Program Overview

PhD (Doctor of Philosophy)

Course Summary

A PhD is one of the highest internationally recognised academic qualifications that any institution can award. Bishop Grosseteste University (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.

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.

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

As part of the application process you will need to provide a detailed 2500-word research proposal, including 10 - 15 relevant references. Applications are considered for October start dates.

Application Deadlines

• October 2025: 26th August 2025
• October 2026: 1st September 2026
• October 2027: 31st August 2027
• October 2028: 29th August 2028

Further Information

BGU has an excellent research department, facilities and resources. Our research background and support offered to students can be found here. For information on fees, loans and support, please click here. To view the regulations and policies surrounding these degrees, please click here.