Politics PhD

**We accept students into the Department of Politics and International Relations on the basis of a match between your proposed research and the current research interests of a potential supervisor as well as an assessment of qualifications and suitability for a research degree.**<br/><br/>Initial discussions about supervision are therefore on the basis of a brief research proposal prepared by prospective students before a formal application is made.<br/><br/>If youd like to come and discuss your research with the Director of Postgraduate Studies and/or with a potential supervisor, please contact the department to make an appointment.<br/><br/>**Registration and study**<br/>- Initially, you register for a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) programme to train you in the research methods necessary to complete a PhD.<br/><br/><br/>- You can apply to upgrade to PhD registration when you have satisfactorily completed an agreed part of the research and training programme; this usually happens before 18 months if you are studying full-time, or before 36 months if part-time.<br/><br/><br/>- You should aim to complete and submit your PhD thesis within an agreed period, usually three to four years for full-time students, and four to six years for part-time.<br/><br/><br/>- If you decide not to upgrade to PhD registration, you can submit your thesis for an MPhil after two years if you are studying full-time, or after three years if part-time.<br/><br/><br/>- With the agreement of your supervisor, you can change your registration from full to part-time or vice versa.<br/><br/><br/>- North American applicants especially should note that the British system does not include preparatory taught classes or examinations as part of the MPhil/PhD programme, except for an initial module in research methods.<br/>