Department of Social Sciences
PhD or MPhil
PhD: 3 years full-time; 6 years part-time. MPhil: 2 years full-time; 4 years part-time.
Research Proposal
We recommend that prospective postgraduate research students think about an idea or ideas for a PhD project before contacting us. Our staff will then be in a better position to offer you further advice and guidance on developing your proposal.
Several books and publications offer useful advice on completing a research degree (e.g. Philips and Pugh's How to Get a PhD; Dunleavy's Authoring a PhD; Marshall's Your PhD Companion; etc). A research proposal will ordinarily give consideration to the following:
- Aims and objectives
What are the major research questions and why is the
subject worth investigating?
- Literature review
What work has already been done on the topic?
- Methodology
What approach offers the most feasible as well as appropriate
means of conducting the research? What, if any, fieldwork might be
involved?
- Data
What might this be and how will it be collected and analysed?
Entry Qualification
Good degree or equivalent experience. These are in addition to the General Entrance Requirements.
Departmental Support and Training for Research Students
All full-time research students are provided with:
- communal office space
- networked computer lab for exclusive use of postgraduate research students
- photocopying and inter-library loan allowances
- opportunities to apply for funding for conference attendance
- supervisor and Director of Research who provide academic and pastoral support
All research students:
- attend the regular Departmental and Staff Research Group seminars and events, and those organised by postgraduate researchers themselves
- have access to research methods and transferable skills training throughout their registration period
- subject to available resources, gain teaching experience as tutorial assistants'