antiquity and the early Middle Ages.
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Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute
Leading global institute for the study of humanitarianism and conflict response, global health, international disaster management, and peacebuilding.
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Innovation, Management and Policy
The division is one of the largest research groups for innovation management and policy globally.
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Law
Explore opportunities to learn about today’s legal issues in one of the most diverse cities in the UK, and gain the skills to pursue a law-related profession.
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Linguistics and English Language
Study topics as diverse as dialects, Old English, children's language, and the speech of men and women.
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Management, Sciences and Marketing
Research in the Division ranges from studies to understand consumer motivations and influences to understanding markets, operational, informational and digital systems.
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Modern Languages and Cultures
Our Modern Languages provision is amongst the broadest and most diverse in the UK, featuring more than 100 different subject combinations.
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Music
Our research and teaching covers composition (instrumental and vocal), electroacoustic composition and computer music, ethnomusicology, musicology, and performance.
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People, Management and Organisations
The division brings together internationally-recognised experts in work and employment, organisational psychology, international business, health policy and organisations in society.
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Philosophy
Our research and teaching areas include analytic philosophy, with emphasis on metaphysics, aesthetics, ethics, epistemology, the history of philosophy, and the philosophy of mind.
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Planning, Property and Environmental Management
Planning, Property and Environmental Management covers spatial analysis, politics and planning, governance, sustainable urbanism, and urban research.
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Politics
Politics at Manchester is one of the strongest groupings in the UK with a distinguished history as a centre of research, training, and education at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
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Religions and Theology
Study of the beliefs, texts, practices, histories, and cultures of the great religious traditions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism.
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Social Anthropology
The study of social and cultural diversity, including conflict and its aftermath, economic change, poverty, inequality, globalisation, sex, gender, identities, and the material world.
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Social Statistics
Developing statistical methods for longitudinal and multilevel data, longitudinal survey data, social networks, statistical disclosure and confidentiality, and small area estimation.
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Sociology
The study of social life and social change, adopting the perspective that behaviour can only be understood by studying people's social context and their webs of connection.
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Centre for Translation and Intercultural Studies
Centre for Translation and Intercultural Studies offers a comprehensive portfolio of taught master's courses in translation studies and intercultural communication.
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