phd theses oxford

Copying Oxford theses

Anyone consulting a physical Oxford thesis is required to sign a copyright declaration. This states that you recognise that the thesis’ copyright rests with the author and that no quotation from it or information derived from it may be published without the author’s prior consent. Some Oxford theses cannot be consulted without the author's permission. Permission may be in the form of a signed letter, or an email sent from a verifiable (ie institutional) email address.

Digital copies

You can request digital copies of theses held by the libraries. The author’s permission is always required. Please contact [email protected] for a permissions form. Scanning is carried out by the Mediated Copying team at the Weston Library. A scan of a whole thesis costs £100. 

Many Oxford theses held in digital form by the libraries are available for download via the Oxford Research Archive (ORA) . Where ORA holds a digital copy of a thesis but it is not yet available for download – due to an embargo period or other restriction – a record for the thesis will exist in ORA, and you can request access via the ORA contact form.

The request will be passed to the author for permission to share a digital copy with you under the ORA terms of use. 

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Physics-informed machine learning: from concepts to real-world applications

Machine learning (ML) has caused a fundamental shift in how we practice science, with many now placing learning from data at the focal point of their research. As the complexity of the scientific problems we want to study increases, and the amount of data generated by today's scientific experiments grows, ML is helping to automate, accelerate and enhance traditional workflows.

Emerging at the forefront of this revolution is a field called scientific machine learning (SciML). The ce...

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• Moseley_2022_Physics-informed_machine_learning.pdf (Dissemination version, pdf, 60.3MB)

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• Clearance Some thesis volumes scanned as part of the digitisation scheme funded by Dr Leonard Polonsky are currently unavailable due to sensitive material or uncleared third-party copyright content. We are attempting to contact authors whose theses are affected.

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On this page is information for anyone wanting to find theses written by other people and also information for PhD students about their online thesis.

Finding theses

Copyright and your online thesis.

This section is for researchers who would like to find and read theses from Oxford Brookes or other universities.

Oxford Brookes theses

A copy of every Oxford Brookes PhD and MPhil thesis is deposited with the Library in print format (also known as a 'hardcopy'), online format (also known as 'electronic' theses or eTheses), or in both print and online formats. Oxford Brookes theses submitted from 2021 onwards are only available from the Library in online (or 'electronic') format.

To find print and online Oxford Brookes theses you can search LibrarySearch  by author, title, keyword, while for only the online theses you can browse or search  our repository RADAR .

Locating theses from other institutions

• ProQuest Dissertations & Theses provides access to multi-disciplinary dissertations and theses from around the world, offering over 5 million citations and 3 million full-text works from thousands of universities.
• EBSCO Open Dissertations : enables you to search for thousands of open access dissertations
• British Library’s EThOS project : a theses digitisation project. You can search across 500,000+ theses for free and download / order full text where available. You will need to register and log in if you want to download a thesis or to order digitisation of a thesis.
• CORE : CORE (COnnecting REpositories) is an aggregation of open access content from UK and worldwide repositories and open access journals. It includes access to theses.
• DART-Europe : provides details of European theses with access to full text where available.
• National Library of Australia Trove Service : a free repository of Australian material, including almost a million Australian theses.
• Global Electronic Theses and Dissertation Search : a database of open-access electronic theses and dissertations worldwide from the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.

Academic Liaison Librarians

For help finding theses contact your Academic Liaison Librarian (select course resource area from list on page)

This section is for postgraduate researcher students who will be submitting an online PhD thesis as part of their doctorate degree.

What is 'third party content'?

Many theses will include text, images, or other materials that were originally created by other people - this is known as 'third party content'. Material that might be in your thesis and which could be considered third party content includes:

• Lengthy quotations and extracts from publications such as books or journals even if you have attributed them correctly.
• Patented material
• Models/diagrams copied as found from books, even if attributed correctly
• Maps, such as Ordinance Survey photocopies, or taken from books, even if attributed correctly
• Photocopies/scans of paintings and other artworks, or manuscripts and historical documents.

Sometimes students believe they can reproduce third party material in their thesis if they provide a reference to the original - but this is not the case. See the next section for more details.

Using third party content in your online thesis

Third part content is the intellectual property of other people, which means you may need the permission of the copyright holders before including the material in the version of your thesis that will be publicly available on the institutional repository of Oxford Brookes. Here are some conditions under which you can use third party content in your online thesis:

• The third party content has been given a licence (e.g. a Creative Commons licence) which allows you to use the material in your online thesis without contacting the copyright holder.
• A formal legal exception to copyright law means you can include the third party content in your online thesis without the permission of the copyright holder.
• The work is 'out of copyright', meaning that the duration of copyright protection has expired.

You have contacted the copyright owner of the third party material and they have given you permission to include the material in your online thesis. To request permission first establish who the copyright holders are (there may be more than one), try to contact them ( here is a template letter  that you can adapt), and keep records of all communications (separately from your Oxford Brookes email).

If none of the above conditions apply then you must remove the third party content from your the version of your thesis that will be publicly available before you upload it to RADAR. This can be done individually or in bulk:

• Individually: remove each item of third party content that you do not have permission to use in your online thesis but leave a similar amount of blank space so that the pagination is unchanged.
• In bulk: when writing your thesis put all the third party content that you do not have permission to use in the publicly available version of your thesis within a single section of your thesis (e.g. an appendix), then remove that particular section before uploading that version of the thesis to RADAR. For example, Thompson's thesis The furrowed face originally had an Illustrations section (see the Contents List) that is not actually included in this online version of the thesis (though the bibliographic details of the sources are included in the List of Illustrations).

Whichever way you remove the third party content, please remember these two key points:

• Remember to include the bibliographic details of all the third party content in the main body of the text and/or in a separate section so that the readers of your online thesis can easily find the original sources for themselves. Ideally this will also include an electronic hyperlink to each resource (preferably a persistent link, e.g. a DOI).
• For any third party content that you do have permission to use in your online thesis, ensure you state this clearly directly underneath the third party content (e.g. 'Used with permission of the author / publisher /photographer / author /creator' or 'Used under the terms of the licence...', etc.).

Sources of information relating to using third party content:

• General guidance on using third party content by the Intellectual Property Office of the UK Government
• Duration of copyright by Copyright User
• Quotation and copyright by Copyright User
• Using images by Oxford Brookes as part of a Moodle course called 'Copyright and Publication'
• Digital images, photographs, and the internet by the Intellectual Property Office of the UK Government
• Creative Commons licences are often used by publishers and authors to state how online materials can be reused by other people

Personal data and issues of confidentiality

Personal data and confidentiality are usually separate issues from copyright and third party content, but the involvement of human participants in your research (or the inclusion of material that identifies individuals in your thesis) also requires special consideration when submitting the electronic version of your thesis.

Sources of information on personal data:

• Data protection and privacy : considerations for research by Oxford Brookes
• Guidelines for informed consent by Oxford Brookes
• GDPR and Research – An Overview for Researchers (PDF) by UK Research and Innovation

[email protected]

For help with your online thesis contact the Scholarly Communications Team

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MPhil in Global and Area Studies

OSGA has now introduced a unique and exciting multi-disciplinary, cross-regional MPhil in Global and Area Studies.

The two-year programme draws on the multidisciplinary and multi-region strengths of the six of the School’s seven regional centres (currently the African Studies Centre only has limited participation), to deliver a unique and innovative programme, which addresses contemporary global challenges through the penetrating lens of Comparative Area Studies. 

As the world emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, the call for a programme like the MPhil in Global and Area Studies has never been louder and OSGA is one of the very few places equipped to deliver.

Supervision

Each student will have one formal supervisor from the beginning of the programme and progress with the thesis will be overseen by the Programme’s teaching committee who will help to facilitate additional consultations where appropriate.  

Seminars and Workshops

Throughout the course, students are expected to attend seminars from the rich offering available through  OSGA  and through  St Antony’s College  (with whom we work closely).

OSGA is also leading on the development of a European Area Studies Network which we anticipate will provide increasing opportunities for cross-institution engagement for our MPhil GAS students. Partners within this Network are drawn from Paris, Berlin, Bonn, Leiden, Warsaw, Prague, St Petersburg and Moscow.

Programme Management and Enquiries

The GAS Programme Director is  Dr Chigusa Yamaura  and the programme is supported by the GAS Administrator Jillian Fardon.  

If you have questions about the content of the programme please contact  Dr Yamaura . For administrative queries please contact Jillian Fardon.

How to Apply

• MPhil Entry Requirements
• University Application Guide
• Graduate Study at Oxford
• Frequently Asked Questions

Application Deadlines

Applications must be submitted by noon on  Friday 19th January 2024.

Fees and Funding

• Information and Search tool
• Fees and Funding webpage
• Programme Structure
• GAS Students
• Recognised Students
• Academic Visitors

The programme comprises a mix of: core area studies training; comparative area studies courses; research methods training; the chance to take specialist area studies options relating to a particular region; a flexible period of ‘area studies immersion’ supported by a small grant; and – running through its core – an extended research thesis (of 30,000 words) addressing a transnational, or comparative area studies, or theoretical area studies topic.  

Summary of Programme:

As a guide to what to expect, you can learn more from the current student handbook.

The centrepiece of the programme is of course the 30,000-word research thesis, which represents an advanced piece of independent (but supervised) postgraduate research incorporating a Global or Comparative Area Studies approach and/or addressing key cross-region challenges from an Area Studies perspective.

Possible topics of interest include but are not limited to: Global and Regional Health, Migration, Human Rights, the Environment, Democracy and Authoritarianism, International Relations, Political Economy, Social and Economic Inequality. The School has rich multidisciplinary expertise covering China, South Asia, Japan, Latin America, Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the Middle East (where we share courses with the  Oriental Institute ) and Africa.

Each student will have one formal supervisor from the beginning of the programme and progress with the thesis will be overseen by the Programme’s teaching committee who will help to facilitate additional consultations where appropriate.

During the second year, you will undertake a period of Area Studies immersion. Immersion options include but are not necessarily limited to: a period of overseas or domestic fieldwork research for your thesis; or for the development of language skills; auditing relevant substantive courses delivered at a partner university or approved alternative; an internship period at a relevant organisation (in the UK or abroad). The immersion period is intended to be flexible and inclusive and should facilitate intensive progress with the research thesis as well as the professional development of the student. Each student will receive a grant to help cover the additional costs relating to the immersion period.

Students of the GAS MPhil programme will progress to a variety of different careers, including in government and diplomacy, business and political analytics, consultancy, banking and finance, NGOs, teaching and further research. With regard to the latter, OSGA’s  DPhil in Area Studies , introduced in 2017, provides exciting opportunities for continuing inter-disciplinary doctoral research across one or more of the regions in which OSGA specialises.

The MPhil in Global and Area Studies is assessed using a range of formative and summative assessments. Whilst many OSGA option courses are assessed through three hour written examinations, other elements of the course involve a range of different assessment modalities, including essay, take-home exam and project work.

There are no formal language requirements for the programme beyond the English language requirements which apply to all of OSGA’s programmes. There are some research topics that will require language skills and it is anticipated that students should have those language skills at the point of application. Language isn’t provided within the frame of the programme but there are opportunities for taking language classes through the Oxford University Language Centre and for using the immersion period to further develop language skills, as required.

Students registered for a PhD at another university conducting postgraduate research in Global and Area Studies (with interests in more than one ‘region’ or with interests in the concepts and theories of Area Studies) who want to do research in Oxford without registering for a degree can apply for Recognised Student status. 

It is possible to apply to be a Recognised Student for a minimum of 1 term and up to a maximum of 3 terms (or 1 academic year). There is no formal course of study with this status and Recognised Students are responsible for finding their own accommodation in Oxford. Recognised Students may use University libraries and other online resources provided by the University. They can also attend lectures and seminars and can enrol on particular courses, with the permission of the department. Admission is at the discretion of the Global and Area Studies (GAS) Admissions Board, which is responsible for appointing the student’s formal Academic Advisor. 

If admitted by GAS, you will be allocated an Academic Advisor, who will give general advice about the research topic, but not systematic instruction, as you are expected to be in receipt of supervision from your home university. Your Advisor may also be able to help you make connections in Oxford and/or identify useful courses to attend. Recognised Students can only expect one feedback on written work related to their thesis from their advisor, since the amount of support available from an advisor will vary according to their availability. Recognised students enrolled on courses will of course receive the same formative and summative assessment (including feedback) as Oxford’s degree students do.

Note, while Recognised Students do not have a formal affiliation with an Oxford College, OSGA is closely associated with St Antony’s College and we will offer you one High Table Dinner per academic term as part of your Recognised Student experience.

GAS charges a fee of £2000 per term for Recognised Students and please note also that Oxford currently charges a £50 application fee.  

In order to start the application process, you should contact the GAS Administrator Jillian Fardon  and send the following documents:

1.  Original transcripts  from the degrees you have previously obtained

2. A 500–1000 word  statement of your research proposal

3. Two  reference letters  from senior members of faculty at your current university

4. A  letter of application , including the dates you would like to be associated with GAS and with details of any funding that you have secured (source and amount). The letter should explain how you envisage your stay in Oxford contributing to your doctoral study and what resources you aim to consult.

5. Evidence of  English language competency  (if you intend to apply for a Tier 4 visa; please see specific requirements below)

6. A  current C.V.

You should ensure that the start of your stay corresponds with the start date of any particular  academic term .

If GAS is able to support your application, and has an Academic Advisor available to provide appropriate supervision during your proposed visit, you will then be asked to complete a formal application (this is the one that costs £50). Full details on this process can be found in the  Graduate admissions pages .. 

It is not possible to be admitted as a Recognised Student if you have already been matriculated as a member of the University of Oxford.

Please note that it is your responsibility to check how long it will take to obtain a Visa in your country and to plan the submission of your application accordingly.

This is a guide for academics who are thinking of applying to become an Academic Visitor at GAS (Global and Area Studies).

As an Academic Visitor of GAS you will be entitled to:

• an Oxford University email address for the visiting period
• limited access to the University computing facilities
• use of the Bodleian Libraries
• attend OSGA seminars and workshops

You can view our current Academic Visitors' profiles  here .

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that compliance with UK immigration and visa requirements are met.  Please ensure that you have checked your status with the guidelines on the Home Office UK Border Agency’s website  http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/visiting/business/

Oxford University Newcomers' Club

The University of Oxford Newcomers' Club  is an organisation, run by volunteers, whose aim is to help the newly-arrived wives, husbands or partners of visiting scholars, of graduate students and of newly appointed academic and administrative members of the University to settle in and to give them the opportunity to meet people in Oxford.

How to apply to become an Academic Visitor of the GAS

Please send:

• a letter of application giving the dates you wish to come of Oxford
• a detailed curriculum vitae
• a research proposal  

The above information should be addressed to the Director of the Programme, Dr Chigusa Yamaura , c/o [email protected]

There is a fee payable of £300 per academic term

The University has three terms, called Michaelmas (October-December), Hilary (January-March) and Trinity (April-June).  Each term lasts eight weeks.

MPhil in Global and Area Studies

• Entry requirements
• Funding and costs

College preference

• How to apply

About the course

The MPhil in Global and Area Studies draws on the multidisciplinary and area expertise of the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies' (OSGA) seven regional centres, to deliver an innovative Comparative Area Studies programme, which addresses contemporary global challenges through developing innovative multidisciplinary approaches. 

The overall objectives of the MPhil are to:

• provide you with a multi-/interdisciplinary and comparative understanding of different regions of the world;
• allow you to work on key thematic global challenges from a comparative area studies perspective;
• equip you with the conceptual and theoretical expertise to interrogate the notions of ‘area’, ‘comparative area’ and the implications for disciplinary enquiry;
• embed inter-cultural understanding and global citizenship in the study of area;
• develop research methods and skills that are appropriate for the comparative study of areas and regions including through the development of new digital approaches for area studies; and
• promote a wider international network of area studies scholars and practitioners.

Course structure

The course is structured around six study components, facilitating an interdisciplinary approach to comparative study across two or more regions and a critical approach to area studies. 

Courses are taught through a combination of lectures and classes. You will be required to submit essays and make class presentations. Through a Research Methods element, you will receive relevant training in methodologies to enable you to carry out research and writing for your 30,000 word thesis. The thesis is expected to incorporate a global, transnational or comparative area studies approach and/or to address key cross-region global challenges from an area studies perspective.

Option courses will vary from year to year.

In addition, lively programmes of seminars, workshops and conferences throughout OSGA will complement the MPhil and you are encouraged to make the most of these opportunities.

The six study components are:

• Theories and Approaches in Global and Area Studies
• Comparative Area Studies
• Research Methods for Social Sciences and Humanities
• Area Studies immersion
• Area Studies Options
• Comparative Area Studies Research Thesis.

In your first year you will study the following:

• Core Course One - Competing Approaches in Area Studies
• One Comparative Area Studies Course from a list of options
• Research Methods: Qualitative Methods
• One additional research methods course: Quantitative Methods or Historical Methods
• One Area Studies course from a list of options. 

You will also submit a research proposal in preparation for the thesis submission

Second year

In your second year, you will study:

• Core Course Two - Global Area Studies Seminar
• Two Area (or Comparative Area, or other approved) Studies courses from a list of options.

During this year, you will undertake a period of area studies immersion. Immersion options include but are not necessarily limited to: a period of overseas or domestic fieldwork research for your thesis; the development of advanced language skills; auditing relevant substantive courses delivered at a partner university or approved alternative; an internship period at a relevant organisation.

You will also submit one 30,000 word thesis.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision is the responsibility of the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies.

You will typically meet with your supervisor three to four times per term.

You will initially be allocated a supervisor according to your initial research and subject interests. The supervisor will typically share your broad interests and will monitor your overall progress. The supervisor will help you to identify a viable topic and offer guidance regarding secondary literature, primary sources, appropriate methodologies, any fieldwork planned, and a research and writing timetable. The supervisor will also oversee your integration into OSGA and the course. With this support you will present an essay setting out your proposed research and you will present this proposal in a thesis workshop during Trinity term of the first year. This provides an additional opportunity for you to receive feedback from academic members of staff and peers. At this point, if your thesis topic has progressed in a different direction to that anticipated, your supervisory arrangements may be reviewed.

By the end of the Trinity term, you will be expected to have developed a thesis outline, identified the means (eg field or archival work) through which you will gather your primary sources, and agreed a timetable for the summer and Michaelmas term work with your supervisor. During the second year, you will present your work in progress thesis in research seminar workshops or webinars convened for this purpose. Further arrangements for feedback and comments on drafts will progress through a series of meetings held by arrangement between you and your supervisor during the Hilary term of the second year.

The MPhil in Global and Area Studies is assessed using a range of formative and summative assessments. Whilst many OSGA option courses are assessed through written examinations, other elements of the course involve a range of different assessment modalities.

Core courses

• Competing Approaches to Area Studies (year one): Assessed by an end of year written examination, allowing for integration of the course content with the rest of the programme.
• Global and Area Studies (year two): Assessed by essay submission in your second year.

Research Methods Courses

• Qualitative Methods: Assessed by submission in Michaelmas (Autumn) term in your first year.
• Quantitative Methods: Assessed by submission in Hilary (Spring) term in your first year.
• Historical Research Methods: Assessed by submission of an essay in Hilary (Spring) term of your first year.

Research Proposal

A research proposal is to be submitted during Trinity term of your first year for formative purposes, providing an important building block in your thesis preparation.

Comparative Area Studies courses

Courses are typically assessed by an end of year written examination or essay submission.

Option courses

Research thesis.

The thesis will be submitted in Trinity term of the second year of the course.

Graduate destinations

The first intake of this course was in October 2021 and so there are no alumni as yet. However, area studies graduates have found employment in many and diverse fields including business, finance, law, civil service, journalism, government and industry.

Many OSGA graduates have also undertaken further research into subjects linked with area studies and have pursued successful careers in the academic world and education.

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made in circumstances of a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.

Entry requirements for entry in 2024-25

Proven and potential academic excellence.

The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying. 

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

• a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours  in any subject or discipline, although preference may be given to candidates who have studied previously in either the social sciences or the humanities

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.7 out of 4.0.

If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

• Publications are not required.

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's  higher level . If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.

*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) † Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)

Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides  further information about the English language test requirement .

Declaring extenuating circumstances

If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.

You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Supporting documents

You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Performance at interview

Interviews are not normally held as part of the admissions process.

How your application is assessed

Your application will be assessed purely on your proven and potential academic excellence and other entry requirements described under that heading.

References  and  supporting documents  submitted as part of your application, and your performance at interview (if interviews are held) will be considered as part of the assessment process. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed.

An overview of the shortlisting and selection process is provided below. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide  more information about how applications are assessed . 

Shortlisting and selection

Students are considered for shortlisting and selected for admission without regard to age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, sexual orientation, as well as other relevant circumstances including parental or caring responsibilities or social background. However, please note the following:

• socio-economic information may be taken into account in the selection of applicants and award of scholarships for courses that are part of  the University’s pilot selection procedure  and for  scholarships aimed at under-represented groups ;
• country of ordinary residence may be taken into account in the awarding of certain scholarships; and
• protected characteristics may be taken into account during shortlisting for interview or the award of scholarships where the University has approved a positive action case under the Equality Act 2010.

Processing your data for shortlisting and selection

Information about  processing special category data for the purposes of positive action  and  using your data to assess your eligibility for funding , can be found in our Postgraduate Applicant Privacy Policy.

Admissions panels and assessors

All recommendations to admit a student involve the judgement of at least two members of the academic staff with relevant experience and expertise, and must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies or Admissions Committee (or equivalent within the department).

Admissions panels or committees will always include at least one member of academic staff who has undertaken appropriate training.

Other factors governing whether places can be offered

The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:

• the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the  About  section of this page;
• the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
• minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.

Offer conditions for successful applications

If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide more information about offers and conditions . 

In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:

Financial Declaration

If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a  Financial Declaration  in order to meet your financial condition of admission.

Disclosure of criminal convictions

In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any  relevant, unspent criminal convictions  before you can take up a place at Oxford.

The Bodleian Libraries form the integrated library service of the University of Oxford, offering over nine million volumes, 26 site libraries, 3,800 study places, 48,000 online journals, hundreds of research databases, document supply services, information skills training programmes and world-class staff expertise.

The Bodleian Social Science Library (SSL) is the main library for Area Studies. The SSL is housed on the ground floor of the Manor Road Building, and is open seven days a week during term-time. The library offers a variety of study spaces including graduate study rooms, individual study carrels, and two group discussion rooms which are available for booking. Oxford college libraries also offer collections and services to their own members.

You will have the use of IT facilities within your college and at IT Services. IT Services runs courses on various computer programmes and can offer help and guidance.

Oxford School of Global and Area Studies

Join the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies (OSGA) as a graduate student and become part of a community devoted to innovative research and graduate teaching using a range of academic disciplines which seek to understand the complexity and the interrelatedness of societies and regions.

The work in the school takes into account both insights provided by the separate social science disciplines of anthropology, economics, politics, international relations, history and sociology, and the contextualisation provided by in-depth knowledge of specific regions and countries.

If you are fascinated by a particular area and wish to explore it further and understand it and its people more, then the school is likely to have the graduate course for you. OGSA admits about 150 graduate students each year, across a range of area-based master's courses, the multidisciplinary and comparative MPhil in Global and Area Studies, and the doctoral programme in area studies.

You will find library materials, seminar series, workshops and lectures in abundance in Oxford. Studying a particular region here means mixing with a group of leading academics in their fields and becoming a part of the school's vibrant research community. Join the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies for an inspiring graduate experience.

View all courses   View taught courses View research courses

The University expects to be able to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across the collegiate University in 2024-25. You will be automatically considered for the majority of Oxford scholarships , if you fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit your graduate application by the relevant December or January deadline. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential. 

For further details about searching for funding as a graduate student visit our dedicated Funding pages, which contain information about how to apply for Oxford scholarships requiring an additional application, details of external funding, loan schemes and other funding sources.

Please ensure that you visit individual college websites for details of any college-specific funding opportunities using the links provided on our college pages or below:

Please note that not all the colleges listed above may accept students on this course. For details of those which do, please refer to the College preference section of this page.

Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the faculty's website.

Annual fees for entry in 2024-25

Further details about fee status eligibility can be found on the fee status webpage.

Information about course fees

Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges .

Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.

Where can I find further information about fees?

The Fees and Funding  section of this website provides further information about course fees , including information about fee status and eligibility  and your length of fee liability .

Additional information

There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees and living costs. However, please note that, depending on your choice of immersion, research topic and the research required to complete the thesis, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although a GAS Immersion Grant will be available for students to apply to and you may be able to apply for small grants from your college to help you cover some of these expenses. Standard travel insurance can be provided by the University. However, students may be required to pay any additional insurance premiums associated with travel to areas with an increased level of risk, and should factor this into their planning for fieldwork.

Living costs

In addition to your course fees, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.

For the 2024-25 academic year, the range of likely living costs for full-time study is between c. £1,345 and £1,955 for each month spent in Oxford. Full information, including a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs, is available on our living costs page. The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. When planning your finances for any future years of study in Oxford beyond 2024-25, it is suggested that you allow for potential increases in living expenses of around 5% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. UK inflationary increases will be kept under review and this page updated.

Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs). 

If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief  introduction to the college system at Oxford  and our  advice about expressing a college preference . For some courses, the department may have provided some additional advice below to help you decide.

The following colleges accept students on the MPhil in Global and Area Studies:

• Blackfriars
• Brasenose College
• Campion Hall
• Corpus Christi College
• Kellogg College
• Linacre College
• Merton College
• Reuben College
• St Anne's College
• St Antony's College
• St Catherine's College
• St Cross College
• St Edmund Hall
• St Hugh's College
• Wolfson College
• Wycliffe Hall

Before you apply

Our  guide to getting started  provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

If it's important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under a December or January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance . Check the deadlines on this page and the  information about deadlines and when to apply  in our Application Guide.

Application fee waivers

An application fee of £75 is payable per course application. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:

• applicants from low-income countries;
• refugees and displaced persons; 
• UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and 
• applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.

You are encouraged to  check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver  before you apply.

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

You do not need to make contact with the department before you apply but you are encouraged to visit the relevant departmental webpages to read any further information about your chosen course.

Completing your application

You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents .

For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application .

If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.

Referees: Three overall, all of which must be academic

Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.

Your references will support your academic ability and suitability for the course. All references should be academic.

Your references will be assessed for:

• your intellectual ability
• your academic achievement
• your motivation and interest in the course and subject area

Official transcript(s)

Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.

More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.

Statement of purpose and research proposal: Statement of a maximum of 1,200 words and proposal of a maximum of 800 words

Your statement of purpose/personal statement and research proposal should be submitted as a single, combined document with clear subheadings. Please ensure that the word counts for each section are clearly visible in the document.

Statement of purpose

Your statement of purpose should explain your motivation for applying for the course at Oxford, your relevant experience and education. It should be written in English and should be a maximum of 1,200 words. 

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

Your statement of purpose will be assessed for:

• your reasons for applying for a Comparative Area Studies programme
• your ability to present a coherent case in proficient English
• your commitment to the subject, beyond the requirements of the degree course
• your preliminary knowledge of the subject area and research techniques
• your capacity for sustained and intense work
• your reasoning ability
• your vision of how the programme fits into your career plans. 

Research proposal

For the research proposal, you will be expected to outline a potential thesis topic that addresses the Global or Comparative or Critical Area Studies themes of the programme. The research proposal should explain the specific global and/or comparative and/or critical area studies topic you intend to research. It should also indicate why you are well-matched with the requirements and expectations of this programme.

Your research proposal should be written in English and should be a maximum of 800 words. 

Your research proposal will be assessed for:

• the coherence of your proposal and the value added through a Comparative or Global perspective
• the fit of your research interests with those represented in the department
• the originality of your project
• evidence of your motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study
• the feasibility of successfully completing your project in the time available for the course. 

It is to be expected that your ideas will evolve substantially once the programme begins but you should nevertheless make the best effort you can to demonstrate the extent of your research question, sources and method at this moment – and explain the fit with the Global and Area Studies programme objectives.

Written work: One essay of a maximum of 2,000 words

Academic essays or other writing samples from your most recent qualification, typed and written in English, are required. 

Extracts of the requisite length from a longer work are also permitted if prefaced by a note that puts them in content.

The word count does not need to include any bibliography or brief footnotes.

Your written work will be assessed for:

• comprehensive understanding of the subject area, including problems and developments in the subject
• your ability to construct and defend an argument
• your aptitude for analysis and expression
• your ability to present a reasoned case in proficient academic English.

Start or continue your application

You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please  refer to the requirements above  and  consult our Application Guide for advice . You'll find the answers to most common queries in our FAQs.

Application Guide   Apply

ADMISSION STATUS

Closed to applications for entry in 2024-25

Register to be notified via email when the next application cycle opens (for entry in 2025-26)

12:00 midday UK time on:

Friday 19 January 2024 Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships Final application deadline for entry in 2024-25

*Three-year average (applications for entry in 2021-22 to 2023-24)

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered by the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies (OSGA)

• Course page on the school's website
• Funding information from the school
• Academic and research staff
• Research in the school
• Social Sciences Division
• Residence requirements for full-time courses
• Postgraduate applicant privacy policy

Course-related enquiries

Advice about contacting the department can be found in the How to apply section of this page

✉ [email protected] ☎ +44 (0)1865 284995

Application-process enquiries

See the application guide

• Graduate Student's Book Lands Netflix Deal

Via Bleidner's collection of humorous essays in development for TV series

OXFORD, Miss. – Via Bleidner kept detailed journals after transferring from a Catholic school to a Los Angeles County high school full of wealthy, fame-seeking teenagers. Her coming-of-age accounts shared in "If You Lived Here You'd Be Famous By Now" (Macmillan, 2021) have scored a Netflix series deal.

Bleidner, a student in the master's program in creative writing at the University of Mississippi , shares her journey navigating the drama and culture shock of Calabasas, a California city known for its rich families, including the Kardashians.

"I knew lots of people whose goal when they grew up was to be famous," Bleidner said. "It wasn't like, 'Oh, I want to be a famous painter or a famous chemist'; it was, 'Oh, I just want to be famous.'

"That's the end goal, which I think is really different and unique to that area."

Kim Kardashian and Emma Roberts are part of the team producing "Calabasas," a scripted Netflix series based on her book.

"I still can't believe it," Bleidner said regarding the deal. "I'm excited – and a little nervous, but I have confidence in the team working on the streaming series."

Bleidner's book was published in 2021, when she was 19 and studying at the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Discussing everything from social media to high school politics, she aimed to write something humorous that resonated with her fellow Gen-Z community.

"I especially wanted to reach young women," she said. "I'll get messages on Instagram from girls who read my book, and that is the coolest part of it for me."

"I still have a lot more to learn," she said. "I want to be a better writer. The professors in the MFA are amazing. I can't even name just one or two. They're all wonderful.

"The workshops that I've been in with other MFA writers have been so challenging because everyone is so talented. Just being around all of these other talented writers has already helped me become a better writer."

The California native said she would like to see more undergraduates pursue publishing.

"I encourage writers to just try" Bleidner said. "When I was a freshman in college just sending my writing out blindly, it happened for me."

Marvis Herring

May 13, 2024

• College of Liberal Arts
• Arts & Culture

PhD Studentship: Formula Student Electric Powertrain Design and Optimisation

Oxford brookes university - faculty of technology design and environment.

Start date:   September 2024 (Home/EU students and International)

PhD Formula Student Electric Powertrain Design and Optimisation

The Faculty of Technology Design and Environment at Oxford Brookes University is pleased to offer a 3.5 year full-time PhD studentship to a new student commencing in 2024.  The successful candidate will work under the supervision of Prof Denise Morrey and the HVES Group, and with Gordana Collier and the Oxford Brookes Racing Formula Student Team.

For information about the Oxford Brookes Racing Team, see:  https://oxfordbrookesracing.wixsite.com/obr-formula-student .

The Formula Student Team has been very successful in the competition, using an ICE based powertrain for two decades. For the competition in the last three years, the team has moved to an advanced electric powertrain-based solution to align with the current trends in Europe. The solution utilises in-hub motors for a high performance four-wheel drive racing car.

The current electric powertrain relies on off the shelf motors and inverters. This project aims to develop and improve the powertrain through consideration of battery and pack design, the interaction between inverter technology, control, and HV architecture integration. The current motor, inverters and controllers do not account for interactions between sub-systems and, as a result, key attributes such as efficiency do not reach the full potential available within the chosen envelope of hardware and controls.

In addition, the student will become a key member of the Formula Student Team, taking on the role of Project Manager, working closely with the Team Leads.

Requirements

We are looking to recruit a candidate of the highest quality who is capable of submitting a PhD thesis within 3.5 years. Applicants would be expected to have a good relevant Engineering degree. They should be able to demonstrate strong research capabilities, good industrial experience, and be fluent in spoken and written English.

The selection criteria will focus on academic excellence, suitability of research experience, industrial and skills, subject knowledge and references.

Application Process

To apply for this studentship please see the submission instructions on our website:  https://sites.google.com/brookes.ac.uk/tde-research/studentships-how-to-apply?authuser=0

When completing your application Online via https://sites.google.com/brookes.ac.uk/tde-research/studentships-how-to-apply?authuser=0   - please note the following:

Title:  “ PhD Formula Student Electric Powertrain Design and Optimisation” .

Fully completed applications should be submitted, by 5.00 pm on 7th June 2024 . As part of the application process you must submit your CV, along with a project proposal for your PhD (2 page maximum). Please be advised that the selection process will involve an interview.

Enquiries: Dominic Maitland: [email protected] .

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Thesis / dissertation formatting manual (2024).

• Filing Fees and Student Status
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UCI Libraries maintains the following  templates to assist in formatting your graduate manuscript. If you are formatting your manuscript in Microsoft Word, feel free to download and use the template. If you would like to see what your manuscript should look like, PDFs have been provided. If you are formatting your manuscript using LaTex, UCI maintains a template on OverLeaf.

• Annotated Template (Dissertation) 2024 PDF of a template with annotations of what to look out for
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Four from MIT named 2024 Knight-Hennessy Scholars

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MIT senior Owen Dugan, graduate student Vittorio Colicci ’22, predoctoral research fellow Carine You ’22, and recent alumna Carina Letong Hong ’22 are recipients of this year’s Knight-Hennessy Scholarships. The competitive fellowship, now in its seventh year, funds up to three years of graduate studies in any field at Stanford University. To date, 22 MIT students and alumni have been awarded Knight-Hennessy Scholarships.

“We are excited for these students to continue their education at Stanford with the generous support of the Knight Hennessy Scholarship,” says Kim Benard, associate dean of distinguished fellowships in Career Advising and Professional Development. “They have all demonstrated extraordinary dedication, intellect, and leadership, and this opportunity will allow them to further hone their skills to make real-world change.”

Vittorio Colicci ’22

Vittorio Colicci, from Trumbull, Connecticut, graduated from MIT in May 2022 with a BS in aerospace engineering and physics. He will receive his master’s degree in planetary sciences this spring. At Stanford, Colicci will pursue a PhD in earth and planetary sciences at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. He hopes to investigate how surface processes on Earth and Mars have evolved through time alongside changes in habitability. Colicci has worked largely on spacecraft engineering projects, developing a monodisperse silica ceramic for electrospray thrusters and fabricating high-energy diffraction gratings for space telescopes. As a Presidential Graduate Fellow at MIT, he examined the influence of root geometry on soil cohesion for early terrestrial plants using 3D-printed reconstructions. Outside of research, Colicci served as co-director of TEDxMIT and propulsion lead for the MIT Rocket Team. He is also passionate about STEM engagement and outreach, having taught educational workshops in Zambia and India.

Owen Dugan, from Sleepy Hollow, New York, is a senior majoring in physics. As a Knight-Hennessy Scholar, he will pursue a PhD in computer science at the Stanford School of Engineering. Dugan aspires to combine artificial intelligence and physics, developing AI that enables breakthroughs in physics and using physics techniques to design more capable and safe AI systems. He has collaborated with researchers from Harvard University, the University of Chicago, and DeepMind, and has presented his first-author research at venues including the International Conference on Machine Learning, the MIT Mechanistic Interpretability Conference, and the American Physical Society March Meeting. Among other awards, Dugan is a Hertz Finalist, a U.S. Presidential Scholar, an MIT Outstanding Undergraduate Research Awardee, a Research Science Institute Scholar, and a Neo Scholar. He is also a co-founder of VeriLens, a funded startup enabling trust on the internet by cryptographically verifying digital media.

Carina Letong Hong ’22

Carina Letong Hong, from Canton, China, is currently pursuing a JD/PhD in mathematics at Stanford. A first-generation college student, Hong graduated from MIT in May 2022 with a double major in mathematics and physics and was inducted into Sigma Pi Sigma, the physics honor society. She then earned a neuroscience master’s degree with dissertation distinctions from the University of Oxford, where she conducted artificial intelligence and machine learning research at Sainsbury Wellcome Center’s Gatsby Unit. At Stanford Law School, Hong provides legal aid to low-income workers and uses economic analysis to push for law enforcement reform. She has published numerous papers in peer-reviewed journals, served as an expert referee for journals and conferences, and spoken at summits in the United States, Germany, France, the U.K., and China. She was the recipient of the AMS-MAA-SIAM Morgan Prize for Outstanding Research, the highest honor for an undergraduate in mathematics in North America; the AWM Alice T. Schafer Prize for Mathematical Excellence, given annually to an undergraduate woman in the United States; the Maryam Mirzakhani Fellowship; and a Rhodes Scholarship.

Carine You ’22

Carine You, from San Diego, California, graduated from MIT in May 2022 with bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering and computer science and in mathematics. Since graduating, You has worked as a predoctoral research assistant with Professor Amy Finkelstein in the MIT Department of Economics, where she has studied the quality of Medicare nursing home care and the targeting of medical screening technologies. This fall, You will embark on a PhD in economic analysis and policy at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She wishes to address pressing issues in environmental and health-care markets, with a particular focus on economic efficiency and equity. You previously developed audio signal processing algorithms at Bose, refined mechanistic models to inform respiratory monitoring at the MIT Research Laboratory of Electronics, and analyzed corruption in developmental projects in India at the World Bank. Through Middle East Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow, she taught computer science to Israeli and Palestinian students in Jerusalem and spearheaded an online pilot expansion for the organization. At MIT, she was named a Burchard Scholar.

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Three from MIT named 2023 Knight-Hennessy Scholars

Six from MIT Named 2022 Knight-Hennessy Scholars

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Slavonic and East European Area Studies: Theses and Dissertations

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Introduction

Theses and dissertations are documents that present an author's research findings, which are submitted to the University in support of their academic degree. They are very useful to consult when carrying out your own research because they:

• provide a springboard to scope existing literature
• provide inspiration for the finished product
• show you the evolution of an author's ideas over time
• provide relevant and up-to-date research (for recent theses and dissertations)

On this page you will find guidance on how to search for and access theses and dissertations in the Bodleian Libraries and beyond.

Definitions

Terms you may encounter in your research.

Thesis: In the UK, a thesis is normally a document that presents an author's research findings as part of a doctoral or research programme.

Dissertation: In the UK, a dissertation is normally a document that presents an author's research findings as part of an undergraduate or master's programme.

DPhil: An abbreviation for Doctor of Philosophy, which is an advanced research qualification. You may also see it referred to as PhD.

ORA: The Oxford University Research Archive , an institutional repository for the University of Oxford's research output including digital theses.

Theses and dissertations

• Reading theses and dissertations in the Bodleian Libraries
• Theses and dissertations beyond Oxford

The Bodleian Libraries collection holds DPhil, MLitt and MPhil theses deposited at the University of Oxford, which you can consult. You may also be interested to read theses and dissertations beyond the University of Oxford, some of which can be read online, or you can request an inter-library loan.

Help with theses and dissertations

To find out more about how to find and access theses and dissertations in the Bodleian Libraries and beyond, we recommend the following:

• Bodleian Libraries theses and dissertations Links to information on accessing the Bodleian Libraries collections of Oxford, UK, US and other international theses.
• Oxford University Research Archive guide
• Help & guidance for digital theses Information on copyright, how to deposit your thesis in ORA and other important matters
• Guide to copyright The Bodleian Libraries' Quick guide to copyright and digital sources.

Anglophone theses can be found using the database, University Theses in Russian, Soviet, and East European Studies. You can find recent theses from the Moscow State University by checking the relevant subject dissertation council , which lists the theses defended over the past year.

Depositing your thesis

It is mandatory for students completing a research degree at the University of Oxford (registered to a programme of study on or after 1st October 2007) to deposit an electronic copy of their theses with the Oxford University Research Archive (ORA) in order to meet the requirements of their award. To find out more, visit the Oxford University Research Archive guide.

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To please Putin, universities purge liberals and embrace patriots

Russian university leaders are imbuing the country’s education system with patriotism to favor Putin, quashing Western influences and dissent.

Two weeks before the start of his 25th year as Russia’s supreme political leader, Vladimir Putin made a sweeping proclamation: “Wars are won by teachers.”

The remark, which Putin repeated twice during his year-end news conference in December, shed light on a campaign he is waging that has received little attention outside wartime Russia: to imbue the country’s education system with patriotism, purge universities of Western influences, and quash any dissent among professors and students on campuses that are often hotbeds of political activism.

At St. Petersburg State University, this meant dismantling a prestigious humanities program called the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences. For more than a decade, until May 2022, the faculty — or college — was led by Alexei Kudrin, a liberal economist and former finance minister who had been a close associate of Putin’s since the early 1990s, when they were deputy mayors together in St. Petersburg.

“We had many classes on U.S. history, American political life, democracy and political thought, as well as courses on Russian history and political science, history of U.S.-Russian relations, and even a course titled ‘The ABCs of War: Causes, Effects, Consequences,’” said a student at the faculty, also known as Smolny College. “They are all gone now,” the student said, speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of retribution.

About this series

In a radical reshaping of Russia’s education system, curriculums are being redrawn to stress patriotism and textbooks rewritten to belittle Ukraine, glorify Russia and whitewash the totalitarian Soviet past. These changes — the most sweeping to schooling in Russia since the 1930s — are a core part of Putin’s effort to harness the war in Ukraine to remaster his country as a regressive, militarized state.

Since the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, leaders of Russian universities, which are overwhelmingly funded by the state, have zealously adopted the Kremlin’s intolerance of any dissent or self-organization, according to an extensive examination by The Washington Post of events on campuses across Russia, including interviews with students and professors both still in the country and in exile.

Professors who spoke out against the war, or allowed safe spaces for students to question it, have been fired. Students who picketed or posted on social media for peace were expelled.

Meanwhile, those who volunteer to fight in Ukraine have been celebrated in line with Putin’s promises that war heroes and their descendants will become the new Russian elite, with enhanced social benefits, including special preference for children seeking to enter top academic programs. Normally, such programs require near-perfect grades and high scores on competitive exams — uniform standards that applicants from all societal backgrounds have relied on for decades.

And the most fundamental precept of academic life — the freedom to think independently, to challenge conventional assumptions and pursue new, bold ideas — has been eroded by edicts that classrooms become echo chambers of the authoritarian nativism and historical distortions that Putin uses to justify his war and his will.

As a result, a system of higher learning that once was a beacon for students across the developing world is now shutting itself off from peer academies in the West, severing one of the few ties that had survived years of political turbulence. Freedom of thought is being trampled, if not eradicated. Eminent scholars have fled for positions abroad, while others said in interviews that they are planning to do so.

At the Russian State University for the Humanities in Moscow, officials last July created the Ivan Ilyin Higher Political School, which is now being led by Alexander Dugin, a fervent pro-Putin and Orthodox Christian ideologue who was tasked with “revising domestic scientific and educational paradigms and bringing them into line with our traditional Russian spiritual and moral values.”

“There has been a catastrophic degradation in Western humanitarian history,” Dugin said at a January seminar on transforming Russian humanities education. “This is evidenced by gender problems, postmodernism and ultraliberalism. We can study the West, but not as the ultimate universal truth. We need to focus on our own Russian development model.”

How we reported ‘Russia, Remastered’

Last month, students pushed an online petition to protest the naming of the school after Ilyin, a philosopher who defended Hitler and Mussolini in World War II and advocated for the return of czarist autocracy in Russia. In a statement to Tass, the state-controlled news service, the university denounced the petition as “part of the information war of the West and its supporters against Russia” and asserted, without providing evidence, that the group behind it had no connection to students at the school.

Programs specializing in the liberal arts and sciences are primary targets because they are viewed as breeding grounds for dissent. Major universities have cut the hours spent studying Western governments, human rights and international law, and even the English language.

“We were destroyed,” said Denis Skopin, a philosophy professor at Smolny College who was fired for criticizing the war. “Because the last thing people who run universities need are unreliable actors who do the ‘wrong’ thing, think in a different way, and teach their students to do the same.”

The demise of

Smolny College

The demise of Smolny College

St. Petersburg State University, commonly known as SPbU, has long been one of Russia’s premier academies of higher learning. It is the alma mater of both Putin, who graduated with a degree in law in 1975, and former president Dmitry Medvedev, who received his law degree 12 years later and now routinely threatens nuclear strikes on the West as deputy chairman of Russia’s national security council.

In many ways, the university has become the leader in reprisals against students and staff not loyal to the Kremlin, with one newspaper dubbing it the “repressions champion” of Russian education. Its halls have become a microcosm of modern Russia in which conservatives in power are pushing out the few remaining Western-oriented liberals.

Like other aspects of Putin’s remastering of Russia — such as patriotic mandates in the arts and the redrawing of the role of women to focus on childbearing — the shift in education started well before the invasion of Ukraine. In 2021, Russia ended a more than 20-year-old exchange program between Smolny College and Bard College in New York state by designating the private American liberal arts school an “undesirable” organization.

Jonathan Becker, Bard’s vice president for academic affairs and a professor of political studies, said the demise of Smolny was emblematic of a wider shift in Russia as well as a new intolerance of the West.

“A huge number of faculty have been let go, several departments closed, core liberal arts programs which focus on critical thinking have been eliminated,” Becker said. “All of that has happened, and it’s not just happened at Smolny — it has happened elsewhere. But we were doubly problematic because we both represent critical thinking and partnership with the West. And neither of those are acceptable in present-day Russia.”

In October 2022, in a scene captured on video and posted on social media, dozens of students gathered in a courtyard to bid a tearful goodbye to Skopin, Smolny’s cherished philosophy professor who was fired for an “immoral act” — protesting Putin’s announcement of a partial military mobilization to replenish his depleted forces in Ukraine.

The month before, according to court records and interviews, Skopin was arrested at an antiwar rally. He ended up sharing a jail cell with another professor, Artem Kalmykov, a young mathematician who had recently finished his PhD at the University of Zurich.

That fall, the university launched an overhaul that all but shut Smolny College and replaced the curriculum with a thoroughly revamped arts and humanities program.

The dismantling of Smolny marked the resolution of a years-long feud between Kudrin, the liberal-economist dean, and Nikolai Kropachev, the university rector, whom tutors and students described as a volatile character with a passion for building ties in the highest echelons of the government.

It’s hard to describe the insane level of anxiety the students felt at the start of the invasion, and I’d say 99 percent of them were against it.”

Denis Skopin

Former philosophy professor at Smolny College

It’s hard to describe the insane level of anxiety the students felt at the start of the invasion, and I’d say

99 percent of them were against it.”

It’s hard to describe the insane level

of anxiety the students felt at the start

of the invasion, and I’d say 99 percent

of them were against it.”

It’s hard to describe the insane level of anxiety

the students felt at the start of the invasion,

and I’d say 99 percent of them were against it.”

In February, Sergei Naryshkin, the head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, sent a heartfelt birthday message to Kropachev, thanking him for his “civic and political activity” and for “comprehensive assistance in replenishing personnel.”

One student described how Kropachev once interrupted a meeting with students and hinted that he needed to take a call from Putin, in what the student viewed as a boast of his direct access to the Russian leader. Both St. Petersburg State University and Moscow State University were assigned a special status in 2009, under which their rectors are appointed personally by the president.

Skopin, who earned his PhD in France, and his cellmate, Kalmykov, were perfect examples of the type of academic that Russia aspired to attract from the early 2000s to the mid-2010s — enticed after studying abroad to bring knowledge home amid booming investment in higher education. But by 2022, the system seemed to have no need for them.

Video of the gathering in the courtyard shows students erupting in sustained applause, and one student coming forward to hug Skopin.

“It’s hard to describe the insane level of anxiety the students felt at the start of the invasion, and I’d say 99 percent of them were against it,” Skopin said.

After his dismissal, some students tried to fight the administration’s plan to dismantle the Smolny program.

“At one point we found ourselves in a situation where out of 30 original faculty staff, we had just three tutors left,” said Polina Ulanovskaya, a sociology student and activist who led the student union. “And the quality of education definitely suffered, especially all of the politics-related classes.”

Ulanovskaya said that on the political science track, only two professors have stayed, and many classes were eliminated, including a human rights course. There are now just two courses offered in English, down from 21.

With every new professor, Ulanovskaya said, she felt a need to test the waters. Would the word “gender” trigger them? Could she say something opposition-leaning? What would be a red flag?

Ulanovskaya opted out of writing a thesis on her main research topic — Russian social movements, politicization of workers and historic-preservation activists — out of fear that it would be blacklisted. Instead, she wrote about Uruguay.

“The main problem at the faculty now is that there is no freedom and especially no sense of security,” she said. “I guess there is no such thing anywhere in Russia now ... you can’t trust anyone in any university.”

A few weeks after The Post interviewed Ulanovskaya last fall, she was expelled, formally for failing an exam, but she and Skopin said they believe it was retaliation for her activism.

Another student, Yelizaveta Antonova, was supposed to get her bachelor’s degree in journalism just days after legendary Novaya Gazeta newspaper reporter Yelena Milashina was brutally beaten in Chechnya, the small Muslim-majority republic in southern Russia under the dictatorial rule of Ramzan Kadyrov.

Antonova, who interned at Novaya Gazeta and looked up to Milashina, felt she could not accept her diploma without showing support for her colleague. She and a roommate printed a photo of Milashina, depicting the reporter’s shaved head and bandaged hands, to stage a demonstration at their graduation ceremony — much to the dismay of other classmates, who sought to block the protest.

“They essentially prevented us from going on stage,” Antonova said. “So we did it outside of the law school, and we felt it was extra symbolic because Putin and Medvedev studied in these halls.”

They held up the poster for about half an hour, until another student threatened them by saying riot police were on the way to arrest them. Antonova believes the protest cost her a spot in graduate school, where she hoped to continue her research comparing Russia’s media landscape before and after the invasion.

Eight months after the graduation ceremony, authorities launched a case against Antonova and her roommate for staging an unauthorized demonstration — an administrative offense that is punishable by a fine and puts people on law enforcement’s radar. Antonova left the country to continue her studies abroad.

Ideological divides

The history college at St. Petersburg State has long been a battleground for various ideologies, with cliques ranging from conservatives and Kremlin loyalists to unyielding opposition-minded liberals, according to interviews with students and professors.

The February 2022 invasion of Ukraine caused a deeper split. Some students and professors openly praised Putin’s “special military operation,” as the Kremlin called the war, while others joined rallies against it.

“The war gave them carte blanche,” said Michael Martin, 22, a former star at the college — to which he was automatically admitted after winning two nationwide academic competitions and where he earned straight A’s.

Martin was a leader of the student council, which on the day of the invasion issued an antiwar manifesto quickly drafted in a cafe.

Another history student, Fedor Solomonov, took the opposite view and praised the special military operation on social media. When Solomonov was called up as part of the mobilization, he declined to take a student deferral and went to fight. He died on the front on April 1, 2023.

Soon after Solomonov’s death, screenshots from internal chats where students often debated history and politics were leaked and went viral on pro-war Telegram channels. In some, Martin and other classmates expressed antiwar sentiments, while another showed a message — allegedly written by an assistant professor, Mikhail Belousov — vaguely describing events in Ukraine as “Rashism,” a wordplay combining “Russia” and “fascism.”

In an aggressive online campaign, pro-war activists demanded that Belousov, who denied writing the message, be fired and that the antiwar students, whom they labeled “a pro-Ukrainian organized crime group,” be expelled.

“A cell of anti-Russian students led by a Russophobe associate professor is operating at the history faculty,” read posts on Readovka, a radical outlet with 2.5 million followers. “They are rabid liberals who hate their country.” Belousov was dismissed and seven students, including Martin, were accused of desecrating Solomonov’s memory and expelled.

Belousov has gone underground and could not be reached for comment.

“They essentially tried to make me do the Sieg Heil,” Martin said, recalling the expulsion hearing, where he said the committee repeatedly asked leading questions trying to get him to say the war was justified. The committee also asked him repeatedly about Solomonov.

“I said he was for the war and I was against it — we could argue about that,” Martin said. “I didn’t find anything funny or interesting in this — I’m truly sorry for what happened to him, but at the same time, I don’t think that he did something good or great by going to war.”

Martin said that as the war raged on, the university began “glorifying death” and praising alumni who had joined the military.

This narrative also warped the curriculum.

A few weeks into the invasion, the school introduced a class on modern Ukrainian history, with a course description asserting that Ukrainian statehood is based “on a certain mythology.”

They essentially tried to make me do the Sieg Heil.”

Michael Martin

Former student at St. Petersburg State University

Belousov, the former assistant professor, criticized a course titled “The Great Patriotic War: No Statute of Limitations,” taught by an instructor with a degree in library science. The key message of the course is that the Soviet Union had no role in the start of World War II — a denial of Russia’s joint invasion of Poland with Nazi Germany in 1939.

According to a government document reviewed by The Post, Russia’s Higher Education Ministry plans to introduce this course at other universities to ensure the “civic-patriotic and spiritual-moral education of youth,” specifically future lawyers, teachers and historians, and to “correct false ideas.”

“These are obviously propaganda courses that are aimed at turning historians into court apologists,” Martin said.

Martin was expelled days before he was supposed to defend his thesis. He quickly left the country after warnings that he and his classmates could be charged with discrediting the army, a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison. A criminal case was initiated against Belousov on charges of rehabilitating Nazism.

“This is all very reminiscent of the Stalinist 1930s purges,” Martin said. “The limit of tolerated protest now is to sit silently and say nothing. There is despair at the faculty and a feeling that they have crushed everything.”

New Russian elite

To lure more Russian men to fight in Ukraine, the government has promised their families various sweeteners, including cheap mortgages, large life insurance payments and education benefits for their children.

In 2022, Putin approved changes to education laws to grant children of soldiers who fought in Ukraine admissions preferences at Russia’s best universities — schools that normally accept only students with near-perfect exam scores and impressive high school records.

Now, at least 10 percent of all fully funded university spots must be allocated to students eligible for the military preference. Those whose fathers were killed or wounded do not need to pass entry exams.

The new law solidified a previous Putin decree that gave special preferences to soldiers and their children. In the 2023-24 academic year, about 8,500 students were enrolled based on these preferences, government officials said. According to an investigation by the Russian-language outlet Important Stories, nearly 900 students were admitted to 13 top universities through war quotas, with most failing to meet the normal exam score threshold.

In areas of Ukraine captured by Russian forces since February 2022, a different takeover of the education system is underway, with Moscow imposing its curriculum and standards just as it did after invading and illegally annexing Crimea in 2014.

For the 2023-24 academic year, according to the Russian prime minister’s office, more than 5 percent of fully state-financed tuition stipends — roughly 37,000 out of 626,000 — were allocated for students at universities in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson or Zaporizhzhia, the four occupied or partly occupied areas of Ukraine that Putin has claimed to be annexed.

The relatively large allocation of tuition aid in occupied areas shows how financial assistance and education are central to Putin’s effort to seize lands in southeast Ukraine and absorb its population into Russia in violation of international law.

Deans of several leading Russian universities have made highly publicized trips to occupied Ukraine to urge students there to enroll into Russian schools, part of a multipronged effort to bring residents into Moscow’s orbit.

The Moscow-based Higher School of Economics, once considered Russia’s most liberal university, recently established patronage over universities in Luhansk, with Rector Nikita Anisimov often traveling there.

An inward turn

A few weeks after the invasion started, Moscow abandoned the Bologna Process , a pan-European effort to align higher education standards, as Russia’s deans and rectors strove to show they weren’t susceptible to foreign influence.

Higher Education Minister Valery Falkov said Russian universities would undergo significant changes in the next half-decade, overseen by the national program “Priority 2030,” which envisions curriculums that ensure “formation of a patriotic worldview in young people.”

Soon after Russia quit the Bologna Process, Smolny College was targeted for overhaul.

“The decision was an expected but distinct shift from the more liberal model of Russian higher education policy that emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union,” said Victoria Pardini, a program associate at the Kennan Institute, a Washington think tank focused on Russia.

Another prestigious school, the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, canceled its liberal arts program in 2022 after authorities accused it of “destroying national values.”

In mid-October 2023, the Higher Education Ministry ordered universities to avoid open discussion of “negative political, economic and social trends,” according to a publicly disclosed report by British intelligence. “In the longer term, this will likely further the trend of Russian policymaking taking place in an echo-chamber,” the report concluded.

Russia’s position among

countries by number of

scholarly papers published

Source: Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics

of Knowledge

Russia’s position among countries by

number of scholarly papers published

Source: Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge

Russia’s position among countries by number of

Many international exchange programs have been canceled — some because Russian students now have difficulty obtaining visas. Still, a heavy brain drain is underway. “All those who could — they left the country,” Skopin said of his students. “Those who can’t are thrashing around as if they are in a cage.”

Martin is among those who got out — he was recently accepted into a prestigious master’s program abroad and plans to continue his research into 19th-century Australian federalism.

Skopin now teaches in Berlin and is a member of Smolny Beyond Borders, an education program that seeks funding to cover the tuition of students who leave Russia because of their political views. As of late 2023, an estimated 700 students were enrolled.