The University of Strathclyde offers a three-year PhD studentship examining the history of alternative health movements, activism, and public responses in Britain since 1948. Based in the Department of Humanities, the project allows candidates to develop their own research topics within the history of health and medicine. The scholarship covers UK Home tuition fees and provides a tax-free stipend. Applications are open worldwide, but international students must cover the difference between Home and international tuition fees.
Important Dates / Deadline
- Application Deadline: October 30, 2026
- Study Start Date: January 1, 2027
- Duration: 3 years
- Study Mode: Full-time
Organization
University: University of Strathclyde
Department: Department of Humanities, History
Funding Provider: University of Strathclyde
Supervisors:
The studentship is affiliated with the Wellcome-funded project, A Transnational History of AIDS Denial: Origins, Manifestations and Persistence, 1981 to the Present.
Location / Study Destination
Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom.
Who Can Apply
Country Eligibility: Open Worldwide, with Funding Restrictions for International Students.
Applications are welcomed from UK, EU, and international candidates. Self-funded applicants are also included in the advertised eligibility categories.
However, the scholarship covers tuition fees only up to the UK Home fee rate. Successful international applicants who are charged international fees must pay the difference each year throughout their studies.
The opportunity is suitable for candidates interested in:
- History of medicine and public health.
- Health activism and social movements.
- Alternative medicine and wellness cultures.
- Social, cultural, and political history.
- Historical research on health beliefs, communities, and institutions.
Candidates are encouraged to develop an original research project aligned with the studentship’s historical focus.
Key Benefits / Funding
The University of Strathclyde funds this three-year PhD studentship.
- Tuition Coverage: UK Home tuition fees.
- Annual Stipend Rate: £21,805, tax-free.
- First-Year Stipend: £16,354, prorated for the January 2027 start.
- Monthly Stipend: £1,817, tax-free.
- Funding Duration: 3 years.
- Annual Adjustment: The stipend is expected to increase each year.
Important for International Applicants: The scholarship does not cover the full international tuition fee rate. Successful applicants charged international fees must finance the annual difference between Home and international tuition fees.
Main Requirements
Applicants should propose historical research examining unorthodox approaches to health in Britain after 1948.
The project explores how alternative health movements emerged, attracted supporters, influenced everyday health experiences, and interacted with medical professionals and public health authorities.
Potential research topics include:
- Anti-Vaccination Movements: The history of British anti-vaccination activism in the late 20th century.
- Cancer Denial: Historical perspectives on cancer denial and alternative health beliefs.
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine: The role of alternative therapies in everyday health practices.
- Media and Health Activism: Media representations of unconventional health movements.
- Regional Health Movements: Local and regional histories of alternative health activism.
- Religion and Spirituality: Spiritual and religious communities organized around health beliefs.
- Wellness Movements: The historical development of wellness cultures and practices.
Candidates may propose other relevant topics, particularly those addressing unorthodox health movements in the 20th or 21st century.
How to Apply
Prospective applicants should contact the project supervisor for research-related questions and the university’s postgraduate research scholarships team for application inquiries.
Project Contact: Dr. Hannah Elizabeth
Email: Hannah.elizabeth@strath.ac.uk
Scholarship Application Inquiries: hass-pgr-scholarships@strath.ac.uk
Applicants are encouraged to:
- Develop a research idea related to unorthodox health activism in Britain after 1948.
- Review the project’s research themes and its connection to the Wellcome-funded AIDS denial history project.
- Contact Dr. Hannah Elizabeth to discuss the proposed research.
- Contact the postgraduate research scholarships team for application procedures and eligibility questions.
- Complete the application process by October 30, 2026.
Important Notes
- International Eligibility: Applicants from all countries are welcome, including UK, EU, and non-EU candidates.
- International Funding Gap: Funding covers UK Home tuition fees only. Applicants charged international fees must pay the difference annually.
- Research Flexibility: Candidates can design their own research projects within the studentship’s historical scope.
- Project Affiliation: The studentship is connected to an established Wellcome-funded research project on AIDS denial.
- Funding Period: The scholarship supports three years of full-time doctoral study.
- Stipend Payment: The stipend is tax-free and paid monthly, with annual increases anticipated.