University of Sunderland

PhD by Existing Published or Creative Works

The degree of PhD may be awarded on the basis of existing published work or creative output that shows evidence of originality, a clear contribution to knowledge and independent critical judgement at the level appropriate for the award.

All work must be traceable in the normal publicly available databases, catalogues, etc. and must be accessible to scholars or other interested persons.

Work not yet published but accepted for publication may be used to support the initial submission. All publications used in the final submission must be published prior to the submission date. Confidential research reports or reports of restricted circulation are not citable for the award.

Duration: 6 to 12 months. However, the work submitted for the award must be significant and must be the equivalent of at least 3 years full time work.

Entry requirements

The normal entry requirement for a research degree is a UK Honours degree (first or upper second class) or a UK Masters degree or a qualification which is regarded as equivalent.

Candidates who do not meet the above requirements may be admitted if they have been active in research for a period of at least five years and have produced research output of a quality and volume, which give a prima facie indication that a significant and coherent contribution to knowledge has been made.

For tuition fees please see the  tuition fees section of this website.

For information on how to apply for a PhD by Existing Published or Creative Work