PhD programmes
Choose from a range of PhD programmes in Asian Studies and related disciplines.
What can I study?
PhD in Chinese
Join our community and undertake a specialised research project under the guidance of experienced and well-published supervisors.
We have particular strengths in: classical and modern Chinese literature; modern Chinese politics and society; modern Chinese family and religion; media; the performing arts and film; ancient Chinese philosophy and religion.
Potential supervisors
| Staff member | Research interests and expertise |
|---|---|
| Professor Natascha Gentz |
Media, politics and cultural studies |
| Professor Dr Joachim Gentz | Historiography, philosophy and religion |
| Professor Aaron Moore | Transnational and comparative social history |
| Dr Daniel Hammond | Politics and society |
| Dr Xuelei Huang | Cinema, print culture, drama and literature in modern China |
| Dr Yuqing Liu | Poetry and language culture |
| Dr Mark McLeister | Anthropology, Christianity in China |
| Dr Christopher Rosenmeier | Modern literature |
Full-time, three years (all students) ꟾ part-time, six years (eligibility criteria apply)
PhD in East Asian Studies
Join our community and undertake a specialised research project under the guidance of experienced and well-published supervisors.
We have particular strengths in: ancient philosophy and religion; the comparative politics of Asia; classical and modern literature; East Asian media and films; imperialism; colonial rule and decolonisation; political and economic transformation.
Full-time, three years (all students) ꟾ part-time, six years (eligibility criteria apply)
PhD in Japanese
Join our community and undertake a specialised research project under the guidance of experienced and well-published supervisors.
We have particular strengths in: Japanese performing arts, both traditional (especially Japanese drama of the Tokugawa period), and contemporary; Japanese/Chinese relations; media and politics; the history of Japanese religion (especially Zhenyan or Shingon Buddhism); the Meiji period and empire studies; traditional and modern Japanese literature.
Full-time, three years (all students) ꟾ part-time, six years (eligibility criteria apply)
Find out more and apply on the University of Edinburgh Degree Finder
PhD in Korean Studies
Join our community and undertake a specialised research project under the guidance of experienced and well-published supervisors.
We have particular strengths in: history; society and culture; economics; urban studies; security; public policy; political science; international relations.
Full-time, three years (all students) ꟾ part-time, six years (eligibility criteria apply)
You may also be interested in...
Full-time, three years (all students) ꟾ part-time, six years (eligibility criteria apply)
Designed to support you in making a definite and original contribution to Film Studies, this PhD programme comprises independent research under the supervision of one or more of our expert staff, with optional training in research skills and methods. LLC's expertise covers film theory, film and philosophy, various national cinemas, the work of individual filmmakers, and cinema in relation to other art forms.
Full-time, three years (all students) ꟾ part-time, six years (eligibility criteria apply)
There's lots more information about this PhD, and what to do in advance of applying, on the LLC website. You are strongly advised to read this information and follow the guidelines before making a formal application on the University of Edinburgh Degree Finder.
Take me to more information about the PhD and guidelines on what to do in advance of applying
Home of the cross-disciplinary Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, the University of Edinburgh has one of the largest communities of medieval and Renaissance specialists in the world. Join our community and undertake a specialised research project under the guidance of experienced and well-published supervisors.
Our research interests are wide-ranging and global, and include Asian history, languages and literatures, history of art and architecture, music, divinity, archaeology, and law.
Full-time, three years (all students) ꟾ part-time, six years (eligibility criteria apply)
One of the most flexible doctoral programmes in Translation Studies in the UK, our PhD enables you to enhance your translation practice while gaining an intellectual and philosophical perspective on the activity of translation, developing you as a self-reflective and theoretically-minded translator. Our expertise covers a wide range of research areas and languages, of which you can choose to work with two. Under supervision, you can opt to produce an independent thesis or an extended scholarly translation with commentary.
Full-time, three years (all students) ꟾ part-time, six years (eligibility criteria apply)
Where to next?
Take me to all postgraduate study options in Asian Studies
Take me to all PhD options in the School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures