[PHILOS-L] Funded PhD Positions in Philosophy at Durham University, UK

[MILLER, JAMES T.M.]

CAUTION: This email originated outside of the University. Do not click links unless you can verify the source of this email and know the content is safe. Check sender address, hover over URLs, and don't open suspicious email attachments.

 

Durham Philosophy Department, UK, invites applications for our PhD program

https://www.durham.ac.uk/departments/academic/philosophy/postgraduate-study/research-degrees/

Deadline for funding consideration: 23.59 (UK time) on 16 January 2026

 

Durham Philosophy is a vibrant, pluralistic and growing community of scholars and academics, situated in the North East of England. We have a thriving and supportive PhD program, with a strong emphasis on student participation and a competitive placement record. In REF2021, we were ranked 7th in the UK in terms of Research Power, and the department was ranked 31st in the 2025 QS World University Subject Rankings. The department has also been ranked in the top 10 for Philosophy in the latest Guardian and Times University rankings, and Durham University has been named The Times and The Sunday Times University of the Year 2026.

 

Our current students are funded by various sources, including AHRC Doctoral Landscape Awards, Durham Doctoral Teaching Fellowships, Leverhulme Trust, Chinese Scholarship Council and Wolfson Scholarships. Each prospective PhD student will be guided through funding application processes applicable to them.

 

A Durham PhD enjoys expansive development opportunities, including undergraduate teaching experience and training, support with conference organization and funding to assist with conference attendance. Our professional development seminar series covers topics ranging from interview techniques to public philosophy.

 

We have supervisory expertise in all major areas of philosophy. Please view our staff profiles here -  https://www.durham.ac.uk/departments/academic/philosophy/about-us/people/

 

We are particularly pleased this year to announce funded PhD Studentships in Transformative Humanities

 

Across the faculty, we will award eight PhD Studentships in Transformative Humanities, supported by our AHRC Doctoral Landscape Award and the Faculties of Arts & Humanities and Social Sciences. This scheme will support outstanding candidates beginning a PhD programme in October 2026 on projects related to the themes of our Transformative Humanities framework.

 

Applications for this scheme will open on 3 November 2025. Please see our website for further information.

 

Each award will offer a tuition fee waiver, a stipend for 3.5 years (full time) or 7 years (part time) at the level set by UKRI, additional funding opportunities, and access to training and placement resources.

 

As part of the application, applicants are asked to submit:

• a research proposal (max. 1,000 words) that clearly defines research questions and context, the intended approach and methods, the relevance of the project to transformative humanities, and the fit with Durham University.
• a CV
• an equal opportunities monitoring form (please see the website)
• the names of two referees. Upon submission of the application, referees will receive an automated message and will have two weeks to submit their references.

Prospective applicants for this scheme are welcome to join an information and Q&A session at 3pm (UK time) on 10 November 2025. Please use this link to join the event.

Successful applicants will be notified in March 2026.

 

You are welcome to contact potential supervisors directly. It would be helpful if you could prepare a page-length research proposal for their consideration along with your CV. If you don’t know which person is best suited to supervise, please contact the co-Directors of Postgraduate Research Dr James Miller (james....@durham.ac.uk) or Dr Joe Saunders (joe.sa...@durham.ac.uk).  Please contact supervisors well in advance of the deadline.

 

Informal academic enquiries can also be sent to James Miller or Joe Saunders. Administrative enquires can be sent to artsandhuman...@durham.ac.uk

--------

Dr JTM Miller (he/him)

Associate Professor

Department of Philosophy

Durham University

https://sites.google.com/site/jamestmmiller/home

(I may respond to emails outside of standard working hours. Please do not feel obliged to respond to my emails outside your normal working hours)

Philos-L "The Liverpool List" is run by the Department of Philosophy, University of Liverpool https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/philosophy/philos-l/ Messages to the list are archived at http://listserv.liv.ac.uk/archives/philos-l.html. Recent posts can also be read in a Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/PhilosL/ Follow the list on Twitter @PhilosL. Follow the Department of Philosophy @LiverpoolPhilos To sign off the list send a blank message to philos-l-unsub...@liverpool.ac.uk.