Research degrees
How you study for a Research degree will vary depending on your programme of study. The University ensures that each student is fully supported throughout their time at Swansea:
All postgraduate students receive an academic handbook at the start of their studies. The handbook provides useful advice and guidance on a wide range of matters and supports students in the successful completion of their degrees. In addition, each student will benefit from ongoing supervision and support from their department.
For detailed information on the support available to you, please speak with your Head of Department or School. You may also like to read about Starting your research degree, the Postgraduate Research Faculty and the Research Faculty Office.
How Research degrees work:
Research degree options include:
Phd: the first year of registration for a PhD is a
period of official probation, requiring departmental assessment before
the candidate is allowed to proceed. Successful students are then
expected to produce a thesis of approximately 100,000 words and to
undergo a viva voce examination to qualify for the degree. The final
thesis is expected to make a significant original contribution to
knowledge in the subject area studied.
EngD: The first part of the Engineering Doctorate involves a detailed modular taught course, building knowledge, skills and understanding of engineering science and the wider areas of management, finance, and personal skills. The second part of the scheme requires the design and completion of a doctoral study based in an industrial company. This degree is fully supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.
Professional Doctorates in Education (EdD) or Nursing (DNurseSci) equip practitioners with the knowledge and skills necessary to contribute to research expertise in each discipline. Currently, these schemes are exclusively part-time and take five years: the first two years are devoted to modular taught courses, the final three years to research.
MPhil, LLM(Res), MRes, MD and MCh research degrees are awarded to candidates who have successfully completed approved and supervised research and who have presented their results in a thesis of not more than 60,000 words. In some cases, there may be opportunities for students to upgrade their degree to a PhD during the course of their studies.