About us

The Doctoral School of Historical and Cultural Studies is the largest of the Doctoral Schools established at the University of Vienna in 2020. It currently brings together seven research focuses, nine doctoral programmes, and 16 institutes, forming a broad-based hub for historical, cultural, and social science scholarship.

As a vibrant intellectual community, the Doctoral School unites a wide range of disciplines, spanning archaeology and ancient history, Byzantine studies, Egyptology, art history, and numismatics, through to Jewish studies, European ethnology and history. This diversity enables research across different periods, themes, methodologies, and regions worldwide. Supervisors and doctoral candidates jointly foster a dynamic and inspiring environment in which scholarly exchange flourishes and innovative ideas, as well as lasting intellectual and personal connections, can emerge. 

Together with the StudiesServiceCenter – while maintaining clearly defined responsibilities – the DSHCS serves as the central point of contact for advice, support, coordination, and services related to doctoral studies at the Faculty of Historical and Cultural Studies.