Applying for PhD Research Study in Britain

PhD Facts

Duration: At least 3 years           
Cost: Tuition Fees: 8,000-10,000 GBP/yr. Living: 6,000-8,000 GBP/yr.
Scholarships: They are possible for PhD study, especially in Science/Engineering
Admission: A Bachelors + Masters degree with high grades in the same subject
How to Apply: Direct to the department at universities you are interested in
Start Date: Sept/Oct
Admission Deadline: No deadline
Application Duration: 6-8 weeks
IELTS: 6.5-7.0

To study for a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) in Britain you usually need a Bachelors degree plus a Masters degree in your subject area. Most future PhD students will choose a one-year research Masters degree, rather than the more popular taught Masters degree.

You can do a PhD in any subject but you must have studied the same subject at undergraduate level. To be accepted for a PhD degree you must not only be an excellent student but you must have a unique research idea. This means you must have an idea for a piece of research that has not been done before. If you do have such a clear idea of what you want to research, and if you understand how this research is different to research previously done in this field, then you are probably qualified to do a PhD.

Here are some examples of PhD research topics in the business field:

1. Operational effectiveness, lean and agile operations
2. Organisational performance measurement
3. Employment relations in SMEs
4. MNCs and employment practice

To apply for PhD study you need to submit your idea, (along with your previous academic study record) as a proposal. This proposal must be in English and should only be about two pages in length. Therefore do not go in to great detail (it will not be read if it is too long), simply outline your idea, state what similar research has been done before in this area and then explain how your research will be different. You should include the following:

1. Title
2. Research Problem (and why it interests you)
3. Research Questions (what questions you will ask/hypotheses you propose)
4. Literature review (what previous work you will refer to)
5. Research Design (what research methods and techniques you will use)
6. References (of other people’s work you will refer to)

To apply you must find a Professor who is a specialist in your field. There are several ways you can do this:

1. Using a Google search, type in your research subject along with ‘ac.uk’

(e.g. ‘consumer thinking ac.uk’)

1. Using the Times Ranking by Subject identify the universities that are strong in your field. Then go to the university websites for those that interest you, go to the department in which you wish to study and look up ‘Research’ or ‘Staff Details’. Here you should find a list of staff and their research interests, along with contact details.

When you find a Professor/department that you think is suitable, send your proposal along with academic references, an application form and your educational certificates to the Department.

For information on funding your research go to our Scholarships & Funding page

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