Master of Philosophy MPhil

Take your education to the next level. Choose the areas you want to study, and which questions you want to research. Take the initiative while we support you with advice, guidance and facilities.

Register your interest

Overview

During your MPhil, we will train you in rigorous research methodologies that are transferable to many different careers. Our Postgraduate Research Development programme allows you to learn alongside other candidates, building up a network of potential collaborators in research projects.

There is no doubt that research degrees require persistence and dedication. At the same time, they are excellent opportunities to develop your critical skills and high-level thinking. Most important of all, they allow you to focus on what you find interesting and to follow your personal research interests.

Why us?

Compared to a PhD, an MPhil requires fewer years of study – as few as two years compared to at least three years for a PhD
You can often convert your MPhil into a PhD and continue your research

An MPhil thesis is typically 20,000-40,000 words while a PhD thesis is up to 80,000 words, depending on the subject area
You have an option to study this programme at our Sunderland campus or via distance learning

Entry requirements

The normal entry requirement for a research degree is a UK honours degree (first or upper second class) or a UK Masters degree or a qualification which is regarded as equivalent. We will consider candidates with other qualifications, looking at evidence of academic ability such as published work.

If English is not your first language, you will need a British Council International English Language Testing System (IELTS) overall score of 6.5, with at least 6.0 in each component: reading, writing, listening and speaking (or equivalent).

Research proposal

You will be asked to write a 2-3 page research proposal that specifies the:

Aims of your research
Rationale for the research question(s)
Proposed methodology and techniques for analysis
Provisional time plan for the research

Is your qualification not displaying here? For international qualifications, search our full list of international entry requirements for this course.

Fees and finance

We charge annual fees while you are studying and researching for your degree. These costs vary depending on whether you are a candidate from the UK/EU or from a country outside the EU.

If you are not sure whether you qualify as a UK, EU or international student, find out more in our Help and Advice article.

2023/24 fees are:

If you are from the UK/Ireland/EU settled/pre-settled:

On-campus full-time: £4,500 per year
On-campus part-time: £3,681 per year
Distance learning full-time: £3,681 per year
Distance learning part-time: £3,681 per year

International candidates:

On-campus full-time: £13,500 per year
On-campus part-time: £8,500 per year
Distance learning full-time: £8,000 per year
Distance learning part-time: £8,000 per year

Tier 1 £4,500 Home/£13,500 International per year. This applies to the vast majority of research students who do not require specialist equipment.

Tier 2 £5,000 Home/£14,000 International per year. This applies to research students where there will be some additional expenses and the use of equipment.

Tier 3 £6,000 Home/£16,000 International per year. This applies to laboratory and clinical research students i.e. in sciences where there are consumables.

International scholarship

All full-time, on-campus international research candidates at postgraduate level are awarded a £1,400 scholarship per year of study. You do not have to apply for this scholarship; it is automatically applied to reduce the annual fees specified above.

Learn more about settled status, pre-settled status, special discounts, visa requirements and Common Travel Area (CTA) agreements for the Republic of Ireland applicants in our Help and Advice article.

Take a look at the scholarships and bursaries that may be available to you.

This information was correct at the time of publication.

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Contact

For more information please contact the Graduate Research Support team at:
grs@sunderland.ac.uk

Page last updated: 08 February 2024

We aim to provide clear, accurate and timely information to prospective and current students. We continuously review and enhance course content in consultation with our students and the information provided on our website is the latest available. If you have received an offer from us to start a course, we will communicate any important changes to you in writing. We will always seek to ensure that our prospective students are fully aware of the basis on which they are accepting an offer.