Degree routes
Your award and route determine the standard, timetable and examination requirements. Your offer and approved record matter alongside the general framework.
| Award / route | Core expectations and further guidance |
|---|---|
| PhD | Independent, significant and original contribution to knowledge; advanced understanding of approach/literature; contribution worthy of publication; thesis and viva |
| MRes — Masters by Research examination | Independent contribution; competent investigation/evaluation of an approved topic and appreciation of relevant approach/literature; normally thesis-only examination |
| LLMRes — Masters by Research examination | Equivalent Masters-by-Research approach in law/legal matters; normally thesis-only examination |
| DBA and Professional Doctorate | Independent, significant and original contribution to knowledge and professional practice; rigorous analysis integrated with practical relevance; thesis and viva plus programme elements |
| PhD by Published Works | Existing coherent published research plus critical appraisal; independence, significance and originality; viva; specialist route restrictions |
| Graduate Training Assistants | PhD plus structured teaching and development commitments |
| Creative practice degrees | Integrated creative portfolio and critical appraisal, with the standard of the underlying award |
PhD by Published Works is described as a route to PhD rather than a sixth separate degree, although §9.4 gives its award title as “PhD by Published Works”.
For comparison: Registration periods, Thesis word count, Review types explained and Examination outcomes. Route-specific provisions must not be replaced by a generic PhD checklist.
Sources: Framework §§1.7, 2.1, 9.1–9.5, pp. 9–10, 12, 88–97. Award criteria.