This programme offers the chance to undertake a substantial piece of work that is worthy of publication and which makes an original contribution to the study of contemporary Europe. You will begin on the MPhil, and will need to meet certain requirements to be upgraded to PhD status.
The PhD in European Studies welcomes applications for multi-disciplinary, inter-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary research on Europe in the following areas:
- governance and democracy in Europe
- European society
- political economy in Europe
- Europe beyond the EU
The School has a long history of research expertise, having won the prestigious UACES doctoral prize for the best PhD in European Studies four times. You will benefit from access to outstanding academic facilities and have the added advantage of being situated in a world-class social science institution with a powerful public profile. The European Institute alone typically offers more than 50 public lectures or events per year.
Progression and assessment
At the end of your first year (full-time), you will need to satisfy certain requirements, and if you meet these, will be upgraded to PhD status.
In the first year, for a standard thesis you will be expected to produce a research proposal (approximately 2,500 words) and abstract of the whole thesis (one page); a sample chapter (approximately 8,000 words); a chapter synopsis, and a timetable for completion. For a thesis as a series of publishable papers, you will be expected a research proposal (approximately 2,500 words) and an abstract covering the three prospective papers; a full draft of the introduction or a full draft of one of the papers (approximately 8,000 words); and a timetable for completion.
In the second year, for a standard thesis you will be expected to produce at least two further substantive chapters (of approximately 5,000-7,000 words each). For a thesis as a series of publishable papers you will be expected at least one fully written paper (approximately 10,000 words); and outlines of the other two papers (approximately 2,000 words).
In the third year, for a standard thesis you will be expected to produce a full draft of all core chapters and agreed timetable for completion.
Careers
Students who successfully complete the programme often embark on an academic career. You register for the MPhil in the first instance. An assessment of your work, which usually occurs between 12 and 18 months from your start date, will allow us to appraise your aptitude for original research at doctoral level. If you have progressed satisfactorily you will be retroactively upgraded to full PhD status. The total duration of study is a maximum of four years full-time.
