MPhil - Master of Philosophy

Research students at Spurgeon’s are valued members of the College community, with full use of the library, welcome at worship and prayer, and invited to the College’s social functions. Spurgeon’s is a close-knit community with a relatively small number of research students (most of whom study on a part-time basis). Nonetheless the College wishes to increase the number of research students and to maintain a meaningful and vibrant research community. Our success rate with part-time research students as far above the national average.

The Director of Postgraduate Research is Dr. Stephen I. Wright.  Among the teaching staff who can supervise your research are College Principal Dr. Nigel G. Wright, Dr. Pieter J. Lalleman, Dr. Hetty Lalleman, Dr Debra K. Reid, Dr. Roger Standing, Dr. Peter J. Morden and Dr. Graham J. Watts.

As a part-time research student, living some distance from the College, you will be encouraged to participate as fully as possible in any research activities organised by more local academic institutions and departments.

As a research student you will be encouraged, together with supervisors and other members of the teaching staff, to attend the post-graduate seminar whenever possible. Since it is important for ideas and methods to be tested in a rigorous academic environment, you are encouraged, as your research proceeds, to present papers at this seminar. The seminar meets weekly on Wednesdays during term time. 

Selection, admission and induction of students

Since Spurgeon’s is a relatively small College, with a limited number of staff available for supervision, and with a surprisingly high number of research enquiries during the course of a year, the College’s selection procedures are rigorous.

Applicants can only be considered by the Research Degrees Committee on completion of an application form and on receipt of a detailed research proposal.

Viable applications are passed by the College’s Admissions Department to the Director of Postgraduate Research to be discussed with at least one other member of the College’s Research Degrees Committee. Normally candidates will interviewed by two members of staff, among whom the probable supervisor for the candidate. Candidates will only be accepted if the Research Degrees Committee is persuaded both that appropriate supervision can be provided and that the candidate is clearly both capable of study at this level and motivated to bring their research to a conclusion.  Any candidate also needs to be approved by the University of Wales. Candidates will normally hold a good Master’s degree pertinent to their proposed area of research. If a candidate has not previously undertaken a module in research methodology, the College may require them to complete such a module before registration as a research student. (The College offers a 20 credit Master’s module in Research Methods).

The first year of full-time research, or the first two years of part-time research, are viewed as probationary and at the end of this period a candidate’s progress will be formally reviewed. Research students will initially be registered for the degree of Master of Philosophy and only transferred to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy if, through a process of formal review, their project and their progress are deemed to be appropriate. 

Applicants will only be accepted as research students if the Research Degrees Committee is able to appoint supervisors whose expertise is appropriate to the specific subject area of the proposed project. It is now good practice that two supervisors are appointed, one of whom will take the role of Director of Studies for the candidate. The structure, content, and argument of any dissertation remain the student's sole responsibility.

The supervisors will:

• Advise and encourage students in the shaping of a research project and in the identification of a clear and defensible thesis

• Alert students to the possibility of arguments that may represent a challenge to the thesis

• Encourage them to maintain an awareness of other research pertinent to the specific area of study

• Encourage them to participate in the life of the College and to present aspects of their progressing work as papers at the College’s post-graduate seminar

• Advise and encourage them to participate in other seminars and conferences and to submit papers related to the research project for publication in appropriate journals

• Expect to be approached to provide references in support of applications for academic posts and other jobs

• Usually be willing to attend the oral examination for the thesis (though it is not permitted for supervisors to participate in discussion unless specifically invited by the Examiners)

• Meet with full-time students up to eight times in the course of a year, or some four times with part-timers

• Following the presentation of written work summarise the key issues of the supervision in writing (a letter or an email)

You should be aware that the award of degrees of Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy is not based on the length of the thesis or the study period but on the nature, focus, quality and manner of contribution to scholarship.

A copy of the regulations of the University of Wales governing the presentation and assessment of research degrees can be obtained through the College’s Academic Registrar.

Entry requirements and contact information

• Qualifications for entry to the course will conform to the appropriate regulations of the University of Wales.
• You will normally be expected to have successfully completed a Master’s degree, examined in part by dissertation, and therefore to have experience of research and familiarity with research methods.
• Should this not be the case, you will normally be expected either to complete one of the College’s Master’s courses or, at least, to complete the module on research methods.
• Applicants can only be considered by the Research Degrees Committee on completion of an application form and on receipt of a detailed research proposal.

  

   

  This degree is validated and awarded by the University of Wales, UK. For further details regarding the University and its validation services, please log on to www.wales.ac.uk/validation or email validation@wales.ac.uk