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University of Bedfordshire
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
UK, LU1 3JU
The University offers a selection of postgraduate research degrees. With a research degree, you can undertake a research project under the guidance of an academic supervisor and, unlike a taught postgraduate degree, there are no formal lectures or seminars and work is not formally examined until after the final thesis has been submitted.
Here at Bedfordshire, we have around 160 research students who work across our Research Institutes. They are studying towards one of the following awards:
While some students choose to take an MPhil degree for its own sake, the main reason for studying an MPhil is that it is a route towards completing a Doctorate.
An MPhil, which is studied for two years, can also be awarded to students who either decide not to progress to PhD or Doctorate level after their studies or, occasionally, where the standard of the PhD thesis was not high enough for the award of a Doctorate but was judged to be of Master's standard instead.
The difference between a Master's by Research and a PhD is in the academic level of the study (ie it is a Master's level of study) and the size of the dissertation, which is much shorter than required in a Doctorate.
Most Master's degrees by research will include some taught courses, normally on research methods, but the assessment for the degree will be only through the dissertation. These courses are studied for one year.
For many students the title of Doctor (Dr) in front of their name is the ultimate academic achievement. The main feature of a Doctorate is the thesis.
This is a substantial research project on a specialist topic within the student’s chosen field, written as a thesis of between 40,000 and 120,000 words, depending on the course.
A Doctoral student has to show that they can contribute new knowledge in a field where they already have substantial expertise.
These courses are studied part-time as it is a requirements that the candidate is in professional practice.
Professional Doctorates are distinct from PhDs in that they have specific learning outcomes, typically involve cohorts of students, and are practice-based. They are similar to PhDs in that they require a significant contribution to knowledge, the submission of a thesis, and a viva voce examination.
For those students who move on from an MPhil to a PhD, you will be required to demonstrate that sufficient progress has been made in order to complete a PhD qualification.
You will also need to submit a transfer report (the so-called MPhil Transfer Report) for assessment.
The PhD degree requires you to do a single research project that leads to the writing of a thesis, under the supervision of an academic who is an expert in the field.
A PhD is studied for a minimum of three years and you are expected to produce a thesis of approximately 80,000 words.
The results of your research should make an original contribution to knowledge and be of a standard appropriate for publication. There are many advantages to studying a PhD:
