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Faculty of Arts and Humanities

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Welcome to the Faculty of Arts and Humanities

We nurture thoughtful, critical and engaged citizens for a rapidly changing and complex world.

We are proud to be recognised as a leading Faculty of Arts and Humanities worldwide and to exercise the responsibilities that this position brings with it. We set out to provide leadership in the Arts and Humanities nationally and internationally; our work is intended to enrich, shape and transform lives. We nurture thoughtful, critical and engaged citizens for a rapidly changing and complex world.
Vision and mission
Prebends bridge with Cathedral in background
a view of the cathedral and the river

Explore our Departments

If you are considering studying one of our undergraduate or postgraduate programmes, then we’d invite you to explore our website to find out more about our Departments and the innovative research-led education that we offer.

See all Arts and Humanities Departments

Welcome to new and prospective students

If you are joining us this year, we know you’ve worked really hard for this. We’ve also worked hard to provide an intellectually challenging programme of studies for your time with us and are looking forward to welcoming you to our academic community. Congratulations and welcome to the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Durham!
Welcome to Durham
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Transformative Humanities

Transformative Humanities harnesses the effectiveness and power of humanities research and education to link across fields and sectors enriching, shaping, and transforming lives.

Find out more about the Transformative Humanities
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Postgraduate funding opportunities

Ready to begin your PhD in 2026/27? Apply for our studentships, including the new Transformative Humanities awards. Learn more and apply.

Apply £5K scholarship

Talking Humanities Podcast

In this episode, learn more about the establishment of game studies, film to video game adaptations, participatory games development, issues around archiving our games heritage, and how gaming can transform the way we think about culture and the humanities.

Listen to the latest Talking Humanities podcast
QS World University Rankings 2027

QS World University Rankings 2027: Durham ranks 85th, up 9 places

Our global reputation for employability reflects the quality and real-world relevance of our education and research. Ranked 85th overall, we are also among the world’s top 50 for Employer Reputation and placed joint 24th for Sustainability.

Learn more about the QS World University Rankings
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Meet our students and staff from North America

Find out more about our students and members of staff from North America studying and working across all our departments.

Find out more about our departments
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Faculty of Arts and Humanities on LinkedIn

Get updates and stay in touch - follow us on LinkedIn!

Visit Faculty of Arts and Humanities LinkedIn page

What's new?

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Classics professor’s biography of Alexander the Great wins 'world’s leading non-fiction prize'

Professor Edmund Richardson has won the prestigious Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction for his biography of Alexander the Great.

Global research
A man in a suit and white shirt holds a hardback book in his right hand and smiles at the camera.

Record number of new books celebrated by Classics and Ancient History

Eleven new publications showcase the exceptional breadth of research undertaken by academics in Durham’s Department of Classics and Ancient History.
Research news
Collage of classics book launch celebration

Professor Francis Watson awarded prestigious British Academy medal

Professor Francis Watson from our Department of Theology and Religion has been awarded a prestigious medal by the British Academy in recognition of his research into the New Testament and early Christianity.
Global research
Prof Francis Watson

Exploring the supernatural: Halloween research from the Faculty of Arts and Humanities

From Bronze Age burial places and the ancient Greek Underworld to medieval magic, occult poetry and ecological zombies, our researchers are exploring how encounters with death, fear and the supernatural can reveal new insights into human societies.
Research news
Halloween themed banner including covers of Halloween-related books from the Arts and Humanities

New light and sound experience brings Durham Castle’s Norman past to life

Visitors to Durham Castle can step back nearly 1,000 years thanks to a new immersive light and sound installation in one of England's oldest Norman buildings.
Research news
Three people smiling at the camera in an old chapel with sandstone pillars. A colourful projection covers them and the wall behind them. The projection is reminiscent of The Bayeux Tapestry.

Durham researcher helps bring forgotten working-class poet to life in acclaimed podcast

A podcast series featuring Dr Adam Bridgen from Durham University’s Department of English Studies has been selected as one of The Guardian’s best podcasts of the week. We spoke to Adam about the forgotten working-class poet at the heart of the series and the creative process behind bringing his story to life.
Research news
Death of a Poet podcast and Adam Bridgen

CERES secures £60,500 to expand classics education research

Durham’s Centre for Classics Education, Research and EngagementS (CERES) has secured £60,500 for two projects supporting the future of Classics Education across the UK.
Research news
President Constantinos Tassoulas, Professor Arlene Holmes-Henderson
More news

Record number of new books celebrated by Classics and Ancient History

Eleven new publications showcase the exceptional breadth of research undertaken by academics in Durham’s Department of Classics and Ancient History.

Collage of classics book launch celebration

Exploring the supernatural: Halloween research from the Faculty of Arts and Humanities

From Bronze Age burial places and the ancient Greek Underworld to medieval magic, occult poetry and ecological zombies, our researchers are exploring how encounters with death, fear and the supernatural can reveal new insights into human societies.
Halloween themed banner including covers of Halloween-related books from the Arts and Humanities

New light and sound experience brings Durham Castle’s Norman past to life

Visitors to Durham Castle can step back nearly 1,000 years thanks to a new immersive light and sound installation in one of England's oldest Norman buildings.
Three people smiling at the camera in an old chapel with sandstone pillars. A colourful projection covers them and the wall behind them. The projection is reminiscent of The Bayeux Tapestry.

Classics professor’s biography of Alexander the Great wins 'world’s leading non-fiction prize'

Professor Edmund Richardson has won the prestigious Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction for his biography of Alexander the Great.

A man in a suit and white shirt holds a hardback book in his right hand and smiles at the camera.

Professor Francis Watson awarded prestigious British Academy medal

Professor Francis Watson from our Department of Theology and Religion has been awarded a prestigious medal by the British Academy in recognition of his research into the New Testament and early Christianity.
Prof Francis Watson

Durham and Berry College sign new partnership agreement

Durham University and Berry College have signed a new articulation agreement, formalising a partnership that has developed through several years of close collaboration.
Professor Janet Stewart, Executive Dean of Durham University’s Faculty of Arts and Humanities, alongside Dr Jonathan Deane Parker, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Religion and Philosophy (Berry College) in Cosin's Library sign agreement.

Six Arts and Humanities subjects ranked in the UK top five in Guardian University Guide 2027

Six subjects across Durham University’s Faculty of Arts and Humanities have been ranked among the five best in the UK in the Guardian University Guide 2027, with all seven featured subjects placed in the top 10.

A student sitting at a table with a laptop.

Civil service delegation visits Durham to inspire next generation of policy leaders

Durham University’s Department of Classics and Ancient History welcomed a delegation from the UK Civil Service on 3 February, marking the first time visitors from Whitehall and Holyrood have travelled to Durham to support students’ understanding of careers in government and the attributes needed to thrive in public service.
Civil service durham public policy hub ma students and Arlene Holmes-Henderson

Rivers of Ink: A light and sound journey through the world’s oldest Bible

A striking new light and sound installation is touring North East England this February, telling the remarkable story of Codex Amiatinus, the oldest intact complete Bible in existence.
Pages from the world's oldest bible showing a scribe writing and an ancient Egyptian illustration of an ox.

Discover more

Get in touch

Contact the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.

Faculty of Arts and Humanities

Faculty Office 
Elvet Riverside Block 2 
New Elvet 
Durham DH1 3AQ

Questions about studying here?

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