A Handbook for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education Enhancing academic and Practice

168 ❘
Teaching, supervising, learning
RESEARCH DEGREES IN THE UK
Most universities offer a range of research degrees. A research degree is distinguished
from taught degrees in the following ways:
• there is a substantial dissertation or thesis;
• individual examiners are appointed for the student;
• the student is supervised by a ‘supervisory team’ rather than by a course director.
The typical periods of study required for research degrees are shown in Table 12.1.
Research degrees may include some ‘Masters by Research’ (e.g. M.Sc.) as well as
doctorates, but not usually the Master of Research (M.Res.) which has a large taught
component.
At the University of East Anglia (UEA, 2007) the period of study is the time in which
the research work is undertaken and in which it is desirable that the thesis is submitted.
Research should be completed by the end of the period of study. For some degrees the
university allows a ‘registration-only’ period (sometimes called a ‘writing-up period’)
within which the student may complete and submit the work. However, the norm is that
the degree should be completed within the period of study and this applies in all
universities. The period of study for part-time Ph.D. and M.Phil. degrees is six years and
four years respectively and for the Masters by research two years.
Supervisors need to be aware of what is required for the award of the research degrees
that they supervise and should discuss these with the students at an early stage. All
universities will have their own regulations which will include criteria, requirements for
the thesis and viva voce examination (‘the viva’), and these are broadly similar across the
sector. For the London Ph.D., there are a number of requirements for the thesis (University
Table 12.1 University of East Anglia: full-time research degrees
Period of study Registration- Total period of
only period registration
Doctor of Philosophy 3 years 1 year 4 years
Doctor of Philosophy 4 years 1 year 5 years
(integrated studies)
Doctor of Philosophy 4 years – 4 years
(with rotational year)
Doctor of Social Work 3 years 1 year 4 years
Doctor of Clinical Psychology 3 years – 3 years
Master of Philosophy 2 years 1 year 3 years
Master degrees by research 1 year 1 year 2 years
(MA, M.Sc., LLM, M.Mus.)