Global History of Empires

Research work and practices represent the main activity of the PhD program and are devoted to the completion of the research project under the supervision of their tutors. In order to promote their international training, enrolled students will be required to spend at least twelve months abroad.

The doctoral dissertation, or thesis, should be a work of independent research. It should reveal the ability to:

- formulate a research question;

- gather, analyze and interpret source material;

- demonstrate knowledge of the literature relating to the subject;

- describe methods and procedures used;

- report the results;

- discuss fully and coherently the meaning of the outcome of the research.

Teaching activities take the form of seminars and are structured according to the following categories:

• Core introductory seminars (on methodological and general historiographic debates), for first year students, with the aim to promote a common culture of discussion and engagement among students from different backgrounds.
  
  
• Dissertation Prospectus Training Seminars, for first year students, specifically devoted to an introduction to the writing of the prospectus to be presented as requirement for the passage so the second year.
  
  
• Sources for the study of Global history, for first, second and third year students.
  
  
• Dissertation Workshop, for second and third year students, devoted to the writing of the dissertation.
  
  
• Core intensive seminars, for first, second and third year students, advanced research seminars with participation of external guest speakers.

Students are encouraged to attend language courses, especially Advanced English, offered by the University of Torino.

The complementary training activities aim to develop cross-dimensional and soft skills. These skills contribute to improve the impact of the research and to complete the doctoral students’ professional profile both in academic and non-academic context. These activities consist of advanced language courses, bibliographic research (e.g. courses provided by the Bobbio Library), research promotion, communication and dissemination, research writing and evaluation (e.g. how to prepare a junior ERC or a Marie Curie Fellowship), research ethic, public engagement, etc.  The complementary training activities can:

• be offered by the PhD school;
• be elected by PhD students outside the partner universities (approval of the supervisor is required).