MPhil & PhD

There are two types of research degree for which students may register within the Department:

A PhD is awarded to students who produce a substantial piece of original research in the form of a thesis of up to 100,000 words. Candidates for PhD are normally registered for 3 years full-time, with submission within not more than 4 years, or 4 to 7 years part-time. Students must remain registered and paying an appropriate fee until submission.

An MPhil is awarded for original research and submission of a thesis of up to 55,000 words. Candidates must normally be registered for 2 years (full-time) or 4 years (part-time).

Research students are normally registered for the MPhil degree initially. For those who wish it, and who achieve satisfactory progress, this can be upgraded to PhD registration.

From 2007, the Department is developing three new research centres. Each centre brings together internationally regarded researchers, a growing community of PhD students and seeks to build networks with other research centres in the national and international spheres. Students enrolling for a research degree will be associated with one of the centres, though these are not mutually exclusive and students are welcome to become involved in the activities of more than one. Prospective research students are strongly encouraged to find out more by visiting the Centre websites.

Download our full Postgraduate Brochure.

Apply online for a place on our postgraduate programmes by clicking here.

 

Research Centres

From 2007, the Department is developing three new research centres: the Centre for European Politics, the Centre for Global and Transnational Politics and the New Political Communication Unit.

Each centre brings together internationally regarded researchers, a growing community of PhD students and seeks to build networks with other research centres in the national and international spheres.

Students enrolling for a research degree will be associated with one of the centres, though these are not mutually exclusive and students are welcome to become involved in the activities of more than one. Prospective research students are strongly encouraged to find out more by visiting the Centre websites:

Centre for European Politics

Centre for Global and Transnational Politics

New Political Communication Unit

 

Applications and Admissions

The Department welcomes applications from suitably qualified and highly-motivated candidates. The application process for our postgraduate research programmes is an interactive one. We place great emphasis on matching prospective students to supervisors’ interests, building on our existing research activities. We are particularly keen to encourage applications in areas related to our three research centres (see above).

Interested potential applicants should first refer to our website to obtain a good idea of the department's research foci: http://www.rhul.ac.uk/Politics-and-IR/About-Us/. The Department is only able to consider applications in research areas of interest to its full-time academic staff. 

In the first instance, potential applicants should prepare a research proposal, outlining the project that they will undertake if accepted onto the PhD programme.  This should be at least 4-5 pages long and should include the key research questions, hypothesis, proposed methodology and a bibliography. Email this research proposal, along with a brief cv, to the Director of Graduate Study, Dr Evelyn Goh

If the proposal is met with interest by a potential supervisor, the Director of Graduate Study will invite the potential applicant to discuss their proposal further via email. UK-based applicants may be invited to visit the Department. Promising potential applicants will then be advised to apply formally for a place on our PhD programme.

Potential applicants may contact the Director of Graduate Study with proposals at any stage of the academic year. For the 2010/11 academic year, the deadline for formal applications from applicants wishing to be considered for funding opportunities is 15 March 2010.

Apply online for a place on our postgraduate programmes by clicking here.

Examples of Current PhD Topics include:

• The Impact of the EU on Democratization in Turkey
• The End of Equality in Anglo-American Democracy
• Corruption Policies in Post Communist Romania
• The Rumsfeld Revolution and the Transatlantic Relationship
• The European Information Society: Governance and the Policy-making Process
• The Political Philosophy of Human Worth
• The Politics of Famine
• The Internet and Political Campaigning in the UK and USA
• An Analysis of Permanent Law and Human Nature
• Diplomatic Relations between China and Britain in the Post-Cold War Era
• The Importance of Trade in EU China External Relations
• Are There New Wars?
• Conflict, Human Rights and the Sudanese State
• Social Exclusion as an Implication of Globalisation in Vietnam

 

Supervision

Each research student is allocated both a specialist supervisor and an adviser, whose role is to provide support and to review and monitor progress. All research student activity in the Department is overseen by the Director of Postgraduate Study. The Department believes that careful supervision, appropriate research and subject training, and a supportive academic environment are crucial to the successful completion of research degrees. Students’ supervisors and the Department’s Director of Graduate Studies take primary responsibility for the academic and welfare needs of research postgraduates in the Department. A departmental handbook is issued to all research students annually, and students are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the College Code of Practice for the Academic Welfare of Postgraduate Research Students.

 

Research Training

The MSc stream in Political Research
The Department offers a Masters stream in Political Research. This provides advanced training in social science methodology, political analysis, research skills and conceptual debate.

All MPhil and PhD students, irrespective of their funding source, are expected to undergo research skills training related to their subject of study, especially in the first year of their degree. This is provided at Departmental, Faculty and Graduate School levels and includes the following:

Postgraduate Induction Programme
This consists of a programme introducing students to the research and other facilities within the Department and the College. Further sessions relating to the use of information resources and specialist computing packages are available via the College library and Computer centre.

Taught Courses
New research students are encouraged to study the following course which provides a grounding in advanced political analysis:
• Analytical Approaches and Research Skills in Politics and International Relations

Research Development Programme
This covers issues such as effective communication, academic networking, and career-related advice. The programme has been designed to be ‘rolling’ in nature. Students will have the opportunity to access particular sessions throughout the year at appropriate stages of their research. The sessions are arranged mostly by Faculty groupings so that students can participate in courses with fellow researchers and more easily form networking groups.

 

Sources of Funding

Our Doctoral programme is recognised by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) on the +3 basis and the +3 CASE basis. Candidates wishing to be considered for entry into the +3 competition are strongly advised to contact a potential supervisor no later than the end of January of the year in which they wish to commence their research. We welcome proposals for CASE studentships from individual students and third party organisations. There is an internal College process to select the candidates to be entered for the +3 competitions. We cannot guarantee that you will be entered. The deadline for the ESRC studentships is the end of April. For further information, see: www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk

There are a small number of scholarships available each year from the College including Thomas Holloway research students and scholarships, College research studentships, Royal Holloway Jointly-Funded Chevening Scholarships, College Overseas Entrance Scholarships. For more information about these opportunities for external funding visit the College's funding pages.

The Department of Politics and International Relations also offers Departmental Awards and Assistantships designed to top-up certain College awards. These are advertised internationally when available.

 

Teaching Opportunities

Opportunities to undertake paid undergraduate seminar tutoring may be available for suitably qualified full-time research students. Postgraduate teacher training is provided by the College for this purpose. Details of the Research Development Programme can be found here.