Applications and selectionBefore applying – researching your programmePlease read carefully what this prospectus says about the area that you are interested in, in addition to this general information section and also the Fees and finance section. In particular, check that you not only meet the general entrance requirements (see below), but also any specific requirements of your favoured programme. If you would like more information, please contact the ‘Further information’ contact in the relevant subject listing. These subject contacts can often answer your questions themselves, or they will put you in touch with either an academic or administrator who can help you. For many subjects, there are booklets giving further information about the taught and research programmes on offer, and/or the wider research activity of the department. You may also find it useful to browse the department or research centre web pages on the University of Sussex website. If you have any general questions about the admissions process prior to submitting your application, please contact: Student Recruitment Services, Entrance requirementsAll our postgraduate applicants must satisfy these general entry requirements: For research programmesAt least a good undergraduate honours degree or other professional qualification or experience of equivalent standing. For research degrees in the humanities or social sciences, normally also a Masters degree. For taught programmesAt least a good undergraduate honours degree or other professional qualification or experience of equivalent standing. English language ability – see the advice in the English language requirements section below for our requirements. The Postgraduate Admissions Office can give detailed advice about the suitability of your qualifications. ApplyingMaking your applicationWe encourage you to use our online application form because it is the quickest and most efficient method for applying for admission to postgraduate programmes. If you require a printed copy of the postgraduate application form, you can also print this off or download a copy. You can also get a printed copy of the postgraduate application form by contacting: Whichever application method you use, you will be asked to specify the programme(s) of study that you are applying for and to give details of your qualifications, and also your interests and reasons for applying. This provides our selectors with evidence of your understanding of your chosen area of study. You should also provide the following supporting documents:
Applications completed online will go directly to the relevant school for consideration. The facility is provided to attach electronic copies of supporting documents, including references, to your online application and this option should be used wherever possible. Applications via printed application forms should be sent directly to Postgraduate Admissions (at the address below), with references and supporting documents in a single bundle. Please note that you may apply for more than one programme. If you have submitted your application and have a question, please contact: Postgraduate Admissions, Research applications (does not apply to taught programmes)If you are applying for a research degree, you will need a research proposal and if you are particularly interested in the work of one of our members of faculty or a research team you may wish to consider requesting a particular supervisor. The subject pages of this prospectus provide relevant information about our research specialisms and you may wish to contact faculty members directly to discuss your area of interest. If you ask to be supervised by a particular member of faculty, this will be considered, but clearly not all such requests can be accommodated, and the allocation of supervision is the responsibility of the School. The amount of detail required in a research proposal varies between subjects. Social science and humanities subjects tend to require a highly developed research proposal, giving a clear outline of the specific research area. However, in some science subjects it is more normal to outline a general area of interest, as the nature of the research discipline is more tied to ongoing research projects, the availability of experimental equipment, etc. Again, a discussion with an academic contact in the department will help clarify the right level of detail of your research proposal. Deposits (some taught programmes only)Some of our programmes operate a deposit scheme to secure places – ie a deposit is required at the point of accepting an offer. These programmes are listed, along with the terms of the deposit scheme, on the Fees and finance web page. Table 1:
The selection processAll postgraduate applications will be considered by our selectors in the relevant school. Receipt of your application will be acknowledged by email. We aim to make decisions in these timescales (from the point at which we have received all of the documents required):
If you are applying for a research degree, your prospective supervisor will be involved in the selection process. InterviewsIn some subjects, especially the sciences, applicants are interviewed as a matter of course. Overseas applicants are sometimes asked to undertake a telephone interview. You will almost certainly be interviewed if you are nominated for a studentship that is allocated by Sussex. Interview visits are also likely to incorporate a tour of the Department and School, and you may have the opportunity to meet with faculty and current postgraduates. (An invitation to interview is not a guarantee that you will be offered a place.) In other subjects interviews are not routine and your application will be considered on the basis of what you submit in writing, sometimes combined with an invitation to visit the Department informally after an offer has been made. You are welcome to request a meeting with your prospective supervisor at some point in the application process, and we will see if this can be accommodated. You are also welcome to come and look around the campus without pre-arranging a visit, and to attend our Postgraduate Open Day on Wednesday 30 January 2008. OffersIf your application is successful, you will receive an official offer of a place. This letter represents the University’s formal terms of offer, and overrides any other informal communications or impressions. The decision you receive will be either:
International studentsApplicationsWe welcome applications from students outside the UK. The application procedure is similar to that for UK students, but there are some additional requirements. If you are a graduate of an overseas university, you need to provide a copy of your degree transcripts (breakdown of your degree results) with your application. A translation into English should be provided if necessary. The table above shows some overseas qualifications that meet the University’s general entry requirements. If you have other qualifications, please contact Postgraduate Admissions (E pg.applicants@sussex.ac.uk). English language requirementsYou will need a good command of written and spoken English to complete a postgraduate degree in the UK. If your first language is not English, you will normally be required to take a test of English, such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), and submit the result with your application. IELTSPlease check Table 2 below for the University’s normal English language requirements for postgraduate degrees (quoted in IELTS bands). Other tests of English languageIf you are taking the TOEFL examination, please check Table 3 below to find out what score is equivalent to the IELTS requirements quoted in Table 2. The University will also accept other tests of English language, such as Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English, USA Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), English Language Skills Assessment (ELSA) and General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). If you have taken one of these tests and are unsure if you meet the English language requirements, please contact Postgraduate Admissions (E pg.applicants@sussex.ac.uk). Pre-sessional English language coursesIf your English language level is below the requirement for your degree programme, the University’s Sussex Language Institute offers a range of pre-sessional English language courses to prepare you for postgraduate study. Please check Table 4 below for guidance on the courses that are normally required. Free pre-sessional moduleYou will be refunded the tuition fee for Module C when you progress to postgraduate study, providing you are:
Timing of applications and fundingWe begin to consider applications in November for entry the following academic year. Almost all taught programmes start at the beginning of the autumn term. Most research students are taken on at this time, although in some schools there are small intakes at the beginning of the spring (January) and summer (April) terms. You can apply to Sussex for postgraduate study at any time of the year. Certain programmes have specific deadlines: for details, refer to the Closing dates for applications section below and individual subject entries. If you are a self-funding student, the application deadlines for postgraduate study are flexible, and in some cases your application may be accepted up to one month before you are due to start. However, you are strongly advised to apply as early as possible. If, however, you are applying for funding either from one of the Sussex scholarships or from an external body, your application timetable will be dictated by the deadlines for the allocation of funding. In general, Sussex requires that you have had your application processed, and have been offered a place, approximately one month in advance of the relevant funding body’s deadline. These deadlines range from March to August, with a cluster around May/June, requiring you to apply to Sussex by March/April, so it is important to check when your application needs to be in. Please note that the deadlines for scholarships administered by Sussex may be earlier than the dates given above. If you require a decision by a specific date, please enclose a letter with your application stating this. We will notify you as soon as possible after a decision has been made, but please allow time for us to consider your application. In all cases it is important to remember that, although Sussex has a good track record in attracting funding for its students, competition for postgraduate funding is often fierce. You are strongly advised to consider alternative means of supporting yourself. Table 2: English language requirements – IELTS
Table 3: English language requirements – TOEFL
Table 4: Pre-sessional English language course requirements
UK Research Council deadlinesThe offer of a place must be confirmed and all the paperwork submitted to the relevant body by 1 May in order for you to be eligible for an Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) studentship, or an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) grant. Delays are sometimes caused if referees’ reports or academic transcripts do not arrive promptly. Please make sure that those you rely on to supply these are aware of any deadlines. Closing dates for applications
Commitment to diversity and equality of opportunityThe University welcomes applications from all candidates with the potential to succeed in postgraduate studies, regardless of background. We are committed to ensuring that students are recruited, selected, trained, assessed and otherwise treated solely on the basis of their relevant merits and abilities. A copy of the University’s Equality of Opportunity Policy is available on the Personnel website. Students with disabilitiesWe welcome applications from disabled students. Please give details in your application of any additional needs you may have. We encourage you to get in touch with Postgraduate Admissions if you wish to find out about the facilities available. This is particularly important for applicants to experimentally based science subjects. We would also encourage you to visit the campus to assess the suitability of facilities on offer. Further information on facilities for disabled students is given in the following sections: Funding your studies, Campus life, Where to live, Information and Technology Services, Academic support facilities and Student support services. 
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Contact details and term dates | ||
|---|---|---|
For pre-application enquiries:Student Recruitment Services |
For post-application enquiries:Postgraduate Admissions |
|
Teaching term dates 2008-2009 | ||
|
Autumn term |
Spring term |
Summer term |
| Postgraduate students will normally be registered from 1 October 2008 to 30 September 2009 | ||