Dr. Tim Harper

Professor

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Biography

Tim Harper's research interests center on the modern history of Southeast Asia and the region's global connections. His book, 'End of Empire: Making Malaya' (1999), offers a study of the war, the communist rebellion, and the achievement of independence in Malaya and Singapore. He also published, alongside Christopher Bayly, a two-volume account of World War II aftermath in South and Southeast Asia: 'Forgotten Armies' (2004) and 'Forgotten Wars' (2007). His recent work has focused on mobility and interactions within Asia, especially the sites, networks, and ideas surrounding the anti-colonial struggle, which he explored in 'Underground Asia: Global Revolutionaries and the Assault on Empire' (2020). Tim Harper has supervised MPhil and PhD theses on a broad range of topics related to modern Southeast Asian world history and is currently on research leave for the years 2025/26 and 2026/27. He is also the Director of the Centre for History and Economics and served as Head of the School of the Humanities and Social Sciences from 2020 to 2025, and is a Fellow of the British Academy.

Research Interests

Requirements for University of Cambridge

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.7
IELTS
Listening
Required:7
Reading
Required:7
Writing
Required:7
Speaking
Required:7
Overall
Required:7.5
TOEFL
Listening
Required:25
Reading
Required:25
Writing
Required:25
Speaking
Required:25
Total
Required:110
Prerequisites
UK Bachelor's Degree with good Upper Second Class Honours or international equivalent Background in international relations, politics, law, economics, security or history is a definite asset
Application Checklist
  • Two academic references
  • Official transcripts
  • CV/Resume
  • Personal statement (approx 500 words)
  • Research proposal (1-2 pages/500 words)
  • Application fee (£50)
Specialization Notes

Standard postgraduate requirements for Department of Politics and International Studies (POLIS) and related humanities departments.