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How to apply for a research degree

To apply for a research degree, please make sure you fulfill the entry requirements and then complete the online research degree application form and upload your supporting documents.

You should have a good honours degree (2:1 or above) or masters degree or equivalent in the relevant subject area.

International applicants should be aware of our research degree English language requirements

Guidance on applying


As part of the application process all candidates have to present a research proposal. The applicants are expected to use this Guidance that covers the principal factors:

  1. Give the title of your proposed research.
  2.  Justify why it is worth researching this area as a research degree topic - in other words justify its academic, commercial and/or industrial importance mindful of social context. If you can at this stage, illustrate briefly how your proposed topic is likely to go further than previous research in the overall area (i.e. scope for an original contribution to knowledge).
  3. List of the aim and (‘unpacking’ the aim) objectives of the proposed research.
  4. Explain the key academic ideas (theories and concepts) within the area of your proposed topic. Provide supporting references and explain how your proposed research relates to these ideas.
  5. Outline the general research approach (how a researcher can think about and thus plan in methodological terms) and specific research methods you are intending to use.
  6. Explain why you are intending to use such an approach and set of research methods.
  7. Outline the setting or context in which you intend to base your proposed research.
  8. Explain why you are using the setting or context.
  9. Detail how you will gain access to the data
  10. Summarise how you intend to interpret or analyse these data, once collected.
  11. Provide a tentative timeline for undertaking the proposed research.
  12. Provide a full References listing of the bibliographic sources you have drawn on

The clearer you are in your explanation of what you intend to do, the easier it is for us to assess whether your proposed topic fits into any of the research themes BMRI researchers are engaged with and whether suitable supervision is available. Critically, it will help us judge whether your proposed topic is suitable for a research studentship at Masters/Doctoral levels.

Bedfordshire University

Research» Business and Management Research Institute» Research students» Guidance on applying

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