Research

Applying for a postgraduate research degree

Completing a postgraduate research degree at the University of Greenwich is a richly-rewarding experience.

As a research student, you will be looking for a research environment that enables you to develop your ideas in order for you to succeed. Generally, you can commence your studies at any time during the academic year although we strongly advise that you to start in September or January so that you can join our induction processes and meet other students who are starting their studies at the same time. The Faculty of Education, Health and Human Sciences have student intake mainly in September and January but students may start at other times under exceptional circumstances. The Greenwich Business School allow applicants to start only in September and January, please check for the application closing dates.

Postgraduate research students (PGRs) are welcomed into the University through two broad routes in response to (i) externally advertised projects or (ii) self-funded projects. In the former case, the nature of the project has been defined through dialogue between the funder and the academic(s), and any recruited PGR is therefore joining a well-configured project/team, with the necessary expertise and infrastructure already in place.  In the latter case, a dialogue needs to take place between the applicant and academic(s) to fully define the project and identify the lead supervisor prior to registration.

All PGRs joining the University need to undergo a rigorous assessment process, involving an interview.

Please note: Applications to the Medway School of Pharmacy are made through the University of Kent.

Contacting the Faculty and Identifying a potential supervisor

If you already have an idea of which academic you would like to supervise your project then please make contact with them and discuss your proposal.

If you do not have the name of a supervisor, but would like to know if the University is currently undertaking research in a particular area, please see details as follows:

You are encouraged to make contact with staff who will be able to discuss the potential fit of your research proposal. Following on from this initial contact, you may be able to arrange a meeting (face-to-face, online or by telephone) to discuss your ideas further prior to submitting an application.

Joining an established research group

A number of our MPhil/PhD/EdD students apply to join an established research group, by applying for a funded studentship where a project design has already been decided. Studentships are advertised on our studentship and scholarships page, and websites such as Find A PHD. If you apply for one of the advertised studentships, please ensure that you include the scholarship/studentship reference number in the Personal Statement section of the application form so that we can identify which studentship you are applying for. Self-funded projects may also be advertised directly by the faculties on websites including Find A PHD.

Entry requirements

Before applying to undertake a research degree (MPhil, PhD, EdD) you need to ensure that:

You meet the entry requirements, which are:

  • an undergraduate (honours) degree with minimum 2:1 (or equivalent), or a Master’s degree with minimum 60% overall (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline.
  • applicants who don’t meet the above but have significant experience may be considered subject to the approval of the Associate Dean for Research and Knowledge Exchange and the Programme Leader.
  • for entry onto the Professional Doctorate in Education (EdD) programme you must also have a minimum of five years of professional experience

In addition to the above, applicants whose first language is not English must also meet the English Language requirement, which is:

  • a Bachelors or Masters degree transcript from the UK or UKVI recognised Majority English Speaking Country (MESC). A full list of MESCs can be found on the application process page.

OR

For the Greenwich Business School or Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences or Faculty of Liberal Arts & Sciences:

  • an IELTS certificate demonstrating that you have achieved a minimum of 6.5 overall and 6.5 in all elements or an acceptable, demonstrable equivalent to this.

For the Faculty of Engineering & Science:

  • an IELTS certificate demonstrating that you have achieved a minimum of 6.5 overall and 6.0 in all elements or an acceptable, demonstrable equivalent to this.

In addition to the entry requirements, you are required to:

  • provide a detailed research proposal of approx. 1,500 words (for scholarship applications, please see specific instructions in the advert and include the scholarship reference to the personal statement section).
  • provide a Curriculum Vitae (CV).
  • provide 2x academic or professional references.
  • attend an interview

For information on the admission criteria and procedure for a Doctorate by Published Work or a Higher Doctorate, please refer to Section C of the Academic Regulations for Postgraduate Research Awards.

To find out more information on funding your studies visit our funding opportunities page, studentship and tuition fee pages.

Application process

Details on the application process are available on what is required at the time of application.

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