The training of our research degree students and the quality of their supervision is very important to London South Bank University (LSBU). All our research students have the opportunity to discuss their work on a one-to-one basis with their supervisors and the progress is regularly monitored.
A postgraduate course can be a stepping stone to doctoral research, helping you develop valuable technical skills and the ability to critically analyse others' work. You gain knowledge and hands-on experience of conducting research and interpreting data, which are key skills for completing PhD research.
To progress onto a Research Degree students typically need to already hold a first or second class honours degree from any UK university or a qualification considered by the Research Degrees Committee to be equivalent.
If you are accepted by LSBU as a pre-research student your department will nominate appropriate members of academic staff to act as the supervisors of your research programme, one member of staff will be appointed as your Director of Studies. Your Director of Studies will have overall responsibility for the coordination and management of your research programme. The intensity of supervision will vary according to your needs, the mode of study and the nature of your project. Initially full-time students may meet with their supervisor every two to three weeks. As work progresses to the second and their years and is developing satisfactorily meetings may be less frequent as required.
Our pockets of research excellence mean that each year a cohort of postgraduate students choose to develop their research interests at LSBU under the supervision of our research-active academics. Our PhD students give departmental seminars which are a great way to enhance presentation skills as well as a forum for gaining valuable feedback. We also have research funding available so that our PhD students can attend conferences to present their work. We also offer a series of workshops to develop key skills.
You will become a master of your subject with many transferable skills including self-discipline, analytical and critical thinking as well as the ability to turn criticism of others' work into something constructive of your own.
If you are accepted by LSBU as a research student you will undertake the Postgraduate Certificate in Research Skills free of charge alongside your research programme. You will undertake the following units:
Students are required to attend these course units as part of the preparation for their research dissertation. On successful completion of the modules, they will be given a University Postgraduate Certificate. Research students can also take modules from other masters courses if agreed by the supervisory team.
For professionals wishing to train for a career in the public and social services or as a professional researcher in the private and/or voluntary sector, we run a stand alone MSc programme in research methods in the Social Sciences.
Students who are enrolled on MPhil/PhD projects are eligible to enrol on the MSc course modules free of charge. The MSc programme is recognised by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as providing Research Training (RT).
Students are offered course modules in both qualitative and quantitative research methods; ethics, skills and problems in educational, economic and social research and oral and written presentation skills including preparation for report writing and viva voce examinations.
