Apply for a Research Degree

Before you apply it is important to consider carefully the area and type of research you wish to undertake as this will form the basis of your application.

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Research Degree Routes and Duration

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Entry Requirements

Normal entry requirements are a Master's degree or first or upper second class honours degree in the relevant subject discipline from a UK or overseas University, or degree equivalent qualification, subject to the approval of Robert Gordon University.

Applicants holding qualifications other than those above shall be considered on their merits and in relation to the nature and scope of the proposed research programme.

You will apply for either an MSc by research/PhD or MRes/PhD with transfer to PhD dependent on satisfactory progress at around 12 months.

English Language Requirements

Generally, an IELTS (or equivalent) at 6.5 overall and 6.5 in each component/element is required for Research based degrees. Doctorate of Physiotherapy (DPT) requires IELTS at 7.0 overall and 7.0 in each component/element.

In order to undertake a research degree, it is essential that you can read and interpret academic journal articles, communicate effectively and write at a doctorate level.

Further information about the forms of evidence of English language proficiency we accept:

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Your Application

What to include

• A research proposal to indicate the potential area of research. Proposals are scanned by Turnitin (the leading academic plagiarism checker), as part of the process in considering your application
• A personal statement to explain why you wish to study in the UK at Robert Gordon University, why you wish to study this particular course, and how this study forms part of your future career and goals
• Two appropriate academic references to ensure that we can independently assess your academic strengths and weaknesses in relation to your proposed topic. They should not be references which you have used for a previous application and should be from people who have actually taught you or supervised your work at Master's/Honours level.  For Professional Doctorate applications, it is acceptable for one of your academic references to come from the workplace
• Copy of degree certificate(s) together with a transcript or mark sheet for each degree qualification
• Copy of your current CV

When to Apply

The admission points for research degree applicants are October and February of each academic session. Any application which misses the appropriate deadline will automatically be considered for the next relevant entry point.

If you receive a conditional offer, please allow sufficient time for meeting those conditions, prior to enrolment.

If you have any questions about this, please contact University Admissions on  researchdegrees@rgu.ac.uk

What happens next?

After submitting your application to the University, it may take up to 4 weeks before you will be contacted. This is to allow the Academic School time to look through your application and identify a potential supervisory team.

It may be helpful to contact an academic member of staff to discuss your research proposal as they will be able to advise you on its merits and whether or not the University could possibly support you.

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Contacts

If you would like more information or have any other questions about Research Degrees, please email

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Additional Information

Academic Technology Approval Scheme

Do I Need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) Certificate?

An ATAS clearance certificate is a mandatory requirement for some Postgraduate Research, Postgraduate master's and some Undergraduate students in science, engineering or technology disciplines.

You do not need an ATAS Certificate if you are a UK/EU/EEA national.

Should the course you choose to study at Robert Gordon University require an ATAS certificate, we will notify you.

Compulsory PgCert Researcher Development Course

You must undertake the Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) Researcher Development course at the same time as your research degree, as this is a compulsory requirement. There are two modules, delivered individually at an appropriate time in your study journey and attendance for each module delivery is essential, either in-person on campus or virtually online, regardless of study mode. Each module is delivered by a combination of seminars and private study, and provides you with an excellent opportunity to network with fellow peers. It will help to underpin your research degree by assisting with the registration process, transfer from MRes/PhD to PhD (if appropriate), as well as strengthen your core and professional research skills.

How am I supported?

You are supported through your supervisory team, which is led by a Principal Supervisor who has responsibility for supervising and supporting your research on a regular and frequent basis.

In addition the supervisory team will normally include 1 or 2 other individuals, both internal or external, who will provide you with a range of expertise and knowledge to support your studies.

What training opportunities are available?

Both the Graduate School and your host School will offer a number of relevant training events during the course of your studies. If you are based at a distance, this may be offered via Wimba Classroom.

Additional training opportunities are available through the Department for the Enhancement of Learning, Teaching and Assessment (DELTA). Courses are offered on teaching and demonstrating as well as viva preparation and are available to enrolled/registered research degree students of the University.