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Guidelines for PhD proposals

In order for us to assess your plans for PhD study and whether we can supervise your research topic, you submit a research proposal as part of your application. The proposal should describe what you want to research, why, and how you plan to conduct the study.

Does it fit?

We are keen to receive PhD applications in the areas in which we have specialist expertise and renown. To check how your research interests relate to our own, you can consult the research interests of Education faculty and the websites of our three research centres:

• The Centre for International Education (CIE)
• The Centre for Higher Education and Equity Research (CHEER)
• The Centre for Inquiry and Research in Cognition, Learning and Teaching in Sussex (CIRCLETS)

If there is a good fit between your interests and our research profile, please use these guidelines to develop your research proposal.

These guidelines are for both the 1+3 and +3 PhDs. However, the research proposal for the +3 should be more developed in the different areas marked with an asterisk below. High quality proposals for the +3 PhD will therefore demionstrate a good understanding of social science research methodology and research design. For the +3 PhD the proposal should be 6-8 pages in length, whereas for the 1+3 it need only be 2-3 pages (single spacing).

The structure of your proposal

• Your proposal should start with a working title which clearly reflects its focus.
• Provide a rationale which introduces what you propose to research and why it is important - both to you and more generally.
• Provide a brief literature review to show how your research relates to existing research in the field.*
• Provide a set of research questions that will guide your research. Like your working title, these will probably change as you refine your project, but they are an important starting point.
• Discuss the methodology that will frame your research, including your ontological and epistemological position, your research approach and research methods. If your research draws upon a particular theoretical framework to understand key concepts, include a discussion of this.*
• Provide an indicative timeline, including the time it will take to analyse your data and to write your thesis. A full-time PhD is undertaken over 3 years (maximum 4), or 4 years (maximum 6) if studied part-time.
• Explain how your research can contribute new knowledge or understanding.
• Include citations to literature used to support your arguments and provide a list of references at the end of the proposal.

Submission

When you have developed your proposal, submit it online as part of your application for either the 1+3 or +3 PhD. Please also include a brief statement about your academic interests, a current CV, transcripts of your educational qualifications and an IELTS certificate for English if you do not have a degree from the UK or English is not your first language (IELTS 7.0 or above for +3 PhD entry, or IELTS 6.5 for 1+3 entry).

You should also nominate two academic referees who can testify to your capacity to engage with independent study and research.

What next?

When your application has been received, its details will be checked by the University's Postgraduate Admissions team. Academic faculty within the Department of Education will then review your application. In addition to the quality of the application and how it meets the criteria for either a +3 or 1+3 place, we consider whether we can supervise your project. We then invite potential students to an interview - in person if possible, or by telephone or Skype if not - to get clarification from you and to answer any questions you may have. 

If offered a place on the 1+3 PhD, you will start in September.
Most PhD candidates also start at that time, although entry is possible at the beginning of the spring and summer terms.

If we do not have supervisory capacity, we will attempt to suggest alternative departments within the University or alternative universities that you might want to approach.

Recommended reading

There are some useful guides to writing doctoral proposals and theses which you might consult before writing and/or submitting your research proposal. These include:

• Thomson, P. and Walker, M. (Eds) (2010): The Routledge Doctoral Student's Companion: Getting to grips with research in Education and the Social Sciences (London and New York, Routledge)
• Punch, K. (2006): Developing Effective Research Proposals (2nd edn) London, Sage