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The SRU provides opportunities and scholarships for candidates who wish to conduct research leading to the award of a PhD (normal duration 3-4 years) on a topic within the SRU's fields of expertise. Candidates are supervised by two members of faculty. The principal requirement of the PhD degree is a thesis (100,000 words maximum), that usually involves library/archival research and/or fieldwork and/or collections-based research. For research students there are regular personal supervisions, group seminars and School research seminars.
Subjects studied by PhD candidates at the SRU have included topics focusing on Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia, New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji, French Polynesia, Papua New Guinea, West Papua, Mariana Islands, Australia, Hawaii, Canada, USA, Antilles, Mesoamerica and Peru.
Doctoral students have gone on to careers in higher education, research institutions and museums, including several national museums. Potential doctoral candidates are encouraged to contact the SRU Admissions Office or any member of faculty to discuss their project at the earliest opportunity.