Postgraduate

PhD, MPhil, MS and NewRoute degrees: How to apply

Complete your research proposal and application form

If you are unsure which department you wish to apply to, please see the research degree areas or contact one of our faculty admissions centres. Once you have identified the department and supervisor you wish to study with, you should produce a proposal identifying the research problem to be studied.

The proposal should identify the problem to be solved, provide a short review of the relevant academic literature and outline the proposed research methodology. Depending on the faculty, this will be from 1,500 to 4,000 words in length. Please check the required length of your proposal with your Faculty Admissions Centre. The preparation of a proposal of this nature is important as not only does it help you to clarify your ideas, but it will help us to determine the viability of your desired area of research and our ability to supervise your work.

Once you have completed your proposal you should send it to us with an application form and relevant supporting documents (M-level research training statement, personal statement, two references from your referees). You can apply online, by email or by post to your Faculty Admissions Centre.

We decide whether we can accept your application and are able to provide supervision

Upon receipt of your application, the Faculty Admissions Centre and the Faculty Research Degrees Coordinator will liaise to determine whether, in principle, the intended research is viable and there is sufficient in-house expertise to provide a suitable level of supervision in your particular area. This process will normally take up to four weeks.

If your application is accepted, we will invite you for an interview. If your application is unsuccessful we will write to inform you of the reasons. Many applications fail to proceed because there is insufficient academic material underpinning the proposal. A PhD is an academic qualification, therefore it is imperative that applications are rooted within the appropriate literature. Rejection does not preclude you from submitting an alternative research proposal, although you should take into account the reasons why you were unsuccessful when submitting any subsequent application.

The interview and admittance to the University as a postgraduate research student

In most cases, interviews are face-to-face (although we may interview overseas candidates by telephone), which will give you a chance to discuss your application with your supervisor in a little more depth, meet other research students already studying at Portsmouth, clarify any specific research training or equipment you may need and resolve any remaining queries you have about the nature of postgraduate research study.

Providing that the interview is satisfactory and the necessary references have been received, your proposed research programme is submitted to the Research Degrees Committee of the University. Upon receipt, Academic Registry will write to you to offer you a place on the research degree programme at the University of Portsmouth.

EU/International students

If you are an EU or an international student, further details about studying in the UK and at Portsmouth can be found at our International Office webpages.