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Further Information - MPhil/PhD

Who is a research degree for?

The research degree is open to both full and part time candidates. The PhD is often a useful preparation for a career within academia or consultancy. Full time students are often attracted to research degree programmes because they offer an opportunity to pursue in some depth an area of academic interest. The part time research degree is an exciting option for professionals already working in the education field who are seeking to extend their knowledge on an issue of professional interest. Often part time candidates choose to research an area that is related to their professional responsibilities.


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How long will a research degree take?

The Mphil will normally take 2 years full time and 3 years part time to complete. The full time PhD will normally take up to 3 years and part time will take 4- 6 years to complete. Students can however apply for a writing up year should it be required. Over the course of study students attend postgraduate skills training organized by the Postgraduate Centre, carry out a piece of independent research and complete a thesis of 80,000 words. The thesis is awarded after a successful oral examination with an internal and external examiner.

 

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What is the course content?

There is no specific course content as such.  Students are expected to take research training modules that are supported by the School which focus on quantitative and qualitative research methods.  They are also expected to carry out their research under the guidance of their supervisors. 

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How much does it cost?

Information regarding Postgraduate fees can be found at here.

The University offers scholarships for PhD study under competition.  Information on postgraduate awards may be found here or from the Postgraduate Centre.


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Areas of Research

The School of Education is particularly interested to hear from applicants wishing to study in the following fields:

  • Children’s Rights and Participation in Education
  • Contexts of Teaching, Learning & Assessment
  • Education in Divided Societies
  • Effective Education

Other areas of interest will also be considered.

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What documents do I need in support of my application?

To make an application you will need to send us, as a minimum, the following documents:

  • An application form, fully completed
  • A research proposal
  • References [including at least one academic reference]
  • If your first language is not English, a language certificate (IELTS  6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in all four elements of the test or equivalent qualification acceptable to the university, or other proven expertise in English writing and reading e.g. undertaking a higher degree through the medium of English]

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How do I contact potential supervisors?

Select one potential supervisor from our list of staff and send them an email containing:

  • a brief CV (1-2 pages maximum)
  • a concise statement that you are interested in studying for a PhD/MPhil, stating when you would start, and how you would plan to fund the research
  • a brief statement of the research question or interest, and how you think the question could be investigated

Our academic staff are very happy to receive approaches like this, in order that they can liaise with you to develop a research proposal of mutual interest.

The potential supervisor should get back to you within a couple of weeks. They may invite you to meet with them or they may invite you to apply formally.

If you have difficulty identifying or contacting an appropriate supervisor, please contact Prof Jannette Elwood who will be happy to help. If you are invited by the potential supervisor to apply, you need to submit a formal application.  Formal Applications should be made online via https://dap.qub.ac.uk/portal/


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What do you take into account when making decisions about applications?

  • academic record
  • comments by  academic referees
  • quality and relevance of research proposal [see here for advice on writing a research proposal]
  • availability of a suitable supervisor


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What happens if I am successful?

Students undertaking research degrees normally register, in the first instance, as an ‘undifferentiated PhD student’. This means that they have satisfied staff at the application stage that they are capable of undertaking a research degree but the decision as to whether they should undertake an M-Phil or a PhD is delayed until they have completed ‘differentiation’. Differentiation takes place about 9-12 months after registration for full time students and about 18-30 months for part time students:  Students are normally asked to submit work to a panel of up two academics and this is followed up with a formal meeting with the ‘Differentiation Panel’. The Panel then make a judgement about the capacity of the student to continue with their study. Sometimes students are advised to revise their research objectives or to consider submitting their work for a M-Phil qualification rather than a doctoral qualification. To complete with a doctoral qualification you will be required to submit a thesis of approx 80,000 words and you will be required to attend a viva voce [oral examination] with an external and internal examiner to defend your thesis.


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What else should I consider?

Doing a PhD is an extremely enjoyable and rewarding endeavour and it is good basis from which to prepare for an academic career.  It may however be useful to reflect on why you are applying to do a PhD at this stage. If you are choosing to do this because you want the title of ‘Doctor’ or you want a break from work you might want to think again. PhD is the highest qualification awarded by the University and you will have to be prepared to work extremely hard, take constructive criticism of your work and  make sacrifices to succeed. You will be allocated two supervisors who will guide you and meet with you on a regular basis but this will be your work and as a PhD student we expect that you will assume responsibility for it. As a result, you need to be sure that the subject is something you really want to focus on for a number of years. It will be at the centre of your life and your learning; you will need to be self-motivated and committed to it. Above all, it will have to be something you will enjoy exploring.


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What funding is available?

Funding is only available for full time students


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Funding

No of awards available

Eligibility

Value

Level of study

Further detail/Programmes of study

Closing date and
Application procedure

DEL PhD Studentships  

2

UK and EU residents studying full time.

Non-EU residents are not eligible for this scheme.

UK-resident applicants are eligible to apply for full fees and maintenance awards; other EU-residents (including Republic of Ireland ) applicants are eligible to apply for a fees-only award.

PhD


 

Closing date: 1 February 2013

Applicants for DEL funding should apply for a place on the PhD programme via the University's online application system and should indicate on the form that they wish to be considered for a DEL PhD award.

DEL PhD Studentships

(Strategic Priority Studentships)

1

UK and EU residents studying full time.

Non-EU residents are not eligible for this scheme.

UK-resident applicants are eligible to apply for full fees and maintenance awards; other EU-residents (including Republic of Ireland ) applicants are eligible to apply for a fees-only award.

PhD

  

Closing date: 1 February 2013

Further information to follow
China Scholarship Council/ QUB Scholarship

2

Futher information here.

 Further information here.  PhD  

Closing date: 15 February 2013.

Details of the two projects may be viewed here.

 

 

What do I need to think about before applying?

Before applying, you should ensure that you:

  • Have or expect to have a relevant first degree at 1st class or 2.1 standard or a first degree 2:2 standard and a relevant Master's degree, or equivalent for overseas degrees.
  • Have a commitment to and demonstrated some ability in research. Often your previous experience and performance, such as in an undergraduate or a Master's research project, will show whether research is right for you and you are right for research.
  • Overseas applicants also need to satisfy the English Language requirement [IELTS 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in all four elements of the test or equivalent qualification acceptable to the university].

If you meet the above criteria, the next step is to check whether we can supervise research in your chosen area. We only take MPhil/PhD students to whom we can offer expert research supervision from one of our academic staff. Therefore, your research question needs to engage with the research interests of one of our staff. You can find details of the areas of research activity and research interests of staff on these webpages.

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I meet all of the criteria.  What do I do now?

There are two ways to apply for a PhD. Read more on our Funding Opportunities page.