New Researchers Conference

Research degree students and independent scholars are warmly encouraged to share their work at our annual New Researchers Conference.

Student and Research Prizes

Are you a student working on maritime history? Apply for our Undergraduate and Postgraduate prizes.

Doctoral Prize

Award for the Best Thesis

 

The annual Boydell & Brewer Prize for the best doctoral thesis in maritime history was established by BCMH in 2010.

Subjects eligible for consideration reflect the Commission’s view of maritime history as a wide-ranging discipline.

How to make a nomination

Nominations may be submitted by the candidate, or by their supervisor. All doctorates must have been awarded by a UK university during the academic year preceding the prize. So for the current 2026 prize round, the thesis will need to have been awarded in the Academic Year 2025-26.

Judging is by a Prize Committee, whose decision is final. The prize winner receives a cheque for £200, which is normally presented by the representative of Boydell & Brewer at the annual ‘New Researchers in Maritime History’ conference. The prize winner also has the option of having their thesis considered for publication in a revised form by Boydell & Brewer.

Nominations should include in the first instance the following:

  • The name of the prize candidate, the title of the thesis, the awarding university, and the date of the award;
  • The Abstract of the thesis;
  • Content page for the thesis;
  • A chapter from the thesis;
  • A covering letter from the supervisor of no more than 500 words, stating why the thesis is so outstanding that it should be considered for a prize;
  • Contact details for the prize candidate and their supervisor.

If the Prize Committee deems that the thesis merits serious consideration, a copy may be requested. Please note that we will be unable to return this.

*The Closing date for nominations for the 202-26 session prize is 1st December 2026 

To nominate a thesis please complete the Doctoral Prize Form and upload supporting documents here.

 

Congratulations to our 2025 Prize winner

Congratulations to Jean-Marc Hill of the University of Cambridge for Subjecthood and Sovereignty among the ‘Real’ and ‘Imagined’ Pirates of a ‘Golden Age’, 1690-1705.

Read the abstract here. 

Find out about previous prize winners here. 

For further information please contact  the Hon Secretary.