Centre for the Social History of Health & Healthcare Our teaching & training
Training and teaching are at the heart of our activities. Students first encounter the history of health and healthcare as History undergraduates and they have the opportunity to conduct their own research into the subject area through Honours level dissertations.
The MSc. in Health History is ideal for those with a first degree who are looking to seek a more detailed history of the health challenges facing modern societies and to broaden their skills for personal research in the field. The Ph.D. programme sees candidates make the step to conducting book-length studies of their own in topics as diverse as health during times of war, drinking and drunkenness in British society, and the historical understandings of conditions such as acne and diabetes.
Our centre has a long track record in securing funding to enable students to join our teaching and training programmes. Please get in touch for more information.
For further information, contact Dr Laura Kelly.
Ph.D Programme
Since the foundation of the Centre for the Social History of Health & Healthcare Glasgow the Wellcome Trust, the UK’s research councils and both the University of Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian University have invested over £1 million in doctoral students at the Centre. All academic members of our centre are available to supervise projects so get in touch with them if you are thinking about research in their fields.
Students make up a thriving postgraduate community at our centre, and are also members of the Graduate School in Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Strathclyde and have access to the resources of both the Scottish Graduate School for the Arts and Humanities and the Scottish Graduate School for the Social Sciences.
M.Sc. in Health History
Established in 2008, this degree can be taken full-time or part-time. It provides training for students planning to progress to a doctoral research degree, but it is also ideal for those with a general interest in health and history, for those in the health professions keen to explore the origins of their disciplines, and for those in education roles looking for fresh ways to deliver teaching and learning related to health.
For further information, contact Prof Matt Smith, the director of the course.
CSHHH Wellcome Trust Master's Programme Award
The Centre for the Social History of Health and Healthcare (CSHHH) Glasgow invites applications for funded studentships on its M.Sc. in Health History programme. This is the outcome of an investment by the Wellcome Trust through its Master's Programme Awards in Humanities and Social Science scheme and additional funding committed by the University of Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian University.
Successful candidates will join the programme in September 2023 to study full-time for twelve months, details can be found here
Awards will either be ‘fully-funded’ (all fees, a stipend of £18,000 per annum for living expenses, and a research travel budget) or ‘fees-only’ (all fees and a research travel budget).
The CSHHH Glasgow was established in 2005 as a research collaboration between the University of Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian University. It is now Scotland's leading centre for research, training and teaching in the history of health and medicine. It numbers over twenty staff, is home to a lively postgraduate community, and regularly hosts a range of events designed to draw scholars in the field from around the world to connect with its activities; www.strath.ac.uk/cshhh
Applicants must be strongly committed to building a research career in the Medical Humanities. The CSHHH Glasgow is a diverse and inclusive research environment, so welcomes applications from all sections of the community, in the UK, the EU, and around the world.
The Centre for the Social History of Health and Healthcare Glasgow is committed to building a diverse and inclusive research environment, so welcomes applications from all sections of the community, in the UK, the EU, and around the world.
To apply please provide the following:
- A brief cv of no more than one side of A4 that outlines information and achievements relevant to this opportunity. If the outcome of your first degree is yet to be decided please include a transcript of your Honours level marks to date and the title of your dissertation project. If your first degree has been awarded please include the transcript of marks and the title of your dissertation project.
- A clear proposal of no more than 300 words for a Master’s-level research project which is likely to form the foundation for doctoral study. State the central research question and the reasons why the project is likely to provide highly original outcomes in the field.
- The name and address of two academic referees. These should be willing to provide a statement of support for your application if contacted.
All questions should be directed in the first place to the Centre's project manager, Caroline Marley. She should receive completed applications by 17 April 2023. A selection committee will meet to consider applications later that month.
Undergraduate Studies
Both the University of Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian Universities include history of health and medicine pathways in their undergraduate History programmes. Click on the link to download class handbooks.
Libraries and Archives
Our guide will help you discover a wide range of resources to support your assignments, projects, dissertations and research.
University Archives
The official records of the University of Strathclyde from 1796 to the present day. Includes the records of the University’s predecessor institutions as well as the papers of many former staff and students and associated organisations. The University archives are an outstanding resource for the study of education, science and society in Scotland.
Deposited Archives
A diverse range of archives which have been acquired by gift or deposit to support the University’s teaching and research. Our main strengths are education, town planning, investigative journalism, shipping, the iron and coal industries, environmental health and art. Our archive collections are a unique source for all kinds of historical research.
Special Collections
Rare or significant printed material and books, including the Anderson Collection (the personal library of John Anderson, 1726-1796, natural philosopher), plus over 30 other collections spanning the 16th to the 21st centuries.
Archives and Special Collections is open to all staff and students of the University of Strathclyde as well as to members of the public, free of charge. It is advisable to contact us in advance of your visit, so that material can be looked out from store, and a place reserved for you in the reading room.
The History of Health and Healthcare: Curriculum for Excellence Resource
The History of Health and Healthcare: Curriculum for Excellence project is a joint venture between historians working in the Centre for the Social History of Health and Healthcare and local schools. We regularly visit secondary schools to introduce history of medicine materials to pupils working at S1 to S3 levels.
Our online resource allows teachers to access lesson plans, teaching guides and activities for use in the classroom
Discover more about our research
The History of Health and Healthcare: Curriculum for Excellence Resource
A joint venture with the Centre and local schools.
