Your career and development

We are committed to ensuring you are well prepared for your career following the completion of your PhD, whether that be in academia or in another sector of employment, popular career areas include the heritage sector, museums, galleries, special collections and archives as well as publishing.

Advice and guidance

Our experts in the University’s Careers Centre will support you to make informed decisions about your career path. They can provide you with advice about the range of opportunities available to you and support you in taking the steps you need to take to pursue your choices. Leeds University Union also provides career-related support through the part-time job hub, student societies and other activities throughout the year.

Internships

The Institute for Medieval Studies offers a number of employment opportunities for current postgraduate students. Our internships are paid positions and are part-time, offering around 4-7 hours per week, dependent on the role and workloads. Opportunities include helping to organise the Institute's annual lecture series, coordinating communications, supporting the Editorial team for the International Medieval Bibliography, and assiting in the delivery of the International Medieval Congress. A number of internships are available in each area and are great chance to gain practical work experience alongside your academic study, developing skills from bibliographical archiving to events management.

Teaching experience 

We also offer our PhD students the opportunity to teach undergraduates wherever possible. This experience provides valuable skills whether you go on to pursue an academic career or alternative employment paths as you will develop the ability to communicate ideas, inspire creativity and direct group work. No experience is required and we aim to fit teaching in with your research specialisms, you will also be paid for your work and preparation.

A global experience

You can enhance your postgraduate experience by spending time studying at a partner institution overseas. Currently, we have an Erasmus+ agreement with the Centre d’études supérieures de civilisation médiévale at the University of Poitiers,  the leading centre for medieval studies in France. This would involve one year spent researching in France, most likely in the second year of your PhD.

Whilst studying in the Institute for Medieval Studies you will have the unique opportunity to actively participate in the International Medieval Congress, one of the largest gatherings of medievalists in the world, free of charge. This is an excellent opportunity to network and meet researchers and academics from all over the world with a passion for Medieval Studies and is a fantastic opportunity to enhance your experience.