Politics

Entry requirements

You should normally have (or expect to be awarded) a taught Masters in a relevant subject area. You might also be considered for some programmes if you aren’t a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that you have the ability to work at postgraduate level. Equivalent qualifications We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world. English language requirements If English isn’t your first language, you’ll need to meet our English language requirements to study with us. For this programme we require: IELTS 7.0 (including 7.0 in the written test) If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate-level study.

Months of entry

September

Course content

We accept students into the Department of Politics and International Relations on the basis of a match between your proposed research and the current research interests of a potential supervisor as well as an assessment of qualifications and suitability for a research degree.

Initial discussions about supervision are therefore on the basis of a brief research proposal prepared by prospective students before a formal application is made.

If you'd like to come and discuss your research with the Director of Postgraduate Studies and/or with a potential supervisor, please contact the Departmental Secretary to make an appointment.

Registration and study

Initially, you register for a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) programme to train you in the research methods necessary to complete a PhD.

You can apply to upgrade to PhD registration when you have satisfactorily completed an agreed part of the research and training programme; this usually happens before 18 months if you are studying full-time, or before 36 months if part-time.

You should aim to complete and submit your PhD thesis within an agreed period, usually three to four years for full-time students, and four to six years for part-time.

If you decide not to upgrade to PhD registration, you can submit your thesis for an MPhil after two years if you are studying full-time, or after three years if part-time.

With the agreement of your supervisor, you can change your registration from full to part-time or vice versa.

North American applicants especially should note that the British system does not include preparatory taught classes or examinations as part of the MPhil/PhD programme, except for an initial module in research methods.

Find out more about research degrees at Goldsmiths.

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Professor Sanjay Seth

Research supervision

You're assigned members of staff qualified to supervise your research throughout your period of registration. Please see our staff page for details of the teaching staff and their research interests.

You usually have a single supervisor, although in some cases joint supervision is agreed, and two members of staff are involved in the supervision.

Supervision involves regular meetings throughout the period of study, and ideally involves the development of an intensive intellectual relationship between you and your supervisor, from which both parties gain.

Research training

All research students who have not completed an MRes or MPhil degree will have to attend modules on quantitative and qualitative research methods held in their first year of study.

A College-wide programme of research training is also provided, which involves an induction module (which all students should attend), introduction to information technologies and the use of library and bibliographic resources, basic training in quantitative research methods, and sessions on research planning, presentation skills and ethics.

Optional elements

There are seminars held within the Department, which you can attend. Also, you may, after consultation with your supervisor, audit the appropriate postgraduate options from any of the taught MA/MRes programmes offered in the Department. This involves participating in seminar discussions and/or writing coursework, but not being formally assessed for the course.

Assessment

Examination of the MPhil and PhD is by a thesis (60,000 words maximum for an MPhil and 100,000 words maximum for a PhD) and a viva voce.

Department specialisms

Local government, European politics, British politics, Chinese politics, international relations, nationalism, modern political and social thought, Marx and Marxism, postcolonialism, the politics of health, political sociology, democratisation, and public administration; see details of staff research interests.

Fees and funding

Find out more about funding opportunities for home/EU applicants, or funding for international applicants. If you're applying for funding, you may be subject to an application deadline.

The Department of Politics and International Relations regularly offers postgraduate bursaries for this programme. Find out more about our departmental awards. We also offer a Research studentship funded by the London Borough of Lewisham.

Research students have successfully applied for AHRC studentships and ESRC doctoral training studentships.

Find out more about tuition fees.

Qualification and course duration

PhD

MPhil

Course contact details