Research Training Guidelines: Upgrading from MPhil to PhD

Students who wish to upgrade to the PhD degree from the MPhil degree must satisfy a number of requirements:

1. Obtain the required course credits from their research training programme
2. Submit a significant pieces of written work to their supervisor(s) linked to their research
3. Be interviewed by the Research Director and one other senior member of staff on the content of their work

Students will also be expected to have given a research seminar presentation about their topic of research.

The written work may comprise a literature review, plus one other chapter – usually a chapter setting out methodological issues – and a plan of further study. This should comprise no less than 15,000 words.

Subject to this work being judged by the Research Director and another senior member of staff as having achieved a satisfactory standard, a recommendation to upgrade the student´s registration to PhD status will be made initially to the Department´s Research Committee and then to the Faculty of Social Sciences. Normally, a full-time student will be expected to upgrade within 12 to 18 months after their initial registration.

Students who are not upgraded within 18 months of their initial full-time registration will be interviewed by the Research Director and the Head of Department and informed of their unsatisfactory progress. They will be offered an opportunity to produce the necessary work within a set period, normally 3 months. If they fail to do so, their registration may be terminated.

For other matters relating to registration, please consult the Graduate Research office Code of Practice for Research Students and Supervisors.