The Marcus Cunliffe Centre supports a range of opportunities for graduate study in the history of the southern United States through two postgraduate degrees through the Department of American Studies:
DPhil in American History
This degree prepares you to enter a range of professional careers, including higher education. Examined on a 80,000-word thesis supervised by the Fellows of the Cunliffe Centre, DPhil students aim to make a substantial original contribution to knowledge or understanding in the field. Full-time students are expected to complete the degree in three to four years; part-time students in three to six years.
MPhil in American History
This degree, ideal for postgraduates pursuing academic research careers, allows students to carry out an independent and original piece of research, under the supervision of the Fellows of the Cunliffe Centre, that is examined by a 40,000-word thesis. You can take an MPhil over one or two years full-time or up to four years part-time. While there is no coursework requirement, students are offered one or more research training courses. Your MPhil can also form part of a larger, doctoral-level work; candidates interested in this kind of research can apply for an upgrade to move from the MPhil to a DPhil programme.
For more information on the Cunliffe Centre's graduate program in Southern history, please download the current Cunliffe Centre Postgraduate Prospectus [PDF 752.49KB]
Application Procedures
Research students are admitted at the beginning of either the autumn, spring or summer terms. In order to apply, you should begin by submitting a developed research proposal, identifying the particular member(s) of the Cunliffe Centre with whom you would like to work. Once the research proposal is approved, you should submit an application form. For more information about postgraduate research admissions, refer to the postgraduate prospectus.
Those interested in submitting a research proposal or learning more about the Cunliffe Centre should contact Dr. Jarod Roll: j.h.roll@sussex.ac.uk. For more information on postgraduate admissions, including fees, external funding, and studying at Sussex more generally, please view the current postgraduate prospectus