Types of courses available

MASTERS: Courses lasting one or two years, with a final thesis. Qualifications include MA, MSc, MPhil and MLit, depending on the discipline of study. It is possible to do shorter courses of this type, and obtain instead of a Masters qualification, a Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma.

DOCTORATE: At least three years of research and a long and detailed thesis are necessary to obtain a PhD or a DPhil. To apply, a research proposal must be submitted to the university. For further information consult the information sheet Choosing your research topic and institution on the list available here.

Applying

Applications must be made directly to the university. The necessary forms can usually be found on the university's website; otherwise we advise contacting the institution.

Finding a course

To find more detailed information about the courses on offer, each university's prospectus can be consulted online. Links to the university websites can be found on the UCAS website.

The guides to postgraduate courses Prospects and Hobsons are available to search online.