Regulations for the degree of PhD by publication
The by publication route is designed to recognise the research activities of staff who have published work but have not completed a PhD. View the regulations for the degree of PhD by publication below.
- A person may be admitted as a candidate in the following category:
(a) University Staff candidate.
- A person may be admitted as a candidate who
(a) is a member of staff of at least two years’ standing, or is the holder of at least two years’
standing of an Honorary Academic Title conferred by the University; and
(b) is not a member of staff solely as a condition of external funding and who would otherwise have been admitted as a full-time student candidate; and
(c) has been deemed qualified for admission by the Faculty; and
(d) at the point of admission, is required to have a contract of employment that covers the full period of registration, ie 12 months
- A candidate may, with the permission of the Senate, transfer registration from the degree of PhD to registration for the degree of PhD by publication; the power to grant this permission may be devolved to Faculties where the Senate deems this to be appropriate.
- The normal period of registration will be no longer than 12 months.
- The time limit for the presentation of the published work will be 12 months.
- An academic advisor will be appointed to provide guidance to the candidate on the presentation of the published work. The academic advisor will be a senior member of the academic staff of the University who is familiar both with the standard required and with the candidate’s field of work.
- A candidate shall be required to undertake the Doctoral Development Programme as prescribed in the Regulations for the Doctoral Development Programme.
- A candidate who submits published work for examination for a doctoral degree will
(a) submit the published work (which will normally include only work published in scholarly books and journals within the last eight years)
(b) submit a substantial commentary not exceeding 15,000 words, linking the published work and outlining its coherence and significance
(c) submit a signed statement advising how far the work submitted is based on the candidate’s own independent study, making it clear, for each publication, how far the work was conducted in collaboration with or with the assistance of others and the conditions and circumstances in which the work was carried out
(d) submit a CV, focusing on the candidate's research career and on the circumstances under which the research work leading to the publications submitted was carried out
(e) pass an oral examination in matters relevant to the subject of the published works
- A candidate will satisfy the Faculty that the published work shows convincing evidence of the capacity of the candidate to pursue research and scholarship and make an original contribution and substantial addition to knowledge. The amount and quality of the work should be at least equivalent to that expected for the degree of PhD.
- Published work submitted for the degree must be substantially different from any work which may have previously been submitted for any degree at this or any other institution.
- At least two External Examiners will be appointed to report to the Faculty on the thesis and oral examination. In addition, a member of academic staff will be appointed by the Faculty to act as an internal co-ordinator. Prior to appointment, an Examiner will declare any conflict of interest with respect to the candidate or their research project.
- No person other than the candidate and the Examiners may be present at the oral examination except with the agreement of those persons.
- A candidate who fails to satisfy the Examiners may, on the recommendation of the Examiners, be permitted on one occasion only to present a revised commentary linking the published work to address minor amendments, or be permitted to take a further oral examination, or both.
- If the Senate decides on the recommendation of the Faculty that the degree be not awarded, a candidate may not make another submission for the degree within two years of the first candidature.
- A candidate will submit a final copy of the thesis in line with the General Regulations for Higher Degrees by Research.