doctoral thesis oxford

Finding theses

The Bodleian Library has purchased copies of some UK theses. These can be found on SOLO (the University’s online library catalogue) and may be ordered for delivery to a reading room. 

Theses from other universities held in Oxford are not all catalogued in a uniform way. Adding the word 'thesis' as a keyword in SOLO may help, but this is unlikely to find all theses, and may find published works based upon theses as well as unpublished theses.

Card catalogue  

Some early theses accepted for higher degrees and published before 1973 are held in the Bodleian Library but are not yet catalogued on SOLO. These holdings can be found in the Foreign Dissertations Catalogue card index. This catalogue is not currently available to readers.

To request access to material in the catalogue, speak to library staff at the Main Enquiry Desk in the Lower Reading Room of the Old Bodleian Library, or contact us by email or phone (01865 277162). 

Other finding aids

Proquest dissertations & theses.

You can use ProQuest Dissertations & Theses: UK & Ireland to locate theses accepted for higher degrees at universities in the UK and Ireland since 1716. The service also provides abstracts of these theses.

Library Hub Discover

You can use Library Hub Discover to search the online catalogues of some of the UK’s largest university research libraries to see if a thesis is held by another UK library.

EThOS is the UK’s national thesis service, managed by the British Library. It aims to provide a national aggregated record of all doctoral theses awarded by UK higher education institutions, with free access to the full text of many theses. It has around 500,000 records for theses awarded by over 120 institutions.

UTREES - University Theses in Russian, Soviet, and East European Studies 1907–

UTREES is a bibliographical database of research in the British Isles. The database has been continuously extended from the printed volume, most recently with 202 recent theses added in 2021. The database lists details of over 6,000 doctoral and selected masters’ theses from British and Irish universities. It covers research relating to Eastern and Central Europe, Russia and the area of the former USSR, including Central Asia, the Caucasus and Siberia.

White Rose ETheses Online

White Rose ETheses Online is an online repository of doctoral theses from the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield and York. It is part of a national and international network of open access online databases which promote access to research outputs. Many theses have been digitised by the British Library as part of the EThOS. However there have been instances where theses are available via WhiteRose eTheses Online before they reach EThOS.

Individual universities

You can also go to individual UK universities' sites for their online theses repositories.

Ordering theses

Many theses from other UK universities are available to be downloaded for free from the British Library's EThOS service. 

You can also request theses from other UK universities as an inter-library request .

Please note that it may not be possible to obtain some theses due to restrictions on lending placed by the author of the thesis or the institution at which it is held.

Current members of Oxford University pay a standard subsidised fee for inter-library loans of UK theses. Readers who are not current members of Oxford University will be charged differently. We recommend that such readers use the facilities provided by their own institution or their local public library.

Cambridge theses

You can purchase copies of Cambridge University theses through the Cambridge University Library's online order form . There is a standard charge of £75 (plus VAT and postage).

Copies of theses

Some full-text theses can be downloaded for free from EThOS. 

It may be possible to copy small sections from a paper thesis obtained via interlibrary loan. Enquiry and reserve desk staff may be able to advise, but you can send enquiries to the Inter-Library Loans team .

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Ion trap quantum computing

Research group

Research theme

• Quantum information and computation

Sub department

• Atomic and Laser Physics

Related research groups

• Atom-photon connection
• NMR quantum computing
• Ultracold quantum matter

Doctoral Theses

High-fidelity, near-field microwave gates in a cryogenic surface trap marius weber 2022.

Implementation of Mølmer-Sørensen two-qubit gates on 43 Ca + hyperfine clock qubits in a cryogenic (≈25K) surface trap, driven by near-field microwaves. We achieve gate durations of 154µs (with 1.0(2)% error) and 331µs (0.5(1)% error), which approaches the performance of typical laser-driven gates. In the 331µs gate, we demonstrate a new Walsh-modulated dynamical decoupling scheme which suppresses errors due to fluctuations in the qubit frequency as well as imperfections in the decoupling drive itself. Development of an ion transport toolbox, with demonstrations of splitting and merging operations in two different traps.

Device-independent key distribution between trapped-ion quantum network nodes David Nadlinger, 2022

Implementation of a complete protocol for device-independent quantum key distribution over a quantum network link, resulting in the generation of a 95884-bit shared private key, after 8.5 hours of run time. This is enabled by the high-rate (100s -1 ), high-fidelity [96.0(1)%] generation of Bell states between remote trapped-ion qubits, yielding a detection-loophole-free CHSH inequality violation of 2.677(6) and quantum bit error rate of 1.44(2)%, both of which are stable during the generation of millions of Bell pairs. We also introduce a versatile method for micromotion compensation using time-stamped photon detection; we achieve a sensitivity to stray electric fields of 0.1 Vm -1 /\(\sqrt{\rm Hz}\).  [ORA copy not yet available]

An elementary quantum network of entangled optical atomic clocks Bethan Nichol, 2022

Demonstration of entanglement-enhanced frequency comparison of two optical atomic clocks based on the 674nm quadrupole transition of 88 Sr + ions, which are linked by a quantum-optical fibre link (\(\approx 2\)m long). We show that the use of an entangled state reduces the measurement uncertainty by nearly \(\sqrt{2}\), the value expected for the Heisenberg Limit. Today's optical clocks are typically limited by dephasing of the probe laser; in this regime, we find that entanglement yields a factor 2 reduction in the measurement uncertainty compared to conventional correlation spectroscopy techniques. We demonstrate this enhancement for the measurement of a frequency shift applied to one of the clocks. [ORA copy not yet available]

A cryogenic trap for microwave-driven quantum logic using 43 Ca + ions Clemens L ö schnauer, 2021

Development of single and two-qubit operations for a new hyperfine atomic clock qubit, operating at 28.8mT in 43 Ca + , in a cryogenic surface-electrode trap. A single ion is laser-cooled to 0.5mK, close to the Doppler limit, by exploiting two-photon dark resonances that form between fine-structure levels. Resolved-sideband cooling on a Raman transition is used to cool the two-ion radial motional mode to an average occupation number \(\bar{n}=0.08\) . Spin-motion entanglement driven by near-field microwaves is used to diagnose the Mølmer–Sørensen interaction. Initial two-qubit gate attempts give a fidelity 0.77(2).

Benchmarking memory and logic gates for trapped-ion quantum computing Amy Hughes, 2021

Characterisation of the memory performance of a 43 Ca + clock qubit: randomised benchmarking is used to directly measure errors as small as 1.2(7) × 10 −6 after a storage time of 1 ms. The memory error remains < 10 −4 for up to 50 ms with no additional dynamical decoupling, or < 10 −3 for up to 2 seconds with a simple CPMG sequence. Comparison of different implementations of mixed-element two-qubit gates on a  43 Ca + - 88 Sr + crystal: a light-shift gate with a fidelity of 99.8(1)% or 99.7(1)%, measured using partial state tomography or interleaved randomised benchmarking respectively, and several varieties of Mølmer–Sørensen gates with measured fidelities of up to 99.6(2)%.

High-fidelity mixed species entanglement of trapped ions Keshav Thirumalai, 2019

High-fidelity mixed-species quantum logic gates between 43 Ca + and 88 Sr + ground-level qubits. Demonstration of a Ca-Sr logic gate, using a single 402nm laser system tuned midway between S-P dipole transitions of these two species, and characterization of the gate by several methods (Bell state tomography, process tomography and randomized benchmarking). An entangled state fidelity of up to 99.8% is achieved, comparable to that of the best same-species gates. A same-species Sr-Sr gate is also demonstrated, using the 674nm S-D quadrupole transition, with fidelity 96%.

Cryogenic, near-field quantum logic chips with passive field nulling on 43 Ca + Jochen Wolf, 2019

Design and characterization of our first cryogenic ion trap apparatus. Design of UHV system for both room temperature and cryogenic (LHe) operation using a flow cryostat. Description of new chip trap design for microwave-driven high-fidelity entangling gates, using a novel electrode layout for passive field nulling. Development of a wafer-scale chip fabrication process and eutectic chip bonding technique. Preliminary study of ion loading rates. Initial characterization of microwave field distribution above the chip using a single calcium-43 ion.

Entanglement between nodes of a quantum network Laurent Stephenson, 2019

Construction of our first quantum networking experiment. Demonstration of high-rate, high-fidelity remote entanglement of two 88 Sr + ions, trapped in two separate vacuum systems "Alice" and "Bob", connected by a 4m-long quantum-optical fibre link (qubit separation ~2m as the crow flies). Achievement of heralded entanglement with fidelity 94% at an average rate of 182 Bell pairs per second (success probability 0.022%). Generation of single-ion/single-photon entanglement with fidelity 97.9% at a rate of 5700 events per second.

Fast gates and mixed-species entanglement with trapped ions Vera Schäfer, 2018

Fast entangling gates using amplitude-shaped pulses on 43 Ca + , reaching a fidelity of 99.8% in 1.6µs and 60% in 480ns. Bell test experiment on 43 Ca + - 40 Ca + mixed-species crystal and demonstration of mixed species entangling gate on 88 Sr + - 43 Ca + .

Probing qubit memory errors at the 10 −5 level James Tarlton, 2018

Direct measurement of qubit memory errors in a calcium-43 "atomic clock" qubit. Randomized memory benchmarking is used to measure the memory error of a single qubit down to the few 10 -6 level. The error is found to remain below the 10 -3 level for up to 400ms. Surface trap designs for near-field microwave-driven two-qubit gates are explored.

A high-fidelity microwave driven two-qubit quantum logic gate in 43 Ca + Martin Sepiol, 2016

Experimental implementation of a microwave-driven two-qubit quantum logic gate in a room-temperature microfabricated surface ion trap. The gate scheme involves dynamical decoupling methods, which stabilise the qubits against fluctuations of the motional mode frequency and fluctuating energy shifts, and avoid the need to null the microwave field. The gate is applied directly to hyperfine "atomic clock" qubits in 43 Ca + using the near-field microwave magnetic field gradient produced by an integrated trap electrode. The achieved gate fidelity is 99.7(1)%, after accounting for state preparation and measurement errors.

Near-field microwave addressing of trapped-ion qubits for scalable quantum computation Diana Prado Lopes Aude Craik, 2016

Demonstration of high-fidelity spatial and polarization addressing of trapped-ion "atomic clock" memory qubits using near-field microwaves. Addressing is performed by interfering fields from integrated microwave electrodes to address a chosen trap zone whilst nulling crosstalk fields in the neighbour zone. Design of a next-generation ion trap which can perform near-field microwave addressing in a quantum CCD architecture without the need for nulling fields. Demonstration of a prototype micro-fabricated loop antenna for microwave characterization of chip ion traps.

Optical Bloch equations for simulating trapped-ion qubits Hugo Janacek, 2015

Modelling temperature and fluorescence of a trapped ion using the optical Bloch equations. Development of efficient simulations that solve the time-dependent and time-independent problems for systems with large numbers of states. Introduction of a routine designed to model the approach to the steady state. Analysis of Doppler cooling incorporating motion of a trapped ion and the effects of repumping from a D state. Development of cooling schemes for 43 Ca + at 146G and comparison with experiment. Demonstration of Doppler cooling below the Doppler limit for this isotope. Analysis of resonant effects in systems with more than three levels and comparison with experiment.

Linear Paul trap design for high-fidelity, scalable quantum information processing Sarah Woodrow (M.Sc. Thesis), 2015

Design of a new linear 'blade' trap, with improved optical access. Review of linear Paul trap theory. Discussion of axial micromotion and its use for ion addressing. Numerical simulations of trap fields. Technical drawings of trap components.

High-fidelity quantum logic in Ca + Christopher Ballance, 2014

High-fidelity single- and two-qubit laser-driven logic gates in 43 Ca + hyperfine qubits. Theoretical and experimental study of speed/fidelity trade-off for two-qubit gates. Achievement of single-qubit gate fidelities above 99.99%, and two-qubit gate fidelities ranging between 97.1(2)% (for a gate time of 3.8µs) and 99.9(1)% (at 100µs), after accounting for single-qubit operation and readout errors (each at the 0.1% level). Demonstration of a mixed-species ( 43 Ca + and 40 Ca + ) entangling gate with a fidelity of 99.8(5)%.

High-fidelity microwave-driven quantum logic in intermediate-field 43 Ca + Thomas Harty, 2013

Development of an intermediate magnetic field "atomic clock" qubit in 43 Ca + at 146G and high-fidelity techniques to manipulate this qubit using microwaves and lasers in a microfabricated surface-electrode ion trap. Randomized benchmarking of a single qubit. Work towards microwave-driven two-qubit gates including a theoretical analysis of likely sources of experimental error.

Background-free detection and mixed-species crystals in micro- and macroscopic ion-traps for scalable QIP Norbert Linke, 2012

Assembly and testing of a microstructured 3D ion trap. Background-free detection and read-out of trapped ions. Raman laser system consisting of two injection-locked frequency-doubled lasers. Ground-state cooling and coherent manipulation of a mixed-species crystal in a macroscopic ion trap.

Surface-electrode ion traps for scalable quantum computing David Allcock, 2011

Design, fabrication and testing of microfabricated surface-electrode ion traps. Pulsed laser cleaning of ion traps to reduce anomalous heating. An intermediate-field hyperfine "atomic clock" qubit in 43 Ca + . Design, construction and testing of an ion trap incorporating microwave resonators for microwave-driven quantum logic gates.

High fidelity readout of trapped ion qubits Alice Burrell, 2010

High-fidelity readout of trapped ion qubits. Demonstration of time-arrival resolved discrimination of ion states (TARDIS) with a photomultiplier detector to perform single-shot readout of a single 40 Ca + optical qubit with 99.991(1)% fidelity. Replacing the photomultipler by an electron-multiplying CCD camera, the TARDIS method allows discrimination in both spatial and temporal dimensions, enabling achievement of the same 99.99% readout fidelity for a 4-ion "qunybble", despite 4% optical cross-talk between neighbouring ions.

Measurement-selected ensembles in trapped-ion qubits Michael Curtis, 2010

Segmented ion trap modelling; measurement-selected ensembles (weak measurement); operation of planar and 7-electrode traps; implementation of a qubit in D5/2 state of 40Ca; partial collapse and `uncollapse' experiments.

High fidelity readout and protection of a 43 Ca + trapped ion qubit David Szwer, 2009

Rate equations programs for simulation of 43 Ca + ; comparison with experiment and Bloch equations. Simulation and optimisation of a robust, high-fidelity readout method from 43Ca+; experimental implementation. Attempted two-qubit gate with 40 Ca + and 43 Ca + mixed crystal; problems with crystallisation; electrode noise; measurement of heating rate, motional decoherence and "Schrodinger Cat" states. Derivation of Uhrig Dynamical Decoupling (UDD); review of the literature; experimental implementation of UDD and CPMG on 43 Ca + hyperfine ground-state qubits.

Implementing segmented ion trap designs for quantum computing Gergely Imreh, 2008

Numerical modelling of multiple-electrode traps. Ion shuttling and loading theory. Set-up of apparatus (including vacuum system, lasers and optics and control electronics) for trapping and experimenting with microfabricated "Sandia trap". Detailed evaluation of "Sandia trap": loading and micro-motion compensation; measurement of ion lifetime, motional frequency and heating rate; demonstration of ion shuttling.

A quantum memory qubit in calcium-43 Benjamin Keitch, 2007

Design and construction of various experimental apparatus: Laser Control Unit for precise pulse timing; master-slave 398nm laser system for Raman transitions in the hyperfine ground states of 43 Ca + ; KILL-110 system for PDH locking of lasers to optical cavities. Investigation of magnetic field fluctuations, using microwaves and 43 Ca + hyperfine states; Spicer SC20 field cancelling system tested. Demonstration of long T2 coherence time of 43 Ca + hyperfine clock state qubit.

Entanglement of two trapped-ion spin qubits Jonathan Home, 2006

Careful study of sideband cooling and temperature diagnostics for one and two ions. Motional coherence measurements. Coherent manipulation of two ions. Spin state tomography for two ions. Quantum logic gate by oscillating force; deterministic entanglement. For electrode configurations for trap arrays, see Home and Steane paper, 2006.

Raman sideband cooling and coherent manipulation of trapped ions Simon Webster, 2005

Photoionisation, Rabi/Ramsay experiments on single spin qubits by magnetic resonance and stimulated Raman transitions, continuous Raman sideband cooling using bright/dark resonance, pulsed Raman sideband cooling to the motional ground state, temperature diagnostics for 1 and 2 ions, rate equations for Ca-43.

Two-photon readout methods for an ion trap quantum information processor Matthew McDonnell, 2003

MOPA 397 laser system, servo theory, Pound-Drever-Hall (and other) locking, optical Bloch equations, dark resonance fits, dark resonance cooling/heating, spin state readout: various methods, EIT method proposed and implemented.

Stabilization and control in a linear ion trap John-Patrick Stacey, 2003

Reference cavities, improved photon counting, photon arrival time correlation method for micromotion compensation, new 850 laser, AOM optics, r.f. study towards helical resonator, magnetic field coils, dark resonances, isotope-selective photoionisation in detail.

Marek Š a š ura, 2002

Survey of ion/laser coupling theory, theoretical study of "pushing" gate method.

Development of an ion trap quantum information processor Charles Donald, 2000

Some space charge ideas, general apparatus development, imaging, spectroscopy of blue laser diodes, field compensation drift, precise D 5/2 lifetime measurement, upper bound on 2- and 3-ion quantum jump correlations and statistical analysis.

The quantum manipulation of ions David Stevens, 1999

Construction from scratch of our first ion trap, some Mathieu equation and Doppler cooling theory, optogalvanic spectroscopy, frequency doubling, observations of crystals and quantum jumps, first look at D 5/2 lifetime measurement.

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• Researcher Training & Development
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• Completing your DPhil

Writing your Thesis

Getting started.

This section draws on the presentation made by Professor David Gavaghan, Director of the Doctoral Training Centre, on the Completing your DPhil course; and material from Dr Louise Baron , who delivers the Thesis and Report Writing course for the Division.  

Getting started on writing your thesis can be a daunting prospect. However by the time you are entering the final stages of your DPhil you will already have done a great deal towards it. You will also have done a variety of writing – for example a literature review, reports for your supervisor, possible articles for publication or things like funding proposals.

Do start drafting parts of your thesis as early as you can so that it is an ongoing and iterative process rather than a large project to get done at the end; and read theses written by others – particularly those in your own field - to give you ideas on how to approach it.

When you are ready to start drafting, think about these questions. Try actually writing the answers rather than just thinking, as this often helps you clarify things.

• What is a thesis? What is its purpose?
• What makes a good DPhil Thesis?
• Have you got a plan for writing up? If not see the suggestions below
• What problems are you experiencing / do you think you will encounter in writing up? How can you plan to approach those problems?
• How long do you expect it to take you to finish? Double it!
• What help do you need / expect from your supervisor and how will you get it?

Whenever you write anything, always keep your audience in mind, and make it as easy as possible for them to understand and follow your narrative and arguments. The main audience for your thesis are your examiners, and they will want you to succeed. However they are busy people, so while you are planning, structuring and writing your thesis always consider how to make your story interesting for them, and easy to follow. 

There is lots of useful information about thesis regulations and requirements on the division’s Submitting your Thesis page. You must also make yourself aware of your department’s requirements for your thesis.

See also the University Examination Regulations .

A simple and effective structure to follow is to say what you’re going to say, say it, then say what you have said. This can apply to the structure of your whole thesis, to each section and to each chapter.

There will also be conventions for structure in your department and your own field, so it’s crucial that you find out what these are, but in general you should aim to organise your thesis so that it follows the trajectory of your argument and narrative. This means you may not write about your research in the order that it happened – you may organise your content in the way that makes following it easy.

It is important to plan your structure and to follow your plan, but don’t worry if you find you need to change the plan as you start to write – flexibility is important. A good place to start is to outline your main sections and chapters and what will go in each.

Your thesis should give a clear account of the research you have done; it’s your opportunity to tell the examiners and the wider world about what you have done, the conclusions you have come to, and the implications / potential impact of your research.It is  ‘a statement of your position on a question, supported by the story of how you got there.’ (Dr Louise Baron.)

It should also demonstrate how your research fits into and contributes to your field. The University's standard for the DPhil is 'that the student present a significant and substantial piece of research, of a kind which might reasonably be expected of a capable and diligent student after three or at most four years of full-time study in the case of a full time student, or eight years in the case of a part-time student.'

Think about the story or narrative you want to tell, how to engage your audience with it, and how the narrative will flow. This will help you with your structure.

If you want to make engaging with your thesis easy for your audience, it’s essential that you make your written language as accurate and easy to read as possible. This applies regardless of whether your first language is English or not. If you need help with your written language, the division runs a Core Skills Scientific Writing course, and / or if English is not your first language, you could look at the help on offer from the University's Language Centre . 

• Aim first and foremost for clarity
• Make sure your grammar, punctuation and spelling are accurate
• Keep your sentences short and straightforward
• Don’t get too wordy! Look at your sentences and ask yourself if they could be articulated more simply
• Use straightforward words, avoiding more formal ones. Over formal words won't necessarily make you sound more clever. 

You must proof-read your thesis, and if necessary get it proof read by others. Asking others to read and comment on your thesis is an excellent way to get feedback. IMPORTANT: See the section on proof reading in the division's pages on Submitting your Thesis .

Managing the process and your time

We’ve already touched on planning your structure – you also need to have a plan to manage your time. here are some hints and tips on how to do it. 

1. Use your planned structure to break down the thesis into smaller tasks and sub-tasks, then estimate how long each will take. Then double it! – it’s not that everything will take twice as long, rather that it’s important to build contingency time into your plan for the tasks that take longer than you expect.

2. Then ring fence time for each section of your plan into your calendar. Blocking out time in your calendar makes it much more likely that you will do what you plan. You will also find that if you put specific tasks, such as ‘Write methods section’ into your calendar, rather than the broader ‘Write Thesis’, you will make better progress.

3. Observe your energy levels and the times during the day when you are at your most productive, and plan your thesis writing for those times.

4. When you have finished a task, take a break, go away from your writing and do something else.

Hugh Kearns’ article Waiting for the Motivation Fairy takes a lighthearted and helpful look at how to stay motivated during the writing process.

See the Time Management pages for more general information and hints and tips on managing your time.

Finishing your Thesis

Your thesis is such a large piece of work you will almost certainly always feel that there is more you could do to improve it, but it is very important to remember that good enough is good enough - try not to be too much of a perfectionist.

Vitae’s pages on Knowing when your Thesis is Finished provide some useful ideas to help you with this.

Also remember that your DPhil is yours, so while your supervisor is there to support and advise you, the final decision to complete and submit your thesis is yours.

Other resources and ideas

 Vitae pages on Completing your Doctorate

On this page

MMC Lab Doctorl Thesis

Doctoral thesis (dphil/phd).

(11) Michele Tricarico, DPhil Thesis, University of Oxford (2023): "Nanomechanical Behaviour of the Monolithic Framework Solids: An Experimental and Modelling Study" [ PDF ]

(10)  Annika F. Möslein, DPhil Thesis, University of Oxford (2022): "Engineering Optoelectronics and Smart Sensors Leveraging Metal-Organic Framework Materials" [ PDF ]

(9) Yang Zhang, DPhil Thesis, University of Oxford (2022): " Luminescent Metal-Organic Framework and its Polymer Composites for Photonic Sensing Technology " [ PDF ]

(8)  Arun S. Babal, DPhil Thesis, University of Oxford (2021): "Metal-organic framework materials for low- k  dielectrics and selective sensing applications" [ PDF ]

(7) Barbara E. Souza, DPhil Thesis, University of Oxford (2020): "Novel nanocomposites integrating MOFs for biomedical engineering". [ PDF ]

(6) Kirill Titov, DPhil Thesis, University of Oxford (2019): "Towards practical metal-organic framework materials: Operando and in situ studies by leveraging synchrotron and neutron sources" [ PDF ]

(5) Zhixin Zeng, DPhil Thesis, University of Oxford (2018): "Quantitative studies of the nanoscale mechanical properties of metal-organic framework materials" [ PDF ]

(4) Siqi Ying (co-supervisor), DPhil Thesis, University of Oxford (2018): "On the mesoscale plasticity of nickel-based superalloy single crystals" [ PDF ]

(3)   Matthew R. Ryder, DPhil Thesis, University of Oxford (2017): “Physical phenomena in metal-organic frameworks: mechanical, vibrational, and dielectric response” [ PDF ]

(2) Abhijeet K. Chaudhari, DPhil Thesis, University of Oxford (2017): “Nanoscale engineering of guest@host metal-organic framework materials for optoelectronic properties” [ PDF ]

(1) Mahdi E. Mahmoud, DPhil Thesis, University of Oxford (2017): “Thermo-mechanical performance and novel applications of nanocomposites incorporating metal-organic frameworks” [ PDF ]

(0) Jin-Chong Tan, PhD Thesis, University of Cambridge (2005): "Thermo-electrical properties of metallic sandwich sheets and their resistance welding characteristics" [ PDF ]

• Oxford Thesis Collection
• CC0 version of this metadata

The right to receive assistance in suicide and euthanasia, with particular reference to the law of the United States

Whether to legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia is among the most hotly debated legal and public policy issues today in the United States, as it is in many countries. In this Thesis, I first (in Chapters I and II) isolate the critical questions in this debate, the answers to which will likely determine the fate of assisted suicide and euthanasia in America's courts and legislatures: Is there historical precedent for allowing the practices? Do fairness concerns dictate that we ...

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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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Writing your research proposal

The purpose of the research proposal is to demonstrate that the research you wish to undertake is significant, necessary and feasible, that you will be able to make an original contribution to the field, and that the project can be completed within the normal time period. Some general guidelines and advice on structuring your proposal are provided below. Research proposals should be between 1,000 and 3,000 words depending on the programme (excluding the reference list/bibliography).

Title sheet

Topic statement, research aims, review of the literature, study design / theoretical orientation, research methods, tentative chapter outline, references/bibliography.

Applying for a research degree

DPhil in History

• Entry requirements
• Funding and Costs

College preference

• How to Apply

About the course

The DPhil in History is an advanced research degree, awarded on the basis of successful completion of an individual research thesis and an oral examination. 

The DPhil in History offers the opportunity to carry out research on one of the following subject areas:

• British and European History 1700-1850
• British History, 1850 onwards
• Early Modern History 1500-1700
• European History, 1850 onwards
• Global and Imperial History
• History of Science, Medicine, and Technology
• Intellectual History
• Late Antique and Byzantine Studies
• Medieval History
• Military History
• South Asian History
• Women's, Gender, and Queer History

If you're thinking about applying for a DPhil researching economic and social history, you should consider whether it would be more appropriate to apply for the  DPhil in History (Economic and Social History) .

If studying full-time, you are expected to submit your thesis three, or at most four, years from the date of admission. If studying part-time, you are expected to submit your thesis six, or at most eight, years from the date of admission.

You will be expected to attend and to contribute to the wide range of research seminars, conferences and workshops organised by the division and faculty. You will also have access to specialist training courses offered by the Bodleian Libraries and IT Services. Your supervisor will advise you on what seminars will be more beneficial for your chosen research area. You can attend any lectures, across the University, that you wish to (subject to any specific restrictions), and we encourage students to take advantage of this and explore areas outside of their specific research topic.

Further information about studying part time

The faculty is able to offer the DPhil in History in full-time as well as part-time mode of attendance. Please note that any published statistics as regards acceptance rates are not an indication of applicants having a better chance of acceptance in part-time mode. All DPhil applications are assessed together and compared with each other, irrespective of the mode of study. 

The faculty's research degrees are not available by distance learning. Although there will be no requirement to reside in Oxford, part-time research students must attend the University on a regular basis (particularly in term-time: October and November, mid-January to mid-March, and late April to mid-June) for supervision, study, research seminars and skills training, to ensure a comprehensive integration into the faculty's and University's research culture and with their full-time peer groups. The dates of attendance will be determined by mutual agreement with your supervisor. 

We cannot sponsor student visas for part-time study as the study patterns are not compatible with Home Office regulations on attendance monitoring. However, other options may be available and you should contact the  admissions  office to discuss.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision is the responsibility of the Faculty of History and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Offers will only be made if appropriate supervision is available.

It is usual practice that DPhil students have one supervisor, but a co-supervisor will be appointed if additional specialist knowledge is required. One supervisor must be a permanent member of the Faculty of History, but a co-supervisor can be appointed from a different department. In exceptional circumstances, a co-supervisor from outside the university may be appointed. 

Please note that if you have contacted a potential supervisor prior to submitting your application, any indication made by an academic that they may be willing to supervise a potential project, is not a guarantee that you will be offered a place, or that the supervisor in question has capacity to supervise you in that particular year.

Your supervisor(s) is there to provide advice, guidance, and support throughout your DPhil. You should meet your supervisor(s) early in your first term to establish a clear framework for your research and writing, and identify any skills training needed to undertake your research. It is up to you and your supervisor to decide on the frequency of future meetings. In the first year, you should meet your supervisor at least twice a term, and keep in frequent contact. As you become more engaged with your research, you may meet your supervisor less frequently, but you should maintain regular contact with them.

You will also benefit from the advice and support of other members of the faculty who will be involved in your progression through the transfer and confirmation stages of the degree, and you will be able to draw on the expertise of scholars and colleagues throughout the wider university.

All students will be initially admitted to the status of Probationer Research Student (PRS). Within a maximum of four terms as a full-time PRS student, or eight terms as a part-time PRS student, you will be expected to apply for transfer of status from Probationer Research Student to DPhil status. This application is normally made by the second term for full-time students and by the fifth term for part-time students.

A successful transfer of status from PRS to DPhil status will require the submission of a thesis outline and a piece of written work. Students who are successful at transfer will also be expected to apply for and gain confirmation of DPhil status to show that your work continues to be on track. This will need to done within nine terms of admission for full-time students and eighteen terms of admission for part-time students.

Both milestones normally involve an interview with one or two assessors (other than your supervisor) and therefore provide and important experience for the final oral examination.

Full-time students will be expected to submit a substantial thesis of not more than 100,000 words after three or, at most, four years from the date of admission. If you are studying part-time, you will be required to submit your thesis after six or, at most, eight years from the date of admission. To be successfully awarded a DPhil in History you will need to defend your thesis orally ( viva voce ) in front of two appointed examiners.

Graduate destinations

Approximately half of students who complete their doctoral thesis go on to further academic posts worldwide. Some work in museums, or as freelance historians; others are in professional administrative positions in areas such as the civil service, university administration, banking, and publishing.

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 master's degree with distinction or a high pass  (a minimum of 68% overall and 68% for the dissertation);  and
• a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours  (a minimum of 68% overall and 68% for the dissertation); in history or cognate disciplines.

However, entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a first-class degree or the equivalent. 

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.75 out of 4.0. However, entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a cumulative GPA of 3.8.

Applicants for the History DPhil are expected to have a masters in a historical subject. If you decide to apply without a prior master's degree in history, please ensure that you link your proposed thesis topic with your previous expertise when you present it in your application. You should also show that you have already done a considerable amount of background research into the topic. Your submitted written work should show your writing and research skills in their best light as it will be important to show that you have the necessary skills for historical research and writing. 

Many applicants will be enrolled on a master’s course at the point of application, in which case any offer made will be conditional on completing that master’s course to the level specified in the condition.

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

• In the case of mature students/intended career changes professional experience in cognate areas may compensate for shortcomings in the formal academic record. 
• Publications are not required.

Further guidance

When assessors judge that a formally qualified and otherwise promising applicant requires strictly limited further training to embark on a doctoral programme, a doctoral place may be offered but only on the stipulation that the student successfully complete relevant elements of one of the faculty's master's courses before attempting 'transfer' to full doctoral status, meaning that the student may be asked to attend seminars or classes intended for master’s students.

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.

Assessors may get in touch with an applicant by email in case of any queries, but this is very rare.

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.

Initiatives to improve access to graduate study

This course is taking part in  the 'Close the Gap' project  which aims to improve access to doctoral study.

For this course, socio-economic data (where it has been provided in the application form) will be used to contextualise applications at the different stages of the selection process.  Further information about how we use your socio-economic data  can be found in our page about initiatives to improve access to graduate study.

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.

Intellectual life and community

Working as an Oxford graduate student is an exhilarating experience. History in Oxford stretches from c. 300 to the present, and embraces an exceptionally broad geographical range. It comprises an active research community of up to 800 academics and graduate students. The faculty's research is organised around  historical periods, research centres, or in collaborative and individual research projects , and graduates are key participants in the wide range of seminars, workshops and conferences run by the Faculty of History .

Further opportunities for exchange are provided by the interdisciplinary communities fostered within individual colleges, which also offer dedicated support for graduates by means of personal advisors. The Oxford Centre for Research in the Humanities (TORCH) offers a stimulating range of interdisciplinary activities. History graduates are also encouraged to join the Oxford History Graduate Network (OHGN) , which fosters friendships, conversations and collaboration.

In the field of history of science, medicine, and technology, the study environment is particularly enhanced by the Wellcome Unit for the History of Medicine, the Museum of the History of Science, and the Centre for the History of Science, Medicine and Technology. There is a large number of academic experts with interest in these fields across the collegiate University and you will benefit from a variety of interdisciplinary resources, including weekly seminars. 

The Oxford environment provides a unique opportunity to develop intellectual curiosity whilst remaining focused on your own work without becoming blinkered - an integral part of a successful graduate career.

Libraries and archives

Graduates in Oxford are fortunate in having access to over a hundred libraries. The University's core research resource in the humanities are the Bodleian Libraries, whose combined collections contain more than 11 million printed items, in addition to more than 50,000 e-journals and a vast quantity of manuscripts, maps, music and other materials

The Bodleian has been a library of legal deposit for 400 years. The Bodleian Libraries’ Special Collections Department attracts scholars from all over the world. Further strengths include the countless databases and digital resources currently offered by the Bodleian and being developed through Oxford’s Digital Humanities programme.

You are also able to draw on the specialist resources offered by the Bodleian History Faculty Library which provides dedicated support and training courses for all graduates. You also have access to the many college libraries and to college archives which can house significant collections of personal papers as well as institutional records dating back to the middle ages.

History in Oxford stretches from c 300 to the present, and embraces in addition to its British and European heritage an exceptionally broad range of World history. It comprises an active research community of up to 800 senior academics and graduate students, all contributing to a range of research seminars, lectures, academic societies, and personal contacts.

Research in the faculty is organised around historical periods and research centres, or in collaborative and individual research projects, and you will always be welcome at seminars, workshops and conferences across all periods and themes.

You will be encouraged to make use of these opportunities as widely as possible without endangering your own degree work. Striking the right balance between intellectual curiosity and temptation and intellectual discipline, and remaining focused without becoming blinkered, should be an integral part of a successful graduate career. The Oxford environment provides all the ingredients for this.

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

Full-time study.

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

Part-time study

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.

Continuation charges

Following the period of fee liability , you may also be required to pay a University continuation charge and a college continuation charge. The University and college continuation charges are shown on the Continuation charges page.

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 (or, after fee liability ends, continuation charges) and living costs. However, please note that, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Please note that you are required to attend in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year, and you may incur additional travel and accommodation expenses for this. Also, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur further additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

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.

If you are studying part-time your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you must still ensure that you will have sufficient funding to meet these costs for the duration of your course.

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 for full-time study on this course:

• Balliol College
• Blackfriars
• Brasenose College
• Campion Hall
• Christ Church
• Corpus Christi College
• Exeter College
• Harris Manchester College
• Hertford College
• Jesus College
• Keble College
• Kellogg College
• Lady Margaret Hall
• Linacre College
• Lincoln College
• Magdalen College
• Mansfield College
• Merton College
• New College
• Nuffield College
• Oriel College
• Pembroke College
• The Queen's College
• Regent's Park College
• Reuben College
• St Anne's College
• St Antony's College
• St Catherine's College
• St Cross College
• St Edmund Hall
• St Hilda's College
• St Hugh's College
• St John's College
• St Peter's College
• Somerville College
• Trinity College
• University College
• Wadham College
• Wolfson College
• Worcester College
• Wycliffe Hall

The following colleges accept students for part-time study on this course:

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  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.

Readmission for current Oxford graduate taught students

If you're currently studying for an Oxford graduate taught course and apply to this course with no break in your studies, you may be eligible to apply to this course as a readmission applicant. The application fee will be waived for an eligible application of this type. Check whether you're eligible to apply for readmission .

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

You do not need to contact anyone in the faculty before you apply. You are not responsible for finding your own supervisor. However, you are strongly encouraged to familiarise yourself with the  research expertise within the faculty  when preparing your research proposal, to make sure that there is a supervisor available in the same area as your proposed project. Offers will only be made if appropriate supervision is available. The faculty determines supervision arrangements, taking due account of the workload and commitments of its academics. If you are made an offer, a supervisor will be assigned to you, and identified in the offer letter.

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.

Proposed field and title of research project

Under the 'Field and title of research project' please enter your proposed field or area of research if this is known. If the department has advertised a specific research project that you would like to be considered for, please enter the project title here instead.

You should not use this field to type out a full research proposal. You will be able to upload your research supporting materials separately if they are required (as described below).

Proposed supervisor

It is not necessary for you to identify a potential supervisor in your application.

However, please check that a supervisor with expertise in your proposed area of research is available before applying. Details can be found on the faculty website. You are free to consult a specialist in your field for advice on your project, if you think that would be helpful.

Referees: Three overall, academic preferred

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.

References should generally be academic, though if you are returning to study after extended periods of non-academic employment then you are welcome to nominate professional referees where it would be impractical to call on your previous university tutors.

Your references will support intellectual ability, academic achievement, motivation, ability to work in both a group environment and sustained individual and self-motivated investigation.

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.

Research proposal: A minimum of 500 words to a maximum of 1,000 words

Your research proposal must be written in English. A bibliography may also be provided and is not included in the word count, though any footnotes should be included.

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

This should be a developed proposal of your individual research project. It will provide crucial evidence of your readiness for doctoral research. Your proposal should cover all of the following:

• a research question: the central issue or problem with which you intend to grapple, and a working title;
• historiography: some account of the current state of scholarship in this area. You may want to explain why you are dissatisfied with existing scholarship: is it limited, dated or unconvincing? What kind of contribution will your work make?
• sources: an indication of the sources you expect to use, where these can be found, how they will contribute to your research, what if any technical skills you will need to work with them (eg language, quantitative, use of specialist software), and whether you already have, or will need to acquire, those skills; and
• method: some discussion of your approach to dealing with sources and constructing your thesis. Some of the following considerations may apply. At what level is your inquiry: micro or local, regional or national, comparative or transnational? Will you be using qualitative or quantitative techniques? Samples or case studies? Will your research draw on a body of theory? Does your approach draw on the agenda or methods of related disciplines such as anthropology, or literary studies?

This will be assessed for:

• your reasons for applying
• the coherence of the proposal
• the originality of the project
• evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study
• the ability to present a reasoned case in English
• the feasibility of successfully completing the project within three years
• preliminary knowledge of research techniques
• capacity for sustained and intense work
• the ability to contextualise, and analyse the evidence.

It will be normal for your ideas subsequently to change in some ways as you investigate the evidence and develop your project. You should nevertheless make the best effort you can to demonstrate the extent of your research question, sources and method at this moment.

Written work: An academic writing sample of no more than 4,000 words in total length

Written work should be from your most recent completed qualification, but does not need to relate closely to your proposed area of study. Extracts from a longer piece of work are welcome, but please include a preface which puts the work in context.

The work will be assessed for your:

• understanding of problems in the area
• ability to construct and defend an argument
• powers of analysis
• powers of expression.

It must be submitted in English (if this work has been translated, you must indicate if the translations are your own, or what assistance you had in producing the English text).

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document. Any footnotes should be included in the word count. A bibliography may also be provided and is not included in the word count.

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 - Full time Apply - Part time

Admissions status

Studentship applications.

Accepting studentship applications

Our studentships page provides further details , including the closing date and how to 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 5 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 Faculty of History

• Course page on the faculty's website
• Funding information from the faculty
• Academic and research staff
• Faculty research
• Humanities 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 615000

Application-process enquiries

See the application guide

Visa eligibility for part-time study

We are unable to sponsor student visas for part-time study on this course. Part-time students may be able to attend on a visitor visa for short blocks of time only (and leave after each visit) and will need to remain based outside the UK.

Communication as a Part of Smart Governance in Local Municipalities

• Conference paper
• First Online: 29 July 2022
• Cite this conference paper

• Katarína Vitálišová   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-5830-4862 12 ,
• Kamila Borseková   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-5411-7915 12 ,
• Anna Vaňová   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-0035-9326 12 ,
• Darina Rojíková 12 &
• Peter Laco   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-2134-9370 12  

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 13382))

Included in the following conference series:

• International Conference on Computational Science and Its Applications

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The problem of many Central and Eastern European countries is very fragmented structure of public administration at the local level. It is also a specific of the Slovak Republic with 95,23% of local municipalities with less as 5000 inhabitants. The size of municipality (number of inhabitants, cad aster) influences significantly the total sum of funds needed to realize all original competences, as well as to implement innovative tools of local governance. The aim of the paper is to define the specifics of communication as a part of local governance implemented by small local municipalities and to propose how the communication can be developed in line with the concept of smart governance reflecting the human and financial limits of smaller municipalities. The paper presents selected findings of primary research on the utilization of traditional and digital tools in local governance realized by the Delphi method and compares them with the results of secondary research in the municipalities of the Slovak Republic with less than 5 000 inhabitants.

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Acknowledgement

The paper presents the partial outputs of project VEGA 1/0213/20 Smart Governance in Local Municipalities.

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Faculty of Economics, Matej Bel University, Tajovského 10, 975 90, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia

Katarína Vitálišová, Kamila Borseková, Anna Vaňová, Darina Rojíková & Peter Laco

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Correspondence to Katarína Vitálišová .

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Ana Maria A. C. Rocha

University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy

Chiara Garau

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Vitálišová, K., Borseková, K., Vaňová, A., Rojíková, D., Laco, P. (2022). Communication as a Part of Smart Governance in Local Municipalities. In: Gervasi, O., Murgante, B., Misra, S., Rocha, A.M.A.C., Garau, C. (eds) Computational Science and Its Applications – ICCSA 2022 Workshops. ICCSA 2022. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 13382. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10592-0_15

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10592-0_15

Published : 29 July 2022

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