Overview
- Degree awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Duration
- 3 years [full-time]
- Entry requirements
-
- Bachelor's (Honours) degree at 2:1 or above (or overseas equivalent); and
- Master's degree in a relevant subject – with an overall average of 65% or above, a minimum mark of 65% in your dissertation and no mark below 55% (or overseas equivalent)
- Number of places/applicants
There is no limit on the number of places available.
- How to apply
-
Please ensure you include all required supporting documents at the time of submission, as incomplete applications may not be considered.
Application Deadlines
For consideration in internal funding competitions, you must submit your completed application by 12 January 2024.
If you are applying for or have secured external funding (for example, from an employer or government) or are self–funding, you must submit your application before the below deadlines to be considered. You will not be able to apply after these dates have passed.
- For September 2024 entry: 30 June 2024
- For January 2025 entry: 30 September 2024
Programme options
| Full-time | Part-time | Full-time distance learning | Part-time distance learning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PhD | Y | N | N | N |
Programme description
Our PhD Arab World Studies programme offers wide-ranging opportunities for research and advanced training in the history, politics, gender studies, literatures, religious traditions and cultures of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
Training and research supervision in most major cultures and periods of the MENA region are delivered by experts whose publications contribute to their subject on an international level.
Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies regularly organises seminars, workshops and conferences, and offers some specialist training opportunities.
Another major research centre, the Centre for Jewish Studies ( CJS ), brings together a wide range of specialists from across the University, and a large and active body of graduate students working on various aspects of Jewish culture and history, including modern Israeli/Palestinian society.
Research specialisms in Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies and related subject areas include literature, women and gender, culture and history of the Arab countries (Salhi, Mostafa, Behar), Islamic societies and practices (Woerner-Powell), the phenomenon of nationalism and the modern and contemporary history of Israel/Palestine, with special focus on the Arab-Israeli conflict (Behar).
Other areas of doctoral supervision can be offered or are available through inter-disciplinary collaboration.
Manchester's experts in Middle Eastern Studies contribute to the public debate on contemporary cultural-religious issues in the UK, the analysis and contextualisation of current affairs in the Middle East, and the understanding of gender roles and the relations between East and West.
Manchester is also the editorial home of the Journal of Semitic Studies ( JSS ), an internationally renowned academic journal which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary.
Learn more about our research within Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies , view a list of our staff , and see what our current postgraduate research students are working on.
Open days
Find out what it's like to study at Manchester by visiting us on one of our open days.
Fees
Fees for entry in 2024 have not yet been set. For reference, the fees for the academic year beginning September 2023 were as follows:
-
PhD (full-time)
UK students (per annum): £4,712
International, including EU, students (per annum): £21,000
Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.
Please note for the majority of projects where experimentation requires further resource: higher fee bands (where quoted) will be charged rather than the base rate for supervision, administration and computational costs. The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive and, therefore, you will not be required to pay any additional bench fees or administration costs.
All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of the course for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for International students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit: postgraduate fees . Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your project.
Scholarships/sponsorships
There are a range of scholarships, studentships and awards to support both UK and overseas postgraduate researchers, details of which can be found via the links below.
To apply University of Manchester funding, you must indicate in your application the competitions for which you wish to be considered. The deadline for most internal competitions, including AHRC NWCDTP and School of Arts, Languages and Cultures studentships is 12 January 2024.
All external funding competitions have a specified deadline for submitting the funding application form and a separate (earlier) deadline for submitting the online programme application form, both of which will be stated in the funding competition details below.
For more information about funding, visit our funding page to browse for scholarships, studentships and awards you may be eligible for.
- ESRC North West Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP) PhD Studentships 2024 Entry
- AHRC North West Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership (NWCDTP) PhD Studentships 2024 Entry
- School of Arts, Languages and Cultures PhD Studentships 2024 Entry
- China Scholarship Council - The University of Manchester (CSC-UoM) Joint Scholarship Programme 2024 Entry
- Trudeau Doctoral Scholarships 2024 Entry
- Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (High Income Countries)
- Humanities Doctoral Academy Humanitarian Scholarship 2024 Entry
- Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (Least Developed Countries and Fragile States)
- President's Doctoral Scholar (PDS) Awards 2024 Entry
Contact details
- School/Faculty
- School of Arts, Languages and Cultures
- Contact name
- Humanities Doctoral Academy Admissions
- HUMS.doctoralacademy.admissions@manchester.ac.uk
- Website
- https://www.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/
- School/Faculty
-
See: About us
Programmes in related subject areas
Use the links below to view lists of programmes in related subject areas.
Entry requirements
Academic entry qualification overview
- Bachelor's (Honours) degree at 2:1 or above (or overseas equivalent); and
- Master's degree in a relevant subject – with an overall average of 65% or above, a minimum mark of 65% in your dissertation and no mark below 55% (or overseas equivalent)
English language
International applicants must provide one of the following:
- IELTS test minimum score – 7.0 overall, 7.0 in writing.
- TOEFL (internet based) test minimum score – 100 overall, 25 in all sections.
- Pearson Test of English (PTE) UKVI/SELT or PTE Academic minimum score – 76 overall, 76 in writing.
- To demonstrate that you have taken an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in a majority English speaking nation within the last 5 years.
- Other tests may be considered.
Please note, CAS statements are only issued when all conditions of the offer have been satisfied, offer accepted, and a PDF copy of passport received.
English language test validity
Other international entry requirements
We accept a range of qualifications from different countries. For these and general requirements including English language see entry requirements from your country.
The University requires you to reside within a commutable distance from Manchester during your time as a registered student, unless you are on approved fieldwork/a formal placement or are on a period of Submission pending. This is to ensure that you are able to meet attendance expectations and participate in wider research activities within your discipline area and/or School.
Other entry requirements
Application and selection
How to apply
Please ensure you include all required supporting documents at the time of submission, as incomplete applications may not be considered.
Application Deadlines
For consideration in internal funding competitions, you must submit your completed application by 12 January 2024.
If you are applying for or have secured external funding (for example, from an employer or government) or are self–funding, you must submit your application before the below deadlines to be considered. You will not be able to apply after these dates have passed.
- For September 2024 entry: 30 June 2024
- For January 2025 entry: 30 September 2024
Advice to applicants
Before you start your application, you should:
- Develop your own research proposal and project title.
- Find a supervisor by browsing our academics’ profiles, and reach out directly to discuss if they are interested in supporting your research.
- Consider how you plan on funding your research and discuss this with your supervisor.
When you submit your application, you must include each of the below required documents:
- A 1,500 word PhD research proposal
- Copies of the academic transcript and certificate from both your Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. If your Master’s degree is pending, please provide an interim transcript.
- An up to date academic CV, detailing your education and qualifications; employment history; publications; and any other relevant information.
- You must nominate two academic referees (including one from your most recent institution). Your referees will be contacted directly via the Referee Portal following submission of your application form. You may wish to contact your referees to request they submit your reference in a reasonable timeframe as this forms part of the review process.
- International applicants must additionally provide English Language evidence (e.g IELTS).
Interview requirements
As part of the offer making process applicants will be required to undertake an interview assessment. This may be in the form of an in–person interview, or video call.
The interview is designed to assess your knowledge and understanding of the broad topic area, the viability of your proposed research and its intellectual contribution, alongside the fit of your project with the supervisory team. You also may be asked to identify and address any potential ethical considerations in relation to your proposed research, and discuss how best to progress your ideas in line with University of Manchester ethics guidance.
The interview panel will consist at minimum of your primary supervisor and an independent interviewer.
Deferrals
Re-applications
If you applied in the previous year and your application was not successful, you may apply again. Your application will be considered against the standard programme entry criteria for that year of entry.
In your new application you should demonstrate how your application has improved. We may draw upon all information from your previous applications or any previous registrations at the University as a student when assessing your suitability for your chosen programme.
Programme details
Programme description
Our PhD Arab World Studies programme offers wide-ranging opportunities for research and advanced training in the history, politics, gender studies, literatures, religious traditions and cultures of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
Training and research supervision in most major cultures and periods of the MENA region are delivered by experts whose publications contribute to their subject on an international level.
Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies regularly organises seminars, workshops and conferences, and offers some specialist training opportunities.
Another major research centre, the Centre for Jewish Studies ( CJS ), brings together a wide range of specialists from across the University, and a large and active body of graduate students working on various aspects of Jewish culture and history, including modern Israeli/Palestinian society.
Research specialisms in Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies and related subject areas include literature, women and gender, culture and history of the Arab countries (Salhi, Mostafa, Behar), Islamic societies and practices (Woerner-Powell), the phenomenon of nationalism and the modern and contemporary history of Israel/Palestine, with special focus on the Arab-Israeli conflict (Behar).
Other areas of doctoral supervision can be offered or are available through inter-disciplinary collaboration.
Manchester's experts in Middle Eastern Studies contribute to the public debate on contemporary cultural-religious issues in the UK, the analysis and contextualisation of current affairs in the Middle East, and the understanding of gender roles and the relations between East and West.
Manchester is also the editorial home of the Journal of Semitic Studies ( JSS ), an internationally renowned academic journal which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary.
Learn more about our research within Arabic and Middle Eastern Studies , view a list of our staff , and see what our current postgraduate research students are working on.
Special features
Graduate School
All of our postgraduate students become members of the Graduate School when you start at Manchester. It has dedicated facilities for students and offers opportunities to collaborate with other postgraduates.
REF 2014
In the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014) Middle Eastern Studies was assessed as part of the University of Manchester's 'Modern Languages and Linguistics' submission.
The University of Manchester was confirmed as a leading centre for research in Modern Languages and Linguistics, ranking third in the UK in terms of research power (an established criterion which values research quality in relation to the number of staff submitted).
We achieved joint fourth in terms of the overall amount of 'world-leading' (4*) research activity and 80% of our research was judged to be in the highest two categories (4* or 3*).
Specifically, 73% of our publications were judged as either 'world-leading' (4*) or 'internationally excellent' (3*); moreover, 85% of our research activity achieved 'outstanding' (4*) or 'very considerable' (3*) public impact in areas spanning policy, public discourse, education, cultural life and society.
Our research environment was also judged to be strong, with 100% judged to be 'world-leading' (4*) or 'internationally excellent' (3*).
Additional programme information
Equality, diversity and inclusion is fundamental to the success of The University of Manchester, and is at the heart of all of our activities.
We know that diversity strengthens our research community, leading to enhanced research creativity, productivity and quality, and societal and economic impact.
We actively encourage applicants from diverse career paths and backgrounds and from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation and transgender status.
All appointments are made on merit.
The University of Manchester and our external partners are fully committed to equality, diversity and inclusion.
Teaching and learning
The PhD is the major postgraduate research degree.
It involves three years of full-time study and the preparation of a thesis of not more than 80,000 words that makes a significant contribution to knowledge.
A satisfactory PhD topic is one that a suitably qualified and properly supervised student can bring to completion within the permitted timeframe.
Please note that all PhD students are required to undertake research training as part of their PhD programme.
Coursework and assessment
Your research will normally be supervised by two members of staff at the University.
Your supervisors will most likely be members of the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, but if your research requires it, the School or subject area may arrange for supervision by someone outside the School.
Supervisory arrangements at Manchester are governed by a Code of Practice which is available on the University's website.
Regular meetings will be held with the supervisors, and details of each of the meetings will be recorded.
Research Panels (consisting of at least three academic staff, including the supervisors) are held once per semester to monitor progress.
Please note that the first year of the full-time programme and the first two years of the part-time programme are probationary. This means you will be required to show evidence of satisfactory progress in order to proceed with the programme.
Facilities
Manchester is home to one of the UK's five National Research Libraries - one of the best-resourced academic libraries in the UK and widely recognised as one of the world's greatest research libraries.
Find out more about libraries and study spaces for postgraduate research students at Manchester.
We also have one of the largest academic IT services in Europe - supporting world-class teaching and research. There are extensive computing facilities across campus, with access to standard office software as well as specialist programmes, all connected to the campus network and internet.
Every student is registered for email, file storage and internet access. If more demanding computer access is required, our specialist computing division can provide high-end and specialist computing services.
The Graduate School offers dedicated state of the art facilities to research students, including common rooms and workstations.
Find out more about facilities for Modern Languages and Cultures students.
Disability support
Careers
Career opportunities
The interdisciplinarity nature of PhD programmes in Modern Languages and Cultures and Translation and Interpreting Studies prepares our graduates successfully to apply to a wide range of academic posts. In addition to those in European and Middle Eastern Languages and Translation/Interpreting, our graduates have been appointed to permanent academic positions in Film Studies; History; Journalism and Political Communication; and Sociology. Recent examples include:
Dr Abi Bharat (PhD French Studies), tenure-track assistant professorship, the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures, University of Michigan, USA
Dr Ignacio Aguiló (PhD Latin American Studies), lectureship in Latin American Cultural Studies, University of Manchester
Dr Ibrahim Alfraih (PhD Middle Eastern Studies), lectureship, King Saud University, Saudi Araba
Dr Liwen Chang (PhD Translation Studies), senior lectureship, Chinese University of Hong Kong
Dr Chonglong Gu (PhD Translation Studies), lectureship in Translation and Interpreting, the University of Liverpool
Dr Leanne Dawson (PhD German Studies), lectureship in German and Film, the University of Edinburgh
Dr Melanie Foedisch (PhD Translation Studies), lectureship in Translation Studies, the University of Manchester
Dr Eleanor Jones (PhD Portuguese Studies), lectureship in Portuguese and World Literatures, University of Southampton
Dr Sue-Ann Harding (PhD Russian Studies), senior lectureship in Translation and Intercultural Studies, Queen's University, Belfast
Dr Emma Heywood (PhD Russian Studies), lectureship in Journalism, Politics and Communication, University of Sheffield
Dr Paulina Henry-Tierney (PhD French Studies), lectureship in French Translation, Newcastle University
Dr Mila Milani (PhD Italian Studies), senior lectureship in Italian Studies, Warwick University
Dr Gozde Naiboglu (PhD German Studies), lectureship in Film Studies, University of Leicester
Dr Bryan Roby (PhD Middle Eastern Studies), assistant professorship at the Jean and Samuel Frankel Center for Judaic Studies, University of Michigan
Dr Neil Sadler (PhD Translation Studies), lectureship in Translation Studies, Queen's University, Belfast
Dr Elisabeth Schimpfoessl (PhD Russian Studies), lectureship in Sociology, Aston University
Dr Ewa Stanczyk (PhD Polish Studies), lectureship in East European Studies, University of Amsterdam
Dr Joseph Twist (PhD German Studies), lectureship in German Studies, University College Dublin
Dr Denis Volkov (PhD Middle Eastern Studies), associate professorship in Iranian Studies and Middle Eastern history, Higher School of Economics, Moscow
Dr Ilya Yablokov (PhD Russian Studies), lectureship in Russian Studies, University of Leeds
Research and communication skills which our PhD programmes help developing also position our graduates to get highly competitive posts outside academia, including in civil service, media and business.
The University has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate. At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help support you with your goals for the future.