Course summary
A PhD is one of the highest internationally recognised academic qualifications that any institution can award. BGU provides opportunities for full or part-time PhD study within its growing community of scholars and healthy research culture. BGU's continuing success in research, as demonstrated in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework exercise, gives us a significant presence within an increasingly competitive, research-intensive sector. Research supervision for the PhD is undertaken at BGU with the degree itself awarded by the University of Leicester.
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About this course
The PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) is for those who want to make an original contribution to knowledge through research and, in so doing, extend their professional development, develop practice, and advance their understanding through reflection and analysis. It is a programme, which may be studied full or part-time and typically takes between 4 to 6 years to complete. The PhD is delivered entirely at BGU with the degree itself awarded by the University of Leicester.
During the first two years of study, you will have the opportunity to integrate with students from the Professional doctorate programme (EdD) and you will be able to attend a total of six study weekends over the course of the initial 24 months of the programme. At these weekends you will cover material common to both methods of study, including completing literature reviews, common research methods, working with data, designing projects and writing a thesis.
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Entry requirements
To be considered for a PhD you are expected to hold a minimum of an honours degree and a Master's Award.
We will consider applicants without a Master's Award, providing a particularly strong application and proposal have been submitted.
How to Apply
If you would like to find out more about the PhD or EdD Programmes, please contact Dr Sheine Peart, Associate Professor in Access, Equality and Inclusion. (sheine.peart@bishopg.ac.uk).
Applications are considered for October start dates.
For 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028 the final dates for receipt of applications are as follows:
- October 2025: 26th August 2025
- October 2026: 1st September 2026
- October 2027: 31st August 2027
- October 2028: 29th August 2028
As part of the application process you will need to provide a detailed 2500-word research proposal, including 10 - 15 relevant references (online references are acceptable). – please click here to view the information we require for this section. These can be attached as a Word document using the document upload function during the online application process
If you have any questions regarding the application process please contact courseenquiries@bishopg.ac.uk
Further information
It’s important to know when choosing a university to complete a PhD or EdD with that they have an excellent research department, facilities and resources. Here at BGU we are proud of our research background and support offered to students – click here for more information on our staff, current projects and how we can support you in your research endeavours.
A lot of student finance information is available from numerous sources, but it is sometimes confusing and contradictory. That’s why at BGU we try to give you all the information and support we can to help to throughout the process. Our Student Advice team are experts in helping you sorting out the funding arrangements for your studies, offering a range of services to guide you through all aspects of student finance step by step. Click here to find information about fees, loans and support which will help to make the whole process a little easier to understand.
Please click here to view the regulations and policies surrounding these degrees.