Research qualifications
Below are some of the key elements of the different postgraduate research awards available at Nottingham.
PhD (Doctor of Philosophy)
A PhD is a substantial, original piece of research leading to an 80,000 - 100,000 word thesis, usually completed over 3 years (longer if studying part time). Particularly suitable for career development or personal interest. Your research will be supervised by an experienced academic who will provide support and guidance to help you achieve your objectives.
There are a number of fully-funded studentships available within the Faculty of Engineering where students can expect to earn between £12 and £15k per annum (tax free). These studentships are available to UK citizens and EU citizens who have been resident in the UK for three years.
A PhD is a Higher Degree which leads to the award of Doctor of Philosophy. It is a research-based degree where the student investigates something new. A PhD usually takes three years (full-time) to complete but you could earn around £15k per annum (tax free) during this time. You will need a good honours degree before starting a PhD.
Key differences to undergraduate study
A PhD is not like a taught first degree, you will need to be able to self manage and self motivate. It is more like a job than a taught degree but with, potentially, a great deal of freedom (you choose your hours of work, direction of your research etc), and of course you get to put Dr in front of your name!
What's involved?
Whilst there is no typical PhD, the following plan gives you a broad idea of what you might expect:
Spend 6 - 18 months exploring the subject; Spend 12 - 18 months developing and implementing tests / trials / experiments; Spend 3 - 6 months writing up; Submit thesis; Viva examination.
The benefits
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Three years of guaranteed income
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Genuine pleasure as you 'see the light'
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Excellent opportunities for networking (academically, industrially and institutionally)
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Exceptionally valuable, transferable skills
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Ability to communicate and innovate effectively
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Proven ability to manage your own time effectively
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Proven ability to think innovatively
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Differentiation from your peers
Here are a few examples of theses undertaken by our students:
Master of Philosophy (MPhil)
The MPhil degree is an original piece of research leading to a 50,000 - 60,000 word thesis to demonstrate practical and theoretical understanding.
Students register for two years and usually complete within 2 to 3 years (longer if part-time). Particularly suitable for students wanting to do graduate research rather than a taught course who may not be qualified to enter directly into a PhD.
Key differences between MPhil and PhD
An MPhil degree will demonstrate possession of the skills necessary to carry out supervised research by the analysis of existing data or small original data sets. A PhD will demonstrate your ability to conduct original research and will be an independent and original study, using new and larger data sets, which advances the frontiers of knowledge in the subject area.
Assessment
By thesis, and in the case of the PhD, by an oral examination, defined as a unique contribution to the body of knowledge.
The New Route PhD programme (or Integrated PhD)
Developed in the UK in recent years, this programme is designed to meet the needs of students who will be working at a middle or senior level in the public or private sector. It is particularly suitable for students who require specific training in employment related skills, eg management skills, as well as providing the opportunity to carry out research. The New Route PhD offers formal coursework before a thesis is produced from original research. The structure of this four-year programme has proved to appeal particularly to international students.
MRes (Master of Research)
The MRes comprises a blend of taught research training modules, taught subject-specific training modules and a dissertation. The main aim of the programme is to provide students with foundation training in the basic and advanced research skills sufficient to enter a Doctoral programme. The MRes programme is also suitable for candidates who may wish to obtain a research degree, but do not wish to commit themselves to a longer period of study. Duration: I year
Admissions
A good UK Bachelors or Master's degree or international equivalent. If you do not have a Master's degree, or do not feel ready for research at doctoral level, you can start by applying for an MPhil and upgrade to a PhD after 1-2 years.
Entry onto research degree programmes can take place at almost any time of year (except when applying for specific studentship places where a closing date will be given).
Please see our FAQ page for any questions you may have regarding Admissions.
The University's on-line application system is the quickest and easiest way of applying and gives you ongoing information about the progress of your application. http://pgapps.nottingham.ac.uk/
For enquiries email: postgraduate-enquiries@nottingham.ac.uk