PhD Course Details

In the first year you will work with your supervisors to establish the research project which will be the basis for your dissertation. You will be asked to undertake a training programme through our seminar series ‘Research for Interdisciplinary Studies’. This will consist of a monthly topic-based seminar during terms 1, 2 and 3 during the first year of study (irrespective of full time or part time status) and at this seminar first year doctoral students will be introduced to the formal requirements of doctoral study; to the theoretical and methodological approaches which frame interdisciplinary research and research design. The programme will include work in progress reports from all first-year students as part of their preparation for upgrading. These seminars will foster the research culture, discuss the meaning of interdisciplinarity, and build research skills. Candidates will have access to Faculty of Arts and Humanities and UCL Doctoral school training.

For a full time candidate at the earliest 9 months and at the latest 11 months from registration and for a part time candidate at the earliest 15 months and the latest 19 months they will submit an appropriate research area outline, including proto-literature review (if written this will be 6-9k words or other equivalent for experiment-based projects), a clear outline of research questions, research ethics completed form (if applicable), timetable of work and a bibliography. This will be reviewed by two members of staff who are not supervisors of the project through review of the written materials and a viva.

Following upgrade students will undergo an annual review each 12 months following their upgrade. This review will consist of a short report from supervisors and a self-assessment by the candidate. The Graduate Research Tutor will oversee this process. All students will be strongly encouraged to participate in the research seminars conducted every month in terms 1, 2 and 3 providing a place to learn and to share expertise and experience.

Dissertations in this programme may range from ‘typical’ humanities and social sciences written theses to strongly experimental or data driven science theses to arts and science theses with elements of practice. This requires a wide word range: 50,000-100,000 words, depending on whether the work features an element of practice.