Course summary
We accept students into the Department of Politics and International Relations on the basis of a match between your proposed research and the current research interests of a potential supervisor as well as an assessment of qualifications and suitability for a research degree. Initial discussions about supervision are therefore on the basis of a brief research proposal prepared by prospective students before a formal application is made. If you'd like to come and discuss your research with the Director of Postgraduate Studies and/or with a potential supervisor, please contact the department to make an appointment. Registration and study
- Initially, you register for a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) programme to train you in the research methods necessary to complete a PhD.
- You can apply to upgrade to PhD registration when you have satisfactorily completed an agreed part of the research and training programme; this usually happens before 18 months if you are studying full-time, or before 36 months if part-time.
- You should aim to complete and submit your PhD thesis within an agreed period, usually three to four years for full-time students, and four to six years for part-time.
- If you decide not to upgrade to PhD registration, you can submit your thesis for an MPhil after two years if you are studying full-time, or after three years if part-time.
- With the agreement of your supervisor, you can change your registration from full to part-time or vice versa.
- North American applicants especially should note that the British system does not include preparatory taught classes or examinations as part of the MPhil/PhD programme, except for an initial module in research methods.
Modules
Research supervision You're assigned members of staff qualified to supervise your research throughout your period of registration. Please see the staff page on our website for details of the teaching staff and their research interests. You usually have a single supervisor, although in some cases joint supervision is agreed, and two members of staff are involved in the supervision. Supervision involves regular meetings throughout the period of study, and ideally involves the development of an intensive intellectual relationship between you and your supervisor, from which both parties gain. Research training All research students who have not completed an MRes or MPhil degree will have to attend modules on quantitative and qualitative research methods held in their first year of study. A College-wide programme of research training is also provided, which involves an induction module (which all students should attend), introduction to information technologies and the use of library and bibliographic resources, basic training in quantitative research methods, and sessions on research planning, presentation skills and ethics. Optional elements There are seminars held within the Department, which you can attend. Also, you may, after consultation with your supervisor, audit the appropriate postgraduate options from any of the taught MA/MRes programmes offered in the Department. This involves participating in seminar discussions and/or writing coursework, but not being formally assessed for the course.
Assessment method
Examination of the MPhil and PhD is by a thesis (60,000 words maximum for an MPhil and 100,000 words maximum for a PhD) and a viva voce.
Entry requirements
You should normally have (or expect to be awarded) a taught Masters in a relevant subject area, of at least a high merit standard. We normally also expect an undergraduate degree of at least upper second-class standard. You might also be considered if you aren’t a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that you have the ability to work at postgraduate level. If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 7.0 with a 7.0 in writing and no element lower than 6.5 to study this programme.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
No fee information has been provided for this course
Additional fee information
No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.
Provider information
Goldsmiths, University of London
New Cross
Lewisham
SE14 6NW