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PhD in Education

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Programme Leader:   Dr Sally Hancock

The PhD in Education is available to be studied in 3 modes: part-time, full-time, and  distance learning

In order to apply for a PhD place, we ask that you first submit an application form.  We cannot accept a CV or any other documentation in place of a formal application.  When you apply for a PhD place, you must submit a research proposal about 1,500 words in length. More information about the PhD application and admissions process can be found on the How to apply and FAQ  pages . Apply now for the PhD in Education

The PhD in Education is designed to enhance specialised knowledge through academic study and research.

The programme aims to enable students to gain a solid grounding in research methodology, and to successfully carry out a substantial piece of academic research.

Our PhD research students in recent years have come both from the United Kingdom and from many overseas countries. Many of our overseas students have chosen to conduct studies which involve collecting fieldwork data in their home country. Proposals to conduct a study which involves collecting fieldwork data overseas are welcomed.

Entry requirements

Applicants are expected to have a good honours degree or a master's degree (MA, MSc or MEd) in a relevant discipline although candidates with other evidence of ability to succeed at PhD level will also be considered.

If English is not your first language, we do expect you to be able to demonstrate a high level of proficiency.  The minimum requirement for PhD in Education is IELTS 7.0 withno less than 6.5 in Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking.  For further information please see  English language requirements .

Information on the application procedure can be found at the  University postgraduate pages .

Apply now for the PhD in Education

Apply now for the PhD in Education (Distance Learning)

Applying for a PhD How do I apply for a PhD? Scholarships and funding Tuition fees and expenses York Graduate Loyalty Discount UK government postgraduate loan scheme

Further information Our Research Centres York Graduate Research School Staff research interests Meet our PhD students Educational Research Group  (ERG) Writing Centre

Department of Education University of York , Heslington , York , YO10 5DD , UK Tel: work +44 (0)1904 323460 | [email protected]

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Study Postgraduate

Mphil/phd in education (2024 entry).

Course code

30 September 2024

3 years full-time; 5 years part-time

Qualification

Education Studies

University of Warwick

Find out more about our MPhil/PhD in Education.

Education Studies at Warwick includes three overarching strands: Learning, Society and Cultures. These strands group academics with a shared interest in educational research and scholarship, providing a space for meaningful and multi-disciplinary collaborations across the Department and beyond. The Department’s ethos is that educational research and scholarship exist to find solutions to questions of ‘what works’ in terms of policy and practice, but also to problematise existing policy and practice by posing new questions about the purposes and the future of education, in the UK and globally. The University of Warwick's Doctorate in Education welcomes world-class applicants with a commitment to educational research and challenge. The Department of Education Studies was ranked 6th in the UK for Education ( The Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022 ).

Course overview

The PhD is designed as a programme combining advanced research methods training and individual, supervised research, leading to an 80,000 word thesis. The thesis is expected to be a substantial original contribution to knowledge and, in principle, to have the potential to be developed into peer-reviewed publication.

Teaching and learning

The PhD programme has an Advanced Research Methods training element that is compulsory, and all students complete an Upgrade examination (a written portfolio and oral examination) in order to progress from MPhil to PhD. The research methods training takes place via online mode on Saturday mornings spread out over the first year. Students work with their supervisors on their independent projects throughout the course. We have research student work rooms within the department with desktop computers available.

Specific departmental guidance is available on preparing applications to the Department of Education Studies and on Preparing a Research Proposal .

What does it mean to study and research Education?

Education provides us with an essential foundation for a fulfilling life in a thriving and equitable society – it underpins how we act and see the world and is the engine of social and cultural change and reproduction.

Education gives the basis for innovation in thought, culture and technology; it nurtures a sense of citizenship and social participation; it underpins our political and economic robustness; and is the foundation of the knowledge and skills that society shares.

Education is fundamentally about human development, knowledge and social justice. Education is something that everyone experiences: it is life-long and society wide; it is local as well as global; it takes place in the home, in prisons, in refugee centres, in places of worship, in the workplace, on the sports field, in the theatre, in the pub as well as in the classroom.

Education, like Politics, is inherently interdisciplinary – it is an applied field of study which draws on a range of disciplines including: sociology, psychology, history and philosophy. It is necessarily pluralist and eclectic, drawing upon a range of theoretical, conceptual and methodological perspectives.

Therefore, in studying and researching Education we work to understand the fundamental questions about why we educate, how we educate, who we educate and what purpose education serves.

Find out more about us on our website.

General entry requirements

Minimum requirements.

2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in Education, any relevant Social Sciences or Humanities discipline, or another relevant discipline if justified.

A Master’s degree in Education, any relevant Social Sciences or Humanities discipline, or another relevant discipline if justified.

English language requirements

You can find out more about our English language requirements Link opens in a new window . This course requires the following:

• With a minimum of 6.5 in the Writing component.

International qualifications

We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications.

For more information, please visit the international entry requirements page Link opens in a new window .

Additional requirements

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.

Our research

Our main research themes are:

• Special educational needs and disability
• Early years’ education
• Philosophy of mind and thought
• Educational leadership and development
• Drama and theatre education
• Creative and arts-based learning
• Sociology of arts and religion
• Modern Islamic pedagogies
• Education inequalities and social justice
• Sociologies of childhood and fatherhood
• Education policy
• Feminist and gender pedagogy
• Higher education
• International development

Full details of our research interests are listed on the Education Studies webpages Link opens in a new window .

You can also read our general University research proposal guidance.

Find a supervisor

It is advisable to locate a potential supervisor using the link below and to discuss with them the area you'd like to research.

We have over 20 full-time academic staff members with many research strengths who could be your supervisors. Explore our Staff Research Directory where you will be able to filter by research interests. Co-supervision with other departments may be possible.

You can also see our general University guidance about finding a supervisor. Link opens in a new window

Tuition fees

Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course at the start of the academic year, or at the start of your course, if later. Academic fees cover the cost of tuition, examinations and registration and some student amenities.

Find your research course fees

Fee Status Guidance

The University carries out an initial fee status assessment based on information provided in the application and according to the guidance published by UKCISA. Students are classified as either Home or Overseas Fee status and this can determine the tuition fee and eligibility of certain scholarships and financial support.

If you receive an offer, your fee status will be stated with the tuition fee information. If you believe your fee status has been incorrectly classified you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire (follow the instructions in your offer) and provide the required documentation for this to be reassessed.

The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) provides guidance to UK universities on fees status criteria, you can find the latest guidance on the impact of Brexit on fees and student support on the UKCISA website .

Additional course costs

Please contact your academic department for information about department specific costs, which should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below, such as:

• Core text books
• Printer credits
• Dissertation binding
• Robe hire for your degree ceremony

Scholarships and bursaries

Scholarships and financial support

Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.

Living costs

Find out more about the cost of living as a postgraduate student at the University of Warwick.

Our Postgraduate Taught courses

• Childhood in Society (MA)
• Drama and Theatre Education (MA)
• Drama Education and English Language Teaching (MA)
• Education (MA)
• Educational Innovation (MA)
• Educational Leadership and Management (MA)
• Foundation Research Methods in Education (PGA)
• Global Education and International Development (MA)
• Islamic Education (PGA)
• Islamic Education: Theory and Practice (MA)
• Leading Educational Change and Improvement (PGA)
• Psychology and Education (MA)

Our Postgraduate Research courses

• Doctorate in Education (Ed.D)
• Education (MPhil/PhD)

How to apply

The application process for courses that start in September and October 2024 will open on 2 October 2023.

For research courses that start in September and October 2024 the application deadline for students who require a visa to study in the UK is 2 August 2024. This should allow sufficient time to complete the admissions process and to obtain a visa to study in the UK.

How to apply for a postgraduate research course  

After you’ve applied

Find out how we process your application.

Applicant Portal

Track your application and update your details.

Admissions statement

See Warwick’s postgraduate admissions policy.

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Postgraduate fairs.

Throughout the year we attend exhibitions and fairs online and in-person around the UK. These events give you the chance to explore our range of postgraduate courses, and find out what it’s like studying at Warwick. You’ll also be able to speak directly with our student recruitment team, who will be able to help answer your questions.

Join a live chat with our staff and students, who are here to answer your questions and help you learn more about postgraduate life at Warwick. You can join our general drop-in sessions or talk to your prospective department and student services.

Departmental events

Some academic departments hold events for specific postgraduate programmes, these are fantastic opportunities to learn more about Warwick and your chosen department and course.

See our online departmental events

Warwick Talk and Tours

A Warwick talk and tour lasts around two hours and consists of an overview presentation from one of our Recruitment Officers covering the key features, facilities and activities that make Warwick a leading institution. The talk is followed by a campus tour which is the perfect way to view campus, with a current student guiding you around the key areas on campus.

Connect with us

Learn more about Postgraduate study at the University of Warwick.

Page updates

We may have revised the information on this page since publication. See the edits we have made and content history .

Why Warwick

Discover why Warwick is one of the best universities in the UK and renowned globally.

9th in the UK (The Guardian University Guide 2024) Link opens in a new window

67th in the world (QS World University Rankings 2024) Link opens in a new window

6th most targeted university by the UK's top 100 graduate employers Link opens in a new window

(The Graduate Market in 2024, High Fliers Research Ltd. Link opens in a new window )

About the information on this page

This information is applicable for 2024 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our terms and conditions to find out more.

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Education PhD

For 2024-2025 £4,778 full time (UK)  £2,389 part time (UK) £21,360 full time (International) £10,680 part time (International)

More  Fees and funding details.

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The School of Education has a national and international reputation as a centre of excellence and provides wide and varied opportunities for students to undertake full or part-time research.

The School of Education has a national and international standing as a centre of excellence for research in education which is recognised by consistently scoring high in the national assessment of the research (REF) which takes place across all UK universities approximately every 6 years. The results of the latest  2021 Research Excellent Framework (REF)  show that the School of Education is ranked 3rd in the UK for its research. 

The original Department of Education was founded in 1896 and became the School of Education in 1947. It is one of the largest research-led schools of education in the UK employing over 100 academic staff who teach more than 2,500 students. It is also home to a number of  departments and research centres . The university also has a Doctoral Training Centre (DTC) which has been accredited by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). 

Our strategy towards research and research degrees is centred on three key principles:

• Research should seek to combine scholarly and empirical work on fundamental issues with a concern for development work linked to practice; a dialogue between fundamental study and development work can enrich both
• Research should recognise the importance of professional practice and be pursued through active collaboration with schools, colleges, local authorities, and voluntary and other professional bodies in the UK and internationally
• Research is often a multidisciplinary activity and strong links across specialisms must be encouraged and supported

The interdependence of research with development and professional practice means that we particularly welcome the contribution of research students to our work. We provide a comprehensive programme of research training, together with opportunities to take part in research seminars where speakers with national and international reputations present work that is at the forefront of current debates within the field.

The Education PhD

A PhD requires a minimum period of study as a registered student of normally three years full-time or six years part-time. It is assessed by thesis only, and is examined by a work of a maximum of 80,000 words and an oral examination. You will be required to complete a research training programme, normally within the first two years of registration.

Please visit our school postgraduate research pages  to find out more about all our postgraduate research degrees, including our taught doctoral programmes. You will also be able to find out more about the support we can offer you whilst you are undertaking your research. You will also be able to view the profiles of some of our current doctoral researchers to find out more about their research topics.

We also encourage you to visit the school  research pages  to find out more about our current research.

Scholarships

Scholarships may be available.

I decided to apply for postgraduate study because I wanted to become a researcher and this job requires a postgraduate qualification. The UK maintains its leading status in educational research, and applying to the University of Birmingham, one of the leading research-intensive universities in the UK, was an obvious choice for me. Kristina Gruzdeva, PhD Education

Fees 2024 - 2025

• Code 2606 - £4,778 full-time
• Code 2607 - £2,389 part-time

International

• Code 2606 - £21,360 full-time
• Code 2607 - £10,680 part-time

The fees shown above are the annual fees for students starting their PhD in September in 2024. Please note that the annual fees for subsequent years on the course may increase due to inflation. 

Learn more about fees

Scholarships and Loans

Please visit our dedicated Postgraduate funding database for further information on scholarships you may be eligible to apply for or contact the Funding, Graduation & Awards Office via  online enquiries.  

Eligible Doctoral students can now apply for a government loan of up to £28,673 (for 2023/2024 entry) to contribute to overall costs. 

How To Apply

PhD applications will normally need to be received by June 2024 for a September start.

When applying for a PhD programme you will be required to submit a detailed proposal, which outlines the nature of your proposed study. This proposal will not be held as a final contract and may change in negotiation with your supervisor. However, it is an indication that you have the background ideas and knowledge to begin independent research in the broad area of your interest. It also enables us to send your application to appropriate members of staff for consideration.

• How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate research programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online. We have put together some helpful information on the research programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page . Please read this information carefully before completing your application.

Our Standard Requirements

When you apply, the application system will ask you to upload a research proposal for submission together with your application. 

We require an IELTS 7 or other equivalent English language qualification with no less than 6.5 in any band.

Learn more about entry requirements

International Requirements

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 14/20 from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of the Licenciado or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Argentinian university, with a promedio of at least 7.5, may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Applicants for PhD degrees will normally have a Maestria or equivalent

Applicants who hold a Masters degree will be considered for admission to PhD study.

Holders of a good four-year Diplomstudium/Magister or a Masters degree from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 2.5 will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students with a good 5-year Specialist Diploma or 4-year Bachelor degree from a recognised higher education institution in Azerbaijan, with a minimum GPA of 4/5 or 80% will be considered for entry to postgraduate taught programmes at the University of Birmingham.

For postgraduate research programmes applicants should have a good 5-year Specialist Diploma (completed after 1991), with a minimum grade point average of 4/5 or 80%, from a recognised higher education institution or a Masters or “Magistr Diplomu” or “Kandidat Nauk” from a recognised higher education institution in Azerbaijan.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 75% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a CGPA of 3.0-3.3/4.0 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Students who hold a Masters degree from the University of Botswana with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 (70%/B/'very good') will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Please note 4-year bachelor degrees from the University of Botswana are considered equivalent to a Diploma of Higher Education. 5-year bachelor degrees from the University of Botswana are considered equivalent to a British Bachelor (Ordinary) degree.

Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

A Licenciatura or Bacharelado degree from a recognised Brazilian university:

• A grade of 7.5/10 for entry to programmes with a 2:1 requirement
• A grade of 6.5/10for entry to programmes with a 2:2 requirement

Holders of a good Bachelors degree with honours (4 to 6 years) from a recognised university with a upper second class grade or higher will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.  Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good post-2001 Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students with a minimum average of 14 out of 20 (or 70%) on a 4-year Licence, Bachelor degree or Diplôme d'Etudes Superieures de Commerce (DESC) or Diplôme d'Ingénieur or a Maîtrise will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Holders of a bachelor degree with honours from a recognised Canadian university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. A GPA of 3.0/4, 7.0/9 or 75% is usually equivalent to a UK 2.1.

Holders of the Licenciado or equivalent Professional Title from a recognised Chilean university will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Applicants for PhD study will preferably hold a Magister degree or equivalent.

Students with a bachelor’s degree (4 years minimum) may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. However please note that we will only consider students who meet the entry guidance below.  Please note: for the subject areas below we use the Shanghai Ranking 2022 (full table)  ,  Shanghai Ranking 2023 (full table) , and Shanghai Ranking of Chinese Art Universities 2023 .

需要具备学士学位（4年制）的申请人可申请研究生课程。请根据所申请的课程查看相应的入学要求。 请注意，中国院校名单参考 软科中国大学排名2022（总榜） ，  软科中国大学排名2023（总榜） ，以及 软科中国艺术类高校名单2023 。  

Business School    - MSc programmes (excluding MBA)  

商学院硕士课程（MBA除外）入学要求

School of Computer Science – all MSc programmes 计算机学院硕士课程入学要求

College of Social Sciences – courses listed below 社会科学 学院部分硕士课程入学要求 MA Education  (including all pathways) MSc TESOL Education MSc Public Management MA Global Public Policy MA Social Policy MA Sociology Department of Political Science and International Studies  全部硕士课程 International Development Department  全部硕士课程

  All other programmes (including MBA)   所有其他 硕士课程（包括 MBA）入学要求

Please note:

• Borderline cases: We may consider students with lower average score (within 5%) on a case-by-case basis if you have a relevant degree and very excellent grades in relevant subjects and/or relevant work experience. 如申请人均分低于相应录取要求（5%以内），但具有出色学术背景，优异的专业成绩，以及（或）相关的工作经验，部分课程将有可能单独酌情考虑。
• Please contact the China Recruitment Team for any questions on the above entry requirements. 如果您对录取要求有疑问，请联系伯明翰大学中国办公室   [email protected]

Holders of the Licenciado/Professional Title from a recognised Colombian university will be considered for our Postgraduate Diploma and Masters degrees. Applicants for PhD degrees will normally have a Maestria or equivalent.

Holders of a good bachelor degree with honours (4 to 6 years) from a recognised university with a upper second class grade or higher will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.  Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Bacclaureus (Bachelors) from a recognised Croatian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 4.0 out of 5.0, vrlo dobar ‘very good’, or a Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a Bachelors degree(from the University of the West Indies or the University of Technology) may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. A Class II Upper Division degree is usually equivalent to a UK 2.1. For further details on particular institutions please refer to the list below.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Masters degree or Mphil from the University of the West Indies.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum overall grade of 6.5 out of 10, or a GPA of 3 out of 4, and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Bakalár from a recognised Czech Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 1.5, B, velmi dobre ‘very good’ (post-2004) or 2, velmi dobre ‘good’ (pre-2004), or a good post-2002 Magistr (Masters), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum overall grade of 7-10 out of 12 (or 8 out of 13) or higher for 2:1 equivalence and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters/ Magisterkonfereus/Magister Artium degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of the Licenciado or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Ecuadorian university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Grades of 70% or higher can be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Magister/Masterado or equivalent qualification, but holders of the Licenciado with excellent grades can be considered.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 75% from a recognised institution. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Bakalaurusekraad from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 4/5 or B, or a good one- or two-year Magistrikraad from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree with very good grades (grade B, 3.5/4 GPA or 85%) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. 

Holders of a good Kandidaatti / Kandidat (old system), a professional title such as Ekonomi, Diplomi-insinööri, Arkkitehti, Lisensiaatti (in Medicine, Dentistry and Vetinary Medicine), or a Maisteri / Magister (new system), Lisensiaatti / Licenciat, Oikeustieteen Kandidaatti / Juris Kandidat (new system) or Proviisori / Provisor from a recognised Finnish Higher Education institution, with a minimum overall grade of 2/3 or 4/5, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters/Maîtrise with a minimum overall grade of 13 out of 20, or a Magistère / Diplôme d'Etudes Approfondies / Diplôme d'Etudes Supérieures Specialisées / Mastère Specialis, from a recognised French university or Grande École to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Magister Artium, a Diplom or an Erstes Staatsexamen from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 2.5, or a good two-year Lizentiat / Aufbaustudium / Zweites Staatsexamen or a Masters degree from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good four-year Ptychio (Bachelor degree) with a minimum overall grade of 6.5 out of 10, from a recognised Greek university (AEI), and will usually be required to have completed a good Metaptychiako Diploma Eidikefsis (Masters degree) from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

4-year Licenciado is deemed equivalent to a UK bachelors degree. A score of 75 or higher from Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC) can be considered comparable to a UK 2.1, 60 is comparable to a UK 2.2.  Private universities have a higher pass mark, so 80 or higher should be considered comparable to a UK 2.1, 70 is comparable to a UK 2.2

The Hong Kong Bachelor degree is considered comparable to British Bachelor degree standard. Students with bachelor degrees awarded by universities in Hong Kong may be considered for entry to one of our postgraduate degree programmes.

Students with Masters degrees may be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a good Alapfokozat / Alapképzés or Egyetemi Oklevel from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 3.5, or a good Mesterfokozat (Masters degree) or Egyetemi Doktor (university doctorate), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a 60% or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of the 4 year Sarjana (S1) from a recognised Indonesian institution will be considered for postgraduate study. Entry requirements vary with a minimum requirement of a GPA of 2.8.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a score of 14/20 or 70% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution, with 100 out of 110 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Students who hold the Maitrise, Diplome d'Etude Approfondies, Diplome d'Etude Superieures or Diplome d'Etude Superieures Specialisees will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees (14-15/20 or Bien from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 12-13/20 or Assez Bien is considered comparable to a UK 2.2).

Students with a Bachelor degree from a recognised university in Japan will be considered for entry to a postgraduate Masters degree provided they achieve a sufficiently high overall score in their first (Bachelor) degree. A GPA of 3.0/4.0 or a B average from a good Japanese university is usually considered equivalent to a UK 2:1.

Students with a Masters degree from a recognised university in Japan will be considered for PhD study. A high overall grade will be necessary to be considered.

Students who have completed their Specialist Diploma Мамаң дипломы/Диплом специалиста) or "Magistr" (Магистр дипломы/Диплом магистра) degree (completed after 1991) from a recognised higher education institution, with a minimum GPA of 2.67/4.00 for courses requiring a UK lower second and 3.00/4.00 for courses requiring a UK upper second class degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate Masters degrees and, occasionally, directly for PhD degrees.  Holders of a Bachelor "Bakalavr" degree (Бакалавр дипломы/Диплом бакалавра) from a recognised higher education institution, with a minimum GPA of  2.67/4.00 for courses requiring a UK lower second and 3.00/4.00 for courses requiring a UK upper second class degree, may also be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/50

Holders of a good Postgraduate Diploma (professional programme) from a recognised university or institution of Higher Education, with a minimum overall grade of 7.5 out of 10, or a post-2000 Magistrs, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a score of 16/20 or 80% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in Libya will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of a Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved score of 70% for 2:1 equivalency or 65% for 2:2 equivalency. Alternatively students will require a minimum of 3.0/4.0 or BB to be considered.

Holders of a good pre-2001 Magistras from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 8 out of 10, or a good post-2001 Magistras, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes

Holders of a good Bachelors degree from a recognised Luxembourgish Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 16 out of 20, or a Diplôme d'Études Supérieures Spécialisées (comparable to a UK PGDip) or Masters degree from a recognised Luxembourgish Higher Education institution will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees (70-74% or A or Marginal Distinction from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 60-69% or B or Bare Distinction/Credit is considered comparable to a UK 2.2).

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised Malaysian institution (usually achieved with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average minimum of 3.0) will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a good Bachelors degree from the University of Malta with a minimum grade of 2:1 (Hons), and/or a Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree (Honours) from a recognised institution (including the University of Mauritius) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2:1).

Students who hold the Licenciado/Professional Titulo from a recognised Mexican university with a promedio of at least 8 will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Students who have completed a Maestria from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree, licence or Maîtrise and a Masters degree, with a score of 14/20 or 70% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Students with a good four year honours degree from a recognised university will be considered for postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. PhD applications will be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 60-74% or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Doctoraal from a recognised Dutch university with a minimum overall grade of 7 out of 10, and/or a good Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree (minimum 4 years and/or level 400) from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum GPA of B/Very Good or 1.6-2.5 for a 2.1 equivalency, and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters, Mastergrad, Magister. Artium, Sivilingeniør, Candidatus realium or Candidatus philologiae degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a CGPA of 3.0/4 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in the Palestinian Territories will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3/4 or 80% for 2:1 equivalency or a GPA of 2.5/4 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.    

Holders of the Título de Licenciado /Título de (4-6 years) or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Paraguayan university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Grades of 4/5 or higher can be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent.  The Título Intermedio is a 2-3 year degree and is equivalent to a HNC, it is not suitable for postgraduate entry but holders of this award could be considered for second year undergraduate entry or pre-Masters.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Título de Maestría / Magister or equivalent qualification, but holders of the Título/Grado de Licenciado/a with excellent grades can be considered.

Holders of the Licenciado, with at least 13/20 may be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent. The Grado de Bachiller is equivalent to an ordinary degree, so grades of 15+/20 are required.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Título de Maestría or equivalent qualification.

Holders of a good pre-2001 Magister from a recognised Polish university with a minimum overall grade of 4 out of 5, dobry ‘good’, and/or a good Swiadectwo Ukonczenia Studiów Podyplomowych (Certificate of Postgraduate Study) or post-2001 Magister from a recognised Polish university with a minimum overall grade of 4.5/4+ out of 5, dobry plus 'better than good', will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Licenciado from a recognised university, or a Diploma de Estudos Superiores Especializados (DESE) from a recognised Polytechnic Institution, with a minimum overall grade of 16 out of 20, and/or a good Mestrado / Mestre (Masters) from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised Romanian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 8 out of 10, and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree/Diploma de Master/Diploma de Studii Academice Postuniversitare (Postgraduate Diploma - Academic Studies) or Diploma de Studii Postuniversitare de Specializare (Postgraduate Diploma - Specialised Studies) to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Диплом Специалиста (Specialist Diploma) or Диплом Магистра (Magistr) degree from recognised universities in Russia (minimum GPA of 4.0) will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes/PhD study.

Students who hold a 4-year Bachelor degree with at least 16/20 or 70% will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.   

Students who hold a Maitrise, Diplome d'Etude Approfondies,Diplome d'Etude Superieures or Diplome d'Etude Superieures Specialisees will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. A score of 14-15/20 or Bien from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 12-13/20 or Assez Bien is considered comparable to a UK 2.2

Students who hold a Bachelor (Honours) degree from a recognised institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 (or a score of 60-69% or B+) from a well ranked institution will be considered for most our Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees with a 2:1 requirement.

Students holding a good Bachelors Honours degree will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a good three-year Bakalár or pre-2002 Magister from a recognised Slovakian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 1.5, B, Vel’mi dobrý ‘very good’, and/or a good Inžinier or a post-2002 Magister from a recognised Slovakian Higher Education institution will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Diploma o pridobljeni univerzitetni izobrazbi (Bachelors degree), Diplomant (Professionally oriented first degree), Univerzitetni diplomant (Academically oriented first degree) or Visoko Obrazovanja (until 1999) from a recognised Slovenian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 8.0 out of 10, and/or a good Diploma specializacija (Postgraduate Diploma) or Magister (Masters) will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor Honours degree (also known as Baccalaureus Honores / Baccalaureus Cum Honoribus) from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most Masters programmes will require a second class upper (70%) or a distinction (75%).

Holders of a Masters degree will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a Bachelor degree from a recognised South Korean institution (usually with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average 3.0/4.0 or 3.2/4.5) will be considered for Masters programmes.

Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 7 out of 10 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 60-74% or a CGPA 3.30/4.0 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Kandidatexamen (Bachelors degree) or Yrkesexamen (Professional Bachelors degree) from a recognised Swedish Higher Education institution with the majority of subjects with a grade of VG (Val godkänd), and/or a good Magisterexamen (Masters degree), International Masters degree or Licentiatexamen (comparable to a UK Mphil), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good "PostGraduate Certificate" or "PostGraduate Diploma" or a Masters degree from a recognised Swiss higher education institution (with a minimum GPA of 5/6 or 8/10 or 2/5 (gut-bien-bene/good) for a 2.1 equivalence) may be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0, 3.5/5 or 75% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Bachelor degree (from 75% to 85% depending upon the university in Taiwan) from a recognised institution will be considered for postgraduate Masters study. Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for entry to our postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Masters degree or Mphil from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students with a Bachelors degree from the following universities may be considered for entry to postgraduate programmes:

• Ateneo de Manila University - Quezon City
• De La Salle University - Manila
• University of Santo Tomas
• University of the Philippines - Diliman

Students from all other institutions with a Bachelors and a Masters degree or relevant work experience may be considered for postgraduate programmes.

Grading Schemes

1-5 where 1 is the highest 2.1 = 1.75 2.2 = 2.25 

Out of 4.0 where 4 is the highest 2.1 = 3.0 2.2 = 2.5

Letter grades and percentages 2.1 = B / 3.00 / 83% 2.2 = C+ / 2.5 / 77%

Holders of a postdoctoral qualification from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.  Students may be considered for PhD study if they have a Masters from one of the above listed universities.

Holders of a Lisans Diplomasi with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0/4.0 from a recognised university will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a Yuksek Diplomasi from a recognised university will be considered for PhD study.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most Masters programmes will require a second class upper (2.1) or GPA of 3.5/5.0

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree / Диплом бакалавра (Dyplom Bakalavra), Диплом спеціаліста (Specialist Diploma) or a Dyplom Magistra from a recognised Ukrainian higher education institution with a minimum GPA of 4.0/5.0, 3.5/4, 8/12 or 80% or higher for 2:1 equivalence and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

The University will consider students who hold an Honours degree from a recognised institution in the USA with a GPA of:

• 2.8 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for entry to programmes with a 2:2 requirement 
• 3.2 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for entry to programmes with a 2:1 requirement 

Please note that some subjects which are studied at postgraduate level in the USA, eg. Medicine and Law, are traditionally studied at undergraduate level in the UK.

Holders of the Magistr Diplomi (Master's degree) or Diplomi (Specialist Diploma), awarded by prestigious universities, who have attained high grades in their studies will be considered for postgraduate study.  Holders of the Fanlari Nomzodi (Candidate of Science), where appropriate, will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of the Licenciatura/Título or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Venezuelan university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Scales of 1-5, 1-10 and 1-20 are used, an overall score of 70% or equivalent can be considered equivalent to a UK 2.1.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Maestria or equivalent qualification

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised Vietnamese institution (usually achieved with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average minimum GPA of 7.0 and above) will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.  Holders of a Masters degree (thac si) will be considered for entry to PhD programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree with a minimum GPA of 3.5/5.0 or a mark of 2.0/2.5 (A) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.   

Students who hold a good Bachelor Honours degree will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. 

In addition to our standard academic and English language requirements, applications to study a PhD in Education are judged on the quality of the research proposal submitted and we advise you to carefully read the information outlined below before applying. 

Your Research Proposal

Your research proposal should illustrate your ability to plan an independent research study in Education and  the relevance of your topic to the research interests and expertise of staff in the School of Education. You need to demonstrate that you understand the field that you plan to research, identify an interesting and original research question, develop a tentative plan of study and connect your work with our research in the School. It is critical that your research proposal is written to the guidelines specified below.

Guidelines for the Research Proposal

You are free to write your Research Proposal in a format that suits you, however it should be no more than 2,500 words, excluding references.

However, please be sure that your Research Proposal includes the following minimum information.  

• Provide a title for your proposed research
• Identify the Department  or Research Centre you wish to join and select two or three potential supervisors you would like to work with.
• Provide an overview of your research question, explaining why it is of academic and/or practical importance.
• Discuss the importance of previous related research and how your own research question might make a useful contribution to the area.
• State the main research techniques and data collection procedures you propose to answer the research question you have proposed. Justify why these are appropriate.
• Explain how you will collect data for your study. Justify why your strategy is a good one and explain how you can successfully collect the data you need in the timeframe.
• Outline your proposed timetable of activities.

Common mistakes made in a research proposal

• The research topic is too general. Your research proposal needs to state clearly what you plan to research, why and how.
• The proposal is not well-informed, theoretically. Your proposal may identify a real-world educational issue or problem, but it does not demonstrate its theoretical importance to the study of education. Your proposal must identify the theoretical insight your research will bring to our discipline. What will be the significance of your work? Why is your research question original and interesting?
• The research proposal does not fit with our academic expertise. 

The stages of a PhD application

• Develop your research proposal
• Ensure that your proposal matches our research expertise in the School of Education
• Identify a potential supervisor and department; list these clearly on your application form, in your personal statement and in your research proposal
• Make informal contact with your potential supervisor via email and discuss your proposed research with them if you wish
• Finalize all of the supporting material for your application (including a 2 – 3 page CV, a personal statement, academic references, copies of academic transcripts/degrees, evidence of a successfully completed English Language Test if applicable)
• Submit your application online

Perhaps the most important step in the formulation of your research project is to identify a member of academic staff with appropriate expertise to supervise your area of interest. Your supervisor will act as the main source of academic supervisory support and research mentoring during your time as a doctoral researcher at the University and as such, it is vital that you ensure that the department to which you are applying is able to offer appropriate supervisory support in your relevant research area. Before submitting your application to the University you will need to identify potential supervisors in your desired field of research and contact them directly about your research proposal.

Whilst we accept applications covering all aspects of educational research, we particularly welcome applications for our  current priority areas . Applicants are encouraged to view the research activity within each  department in the school  as well as on individual staff profiles. 

Individual staff research interests

Professor Julie Allan Disability and children’s rights, educational theory.

Professor Kalwant Bhopal Race, racism, gender, class, intersectionality, educational inequalities, schools and higher education, qualitative research, case study research, ethnography, Gypsy and Traveller groups, social justice, equity.

Dr Helen Breadmore Reading, spelling and writing. Causes and consequences of low literacy. Morphological awareness and processing. Evidence-based practice in literacy education. Randomised controlled trials.

Dr Laura Day Ashley Non-state education, Education in India, The history of schooling, Cross-cultural education, Alternatives to education and progressive education, Qualitative approaches, Ethnography, Case Studies, Anthropological approaches, education and marketisation / privatisation / the private sector; NGOs and education (especially developing countries).

Dr Laura D'Olimpio Moral education; Moral philosophy and applied ethics; Aesthetics; particularly aesthetics and ethics; Philosophy in schools; Media, mass art, technology and digital literacy; Philosophy of film and literature; Virtue ethics and character education; Public philosophy.

Professor Graeme Douglas Visual impairment; Educational outcomes and SEN; Transitions from school; Curriculum balance; WHO ICF model of disability; The views of disabled people; Technology and SEN / disability.

Dr Reza Gholami Impact of transnationality and diversity on education practice and policy; Citizenship education, subjectivity and social change in the contemporary/future world; Educational responses to extremism and counterextremism.

Dr Celia Greenway Early Years workforce reform; Early Years practitioners professional identity; Gender issues connected to the recruitment of males into Early Years; Leadership and Management within the nursery sector; Creative Curriculum with reference to young children’s social and emotional development; Outdoor learning and Forest schools.

Dr Karen Guldberg Technology Enhanced Learning for children with autism; social learning theory and inter subjectivity theory; Evidence Based Practice in Education; participatory methodologies

Mr Neil Hall Assessment and intervention in child and adolescent mental health; understanding how family mental health and trauma affects children’s learning and well-being, behaviour and development; teachers’ models of child and adolescent mental health.

Dr Sarah Hall Holocaust and genocide education within a school context, and post-holocaust theology in the classroom; Literary theory and re-reading narrative within Biblical texts especially through a feminist lens; RSE (Relationship and Sex Education): policy and school context; PSHE (Personal, Social, Health Education): policy and school context including work on RSE and Mental Health; Secondary School based subject mentors as ‘HEI teachers’ through their work with students undertaking professional courses; Tutoring and managing ‘the tutor’ in a HEI context.

Professor Michael Hand Philosophy of education; moral education; religious education; political education; teaching controversial issues; philosophy in schools.

Dr Tom Harrison Character, virtue, citizenship, cyber-phronesis, youth social action.

Dr Julie Howe Professional practice in educational psychology services; social constructionism with a particular interest in gender; anti-oppressive practice in educational psychology; the educational implications of acquired brain injury.

Dr Dina Kiwan Citizenship, civil society, activism, conflict, human rights, ethnic and religious diversity, disability, gender, sexuality, migration, refugees, intersectionality.

Dr Ben Kotzee Philosophy of education; virtue theory; ethics in education; professional education.

Professor Kristján Kristjánsson Moral education, virtue ethics, well-being, educational values, teacher/student emotions and self-concepts.

Dr Andrea MacLeod Adults with autism spectrum conditions; models of support; self-advocacy; higher education students with autism; participatory methodologies.

Dr Eleni Mariou Multilingualism in educational and social contexts; Language ideology and discourse; Cultural and political implications of English as an International Language; Language education.

Professor Jane Martin Biography, history and education, Comprehensive education, Gender and education, Education and politics, Education and social movements, Identities and social action, Teacher unions.

Dr Ian McGimpsey Youth Work.

Dr Kevin Myers History of education; history and heritage; social history of childhood and youth.

Dr Jawiria Naseem Dynamics of Higher Education and the labour market in France and Britain; Socio-economic inequalities among (female) graduates; Citizenship and belonging among second generation and Muslim minority ethnic groups.

Dr Prithvi Perepa Most topics related to autism, specifically Intersectionality of autism with different factors such as culture or ethnicity, bilingualism, gender and sexual orientation, and religion; educational support; family experiences and family support.

Dr Siân Roberts Twentieth century educational interventions with children and refugees in contexts of war or displacement; pedagogic contributions by refugee educationalists who arrived in the UK , 1914-1950; transnational interventions by British Quaker women in education, social justice and humanitarian aid, 1914-1950; visual representations of children by humanitarian and political activists; the history of educational broadcasting.

Dr Nicola Smith Children and families with EAL; children as researchers and parental involvement in early years education.

Dr Anita Soni Early years; Children's Centres; personal social and emotional development in young children; key person approach; supervision and group supervision.

Dr Tonie Stolberg Science education, Sustainable development education, Science and the creative arts, The teaching of and learning about controversial issues Religion and science, The impact of faith on teaching and learning, Cultural influences on education, Pedagogy, Values and education, Philosophy of education, Phenomenological education.

Dr Emmanouela Terlektsi Education of deaf and hearing impaired children, Literacy skills of deaf children and young people, socioemotional development of deaf children and young people.

Dr Ruth Wareham Philosophy of education, religious education and schooling, moral education, relationships and sex education, political education, citizenship education, human rights education, education policy.

Dr Kirsty Wilson Mathematics education; algebraic thinking; pedagogy and teachers' practices, including use of technology; primary and early years mathematics; primary teacher education.

As a postgraduate researcher you will have one-to-one supervision with a lead supervisor and also a second supervisor or academic advisor. Your supervisor is the key person in providing support and guidance in your research. Students who are involved in similar areas may also have some group supervision.

You will have 24 hour access to work space in our research suite, where there are computer and telephone facilities. You also have access to the University's libraries and computer facilities, as well as other entitlements such as grants towards conference attendance, printing and photocopying. Many of our postgraduate researchers work with supervisors in publishing articles and making their work public. Although students will register with the School of Education, they are also automatically members of the Graduate School, with access to facilities such as the Graduate Social Centre and the opportunity to meet with other researchers from a wide range of academic disciplines. As a doctoral student, you will also be able to join the College of Social Sciences Doctoral Training programme which has ESRC recognition.

The School of Education also runs an annual Doctoral Research Conference which is which brings together doctoral researchers, academics and practitioners to explore key issues and developments in educational research, theory, policy and practice. The conference, which is organised and run by the doctoral researchers, includes a keynote presentation, an expert panel debate, papers in parallel sessions and a poster exhibition.

Over the last five years, an impressive 95.8% of Education postgraduates have been in work and/or further study six months after graduation.

Birmingham’s Education graduates choose to work in variety of education roles in schools and administrative roles in public and private sector organisations. Some chose to continue their education and apply for professional courses such as teacher training. Some of our graduates are attracted to careers in education such as teaching, community and youth work or other public sector occupations such as social work, police, housing and probation. New opportunities in partnership enterprises within sport, leisure, education and community schemes appeal. Some graduates also consider work in the private sector such as retail, finance or marketing.

What type of career assistance is available to doctoral researchers in Education?

The College of Social Sciences, to which the School of Education belongs, has specially designated careers advisors and careers consultants who can provide guidance for doctoral researchers on career paths, CVs, training opportunities, application and interviews. The University’s central Careers’ Service also runs workshops and offers personally tailored advice and guidance including 1-1 careers advice and 1-1 CV advice. The Career’s Service runs CV writing workshops especially for postgraduates in the College of Social Sciences, giving advice on how to compile CVs for both employment and for academic roles. The University also has dedicated careers advisors who run workshops and provide networking opportunities with potential employers. These are especially popular with international postgraduate researchers.

• Online chat events

• Schools & departments

Education PhD

Awards: PhD

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Education

Discovery Day

Join us online on 18th April to learn more about postgraduate study at Edinburgh

View sessions and register

Research profile

Why edinburgh.

The University of Edinburgh was ranked first in Scotland for research power in Education and Sport (Times Higher Education, REF 2021) and we offer the largest concentration of researchers in education in a Scottish university.

This means you will be supported by and collaborate with leaders in the field. Our research activities cover all aspects of education and learning - from pre-school to higher education and lifelong learning.

Moray House School of Education and Sport staff provide supervision on a wide range of topics within the fields of:

• teacher education
• pedagogy, curriculum and schooling
• outdoor education
• social justice and inclusive education
• comparative education and international development
• childhood and youth studies
• digital education
• philosophy of education
• language education: policy and practice

Many opportunities exist for interdisciplinary research.

Research Thematic Hubs

With over 250 research staff and students, we have a vibrant and expanding research community with a broad portfolio of academic disciplines gathered within seven broad research themes with permeable boundaries. These thematic hubs are:

• Advanced Quantitative Research in Education
• Children and Young People
• Digital Education
• Language, Interculturality and Literacies
• Social Justice and Inclusion
• Sport-Related Research
• Teacher Education, Curriculum and Pedagogy

Research community

As a postgraduate research student you will join a vibrant Graduate School community with over 150 research students. There are also several opportunities for optional training and development throughout your studies.

Research students are encouraged to attend and actively engage with the activities of School research thematic hubs, which include seminars, meetings and workshops. In addition, several academic and social events for research students take place throughout the year.

We organise an annual series of around 25 training, talks and seminar events, as well as the student-led ‘Interweaving’ conference for research students and staff.

Programme structure

The PhD is a substantial piece of independent research which makes a contribution to the state of existing knowledge in the field.

The PhD programme is designed to take three years full-time or six years part-time. The programme is examined by submission of a thesis of up to 100,000 words and by oral examination.

Application

You are encouraged to contact a potential supervisor to discuss your research project before making a formal application.

You may start your studies with us either on 1 October or 10 January of a year.

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Training and support

Students following the PhD degree are normally supported in their research by two supervisors.

The first of these will be a member of staff who has expertise in the general area of your proposed research topic and the second will be another expert in the field who may come from within the School, University or a field of practice.

Most students who are accepted begin a period of research leading to a PhD; however, the first year of this degree is probationary and progression to year two is dependent on satisfactory progress.

We offer a number of courses in research methodologies, which you are encouraged to take during your first year.

You will work closely with your supervisors, who are recognised experts in the field. All PhD students pursue an individually tailored programme of research training agreed with their supervisors.

Our PhD programmes provide core training in the research skills necessary to flourish at doctoral level and beyond.

PhD by Distance option

The PhD by Distance is available to suitably qualified applicants in the same areas as our on-campus programmes.

The programme allows students who are unable to commit to basing themselves in Edinburgh full time to study for a PhD from their home country or city, however, this is not intended to be a fully online distance learning programme.

For further information on the PhD by Distance option (including criteria for eligibility, required application form and how to apply) please visit the School website:

• Moray House School of Education and Sport PhD by Distance

Entry requirements

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a related subject is normally required.

Normally also a postgraduate degree with a 60% overall grade point average and 60% in the dissertation, or its international equivalent.

You must also submit a research proposal that fits well with our staff expertise. You are encouraged to contact potential supervisors in advance to informally discuss your research proposal.

We may also consider your application if you have other qualifications or substantial experience; if in doubt, please contact us to check before you apply.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country
• English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced ( CAE ) / C2 Proficiency ( CPE ): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
• Trinity ISE : ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 62 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS , TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE , in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

Fees and costs

Tuition fees, scholarships and funding, featured funding.

Moray House School of Education and Sport funding for postgraduate research students

Research scholarships for international students

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK's governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on your programme, the duration of your studies, and your residency status.

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

• Search for scholarships and funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding

Further information

• Postgraduate Admissions
• Phone: +44 (0)131 650 4086
• Contact: Admissions Office
• Deputy Director of Postgraduate Research, Dr Darío Luis Banegas
• Contact: [email protected]
• Moray House School of Education and Sport
• Old Moray House
• Holyrood Campus
• Programme: Education
• School: Education and Sport (Moray House)
• College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.

PhD Education - 3 Years (Full-time)

Phd education - 6 years (part-time), application deadlines.

We encourage you to apply at least one month prior to entry so that we have enough time to process your application. If you are also applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible.

• How to apply

You must submit two references with your application.

You must also submit a detailed research proposal using the following template:

Research Proposal template

Guidelines on writing your research proposal

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

Alternatively, use our A–Z index

Attend an open day

Discover more about this subject area

PhD Education / Programme details

Year of entry: 2024

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Programme description

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Research in education must and should make a difference.

A PhD in Education will allow you to conduct world-changing research that addresses key issues in social justice and enables evidence-informed educational change.

The Manchester Institute of Education (MIE) builds upon a long-standing reputation for excellence in educational research and teaching with a tradition stretching back to 1890, when education was first established as a focus for study within The University of Manchester.

We are one of the largest graduate educational research communities in the UK, with a rich diversity of opportunity for our postgraduate research students.

The MIE approach to research is distinctive; through a focus on equity and practice, we make a significant contribution to the University's goal of social responsibility.

Our aim is to ensure that our educational and allied research is at the cutting-edge of theory and practice, and that it contributes to improvements in the overall wellbeing of students, their families and communities throughout the world.

Ongoing productive partnerships with policymakers and practitioners enable the interplay of ideas, evidence and strategy. Manchester Institute of Education research themes include:

• Critical Education Policy and Leadership (CEPaL) 
• Critical Pedagogies
• Disadvantage and Poverty (DP)  
• Education and Psychology (EP)

As a PhD student, you will join a vibrant and dynamic group of people with diverse backgrounds, interests and world views, and gain the opportunity to work with leading experts who have a broad range of experience and knowledge in the respective fields.

There will also be many opportunities for you to become involved in ongoing research projects.

Special features

Education has been a discipline of study at Manchester since 1890. 

We are one of the largest educational research communities in the UK, conducting field-leading research across a wide range of areas, including educational leadership and policy, mental health, teacher training, maths education, disadvantage and poverty, and educational equity. 

Our research improves the quality of education across the world, with 78% of our activity defined as `world-leading' or `internationally excellent' (Research Excellence Framework 2014). 

The School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED) is a unique interdisciplinary collaboration between the disciplines of Architecture, Education, Geography, International Development and Planning, Property and Environmental Management.  

What unites us is a shared commitment to highlight and address the uneven relationships between societies, economies and the environment.  

We want to understand better the world in which we live, and to offer solutions to the problems within it. 

We acknowledge that a complex and interconnected world presents many challenges for analysts, but researchers in SEED are pioneering new evidence, measures, concepts and theories in order to address these challenges in practice. 

SEED's world-leading research is rooted in everyday life but international in relevance and scope, addressing social, economic and environmental concerns across the globe.  

Our PhD and professional doctorate research community, grouped around a range of dynamic centres and themes, is central to the SEED research agenda across all our disciplines.  

In order to further this agenda, we need fresh input and clear thinking from a fully engaged, curious, critical, socially aware PGR community.

Additional programme information

Equality, diversity and inclusion is fundamental to the success of The University of Manchester, and is at the heart of all of our activities.

We know that diversity strengthens our research community, leading to enhanced research creativity, productivity and quality, and societal and economic impact.

We actively encourage applicants from diverse career paths and backgrounds and from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation and transgender status.

All appointments are made on merit.

The University of Manchester and our external partners are fully committed to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Teaching and learning

We know the importance of transition and community; all our incoming PhD students are assigned a buddy, a senior student who offers advice and support to help connect you quickly into the community.

The Postgraduate Research Support Network is run by students for students and provides regular opportunities for debate.

Similarly, Research Matters is a lively seminar series for all staff and research students in MIE.

Our research students are vital to our research community and are welcomed as such.

When you become a postgraduate researcher in the School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED), you'll join a postgraduate community of more than 1,000 doctoral students from more than 100 different countries, all studying within the Faculty of Humanities.

You'll be assigned to specific research grouping that complements your research interests and have access to a variety of interdisciplinary research institutes.

Our working environments are often spacious and open plan, giving you plenty of opportunities to communicate with colleagues and staff within the School, and you will have your own desk space as well as access to our fantastic range of libraries on campus.

All our academic supervisors are research active and will support you to work on challenging research problems and develop rigorous, creative and original research.

You can expect to meet with your supervisor at least once a month to discuss progress on your project.

As a postgraduate researcher, you'll have access to a large and diverse community of internationally recognised academic experts offering an environment that will stimulate intellectual debate and development. We provide additional financial support for several activities related to your PhD, including:

• presenting at international conferences; 
• attending workshops that provide relevant professional opportunities; 
• conducting fieldwork in the UK and overseas.

Weekly departmental trainings in skills, education-specific topics, and key research issues in education are run by MIE staff during the semester. In your first year, you will also attend SEED-level research training every week. Further Methods Masterclasses are also available.

What our students say

Discover what it's really like to conduct postgraduate research at The University of Manchester on our student spotlights page.

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service.

For more information, email  [email protected]

DPhil in Education

• Entry Requirements
• Funding and Costs

College preference

• How to Apply

About the course

The DPhil in Education is intended to provide graduates with a wide range of research skills, as well as in-depth knowledge, understanding and expertise in their chosen field of research.

There are full-time and part-time routes available. Currently the overall expected contact time for the part-time route is thirty days at Oxford per year, but the majority of this will take place across the three eight week terms, and will include supervision meetings and core research training. Part-time students will normally be expected to be in the department every Thursday during term time in the first year and every Wednesday during term time in the second year. In later years there is greater flexibility and contact time will be agreed between the student and their supervisor.  

The department's doctoral students develop their skills through a range of research methods and skills training courses in their first year (for full-time students) and in their first two years (for part-time students). At the heart of the skills provision is the Research Training Seminar, where students present and develop their research ideas and proposals with the benefit of feedback and support from their peers. 

You will work closely with supervisors on literature review and study design for your thesis, and you are encouraged to make the most of the doctoral training and research methods provision available across the Social Sciences Division. 

You are also encouraged to join one or more of the department's research groups, becoming part of a vibrant educational research community with an active set of doctoral student-led events, seminars and conferences. All DPhil students are given opportunities to present their work at a variety of seminars and sessions in the department.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision is the responsibility of the Department of Education and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a second or co-supervisor may be found outside the Department of Education. 

A full-time student will typically have three supervisions per term, with some variance according to stage or if they are on fieldwork.

All students will be initially admitted to the status of Probationer Research Student (PRS). Within a maximum of four terms as a full-time PRS student or eight terms as a part-time PRS student, you will be expected to apply for and achieve transfer of status from Probationer Research Student to DPhil status. This application is normally made by the third term for full-time students and by the sixth term for part-time students.

A successful transfer of status from PRS to DPhil status will require submission of a research proposal. Students who are successful at transfer will also be expected to apply for and gain confirmation of DPhil status to show that your work continues to be on track. This will include submission of two chapters from your thesis (methodology and a findings chapter) and a framing document, and will need to be achieved within nine terms of admission for full-time students and eighteen terms of admission for part-time students.

Both milestones involve an interview with two assessors (other than your supervisor) and therefore provide important experience for the final oral examination.

Full-time students will be expected to submit a substantial thesis of at most 100,000 words after three or, at most, four years from the date of admission. If you are studying part-time, you will be required to submit your thesis after six or, at most, eight years from the date of admission. To be successfully awarded a DPhil in Education you will need to defend your thesis orally (viva voce) in front of two appointed examiners.

Graduate destinations

The most recent Oxford University Destination of Leavers from Higher Education Survey made contact with 635 master's course students who graduated from the Department of Education between 2012 and 2014. 90.2% of alumni were in work and 5.8% in further study with only 2.0% looking for work, ranking the department in the best 3 of the 15 departments in Oxford's Social Sciences Division.

Past DPhil students from the Department of Education have gone on to academic and research careers at universities in the UK (eg Oxford, Edinburgh, Warwick, UCL, King's College, St. Mary's, Liverpool) and across the world (eg Stanford, Princeton, MIT, Hong Kong, Chile, Norway), or are employed across a wide range of other sectors such as policy for government departments or NGOs, international organisations such as OECD, think tanks and administration at local and national levels. The department’s ‘Conversations with Alumni’ feature includes interviews with two DPhil alumni on their career paths after Oxford.

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made in circumstances of a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.

Entry requirements for entry in 2024-25

Proven and potential academic excellence.

The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying. 

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

• a master's degree , normally with a mark of at least 68 and at least 68 in your dissertation, in a relevant subject;  and
• a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in a relevant subject, preferably in the social sciences.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.6 out of 4.0.

If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

• Part-time applicants will also be expected to show evidence of the ability to commit time to study and, if applicable, an employer's commitment to make time available to study, to complete coursework, and attend course and University events and modules. Where appropriate, evidence should also be provided of permission to use employers’ data in the proposed research project.

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's  higher level . If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.

*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) † Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)

Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides  further information about the English language test requirement .

Declaring extenuating circumstances

If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.

You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Supporting documents

You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Performance at interview

Interviews are held as part of the admissions process.  

Interviews are normally held with two interviewers using Teams videoconferencing. The interview will normally cover issues related to your research proposal, your fit with departmental research groups, and your career plan. Interviews normally take place in February.

How your application is assessed

Your application will be assessed purely on your proven and potential academic excellence and other entry requirements described under that heading.

References  and  supporting documents  submitted as part of your application, and your performance at interview (if interviews are held) will be considered as part of the assessment process. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed.

An overview of the shortlisting and selection process is provided below. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide  more information about how applications are assessed . 

Shortlisting and selection

Students are considered for shortlisting and selected for admission without regard to age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, sexual orientation, as well as other relevant circumstances including parental or caring responsibilities or social background. However, please note the following:

• socio-economic information may be taken into account in the selection of applicants and award of scholarships for courses that are part of  the University’s pilot selection procedure  and for  scholarships aimed at under-represented groups ;
• country of ordinary residence may be taken into account in the awarding of certain scholarships; and
• protected characteristics may be taken into account during shortlisting for interview or the award of scholarships where the University has approved a positive action case under the Equality Act 2010.

Initiatives to improve access to graduate study

This course is taking part in  the 'Close the Gap' project  which aims to improve access to doctoral study.

For this course, socio-economic data (where it has been provided in the application form) will be used to contextualise applications at the different stages of the selection process.  Further information about how we use your socio-economic data  can be found in our page about initiatives to improve access to graduate study.

Processing your data for shortlisting and selection

Information about  processing special category data for the purposes of positive action  and  using your data to assess your eligibility for funding , can be found in our Postgraduate Applicant Privacy Policy.

Admissions panels and assessors

All recommendations to admit a student involve the judgement of at least two members of the academic staff with relevant experience and expertise, and must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies or Admissions Committee (or equivalent within the department).

Admissions panels or committees will always include at least one member of academic staff who has undertaken appropriate training.

Other factors governing whether places can be offered

The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:

• the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the  About  section of this page;
• the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
• minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.

Offer conditions for successful applications

If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide more information about offers and conditions . 

In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:

Financial Declaration

If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a  Financial Declaration  in order to meet your financial condition of admission.

Disclosure of criminal convictions

In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any  relevant, unspent criminal convictions  before you can take up a place at Oxford.

The Department of Education has been making a major contribution to the field of education for over 100 years and the department has a world class reputation for research, for teacher education and for its master's and doctoral programmes. We combine international standing as a research-intensive department with the highest quality teaching.

In the 2021 evaluation of research quality in UK universities, the Research Excellence Framework (REF), Oxford University Department of Education had the highest overall percentage of research judged to be 4* (i.e. world-leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour) in Education in the UK. The department has ESRC recognition for its graduate training, and its teacher training was rated ‘outstanding’ by the Office for Standards in Education (OfSTED) in its most recent inspection in 2019.

Research in the department is organised around three major themes:

• Language, Cognition and Development
• Policy, Economy and Society
• Learning: Pedagogy, Learning and Knowledge.

Within each of these themes there are several research groups and centres. All staff and doctoral students belong to one or more of these research groups; each has its own seminar programme to which postgraduate students often contribute. In addition, the department as a whole sponsors regular seminars and public lectures which attract distinguished national and international speakers.

The Bodleian Education Library, located at the centre of the Department of Education, specialises in material on education and related fields. As well as a print collection of books, journals and statistics, the library provides access to a wide range of electronic resources. The library also houses a collection of teaching resources, primarily in support of subjects covered by the department's secondary PGCE course. The Social Sciences Library provides valuable additional resource to students pursuing programmes in the Department of Education.

Oxford has been a major contributor to the field of education for over 100 years and today the University’s Department of Education has a world class reputation for research, for teacher education and for its graduate courses.

The department offers one of the strongest graduate studies programmes in the UK with a range of full- and part-time MSc courses and a lively doctoral programme (DPhil) which is recognised for national funding by the ESRC.

The department's masters' courses are delivered by academics and research experts, the majority of whom are permanent staff engaged in their fields of research. The department's DPhil in Education has excellent facilities for the large number of full-time research students who are well integrated into the research of the department.

The department has an outstanding research profile. In the 2021 evaluation of research quality in UK universities, the Research Excellence Framework (REF), Oxford University Department of Education had the highest overall percentage of research judged to be 4* (ie world-leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour) in Education in the UK. A wide range of funded research projects are based in the department and many of these projects have had a major impact on national policy.

Oxford’s PGCE course has an international reputation for the quality of its work, undertaken in close collaboration with local Oxfordshire secondary schools. Over many years, it has consistently received the highest possible designation (Outstanding) from Ofsted in inspections.

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The University expects to be able to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across the collegiate University in 2024-25. You will be automatically considered for the majority of Oxford scholarships , if you fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit your graduate application by the relevant December or January deadline. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential. 

For further details about searching for funding as a graduate student visit our dedicated Funding pages, which contain information about how to apply for Oxford scholarships requiring an additional application, details of external funding, loan schemes and other funding sources.

Please ensure that you visit individual college websites for details of any college-specific funding opportunities using the links provided on our college pages or below:

Please note that not all the colleges listed above may accept students on this course. For details of those which do, please refer to the College preference section of this page.

Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the department's website.

Annual fees for entry in 2024-25

Full-time study.

Further details about fee status eligibility can be found on the fee status webpage.

Part-time study

Information about course fees.

Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges .

Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.

Continuation charges

Following the period of fee liability , you may also be required to pay a University continuation charge and a college continuation charge. The University and college continuation charges are shown on the Continuation charges page.

Where can I find further information about fees?

The Fees and Funding  section of this website provides further information about course fees , including information about fee status and eligibility  and your length of fee liability .

Additional information

There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees (or, after fee liability ends, continuation charges) and living costs. However, please note that, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Please note that you are required to attend in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year, and you may incur additional travel and accommodation expenses for this. Also, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur further additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Living costs

In addition to your course fees, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.

For the 2024-25 academic year, the range of likely living costs for full-time study is between c. £1,345 and £1,955 for each month spent in Oxford. Full information, including a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs, is available on our living costs page. The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. When planning your finances for any future years of study in Oxford beyond 2024-25, it is suggested that you allow for potential increases in living expenses of around 5% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. UK inflationary increases will be kept under review and this page updated.

If you are studying part-time your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you must still ensure that you will have sufficient funding to meet these costs for the duration of your course.

Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs). 

If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief  introduction to the college system at Oxford  and our  advice about expressing a college preference . For some courses, the department may have provided some additional advice below to help you decide.

The following colleges accept students for full-time study on this course:

• Blackfriars
• Brasenose College
• Campion Hall
• Green Templeton College
• Harris Manchester College
• Hertford College
• Jesus College
• Kellogg College
• Lady Margaret Hall
• Linacre College
• Mansfield College
• New College
• Regent's Park College
• Reuben College
• St Anne's College
• St Antony's College
• St Catherine's College
• St Cross College
• St Edmund Hall
• St Hilda's College
• St Hugh's College
• Wolfson College
• Worcester College
• Wycliffe Hall

The following colleges accept students for part-time study on this course:

Before you apply

Our  guide to getting started  provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

If it's important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under a December or January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance . Check the deadlines on this page and the  information about deadlines  in our Application Guide.

Application fee waivers

An application fee of £75 is payable per course application. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:

• applicants from low-income countries;
• refugees and displaced persons; 
• UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and 
• applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.

You are encouraged to  check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver  before you apply.

Readmission for current Oxford graduate taught students

If you're currently studying for an Oxford graduate taught course and apply to this course with no break in your studies, you may be eligible to apply to this course as a readmission applicant. The application fee will be waived for an eligible application of this type. Check whether you're eligible to apply for readmission .

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

You do not have to contact anyone before you apply. You are encouraged, however, to approach academics whose research interests overlap with yours to informally solicit their capacity and interest in supervising you. You may also ask them to share with you specific publications that they have authored that you can’t access otherwise and that may help inform your research proposal. Details of academic staff, including their research interests and contact details, can be found on the departmental website.  

In making this informal contact, you may wish to also provide some information about yourself. Please note that potential supervisors receive large numbers of informal requests each year, as such the department recommends getting in contact with a potential supervisor as early as possible. Please also note that final decisions about admission are not made by individual academics but by an appointed panel at the department level - supervisors will also be ultimately be allocated by the department.

General queries should be directed to the course administrator via the contact details provided on this page.

Completing your application

You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents .

For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application .

If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.

Proposed field and title of research project

Under the 'Field and title of research project' please enter your proposed field or area of research if this is known. If the department has advertised a specific research project that you would like to be considered for, please enter the project title here instead.

You should not use this field to type out a full research proposal. You will be able to upload your research supporting materials separately if they are required (as described below).

Proposed supervisor

Under 'Proposed supervisor name' enter the name of the academic(s) who you would like to supervise your research. 

You are strongly encouraged to enter the names of two proposed supervisors.

Referees: Three overall, academic and/or professional

Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.

One of your references should be from your most recent academic tutor. If you are currently in employment, you would be expected to provide a reference from your employer alongside academic references which comment on your academic suitability for the course.

Your references will support intellectual ability, academic achievement, motivation and ability to work in a group.

Official transcript(s)

Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.

More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.

Personal statement and research proposal: Statement of a maximum of 1,000 words and proposal of a maximum of 2,500 words 

Your statement of purpose/personal statement and research proposal should be submitted as a single, combined document with clear subheadings. Please ensure that the word counts for each section are clearly visible in the document.

Personal statement

You should submit a convincing personal statement (statement of purpose) explaining your reasons for applying to the programme and highlighting your relevant academic and professional experience. The final part of your personal statement should indicate your future plans after a doctorate.

Your personal statement should be written in English and should be a maximum of 1,000 words.

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

Research proposal

You should also submit a research proposal that should focus on your proposed research topic, rather than your personal achievements, interests and aspirations. Your proposal should include:

• an indicative title;
• a short introduction that introduces the topic and explains its importance;
• a discussion of the most relevant scholarly literature; 
• research questions or hypotheses, and a description of the methods you plan to use to address them; and
• an indicative bibliography.

The issue or question should emerge from your review of the literature. Please also provide a rationale for the importance of this research topic.

Your research proposal should also indicate your proposed methodological approach. This will depend on the kind of research you envisage. If empirical research is planned, then please discuss the likely ‘data’ to be collected. At this stage these ideas are exploratory, and likely to develop and change once you are admitted to the course and start working with your supervisor.

Your research proposal should be written in English and should be a maximum of  2,500 words (not including the indicative bibliography).

Your research proposal will be assessed for your potential to carry out doctoral research, the quality and coherence of the proposal, the rigor of the proposed research design, and the originality of the project.

It will be normal for your ideas to subsequently change in some ways as you develop your project. You should nevertheless make the best effort you can to demonstrate the extent of your research question, sources and method at this moment.

Written work: Two essays, a maximum of 2,000 words each

The written work should be related to the DPhil in Education and should be on separate topics. If you do not have any existing material that fits this requirement, you may wish to critique an article or write a book review based on the course subject.

You may submit written work completed for a prior course of study if the topic is relevant, eg an assignment or chapter of a dissertation etc, provided it meets the requirements. If your work is longer than the guide length it should be edited to meet the requirements.

A list of relevant references is required for your written work and should be included in your word count.

This will be assessed for understanding of the subject area, an ability to construct and defend an argument, and proficiency in academic English.

Start or continue your application

You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please  refer to the requirements above  and  consult our Application Guide for advice . You'll find the answers to most common queries in our FAQs.

Application Guide   Apply - Full time Apply - Part time

ADMISSION STATUS

Closed to applications for entry in 2024-25

Register to be notified via email when the next application cycle opens (for entry in 2025-26)

12:00 midday UK time on:

Friday 5 January 2024 Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships Final application deadline for part-time study

Friday 1 March 2024 - Full-time study only Full-time applications reopened 7 February 2024 Final application deadline for full-time study

*Three-year average (applications for entry in 2021-22 to 2023-24)

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered by the Department of Education

• Course page on the department's website
• Funding information from the department
• Academic and research staff
• Departmental research
• Social Sciences Division
• Residence requirements for full-time courses
• Postgraduate applicant privacy policy

Course-related enquiries

Advice about contacting the department can be found in the How to apply section of this page

✉ [email protected] ☎ +44 (0)1865 274183

Application-process enquiries

See the application guide

Visa eligibility for part-time study

We are unable to sponsor student visas for part-time study on this course. Part-time students may be able to attend on a visitor visa for short blocks of time only (and leave after each visit) and will need to remain based outside the UK.

Education Research MPhil/PhD

Key information.

The School of Education, Communication & Society welcomes applications for the PhD in Education Research.  The MPhil/PhD programme offers the chance to undertake a piece of research that is worthy of publication and which makes an original contribution to your field of study. It was ranked 1st in London for research quality the Education Unit of Assessment in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF).

We are looking for outstanding candidates to join a supportive and dynamic research community.

Students are supervised by staff in one or more of our three Research Centres:

Centre for Research in Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

Centre for Public Policy Research

Centre for Language Discourse and Communication

In addition to its world-leading academic contributions, the School has a proud history of contributing to public policy debates and the concerns of professional communities of practice across multiple sectors, both nationally and internationally. We provide programmes of study that lead doctoral students to the cutting edge of knowledge, and help education professionals critically analyse, research and effectively respond to changes in thinking and policy in their fields.

We recommend that prospective students read through the Research Centre webpages to find their preferred area of research and potential supervisor.

Course Detail

The School provides extensive research training and supervision on a range of themes including: curriculum, pedagogy and assessment; education management; school improvement; higher education; student & teacher identities; informal & workplace learning; inequality and social justice; the nature of professional expertise; the intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual aspects of personal experience and professional development; and the evolving practices and policy contexts of professional work.

There is a particular emphasis on rigorous interdisciplinary and critical perspectives with staff and students working in and across a range of disciplines.

We also run MPhil and PhD programmes in Interdisciplinary Policy Studies and Language, Discourse & Communication. We are home to a range of research projects, funded by research councils (ESRC and AHRC) and major charities (e.g. Wellcome, Leverhulme and Nuffield).

Information is current, but staff members can change .

Head of group/division

Professor Lulu Healy

• How to apply
• Fees or Funding

UK Tuition Fees 2023/24

Full time tuition fees: £6,540 per year

Part time tuition fees: £3,270 per year

International Tuition Fees 2023/24

Full time tuition fees: £24,360 per year

Part time tuition fees: £12,180 per year

UK Tuition Fees 2024/25

Full time tuition fees: £6,936 per year

Part time tuition fees: £3,468 per year

International Tuition Fees 2024/25

Full time tuition fees: £26,070 per year

Part time tuition fees: £13,035 per year

These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King's terms and conditions.

• Study environment

Base campus

Waterloo Campus

Waterloo campus is home of the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery and facilities for other faculties

Study Environment

The School is located on the Waterloo Campus right in the heart of London, next to London's South Bank Centre which includes the British Film Institute (BFI), Hayward Gallery, and the National Theatre. The Waterloo campus is home to the Franklin Wilkins library, with the Strand campus and the Maughan Library only a short walk away across the river.

The School offers a supportive, lively and outward-looking intellectual environment. There are plenty of opportunities for informal interaction and designated study rooms for doctoral students.

As part of a large multi-faculty institution, students also have the opportunity to build close ties across the College, as well as active cross-institutional links.

Postgraduate Training

Our extensive research training for MPhil/PhD students consists of an initial foundation programme which covers different approaches in the social sciences. It gives you a firm grounding in key social science theories and methodologies and invites students to grapple with experimental and innovative epistemologies.

You will be allocated two supervisors who will work with you throughout your studies. Students will also join one of our three research groups ( Centre for Language, Discourse and Communication ; Centre for Public Policy Research ; Centre for Research in Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematic s), all of which run a full programme of subject-specialist seminars. Many of these sessions are constructed around students' own research problems, and all of them provide extensive opportunities for students to learn from one another.

Students are also encouraged to participate in the training provided by the College's Centre for Doctoral Studies and the London Interdisciplinary Social Sciences Training Partnership (LISS-DTP) supported by the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council.

Student Destinations

The course provides a good grounding for an academic career, as well as personal enrichment and career enhancement opportunities for those already working in, or interested in moving into, education-related roles within the formal and informal learning sectors, local and central government, research and policy organisations, educational charities and NGOs.

• Entry requirements

Find a supervisor

Search through a list of available supervisors.

For more information regarding our courses please contact us using the details below

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Education PhD

Key information.

“ There’s no point sitting in a university just being critical – it’s about what I can do to get out there and change things .” Professor Janet Boddy  Professor of Child, Youth and Family Studies

The PhD in Education gives you the opportunity to develop specialist knowledge in an area of interest and to hone advanced research skills. You’ll work with faculty who are global in their outlook and experts in their fields.

Our doctoral researchers come from all over the world. For many, the PhD is an important step in advancing a professional career.

Areas of study

We host four research centres. Doctoral researchers become members of one or more of these depending on their area of interest, with supervisors generally coming from the research centre:

• Centre for Higher Education and Equity Research
• Centre for Innovation and Research in Childhood and Youth (jointly hosted by the Department of Education and the Department of Social Work and Social Care)
• Centre for Teaching and Learning Research
• Centre for International Education .

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities described in this prospectus. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to government or regulatory requirements, or unanticipated staff changes, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.

Masters and P h D events

Meet us on campus or online

Book your place

Entry requirements

• UK requirements
• International requirements

Please select your country from the list.

Philippines

Saudi arabia, south africa, south korea, switzerland, united arab emirates, my country is not listed.

If your country is not listed, you need to contact us and find out the qualification level you should have for this course. Contact us

English language requirements

Ielts (academic).

Advanced level (7.0 overall, including at least 6.5 in each component).

IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course.  Find out more about IELTS

We accept IELTS One Skills Retake.

We do not accept IELTS Online.

Check full details of our English Language requirements and find out more about some of the alternative English language qualifications listed below

Alternative English language qualifications

Proficiency tests, cambridge advanced certificate in english (cae).

176 overall, including at least 169 in each skill.

We would normally expect the CAE test to have been taken within two years before the start of your course.

You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Find out more about Cambridge English: Advanced

Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)

We would normally expect the CPE test to have been taken within two years before the start of your course.

You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Find out more about Cambridge English: Proficiency

LanguageCert International ESOL SELT

Advanced level (International ESOL SELT C1 with a minimum of 33 in each component)

LanguageCert International ESOL scores are valid for two years from the test date. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about LanguageCert SELT

We only accept LanguageCert when taken at SELT Test Centres. We do not accept the online version.

Pearson PTE Academic

Advanced level (67 overall, including at least 62 in all four skills)

PTE (Academic) scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about Pearson (PTE Academic)

We do not accept the PTE Academic Online test.

TOEFL (iBT)

Advanced level 95 overall, including at least 22 in Listening, 23 in Reading, 23 in Speaking, 24 in Writing. 

TOEFL (iBT) scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about TOEFL (iBT)

We do not accept TOEFL (iBT) Home Edition.

The TOEFL Institution Code for the University of Sussex is 9166.

English language qualifications

As/a-level (gce).

Grade C or above in English Language.

Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE)/ AS or A Level: grade C or above in Use of English.

GCE O-level

Grade C or above in English.

Brunei/Cambridge GCE O-level in English: grades 1-6.

Singapore/Cambridge GCE O-level in English: grades 1-6.

GCSE or IGCSE

Grade C or above in English as a First Language (Grade 4 or above in GCSE from 2017).

Grade B or above in English as a Second Language.

Ghana Senior Secondary School Certificate

If awarded before 1993: grades 1-6 in English language.

If awarded between 1993 and 2005: grades A-D in English language

Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE)

Level 4, including at least 3 in each component in English Language.

Indian School Certificate (Standard XII)

The Indian School Certificate is accepted at the grades below when awarded by the following examination boards:

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) – English Core only:  70%

Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) - English:  70% 

International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB)

English A or English B at grade 5 or above.

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education

Grades A - C in English language

Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) 1119/GCE O-level

If taken before the end of 2008: grades 1-6 in English Language.

If taken from 2009 onwards: grade C or above in English Language.

The qualification must be jointly awarded by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES).

West African Senior School Certificate

Grades A1-C6 (1-6) in English language when awarded by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) or the National Examinations Council (NECO).

Country exceptions

Select to see the list of exempt english-speaking countries.

If you are a national of one of the countries below, or if you have recently completed a qualification equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree or higher in one of these countries, you will normally meet our English requirement. Note that qualifications obtained by distance learning or awarded by studying outside these countries cannot be accepted for English language purposes.

You will normally be expected to have completed the qualification within two years before starting your course at Sussex. If the qualification was obtained earlier than this, we would expect you to be able to demonstrate that you have maintained a good level of English, for example by living in an English-speaking country or working in an occupation that required you to use English regularly and to a high level.

Please note that this list is determined by the UK’s Home Office, not by the University of Sussex.

List of exempt countries: 

• Antigua and Barbuda
• New Zealand
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• The British Overseas Territories
• Trinidad and Tobago
• United Kingdom

** Canada: you must be a national of Canada; other nationals not on this list who have a degree from a Canadian institution will not normally be exempt from needing to provide evidence of English.

English language support

If you don’t meet the English language requirements for your degree, you may be able to take a pre-sessional course

• Visas and immigration

Admissions information for applicants

If your qualifications aren’t listed or you have a question about entry requirements, contact us

• How to apply

If you’d like to join us as a research student, there are two main routes:

• browse funded projects in this subject area
• browse our potential supervisors and propose your own research project.

Find out how to apply for a PhD at Sussex

Full-time and part-time study

Choose to work on your research full time or part time (part-time study on this course is only available to UK and EU students), to fit around your work and personal life. For details about part-time study, contact us at [email protected]

Our supervisors

Dr Liam Berriman

Senior Lecturer in Childhood and Youth S

[email protected]

View profile of Liam Berriman

Prof Janet Boddy

Professor of Child, Youth and Family Studies

[email protected]

View profile of Janet Boddy

Dr Rachel Burr

Senior Lecturer in Education

[email protected]

View profile of Rachel Burr

Prof Barbara Crossouard

Professor of Theory in Education

[email protected]

View profile of Barbara Crossouard

Dr Emily Danvers

Senior Lecturer in Higher Education Peda

[email protected]

View profile of Emily Danvers

Dr Marcos Delprato

Senior Lecturer

[email protected]

View profile of Marcos Delprato

Prof Mairead Dunne

Professor of Sociology of Education

[email protected]

View profile of Mairead Dunne

Prof Louise Gazeley

Professor of Educational and Social Disadvantage

[email protected]

View profile of Louise Gazeley

Dr Christina Hancock

Lecturer in Primary Education

[email protected]

View profile of Christina Hancock

Dr Sean Higgins

Lecturer in International Education and Development

[email protected]

View profile of Sean Higgins

Dr Tamsin Hinton-Smith

Senior Lecturer In Higher Education

[email protected]

View profile of Tamsin Hinton-Smith

Dr Nimi Hoffmann

[email protected]

View profile of Nimi Hoffmann

Prof Lisa Holmes

Professor in Applied Social Science

[email protected]

View profile of Lisa Holmes

Dr Perpetua Kirby

Lecturer in Childhood and Youth

[email protected]

View profile of Perpetua Kirby

Dr Nigel Marshall

Reader in Education

[email protected]

View profile of Nigel Marshall

Prof Linda Morrice

Professor of Education and Migration

[email protected]

View profile of Linda Morrice

Prof Mario Novelli

Professor Of The Political Economy Of Education

[email protected]

View profile of Mario Novelli

Dr Keith Perera

Lecturer in Education

[email protected]

View profile of Keith Perera

Dr Marcelo Staricoff

[email protected]

View profile of Marcelo Staricoff

Dr Julia Sutherland

[email protected]

View profile of Julia Sutherland

Prof Simon Thompson

Head of School ESW

[email protected]

View profile of Simon Thompson

Dr Gunjan Wadhwa

Lecturer in International Education

[email protected]

View profile of Gunjan Wadhwa

Dr Rebecca Webb

Senior Lecturer in Early Years and Primary Education

[email protected]

View profile of Rebecca Webb

Prof Jo Westbrook

Professor of International Educationand Pedagogy

[email protected]

View profile of Jo Westbrook

Dr James Williams

[email protected]

View profile of James Williams

Funding and fees

How can i fund my course, funded projects and scholarships.

Our aim is to ensure that every student who wants to study with us is able to despite financial barriers, so that we continue to attract talented and unique individuals. Don’t miss out on scholarships – check the specific application deadlines for funding opportunities. Note that funded projects aren’t available for all our PhDs.

£3,000 scholarships available to environmental influencers bringing about real-world behaviour change

Find out more

£800 scholarship available to reward talented organ player studying on any course at Sussex.

5 scholarships of £800 are available to reward talented musicians studying on any course at Sussex

Cash scholarships available for students who have demonstrated sporting excellence

University of Sussex Stuart Hall Doctoral Scholarship

Up to 10 scholarships for outstanding PhD students holding China Scholarship Council awards

Applying for USA Federal Student Aid?

If any part of your funding, at any time, is through USA federal Direct Loan funds, you will be registered on a separate version of this degree which does not include the possibility of distance learning which is prohibited under USA federal regulations. Find out more about American Student Loans and Federal Student Aid .

Part-time work

We advertise around 2,500 part-time jobs a year so you can make money and gain work experience. We have a special scheme to employ students on campus, wherever possible.

Find out more about careers and employability

How much does it cost?

Fees for self-funding students.

Home students: £4,786 per year for full-time students

Channel Islands and Isle of Man students: £4,786 per year for full-time students

International students: £21,500 per year for full-time students

Home PhD student fees are set at the level recommended by United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) annually, rising in line with inflation. Overseas fees are subject to an annual increase - see details on our tuition fees page

Additional costs

Note about additional costs.

Please note that all costs are best estimates based on current market values. Activities may be subject to unavoidable change in response to Government advice. We’ll let you know at the earliest opportunity. We review estimates every year and they may vary with inflation. Find out how to budget for student life .

Empirical research costs

On top of your PhD fees and living costs, you may also need to cover some research and training costs, relevant to your research project. These costs will depend on your research topic and training needs, but may include: - travel (to archives, collections or scientific facilities) - a laptop - overseas fieldwork costs (travel and accommodation, and language training) - conference costs (travel, registration fees and accommodation) - laboratory consumables and workshop materials - participant costs - transcription or translation costs - open-access publication costs. If you have a scholarship from one of the UK Research Councils, your scholarship should cover these types of costs. You'll receive details of how to claim this additional funding. If you're self funded, or if your scholarship doesn’t cover these costs, check with the Research and Enterprise Co-ordinator in your School for details of School or Doctoral School funding that may be available.

• Living costs

Find out typical living costs for studying at Sussex

Find out about our terms and conditions

Explore our campus

Experience Sussex life in our virtual tour.

Start your virtual tour

PhD Information Sessions

Visit campus and chat to staff and students. Book your place

Online PhD Sessions

Join a live webchat. Book your place

International

Meet us in your country

Course enquiries

+44 (0)1273 876787

Send us a message

Admissions enquiries

If you haven’t applied yet:

+44 (0)1273 678464 eswpgradmin@​sussex.ac.uk

Find out about the School of Education and Social Work

After you’ve applied:

+44 (0)1273 877773 [email protected]

Find out how to apply

Quick links

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Application process for PhD and EdD

You are required to identify a potential supervisor before submitting your PhD/EdD application. When you contact potential supervisors, you should discuss their availability to supervise and the fit between your proposed PhD project and the area of their research. Indication in principle that the supervisor is willing to supervise your project does not guarantee an offer of admission. This is because potential supervisors cannot independently make a final decision on admission to the PhD/EdD. Potential supervisors will only indicate if, pending a successful application, they would in principle be able to supervise you. This is because the fit between your doctoral research proposal (see below) and the specific research field of the potential supervisor is an essential component of doctoral studies.

Time and interest permitting, the potential supervisor may advise on how a research proposal might be developed or improved. Such advice does not guarantee an offer of admission.

► You can find academic staff profiles, including supervision availability, in the research section on the Faculty website.  ► A list of potential supervisors for the 2024 admission cycle is available here .

Further information about how and when to apply for the PhD/EdD  is available from the Postgraduate Admissions Office.

Progression from Masters to the Doctoral programme

If you are a student on the Faculty Masters programme and you intend to proceed straight onto the doctoral programme, please note that continuation is not automatic and must be preceded by an application to the doctoral programme, regardless of funding arrangements, as well as meeting the academic requirements for continuation.

Supervisors

All applicants are required to name a potential supervisor on your application because they will be the first person to review your application after you submit it. This is the potential supervisor whom you would have contacted ahead of submitting your application.

If the potential supervisor would like to take the application further, you may be contacted for an interview.

If the potential supervisor is not available, your application will be reviewed by the doctoral admissions team to determine whether another supervisor may be identified.

Given the range of areas of research and fields of expertise represented in the Faculty, not identifying a supervisor at the point of application is unlikely to result in a match being identified through this route.

Applicants are strongly encouraged therefore to contact supervisors ahead of submitting their application. If you have not identified a supervisor at the point of application, we may not be able to identify any supervisor with aligned research interests and therefore we may not be able to make an offer of admission.

Admissions decisions

Upon submission of the application, the named potential supervisor reviews the full application and makes a recommendation to the Faculty of Education doctoral admissions team. The doctoral admissions team further reviews the full application and makes a final decision as to whether an offer of admission will be made, and what conditions for admission may apply.

Please note that this final decision normally takes up to 12 weeks to reach the applicant, but may on occasion take longer.

Applicants who have applied for funding, applied by the appropriate funding deadline, and have an offer of admission (even if this has not yet been communicated to the applicant) will be considered for funding. 

Consideration for funding starts with a ranking of all eligible applications, undertaken by a panel convened by the Faculty of Education doctoral admissions team. This panel include academics working in a range of fields and research areas and applying a large variety of methods in their own work. The panel generates a full set of funding recommendations on behalf of the Faculty. 

Funding recommendations are then forwarded from the Faculty of Education to the University's central Postgraduate Funding Committee, who review all applications across the University and make recommendations for funding allocations. Decisions about funding for doctoral places are communicated to applicants starting in February, and can be announced as late as the summer before entry.

Unfortunately, there is limited funding and we cannot therefore promise to fund every applicant who receives an offer of a place. You may receive an offer to study on our doctoral programme, without receiving any funding.

The Faculty of Education doctoral admissions team, the Cambridge Trust, the ESRC DTP and the AHRC DTP are all committed to supporting scholars from diverse backgrounds to join our doctoral programmes. When it comes to funding, we consider applications holistically, weighing up the research proposal, prior academic record, references, and evidence of resilience and other relevant personal circumstances.

The Research Proposal

All doctoral applicants are required to submit a research proposal of up to 1,500 words (exclusive of bibliography/reference list) outlining their proposed research project.

Please read Guidance for research proposal

Important note

It is very important that the area you want to work in is broadly compatible with our research interests and that you name a potential supervisor on your application

The Personal Statement

All doctoral applicants are required to submit a personal statement of up tp 1,500 words providing a holistic account of their reasons for applying and their educational and professional experiences that have led them to this point.

Contextual information you provide in the personal statement allows the admissions team to make recommendations for funding in the most equitable way possible, based on the information we receive from applicants.

Please read Guidance for personal statement .

Data Protection

How the University will use your personal information .

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• PhD Education Studies
• PhD Education Theory and Philosophy
• PhD Education and School Administration
• PhD Education, Training and Learning
• PhD Integrated Education
• PhD Learning Theory
• PhD Personal and Self Development
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• PhD Sociology Of Education
• PhD Teaching and Training: Specific Subjects

• Course title (A-Z)
• Course title (Z-A)
• Price: high - low
• Price: low - high

Medical Education MPhil/PhD

University of worcester.

• 3 years Full time degree: £4,950 per year (UK)
• 5 years Part time degree: £2,475 per year (UK)
• RSDP4002: Approaches to Research 1
• RSDP4001: Developing as a Researcher
• RSDP4004: Planning Your Research Project
• RSDP4003: Approaches to Research 2
• View all modules

PhD/MPhil Professional Education

City, university of london.

• 2 years Full time degree: £4,770 per year (UK)
• 3 years Part time degree: £5,010 per year (UK)

University of Roehampton

• 4 years Full time degree: £4,711 per year (UK)
• 7 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)

Sheffield Hallam University

• 4 years Full time degree: £4,712 per year (UK)

PhD Education Research

Manchester metropolitan university.

• 6 years Part time degree

PhD Postgraduate Research in Social Work

University of east anglia uea.

• 3 years Full time degree: £4,712 per year (UK)
• 6 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)

MPhil PhD Education

University of east london.

• 36 months Full time degree: £5,740 per year (UK)
• 60 months Part time degree: £2,870 per year (UK)
• Independent Research- Core

Teacher Education PhD

University of gloucestershire.

• 4 years Full time degree: £5,100 per year (UK)
• 6 years Part time degree: £3,400 per year (UK)

PhD Postgraduate research opportunities in Education

Liverpool john moores university.

• Dissertation
• Extended Report or Research Project

Education PhD

University of brighton, higher education phd, university of surrey.

• 8 years Part time degree: £4,712 per year (UK)

Faculty of Education, Health and Human Sciences

University of greenwich.

• 5 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)

Integrated PhD Management Studies

University of essex.

• 5 years Full time degree
• BE984-7-PS Dissertation (60 Credits) - Core
• BE958-7-PS International Business Plan (60 Credits) - Core
• Theories and Practice of Entrepreneurship (15 Credits) - Core
• Global Supply Chain and Operations Management (15 Credits) - Core
• International Business and Strategy (15 Credits) - Core

University of Hull

Education mphil, phd, newcastle university.

• 36 months Full time degree: £4,712 per year (UK)
• 72 months Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)

Applied Linguistics with English Language Teaching PhD

University of nottingham.

• 48 months Distance without attendance degree: £5,100 per year (UK)
• 96 months Distance without attendance degree
• 48 months Full time degree: £5,100 per year (UK)
• 96 months Part time degree

University of Plymouth

• 3 years Full time degree: £4,500 per year (UK)
• 4 years Part time degree: £3,030 per year (UK)

PhD/MPhil/MSc by Research in Informatics Postgraduate Research

University of salford.

• 3 years Full time degree: £4,780 per year (UK)
• 5 years Part time degree: £2,390 per year (UK)

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities - PhD

University of kent, brunel university london.

• 3 years Full time degree

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• University of Portsmouth
• Canterbury Christ Church University
• University of Sussex
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• Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London
• University of Reading
• UCL (University College London)
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• University of Lincoln
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EdD Doctorate in Education

The Doctorate in Education (EdD) is an innovative programme designed for professionals in education and related areas who want to extend and deepen their knowledge and understanding of contemporary educational issues.

The EdD is a prestigious qualification that demonstrates skill in applied research and strong professional development. Successful candidates are awarded the degree of Doctor of Education and are entitled to use the title ‘Dr’.

The EdD is characterised by a professional orientation and a supportive structure. It aims to develop skills in educational research and enquiry and to use these in order to carry out research that will contribute to professional knowledge and practice. A growing number of professionals regard this style of doctoral programme as being a more appropriate vehicle for their further development than the traditional PhD.

The programme involves four years of part-time study, in two stages:

Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2)

This comprises the ‘taught’ component of the programme which will equip you with the skills and knowledge to support your engagement with the research and the practice field in which your project is located. This phase will involve you studying online modules on topics including: the context of education or health and social care research, literature reviewing, ethics, the principles of research design, and methods of data collection and analysis. Stage 1 is assessed through the submission of formative and summative assignments which focus on developing your literature review, refining your research questions and your proposal for research.

Stage 2 (Years 3 and 4)

Students who successfully complete Stage 1 will progress to Stage 2 - the ‘research’ component of the programme. During this time you will carry out your study and work towards completing your thesis. The research stage has a structured schedule of submission of assignments which will pace you through ‘work in progress’ pieces and provide regular opportunities for feedback on your progress.

In both stages (1&2) you will be supported through online seminar discussions and annual residential weekends at the OU’s campus in Milton Keynes. You will be allocated two supervisors – your main one in year 1 and a co-supervisor in year 2.

IET is responsible for the technology-enhanced learning (TEL) strand of the EdD programme. TEL students research a wide variety of areas. Examples include:

• Developing online teacher communities to support communication and collaboration
• Collaboration in online courses in Slovakia
• An investigation into the role of professional learning on the online teaching identities of higher education lecturers
• Developing digital historians in Italy
• On the Scope of Digital Vocabulary Trainers for Learning in Distance Education

How to Apply

Applications for PhD study with IET should be made through The Open University’s Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies. Find out more information here .

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Course closed:

Education is no longer accepting new applications.

The PhD in Education is a research degree, the main purpose of which is to prepare a substantial piece of original research.

Our postgraduate students, from all over the world, make an important contribution to their respective fields and to the vitality of the Faculty's research culture. 

One of the great strengths of studying at Cambridge is the level of individual support you will receive from an expert in your field. All doctoral students in the Faculty conduct their research with the guidance of a supervisor. All doctoral students also participate in a guided programme that introduces them to the key questions and concerns of contemporary, world-leading educational research. Students are encouraged to play an active role in research seminars and engage in opportunities for acquiring transferable skills.

The UK's Research Excellence Framework exercise assesses the quality of research produced by UK Higher Education Institutions.  The Faculty of Education at the University of Cambridge, based on Power Ranking scores, placed 4th overall in the UK in the most recent results. The research environment score for the Faculty (UoA23) as part of REF 2021 attained the maximum score of 100%, with the profile of  “world leading” outputs and impact case studies among the strongest in the UK (full UoA23 results:  https://results2021.ref.ac.uk/profiles/units-of-assessment/23 ). 

Continuation to the PhD from Masters programmes within the Faculty of Education is not automatic, and students wishing to do so must submit a PhD application by the usual deadline. 

The Postgraduate Virtual Open Day usually takes place at the end of October. It’s a great opportunity to ask questions to admissions staff and academics, explore the Colleges virtually, and to find out more about courses, the application process and funding opportunities. Visit the  Postgraduate Open Day  page for more details.

See further the  Postgraduate Admissions Events  pages for other events relating to Postgraduate study, including study fairs, visits and international events.

Key Information

3-4 years full-time, 4-7 years part-time, study mode : research, doctor of philosophy, faculty of education, course - related enquiries, application - related enquiries, course on department website, dates and deadlines:, michaelmas 2024 (closed).

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Funding Deadlines

These deadlines apply to applications for courses starting in Michaelmas 2024, Lent 2025 and Easter 2025.

Similar Courses

• Education (Critical Approaches to Children's Literature) PGCE entry only MEd
• Engineering for Sustainable Development MPhil
• Education (Mathematics Education) PGCE entry only MEd
• International Relations MSt
• Education (Research in Second Language Education) PGCE entry only MEd

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Scholarships and funding

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Deciding to study in the UK is an investment in your future. A prestigious degree from the UK is a valuable and transformative experience and will take your education - and your employability - to the next level.

There are many funding options available for international students who want to study in the UK. They range from part-funding, for example paying part of your fees, to full-funding which covers programme fees, living expenses, and return flights to the UK.

You can search for the right scholarship for you on the course and scholarships finder below.

Postgraduate funding

The UK government runs a variety of scholarship programmes to financially support international students who are looking for help funding their studies in the UK.

The three main UK government scholarships on offer are:

GREAT Scholarships

GREAT Scholarships are scholarships to UK universities across a variety of subjects, for students from 15 countries. Applications for 2024-25 are open.

Chevening Scholarships

Chevening Scholarships offers fully funded master's degrees in the UK. Learn more about one of the UK's most prestigious scholarships.

Commonwealth Scholarships

Commonwealth Scholarships are UK university scholarships given to talented individuals with the potential to make a positive impact on the global stage.

Wider UK government funding

The UK government offers hundreds of scholarships, bursaries and additional financial support to students from a large number of countries.

You can visit the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website to find out more about the funding available if you are studying in the UK as a postgraduate student, including whether or not you are eligible to apply for a scholarship. Just scroll down to the relevant section of the webpage.

UKCISA is the UK’s national advisory body serving the interests of international students and those who work with them.

Hear from international scholars What's involved in receiving a UK scholarship?

Tips for choosing a scholarship, international scholars in the uk.

Thinking of applying for a scholarship? Here are some top tips from international students who have received a scholarship to study in the UK.

GREAT scholarships

Nadine, university of kent.

What are GREAT scholarships and who is eligible? Watch as Nadine, a GREAT scholar, and Maria from the University of Kent explain everything you need to know.

Commonwealth scholarships

Commonwealth scholars.

Are you a high-achieving student living in the Commonwealth? Watch as scholars Suahib and Hamna explain all you need to know about Commonwealth scholarships.

Chevening scholarships

Chevening scholars.

If you have a vision to make the world a better place, the Chevening scholarships might be for you. Watch to learn more about the programme.

Being a GREAT scholar

Ismet, university of essex.

Ismet tells us about receiving his GREAT Scholarship for Sustainable Futures, and why he chose the University of Essex.

Being a Commonwealth scholar

Olaoluwa, nigeria.

Olaoluwa has received a Commonwealth shared scholarship. See her impressions on studying in the UK and receiving this life-changing scholarship.

Postgraduate studentships

Many universities offer fully-funded postgraduate studentships for PhD programmes. Find out more .

Institution-specific scholarships

Many UK higher-education institutions offer their own scholarship programmes.

These are offered based on a number of factors, which can be broadly split out into the following categories:

• Academic, merit and excellence scholarships - These are usually awarded to students with a strong academic background, including achieving strong grades in their school exams. 
• Performance-based scholarships - These are usually awarded to those who have exceptional ability in an extracurricular activity such as sports, music or performing arts like drama or dance.
• Subject-specific scholarships - These are often offered by individual departments for students studying a particular course or subject.
• Equal access or sanctuary scholarships - These scholarships can take the form of a tuition fee reduction or waiver or maintenance award and are offered to refugees and asylum seekers who have fled persecution from their home countries.
• Disability scholarships - These scholarships support international students with a disability, long-term mental health condition, learning difficulty or other special needs. 

Always check out different institutions’ websites to discover what is available, and take a look at specialist websites like Postgraduate Studentships and Prospects for curated information that covers different institutions.

Application advice Six top tips on applying for a scholarship

Read our essential advice on how to apply for a scholarship, from eligibility criteria to tailoring your application.

Global scholarships

A.S. Hornby Trust Scholarship

Scholarships for English language teachers to develop their English language skills

Selected countries - see website >

Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan

Master's and doctoral courses (for study in the UK and distance learning), plus academic, professional and medical fellowships

Commonwealth countries >

Scholarships for one-year master's courses across a range of subjects at a variety of UK universities.

British Council scholarships for women in STEM

Scholarships for women undertaking master's degrees in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics course at one of 19 UK universities.

Americas, South Asia and South East Asia >

Global Wales Scholarships for International Students

Global Wales offers a variety of scholarship opportunities for international students.

USA; India; Vietnam and EU countries >

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Young Cell Scheme

Postgraduate master's studies in the EU

Kosovo - see website >

Charles Wallace Pakistan Trust Scholarships

Doctoral studies, research, visiting fellows and Scottish summer school

Pakistan - see website >

Marshall Scholarship

Master's and doctoral courses at any university in the UK

USA - see website >

Science and research funding

Marshall Sherfield Fellowships

Post-doctoral research in science and engineering at any university in the UK

Euraxess UK

Research placements in the UK

Global - see website >

Royal Society grants

Postdoctoral science research

Undergraduate funding

While undergraduate scholarships and bursaries for EU and international students studying in the UK are less common than they are for postgraduate studies, they do exist. You just need to know where to look for them.

Funding for EU and international undergraduate students in the UK can generally be split into two categories: those offered by UK universities themselves and those offered by third parties - usually governments or organisations in your home country.

You can visit the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) website to find out more about the funding available if you are studying in the UK as an undergraduate student, including whether or not you are eligible to apply for a scholarship. Just scroll down to the relevant section of the webpage.

You can also visit the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service in the UK (UCAS)’s page about scholarships, grants, and bursaries: EU and international students for more detailed information on what to look out for and where.

Cost of studying in the UK

Studying in the UK is good value for money. Find out how much you can expect to pay to study and live in the UK, and how to make the most of your budget.

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• CORRESPONDENCE
• 02 April 2024

How can we make PhD training fit for the modern world? Broaden its philosophical foundations

• Ganesh Alagarasan 0

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Tirupati, India.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

You have highlighted how PhD training assessment has stagnated, despite evolving educational methodologies (see Nature 613 , 414 (2023) and Nature 627 , 244; 2024 ). In particular, you note the mismatch between the current PhD journey and the multifaceted demands of modern research and societal challenges.

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Nature 628 , 36 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-00969-x

Competing Interests

The author declares no competing interests.

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