Frequently asked questions
- A unique research project in your preferred research field
- A dedicated principal supervisor who is an expert in your chosen subject and a supervisory team to support you
- State of the art facilities to carry out your research
- A high quality research environment
- Discipline-specific training that will inform & enhance your research
- Rigorous monitoring of your progress through the programme
- Gaining advanced research & transferable skills applicable to a host of careers
- Career advice and professional development opportunities
- Often, the opportunity to support teaching and learning to undergraduate students in the higher education institution
- A degree programme that culminates in a research thesis (plus performance etc.) examined at a viva voce/oral examination by a recognised expert in your disciplinary field
No day is the same, you are in charge - your day will be dictated by your research area, the stage of your PhD, what you’ve agreed with your supervisor and your own learning style. In saying that, full-time students usually work 9am-5pm and some work outside these hours. You take holidays equivalent to when in employment ~4 weeks per year. For full-time students it is expected that you work five days a week. Part-time students typically have 2/3 of the commitment of full-time students. Most of your time is spent on research* but you will also take a number of relevant taught modules. In some cases you will have the opportunity to teach/demonstrate to undergraduate students
*Research is the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources. It entails collection of data in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.
You will be using appropriate research methods analysing and recording your findings in a systematic way and the work will culminate in the research theses which will be examined by viva voce/oral examination. Each disciplinary area will have its own norms.
- Arts and Humanities Research: A lot of your time will be spent reading texts or in the library. This is where the bulk of your research will be done, although depending on the nature of your topic you may visit special collections and archives to view rare books and papers elsewhere.
- Social Sciences Research: You’re likely to spend plenty of time reading. However, you might also find yourself conducting research via surveys or interviews, as well as handling large amounts of data.
- Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Research: You will usually spend most of your time in a laboratory designing, recording and analysing experiments using data to prove or disprove a set theory.
- Health Research: You may be working in a laboratory but you also could be undertaking behavioural studies with a cohort of patients or examining the impact of new interventions or new therapies on patients.
- Creative Arts Research: You will work in the relevant theoretical, historical, critical, artistic or design context, and demonstrate an understanding of that context. A performance or exhibition can be a physical and/or digital entity.
Typically, a PhD programme takes four years full-time and six years part-time.