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.

Overview

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.

Read more about research degrees in this Information Booklet (.pdf)

Why us?

Compared to a PhD, an MPhil requires fewer years of study – as few as two years compared to at least three years for a PhD
You can often convert your MPhil programme into a PhD and continue your research
We're ranked 2nd in the UK for students’ overall satisfaction with their research degree programme according to the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey 2018

An MPhil thesis is typically 20,000-40,000 words while a PhD thesis is up to 80,000 words, depending on the subject area
You have an option to study this programme at our Sunderland campus or via distance learning

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. 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:

Aims of your research
Rationale for the research question(s)
Proposed methodology and techniques for analysis
Provisional time plan for the research

Fees and finance

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.

Take a look at the Your Finances section to find out about the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.

Fees for UK/EU candidates

On-campus full-time: £4,330 per year
On-campus part-time: £2,600 per year
Distance learning full-time: £2,600 per year
Distance learning part-time: £2,600 per year

Fees for international candidates

On-campus full-time: £12,250 per year
Distance learning full-time: £7,680 per year
Distance learning part-time: £7,680 per year

International scholarship

All full-time self-funding international candidates at postgraduate level are awarded a £1,500 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.

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This information was correct at the time of publication.

Meet the team

Trish Spedding

Senior Lecturer: Sunderland University Centre for Excellence in Teacher Training (SUNCETT)

Related courses

Contact

For more information please contact the Graduate Research Support team:

grs@sunderland.ac.uk

Page last updated: 18 January 2019

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