SELCS

Admissions


Research degree applicants should in the first instance contact the School Research Director to discuss the proposed project and the practicalities of studying for a research degree in the School of European Languages, Culture and Society at University College London. You should also be prepared to provide a curriculum vitae and a succinct (i.e. one A4 page long), but carefully explained, description of the research project on which you intend to embark. You should also consult the webpages of School departments and programmes, which outline the research expertise of School staff. The School Research Director, after consulting the relevant Head of Department, will put you in touch with a possible supervisor.

All candidates register in the first instance for an MPhil degree. During the second year of full-time study, or the equivalent of part-time study, candidates may be upgraded to a PhD degree, provided that they convince an upgrade panel that their research has attained an adequate standard.

Applications

The UCL Registry page Graduate application and entry explains the application procedure. It is advisable to submit your application online. When doing so, remember to print off a copy of your online application for your own records. Please email the School Research Officer, mentioning that you have submitted an online application. This will help us to track your application.

UCL offers conditional places to applicants who have not completed their undergraduate or MA degrees. Candidates should inform the School Exams and Postgraduate Officer as soon as they know their results. 

Deadlines

Students can begin their research degrees at any time of year, so there are no deadlines for admission. Overseas applicants must, however, leave time to complete the formalities for clearance to enter the UK, which can take some time. Applicants intending to apply for scholarships will need to complete the application process before applying for scholarships.  Scholarship deadlines usually fall in early spring. For information on scholarships, please consult the Scholarships page.

Requisite qualifications

Candidates for a research degree normally need an MA degree in an area of study appropriate to their research proposal, or else an equivalent qualification from overseas. 

Duration of research degrees

The minimum programme length for the MPhil and PhD degrees is two calendar years of full-time study or the equivalent in part-time study. Usually PhD degrees take at least three years full-time study or the equivalent in part-time study. The examination for both degrees is by thesis. The maximum word lengths of MPhil and PhD theses are 60,000 and 100,000 words respectively. The UCL Academic Regulations for Research Degree Students are downloadable from the Registry page Academic Regulations.

Enquiries

Please contact the School Research Officer for advice about the application procedure and the progress of your application.