Educational Research and Development

Entry requirements

Minimum of an upper Second Class honours degree, or alternatively a Second Class honours degree and a Masters degree in a relevant subject.

Months of entry

Anytime

Course content

The MPhil/PhD are research programmes aimed at those who wish to gain a postgraduate qualification by conducting supervised independent primary research in education which is written up into a thesis.

Each programme of study is run the same way, with variations in depth and originality of research between MPhil and PhD. This is reflected in the length of study and thesis: for example a part-time PhD typically takes 5-6 years to produce an 80,000 word thesis. Full-time study usually takes about half the time of part-time study.

The longer PhD is aimed at those who are, or aspire to be, senior academic or administrative leaders of primary, secondary, or tertiary educational institutions, or university lecturers and researchers.

These programmes are designed to develop the critical-thinking and research skills required for study at postgraduate level. Students have the opportunity to decide on the focus of their research and receive one-to-one support from an experienced supervisor.

At Lincoln, research students benefit from regular monthly meetings with their supervisor (monthly for full-time students, bi-monthly for part-time). In addition, students can attend regular training sessions on research methods and skills provided by the School of Education and the University's Doctoral School.

Information for international students

If you have studied outside of the UK, and are unsure whether your qualification meets the above requirements, please visit our country pages: https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studywithus/internationalstudents/entryrequirementsandyourcountry/ for information on equivalent qualifications.

Overseas students will be required to demonstrate English language proficiency equivalent to IELTS 6.5 overall, with a minimum of 6.0 in each element. For information regarding other English language qualifications we accept, please visit the English Requirements page https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/englishlanguagerequirements/.

If you do not meet the above IELTS requirements, you may be able to take part in one of our Pre-session English and Academic Study Skills courses. https://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/studywithus/internationalstudents/englishlanguagerequirementsandsupport/pre-sessionalenglishandacademicstudyskills/. These specialist courses are designed to help students meet the English language requirements for their intended programme of study.

Fees and funding

For eligible students, there are more ways than ever before to fund your postgraduate study, whether you want to do a taught or research course. For those wishing to undertake a Master's course, you can apply for a loan as a contribution towards the course and living costs. Loans are also available to those who wish to undertake doctoral study. The University offers a number of scholarships and funded studentships for those interested in postgraduate study. Learn how Master's and PhD loans, scholarships, and studentships can help you fund your studies on our Postgraduate Fees and Funding pages.