The history of science, medicine, and technology is a long-established discipline in Oxford. R. T. Gunther and Charles Singer were among the pioneers of the subject early in the twentieth century, and since the 1920s the Museum of the History of Science has housed an outstanding collection of scientific instruments and a fine specialist library. In the early 1970s, the creation of the chair of the history of science and the establishment of the Wellcome Unit for the History of Medicine gave the subject additional strength and allowed important new departures. The Oxford Centre for the History of Science, Medicine and Technology (HSMT) was created in 2017 in order to build on the teaching and research capacity of the numerous historians working on HSMT subjects in Oxford-based projects and in various museums, colleges and faculties.
The expertise of scholars in Oxford covers most of the main areas and periods of the history of science, medicine, and technology. A varied programme of seminars, lectures, and conferences enables you to obtain knowledge of subjects beyond your chosen speciality and to meet visitors from elsewhere in Britain and abroad.
The course comprises:
- a course in Methods and Themes in HSMT, taught in classes during Michaelmas term, and reinforced by lectures on specific issues
- four advanced papers, usually taught in small classes and mostly during Hilary term.
- a dissertation on a topic of your choice, approved by your supervisor.
Examples of option courses are given on the faculty website. Please note that not every optional subject listed may be on offer every year, depending in part on levels of student demand.
If you wish to apply for the DPhil you will be encouraged to develop your doctoral proposal during the first few months of the course, so that you will be well placed to make a doctoral application.
English language proficiency
Minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level requirement
IELTS Academic
7.5
TOEFL iBT, including the 'Home Edition'
110
