Areas of Research

The Research Descriptions below will help you decide the best opportunities for your research area.  Please read the University’s Academic Quality Handbook for further details of the selection criteria.

Qualifications

The qualifications that are offered at research level are:

  • Master of Philosophy by Research (MPhil)
  • Doctor of Philosophy by Research (PhD) 
  • Professional doctorates
  • Doctor of Business Administrator (DBA)
  • Doctor of Applied Archaeology (DAA)

Doctor of Philosophy by Published Works

Master of Philosophy by Research – MPhil

The degree of Master of Philosophy is awarded in recognition of the successful completion of a programme of further study and research. In order to qualify for the MPhil a student must successfully complete and submit a thesis of between 55,000 and 65,000 words.

Full-time Candidates

Minimum of two years and maximum of three years.

Part-time Candidates

Minimum of three years and maximum of five years.

Doctor of Philosophy by Research (PHD)

To qualify for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, candidates must successfully complete a programme of research, the results of which are judged to constitute an original contribution to learning and to give evidence of systematic study and of ability to relate the results of such study to the general body of knowledge in the subject. Such degrees will be assessed by means of a thesis, the length of which should be around 100,000 words

Candidates will register onto the MPhil/PhD resaerch programme, and will pursue a programme of supervised study, including research and generic skills development. Subject to a successful transfer interview and presentation, candidates will subsequently be transferred onto the Doctor of Philosophy programme. The minimum and maximum periods of supervised study from the date of initial registration are as follows:

Full-time Candidates

Minimum of three years and maximum of five years, normally transferring from an MPhil to a PhD at the start of the second year.

Part-time Candidates

Minimum of five years and maximum of nine years, normally transferring from an MPhil to a PhD at the start of the third year.

The initial MPhil period of research study will be regarded as a probationary period during which the candidate will be expected to demonstrate his/her ability to proceed with further research.

Doctor of Philosophy by Professional Practice

The degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Professional Practice is awarded in recognition of the successful completion of a piece of creative work and/or a professional production (as in the case of a stage play) together with a programme of research study. The precise nature of the creative work will vary according to the nature of the discipline. Candidates will need to define the practice-based methodology which will consist of the processes and practices used in the conception, design, realisation and evaluation of the creative work. The minimum and maximum periods of supervised study from the date of initial registration are as follows:

Full-time Candidates

Minimum of three years and maximum of five years.

Part-time Candidates

Minimum of five years and maximum of eight years.

Doctor of Philosophy by Published Works

Published works’ may be defined as works which are in the public domain (or which have at least been accepted for publication, provided that the candidate can provide adequate proof that this is the case) or written work produced through normal professional activities. Such pieces of work must have been published in such a way as to be generally available for consultation by scholars or other interested persons and must be traceable in ordinary catalogues. Examples of eligible published work include, but are not limited to:

  • Academic papers;
  • Journal articles;
  • Monographs;
  • Professional Reports;
  • Technical reports;
  • Book chapters;
  • Scholarly text books;
  • Single books.

Candidates may submit work(s) done in collaboration with others in support of the candidature, but such work shall be accompanied by a statement signed by each collaborator indicating the nature and amount of the work done by the candidate.

The published work submitted for the degree must constitute a corpus of publication or professional reports tending towards a coherent thesis, rather than a series of disconnected publications. Candidates must be either a graduate of the University of Wales within the last six years or a member of staff for a least three years (please contact the Postgraduate Research Office for further details on this programme).

The minimum and maximum periods of supervised study from the date of initial registration are as follows:

Full-time Candidates

One year.

Part-time Candidates

Two years.