phd by papers birmingham

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Philosophy PhD (On-Campus or by Distance Learning)

University of birmingham, different course options.

• Key information

Course Summary

Tuition fees, entry requirements, university information, similar courses at this uni, key information data source : idp connect, qualification type.

PhD/DPhil - Doctor of Philosophy

Subject areas

Philosophy Education Theory / Philosophy

Course type

By pursuing research in Philosophy at Birmingham, you will joining a vibrant and dynamic research community thanks to the Department’s diverse research interests and approaches.

Our expert supervision spans a wide range of areas, including: Philosophy of Mind and Cognitive Science; Philosophy of Language; Philosophy of Logic; Philosophy of Mathematics; Moral Philosophy (theoretical and practical); Metaphysics and Epistemology; and Philosophy of Religion.

You can study in traditional PhD format, or through our PhD by Papers option. Rather than writing a single book-like thesis examining a single topic, a PhD by Papers gives you the choice of writing a thesis comprising of several separate (though thematically unified) papers, in the style of philosophy journal articles.

Birmingham is one of the first philosophy departments in the UK to offer a PhD by Papers option and, although this style of PhD thesis is very popular at top US departments and offers many advantages for students, it is rare in the UK. The advantages include:

• Ideas don’t always come in book-shaped packages. Our PhD by Papers format recognises that, allowing you greater scope to follow your interests
• If you would like to become an academic philosopher, you will need to publish in philosophical journals, preferably before finishing your PhD. Our PhD by Papers means your work towards publishable papers is always work towards the PhD thesis, improving your academic job prospects along the way

The PhD by Papers format is an option for all Birmingham Philosophy PhD students and is not a separate course of study. Simply apply for the Philosophy PhD as normal.

Employability

Your degree will provide excellent preparation for your future career, but this can also be enhanced by a range of employability support services offered by the University and the College of Arts and Law.

The University's Careers Network provides expert guidance and activities especially for postgraduates, which will help you achieve your career goals. The College of Arts and Law also has a dedicated careers and employability team who offer tailored advice and a programme of College-specific careers events.

You will be encouraged to make the most of your postgraduate experience and will have the opportunity to:

• Receive one-to-one careers advice, including guidance on your job applications, writing your CV and improving your interview technique, whether you are looking for a career inside or outside of academia
• Meet employers face-to-face at on-campus recruitment fairs and employer presentations
• Attend an annual programme of careers fairs, skills workshops and conferences, including bespoke events for postgraduates in the College of Arts and Law
• Take part in a range of activities to demonstrate your knowledge and skills to potential employers and enhance your CV

UK fees Course fees for UK students

For this course (per year)

International fees Course fees for EU and international students

Students will usually need to hold a good Masters qualification in Philosophy or in a relevant subject. Any academic and professional qualifications or relevant professional experience you may have are normally taken into account, and in some cases, form an integral part of the entrance requirements. If you are applying for distance learning research programmes, you will also be required to demonstrate that you have the time, commitment, facilities and experience to study by distance learning.

The University of Birmingham - part of the prestigious Russell Group of universities in the UK – has been helping to develop the next generation of leaders, push boundaries of innovation and challenge existing thinking for over 100 years. The university has a vibrant and diverse community of students, with over 10,000 international students coming to the city from over 120 countries. Over 40% of students are working on a postgraduate... more

MSc Global Ethics and Justice (Distance learning)

Distance without attendance | 1 year | SEP-25

Philosophy MA

Full time | 1 year | SEP-25

Philosophy MRes

Global ethics phd (on-campus or by distance learning).

Full time | 3 years | JAN-25

MA/Diploma Philosophy of Religion and Ethics

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Entry requirements

For MRes and MA by Research programmes, we usually require a good (normally a 2:1 or above) Honours degree, or an equivalent qualification if you were educated outside the UK, usually in a relevant area.

If you’re applying for a PhD , you’ll also need to hold a Masters qualification at Merit level or above (or its international equivalent), usually in a relevant area.

Any academic and professional qualifications or relevant professional experience are normally taken into account, and in some cases, form an integral part of the entrance requirements.

If you’re applying for distance learning research programmes, you’ll also need to show that you have the time, commitment, facilities and experience to study by distance learning.

You'll normally need to submit a research proposal. The word count is typically 1,000-1,500 words for Arts programmes and around 2,500 words for Law programmes. See the Application Process section for more information.

Months of entry

January, September

Course content

Conduct your own research with the support of experts from the Department of Philosophy. Join a vibrant research community with a diverse range of interests and approaches. Choose either a traditional PhD or a PhD by Papers.

At Birmingham, we focus on philosophy with a real-world impact. We encourage research across subject boundaries, like how philosophy can help answer questions in theology, language, politics and mental health and psychology.

As the Top UK Philosophy Department in the Research Excellence Framework 2021 based on Grade Point Average (Times Higher Education), you'll be supported by experts who conduct internationally recognised research. You'll join a welcoming Department and become a valued contributor to our research activities.

• Our research expertise spans a wide variety of areas. You’ll be supported by at least two supervisors. We also welcome research across subject boundaries.
• Become an active member of our vibrant research community. Share your ideas at research seminars, workshops and academic conferences.
• Conduct your PhD research from anywhere in the world through our online distance learning option. Our PhD by Papers option allows you to split your research into separate papers.

Most of our postgraduate research-only programmes offer a PhD or Masters by Research option, but some programmes only offer the PhD route. The PhD is taken over three-six years and the Masters by Research over one-two years. We offer flexibility so you can choose the mode of study that works for you - full-time, part-time, or distance learning.

• There are no formal lectures or seminars in a PhD or MA by Research (if available). Instead, you’ll undertake research under the expert guidance of a primary supervisor, co-supervisor and mentor, supported by complementary research training.
• Your supervisory team will meet with you at regular intervals throughout your programme to offer guidance on how best to approach, implement and report on your research.
• If you take the distance learning option you’ll receive the same level of support and supervision as on-campus students, but with supervisory sessions taking place online. You'll be funded to make one compulsory visit to the University, enabling you to meet your supervisory team, undertake intensive research skills training and make a start on your doctoral studies.
• You’re expected to take full responsibility for your work, developing your own timetable for your research project so you can successfully complete it on time.

Information for international students

If you are an international student, you will need to demonstrate you have a suitable level of English proficiency, usually through the form of an IELTS or equivalent qualification.

For this course we require IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band, which is equivalent to:

• TOEFL: 88 overall with no less than 21 in Reading, 20 Listening, 22 Speaking and 21 in Writing
• Pearson Test of English (PTE): Academic 67 with no less than 64 in all four skills
• Cambridge English: C1 Advanced - minimum overall score of 176, with no less than 169 in any component
• LanguageCert ESOL SELT (UKVI): B2 'Communicator' with no less than 33 in each skill

Fees and funding

The College of Arts and Law is a vibrant community of students and academics, dedicated to ensuring that excellence is rewarded, and that fears about finance do not constrain current or prospective students. For this reason, in addition to University funding schemes, we offer our own College-specific funding initiatives.

Qualification, course duration and attendance options

• Campus-based learning is available for this qualification
• Distance learning is available for this qualification

Course contact details

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Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The Doctor of Philosophy programme aims to foster the development of independent research skills. It is normally a three-year (full time) or six-year (part time) research-only degree and will include a proportion of research training, the exact amount of which will depend on your chosen department.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) with Integrated Study

This is a four-year doctorate combining the traditional research degree with taught modules, developing professional skills and subject specific knowledge.

Professional Doctorates (ClinPsyD, EdD, ThD, EdPsychD, SocSciD, ForenPsyD, HScD, HScD(Clin), DPT, AppEd and ChildPsyD)

Normally spread over a period of three years, programmes comprise research-related work and subject-focused taught courses, and/or professional practice with research. You are assessed by a combination of written examinations and/or project report(s), a dissertation or a thesis. No more than one third of the programme will consist of taught modules.

Definitions

• Doctor of Clinical Psychology ClinPsyD
• Doctor of Education EdD
• Doctor of Theology ThD
• Doctor of Educational Psychology EdPsychD
• Doctor of Social Science SocSciD
• Doctor of Forensic Psychology Practice ForenPsyD
• Doctor in Health Sciences HScD
• Doctor in Health Sciences (Clinical) HScD(Clin)
• Doctor of Practical Theology DPT
• Doctor of Applied Educational and Child Psychology ApEd and ChildPsyD

Doctor of Engineering (EngD)

This is normally a four-year programme which integrates research with taught postgraduate work. You must produce a thesis which makes an original contribution to knowledge, worthy of publication, in whole or in part, in a learned journal.

Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)

This is a part-time programme, normally of two year's duration, which may include taught postgraduate work. You must produce a thesis which makes an original contribution to knowledge, worthy of publication, in whole or in part, in a learned journal or equivalent.

Doctor of Medicine (MD)

A part-time programme, normally of two year's duration, which may include taught postgraduate work. You must produce a thesis which makes an original contribution to knowledge, worthy of publication, in whole or in part, in a learned journal.

Thesis  – A thesis is a piece of original written work submitted by a student in support of candidature for their chosen degree. A thesis will present the students research and findings in a single cohesive document.

Taught module  – A taught module is a section of learning which forms part of the whole of your degree qualification. All degrees with taught elements are divided into modules each of which needs to be passed to achieve overall qualification.

Learned journal  – A learned journal is a peer-reviewed academic journal which relates to a single particular area of academic research. Learned journals are one of the main places where original research is initially published.

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Accessing eTheses

A number of services exist to provide access to full text Doctoral theses. Such services help improve access to this hidden gem of research materials.

Where to find University of Birmingham (and UK) theses

• The University's eTheses repository . More than 70% of the theses indexed in the repository are available to download. Please read our  Frequently Asked Questions .
• FindIt@Bham : University of Birmingham library catalogue.
• EThOS:  enables anyone to search and locate the full text, in secure format, of electronically stored doctoral theses from UK Higher Education.

Where to find theses beyond the UK

• DART Europe : the portal for European research theses provides access to just under 100,000 full-text research theses from 12 European countries - including from some national aggregation services.
• Open Access Theses and Dissertations : OATD indexes open access postgraduate theses and dissertations from electronic repositories around the world. It includes details of over 1.8 million theses from over 800 colleges, universities and research institutions. 
• ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global : PQDT Global is the world's most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses from around the world. It contains a significant amount of new international dissertations and theses both as citations and full text. PQDT Global has recently been launched as a searchable index within Web of Science with further citation enrichment planned. 

For further information please consult the Tracing Theses online guide .

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