AHRC CDP – Disruption and Diversity: Understanding the Impact of Alexander the Great Through the Material Culture of the Hellenistic World

Application Deadline: Closing Date 17:00 (UK time) 15 May 2025.<br /> <br /> Interviews will take place in person at the British Museum on 5 June 2025.

<p>The British Museum, and the University of Leeds are pleased to announce the availability of a fully funded Collaborative doctoral studentship from October 2025 under the <a href="https://www.ukri.org/what-we-do/developing-people-and-skills/ahrc/training-and-support-before-the-future-doctoral-provision-programme/collaborative-doctoral-partnerships-cdp/">AHRC’s Collaborative Doctoral Partnerships</a> (CDP) scheme.</p> <p>This project explores how Alexander the Great’s conquests and the resulting cultural and political changes can be understood through material culture, focusing on objects from the British Museum’s collections. </p> <p>This project will be jointly supervised by Dr Simon Glenn and Dr Anna Willi (British Museum) and Dr Samuel Gartland and Prof. Emma Stafford (University of Leeds). The student will be expected to spend time at both the University of Leeds and the British Museum, as well as being part of the wider cohort of CDP-funded students across the UK. There will be a requirement to spend significant periods of time in London over the course of the studentship.</p> <p>The studentship can be studied either full or part-time.</p> <p>We encourage applications from a diverse range of people, from different backgrounds and career stages.</p> <p>Students should have a Degree in a relevant subject (e.g. Archaeology, Ancient History, Classics, or a related discipline) or be able to demonstrate relevant equivalent experience (for instance professional experience from work in the heritage sector). </p> <p>The studentship is open to both home and international applicants.</p> <p> </p> <p><u><strong>Project Overview </strong></u></p> <p>Alexander the Great’s conquests (336–323 BCE) were one of the most disruptive periods in history, leading to the fall of the Achaemenid Empire and the establishment of new Graeco-Macedonian and local power structures. This project will explore how these transformations are reflected in material culture. The analysis of artifacts provides fresh perspectives on how Alexander’s empire-building affected the everyday lives of people in different regions, offering a more nuanced and accessible understanding of ancient history and allowing for a more comprehensive interpretation of the cultural and political transformations during this period. The analysis will start out from the changes that can be observed in coinage. The evidence of coinage is particularly important as often it is the most precisely dateable and most demonstrative of political changes given the status of coins as ‘official documents’. The coins’ place of production, material, and iconography clearly express Alexander’s impact on everyday life using a distinctly local vocabulary. Such changes will be compared to those present in other object groups, particularly in jewellery, figurines and vessels such as tableware. The successful candidate will have significant scope to shape the project by choosing particular object types on which to focus their study. The findings will contribute to a major British Museum exhibition on Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic World in 2030. </p> <p> </p> <p><u><strong>Research questions include:</strong></u></p> <ul> <li>What can material culture reveal about cultural and political changes under Alexander’s rule? </li> <li>How did different regions experience these transformations? </li> <li>Were Alexander’s campaigns homogenising, or did they further diversify local identities? </li> <li>How does Macedonian influence appear in various forms of material culture? </li> </ul> <p> </p> <p><u><strong>Research with the British Museum</strong></u></p> <p>This research studentship is one allocated to the British Museum by the AHRC. The successful student will be expected to spend time carrying out research and gaining relevant experience with the British Museum as part of the studentship.</p> <p> </p> <p><u><strong>Details of Award</strong></u></p> <p>CDP doctoral training grants fund full-time studentships for 4 years or part-time equivalent up to a maximum of 7 years.</p> <p>The award pays tuition fees up to the value of the full-time home fee. The Research Councils UK Indicative Fee Level for 2025/26 is £5,006 per year. Students with an ‘overseas’ fee status are welcome to apply and any difference in fees will be covered by the University of Leeds. </p> <p>The award pays an annual stipend for all students, both home and international students. This stipend is tax free, and is the equivalent of an annual salary, enabling the student to pay living costs. The UKRI Minimum Doctoral Stipend for 2025/26 is £20,780 (please note this rate is subject to change in future academic sessions), plus an allowance of £1000/year. There is also a CDP maintenance payment of £600 per year.</p> <p>Further details can be found on the <a href="https://www.ukri.org/publications/terms-and-conditions-for-training-funding/">UKRI website</a>.</p> <p>The successful candidate is eligible to receive an additional travel and related expenses grant during the course of the project courtesy of The British Museum, worth up to £1,500 per year for 4 years.</p> <p>The successful candidate will be encouraged to participate in professional development events and activities organised for all Collaborative Doctoral Partnership students who are registered with different universities and studying with cultural and heritage organisations across the UK. These activities are organised by a coordination team based at the V&A and are designed to provide CDP researchers with the knowledge, networks and skills to thrive in their future careers.</p> <p> </p> <p><u><strong>Eligibility</strong></u></p> <p>This studentship is open to both Home and International applicants. </p> <p>To be classed as a home student, candidates must meet the following criteria: </p> <ul> <li>Be a UK or Irish National (meeting residency requirements), or</li> <li>Have settled status, or </li> <li>Have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or</li> <li>Have indefinite leave to remain or enter</li> </ul> <p>Further guidance can be found here based on revisions to Training Grant Terms and Conditions for projects starting in October 2025 -  <a href="https://www.ukri.org/publications/policy-statement-review-of-the-training-grant-conditions/">Policy statement: review of the training grant conditions – UKRI</a></p> <p>International students are eligible to receive the full award for maintenance as are home students. The University of Leeds will cover the difference between what the AHRC provide to the university for tuition and the charge made by the university for tuition fees for international students studying for a doctoral degree. </p> <p>We want to encourage the widest range of potential students to study for a CDP studentship and are committed to welcoming students from different backgrounds to apply. We particularly welcome applications from people of Global Majority backgrounds as they are currently underrepresented at this level in this area. </p> <p>Applicants should ideally have or expect to receive a relevant Masters-level qualification in Archaeology, Ancient History, Classics or a related discipline, or be able to demonstrate equivalent experience in a professional setting.</p> <p>Applicants must be able to demonstrate an interest in the cultural heritage sector and potential and enthusiasm for developing skills more widely in related areas.</p> <p>As a collaborative award, students will be expected to spend time at both the University and The British Museum</p> <p>NB. All applicants must meet UKRI terms and conditions for funding. See: https://www.ukri.org/funding/information-for-award-holders/grant-terms-and-conditions/</p> <p>For information relating to the regulations surrounding how the University of Leeds assesses residency and fee status, we would advise that you visit the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website, who are the UK’s national advisory body who offer guidance and support to international students. They provide information and interpretation of the law that governs fee status assessments: https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/Information--Advice/Fees-and-Money/England-HE-fee-status.<br />  </p>

<p>Candidates should submit a formal application for research degree study <a href="https://prod.banner.leeds.ac.uk/ssb/bwskalog_uol.P_DispLoginNon">online through the University's website</a>. Please state clearly in the research information section that the research degree you wish to be considered for is ‘<strong>Disruption and Diversity: Understanding the Impact of Alexander the Great Through the Material Culture of the Hellenistic World</strong>’ and that Dr Samuel Gartland and Prof. Emma Stafford (University of Leeds) and Dr Simon Glenn and Dr Anna Willi (British Museum) are your proposed supervisors. You will be expected to meet our eligibility criteria for postgraduate research applications and to provide all the required supporting documents. Further information on these can be found on the Research Postgraduate page of the School of Languages, Cultures and Societies: <a href="http://https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/languages-research-degrees/doc/apply-16">https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/languages-research-degrees/doc/apply-16</a></p> <p>To be considered for the award, candidates must have submitted a complete application for PhD study in the School of Languages, Cultures and Societies (LCS) and have received their 9-digit student ID number by the application deadline. </p> <p>To be considered for the award, candidates must submit a <u><strong>‘letter of application’</strong></u> expressing their motivation and enthusiasm for the project, and to demonstrate their suitability for their intended PhD studies with the University and Project Partner. The letter of application should be <u><strong>no more than 750 words</strong></u> and it should specifically highlight the following:</p> <ul> <li>Your interest in the project and details on why you have chosen that University and Project Partner. </li> <li>How you will apply your current skills, knowledge and experience to undertake a PhD and the approach you would take to develop the project.   </li> <li>How the project fits into your career plans and ambitions.</li> </ul> <p> </p> <p><u><strong>Further information about the award:</strong></u></p> <ul> <li>Awards must be taken up by 1 October 2025.</li> <li>The awards are available for new Postgraduate Researchers undertaking full-time or part-time research study leading to the degree of PhD. Applicants must not have already been awarded or be currently studying for a doctoral degree. Students who are currently registered for PhD research study are therefore excluded from applying.</li> <li>Applicants for Doctoral Research must live within a reasonable distance of the University of Leeds whilst in receipt of this Scholarship.</li> <li>If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence that you meet the University's minimum English language requirements (below).</li> <li>We encourage the widest range of potential students to study for this CDP studentship and are committed to welcoming students from different backgrounds to apply. We particularly welcome applications from UK Black, Asian, Ethnically Diverse backgrounds as they are currently underrepresented at this level in this area. All scholarships will be awarded on the basis of merit.</li> </ul> <p>We ask all applicants to complete a voluntary EDI monitoring form <a href="https://forms.office.com/e/tvHq0qB97W">here</a>. All responses are anonymous.</p>

The minimum entry requirement for PhD study is a 2:1 undergraduate honours degree. A Masters degree is not a formal requirement but your application will be seen more favourably if you have one - ideally you will have achieved, or be on track to achieve, a distinction or at least a high merit, especially in your Masters dissertation. <br /> <br /> Applicants should ideally have or expect to receive a relevant Masters-level qualification in Archaeology, Ancient History, Classics or a related discipline, or be able to demonstrate equivalent experience in a professional setting. Applicants must be able to demonstrate an interest in the cultural heritage sector and potential and enthusiasm for developing skills more widely in related areas<br /> <br /> We also encourage applicants without a Masters degree who are able to demonstrate equivalent experience in a professional setting. Applicants who are uncertain about the requirements for a particular research degree are advised to contact the PGR Admissions team prior to making an application.

The minimum English language entry requirement for research postgraduate study is an IELTS of 6.5 overall with at least 6.0 in each component (reading, writing, listening and speaking), or equivalent. The test must be dated within two years of the start date of the course in order to be valid.

<p>The award includes:</p> <ul> <li>Full fees at Home rate (£5,006 for session 2025/26, subject to change in future years).  Note that the fee gap between the home and overseas fee rates will be covered by the University through internal co-funding for international candidates.</li> <li>A maintenance grant (£20,780 in Session 2025/26 – pro rata for part time study). Please note this is subject to change in future years).</li> <li>£1,000 AHRC part-London weighting</li> <li>£600 Collaborative Doctoral Partnership uplift</li> <li>£1,500 per year research expenses. Provided by the British Museum.</li> </ul> <p>Please note that the award does not cover any costs associated with moving to the UK.  All such costs (<a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/international-visas-immigration/doc/applying-student-visa">visa costs, Immigration Health Surcharge/medical insurance, flights etc</a>) would have to be met by the student.</p> <p>You need to meet the AHRC’s UK residency requirements. </p>

<p>For further information please contact the Admissions team (ahcpgradmissions@leeds.ac.uk) and Dr Samuel Gartland (s.d.gartland@leeds.ac.uk).</p>