Master of Philosophy MPhil
Take your education to the next level. Choose the areas you want to study, and which questions you want to research. Take the initiative while we support you with advice, guidance and facilities.
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Take your education to the next level. Choose the areas you want to study, and which questions you want to research. Take the initiative while we support you with advice, guidance and facilities.
During your MPhil, we will train you in rigorous research methodologies that are transferable to many different careers. Our Postgraduate Research Development programme allows you to learn alongside other candidates, building up a network of potential collaborators in research projects.
There is no doubt that research degrees require persistence and dedication. At the same time, they are excellent opportunities to develop your critical skills and high-level thinking. Most important of all, they allow you to focus on what you find interesting and to follow your personal research interests.
We don’t currently display entry requirements for United States. Please contact the Student Admin team on studentadmin@sunderland.ac.uk or 0191 515 3154.
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. We will consider candidates with other qualifications, looking at evidence of academic ability such as published work.
If English is not your first language, you will need a British Council International English Language Testing System (IELTS) overall score of 6.5, with at least 6.0 in each component: reading, writing, listening and speaking (or equivalent).
Research proposal
You will be asked to write a 2-3 page research proposal that specifies the:
We charge annual fees while you are studying and researching for your degree. These costs vary depending on whether you are a candidate from the UK/EU or from a country outside the EU.
If you are not sure whether you qualify as a UK, EU or international student, find out more in our Help and Advice article.
2024/25 fees are:
If you are from the UK/Ireland/EU settled/pre-settled:
International candidates:
Tier 1 £4,600 Home/£14,000 International per year. This applies to the vast majority of research students who do not require specialist equipment.
Tier 2 £5,100 Home/£14,500 International per year. This applies to research students where there will be some additional expenses and the use of equipment.
Tier 3 £6,100 Home/£16,500 International per year. This applies to laboratory and clinical research students i.e. in sciences where there are consumables.
International scholarship
All full-time, on-campus international research candidates at postgraduate level are awarded a £1,400 scholarship per year of study. You do not have to apply for this scholarship; it is automatically applied to reduce the annual fees specified above.
Learn more about settled status, pre-settled status, special discounts, visa requirements and Common Travel Area (CTA) agreements for the Republic of Ireland applicants in our Help and Advice article.
Take a look at the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.
This information was correct at the time of publication.