postgraduate research in psychology

8/8/2019 Postgraduate Research in Psychology

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Postgraduate Research inPsychology

A Guide


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CONTENTS

1 Type of Postgraduate Research Degrees

3 Funding for Postgraduate Research Degrees in Psychology

Research Councils

Institutions

Charities

Commerce

Schemes for Overseas Students

7 The Application Timetable

8 Finding a Place

Will you have the necessary qualifications?

What do you want to do?

Where do you want to do it?

9 Doing PhD Research

Is there a recipe for Successful Supervision?

Teaching Responsibilities

Monitoring of Progress

Viva

12 Psychology Postgraduate Affairs Group (PsyPAG)

13 Research Board: Support from the BPS

This booklet has been prepared by members of the Research Board to guide prospective postgraduateresearch students through the relatively unsupported task of securing a place, and hopefully funding,for anything from a Masters degree in Research Methods through to a PhD.

A dedicated part of the Research Board pages on the main Society website (www.bps.org.uk) providesan additional resource to accompany this booklet. It includes up to date information which may havechanged since the publication of the booklet.

Specific thanks for the drafting of this booklet and the development of the website are due to:

Dr Andy Tolmie (Member of the Research Board)

Dr Sarah Norgate (Postdoctoral Representative)Dr Chris Bearman (PsyPAG representative)Lisa Morrison Coulthard (Scientific Officer) February 2005


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The precise range of postgraduate courses andresearch degrees that are available varies fromone department to another, as does the workthese involve (to some extent). However, broadlyspeaking, there are four basic types of research

degree. Masters degrees (MSc in ResearchMethods/MRes, or MPhil) usually take less timethan a doctoral degree (PhD or DPhil), require

work at a less advanced level, and may involvedirect instruction. Whilst these degrees arequalifications in their own right, they are oftenregarded as preparation for work on a doctoraldegree (see the section below on the 1+3 model).Doctoral degrees involve carrying out aprogramme of independent research over several

years, and are generally seen as the primary

qualification required to become a lecturer inpsychology. More details on each type of degreeare given below.

MSc in Research Methods (or MRes)These are usually full-time courses of 12 monthsduration, though in some cases it will be possibleto take them on a part-time basis over two years.

A distinction can be made between Mastersdegrees by research and those with a largertaught component. The taught (and typicallyassessed) components includes different types of

research methods in psychology and thestatistical/computing techniques relevant to

those methods, plus an individual researchproject and dissertation, carried out under thesupervision of a member of academic staff.

Those weighted more towards independent

research are usually only assessed on thestudents dissertation. Students are expected toundergo instruction (via elements of theDepartments taught MSc course where thisexists) in areas that are especially relevant totheir research project, but the dissertation work

will be the focus of their efforts. Reflecting this,the dissertation is typically longer than the taughtMSc dissertation (up to 30,000 words), and willbe expected to include an extensive literaturereview plus a report of a single study.

Whilst a reasonable breadth of coverage ofmaterial/topic matter is required for an MSccourse to gain Economic and Social ResearchCouncil (ESRC) recognition, their focus istypically on the specific areas of researchexpertise that exist within the host Department.This is commonly a factor in students choices of

where to apply. ESRC recognition is important,since it enables students who complete the MScto apply for ESRC support to carry out a Doctoraldegree in that or any other Department (see the

following sections on the 1+3 model and onfunding).

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Research

Councils

Medical ResearchCouncil(www.mrc.ac.uk)

Economic andSocial ResearchCouncil

Arts & Humanities

Research Board(www.ahrb.ac.uk)

Engineering & PhysicalSciences ResearchCouncil(www.e psrc.ac.uk )

Biotechnology andBiological ResearchCouncil(www.bbsrc.ac.uk)

Charities

Nuffield Foundation(www.nuffieldfoundation.org)

Wellcome Trust(www.wellcome.ac.uk)

Leverhulme Trust(www.leverhulme.org.uk)

OverseasStudents

OverseasResearchStudentAwardScheme

British CheveningScholarships(www.chevening.com)and(www.britishcouncil.org) UNESCO & International Scholarships

(www.unesco.org) or(www.internationalscholarships.com)

Department forInternationalDevelopment

Research

Councils(fees only)

Commonwealth

Scholarship &Fellowship Plan(www.acu.ac.uk)

Institutions

TeachingStudentships

Graduate

TeachingAssistants

ResearchStudentships

Commerce

CASEStudentships

Loans

CareerDevelopmentLoans

RowntreeFoundation(www.jrf.org.uk)

(www.esrc.ac.uk)

Types of Postgraduate Research Degrees


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MPhilThe MPhil degree is at the opposite end of thespectrum to MSc courses, since the focus isexclusively on independent research (though inpractice students may be allowed to attend taughtclasses if this seems useful). Assessment is basedsolely on a dissertation of up to 50,000 words

which reports an individual project and relatedliterature review, defended at an oralexamination (the viva).

The duration of study for an MPhil is usually lessspecific, reflecting its more independentcharacter, but there is typically a requirement fora minimum of 12 months work full time (24months part time). Students are not allowed tosubmit their dissertation for examination withinthis period (except by special dispensation) sincethey are deemed unlikely to have carried outenough work to meet the required standard.There is also a corresponding maximum periodof study (usually 24 months full-time), by the endof which the dissertation must be submitted(though it may be possible to extend this ifcircumstances merit it).

PhD/DPhilThe format of the Doctoral degree is similar tothat of the MPhil in that the focus is onindependent research, carried out under the

supervision of experienced members of academicstaff. The scale of the exercise is much larger,however, encompassing a coherent programme ofresearch (a systematic literature review andusually a minimum of three studies), andproduction of a thesis of around 100,000 words,

which is defended at an oral examination.

The intention is that study for a Doctoral degreewill provide training and experience in all aspectsof conducting professional level academic

research. Since this involves a large amount ofactivity, the duration of study is typically set at aminimum of 33 months and a maximum of 48months full time (48 and 72 months part time).

As Doctoral work is so extensive, progress istypically carefully monitored. It is not uncommonfor intending doctoral students to be required toregister for an MPhil in the first instance, so thatthey can demonstrate their capabilities, onlytransferring their registration after satisfactorycompletion of a first year of study.

The 1+3 modelThe Economic and Social Research Council(ESRC) is the leading (though by no means only)external source of funding for postgraduateresearch degrees in psychology in the UK. Thismeans that it is in a strong position to influencethe shape and content of postgraduate training.

Since it regards part of its remit as being toensure that future generations of researchers andacademics possess high levels of skill, it has been

very proactive over the last ten years in exercisingthis influence. One major consequence of thishas been a steady shift away from funding PhDstudents who only have an undergraduatequalification, since, according to the ESRC, thisresults in individuals acquiring a very narrowskills base. In practical terms, the position now isthat ESRC will not usually award PhD studentshipfunding to anyone who has not successfullycompleted a recognised masters course inresearch methods (see above).

This 1+3 model (1 year MSc in Research Methods+ 3 year PhD) has gained widespread acceptanceamongst Departments of Psychology, and it isincreasingly uncommon to find students movingstraight from undergraduate to Doctoral study,though it may still happen where individuals arefunded by institutions, by overseas agencies, or bythemselves (it is nevertheless, still more common

for more biologically orientated students to godirectly onto a PhD). If you do not already haveMasters level research methods qualification andare interested in postgraduate study, this meansthat you should start by looking at MSc courses,unless you have a very specific reason for notdoing so. It also means that Departments willtypically encourage first-time applicants toconsider this route.

Some important points to bear in mind:

G

If you are applying for a Masters course inresearch methods, you would be well advised tocheck whether it has ESRC recognition (thiscan be easily done on the ESRC website:

www.esrc.ac.uk). If it does not, whilst a laterapplication to ESRC for a PhD studentship isnot completely ruled out, it will be much moredifficult, since you will need to persuade themthat you have received adequate researchtraining. Conversely, if you have a recognisedMSc, you will be eligible for Doctoral study inany department that is willing to offer you a

place.

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G The 1+3 system does not in fact necessarilycommit you to a four-year programme of studyfor a PhD. In many departments it is possible totransfer from the MSc to a PhD programme

without formally taking the award of themasters degree, enabling the researchcompleted for the MSc dissertation to be used

towards a PhD thesis. Three-year programmesare therefore still possible under somecircumstances. However, ESRC-fundedstudents will be expected to go through the full1+3 programme.

G Taking the MSc in Research Methods does notcommit you to moving on to a Doctoralprogramme subsequently. Unless you arereceiving an ESRC 1+3 award (see below in thesection on funding), taking the Masters degreeprovides you with an opportunity to decide

whether postgraduate research is for you prior

to making a decision about whether to pursuea PhD. These courses also provide you with a

very portable qualification, since they are well-regarded by both university and non-universityemployers of research staff, and areincreasingly recognised as valuable backgroundfor applicants to professional courses ineducational and clinical psychology, whereresearch skills have become a greater priority.

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Funding for Postgraduate Research Degrees in Psychology

ResearchCouncils

Medical ResearchCouncil(www.mrc.ac.uk)

Economic andSocial ResearchCouncil

Arts & HumanitiesResearch Board

(www.ahrb.ac.uk)

Engineering & PhysicalSciences ResearchCouncil(www.e psrc.ac.uk )

Biotechnology and

Biological ResearchCouncil(www.bbsrc.ac.uk)

Charities

Nuffield Foundation

(www.nuffieldfoundation.org)

Wellcome Trust(www.wellcome.ac.uk)

Leverhulme Trust(www.leverhulme.org.uk)

OverseasStudents

OverseasResearchStudentAwardScheme

British CheveningScholarships(www.chevening.com)and(www.britishcouncil.org) UNESCO & International Scholarships

(www.unesco.org) or(www.internationalscholarships.com)

Department forInternationalDevelopment

Research

Councils(fees only)

CommonwealthScholarship &

Fellowship Plan

(www.acu.ac.uk)

Institutions

TeachingStudentships

Graduate

TeachingAssistants

ResearchStudentship s

Commerce

CASEStudentships

Loans

Career

DevelopmentLoans

RowntreeFoundation(www.jrf.org.uk)

(www.esrc.ac.uk)

Different Sources of Funding for Postgraduate Research Degrees:


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There are a number of potential sources offunding for postgraduate study, and considerable

variation in the application procedures anddeadlines. However, almost without exceptionthey require the support of a host Departmentand a prospective supervisor. This means thatapplying for a place to study is the first thing that

you should do. Departments who offer you aplace should then be able to advise you on whichtype of funding it might be most appropriate toseek.

You should bear in mind thatall sources offunding are likely to be highly competitive, andDepartments may even be required to rank ordertheir candidates in terms of which they think arestrongest. For this reason, it is important to beginthe application process early, and to give someserious thought in advance to the precise area in

which you want to conduct research, and whatquestions you will try to address. Well-preparedcandidates definitely stand a better chance ofsecuring funding.

Sources of funding for postgraduate researchdegrees break down into four basic categories:research councils; institutions; charities; andcommerce. There are also funding schemesaimed specifically at overseas students. Furtherdetails on each category are given below.

Research CouncilsThe UK Research Councils are autonomousgovernment-funded agencies whose remit is tosupport research and research training inscience, the arts and humanities. Each ResearchCouncil has responsibility for a different field ofactivity, but psychology is unusual in that thenature of the discipline makes it eligible forsupport from five different Councils. Thedownside of this is that different areas of research

come under the remit of different bodies, so it isimportant to think carefully about where to seekfunding. Things are further complicated by thefact that different Councils have differentfunding programmes and applicationprocedures.

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)As noted earlier, the ESRC is the main funder ofpostgraduate research in psychology, and covers

work in cognitive psychology, cognitiveneuroscience, developmental psychology, social

psychology and aspects of clinical psychology.The ESRC offers two principal types of

postgraduate studentship, 1+3 and +3, both ofwhich provide course fees, a maintenance grant(this varies according to personal circumstances,such as age and the number of dependents see

website for more details), and a contribution toresearch expenses of 750 per annum.

The 1+3 awards cover the first year of training inresearch methods and subsequent study overthree years for a PhD/DPhil, whereas the +3awards only cover the period of study for adoctoral degree. 1+3 awards are now primarilymade on a quota basis, i.e. Departments areallocated a number of awards and make theseavailable to their own students, as they considerappropriate (subject to confirmation fromESRC). For the immediate future, a smallernumber of 1+3 awards will also be available via anopen competition, but each department is onlyallowed to submit one application. +3 awards arecurrently all subject to open competition, butthere are plans to introduce a quota system forthese as well by 2006. The deadline for both typesof competition is the beginning of May each year.The application forms are lengthy, and requiredetailed outlines of proposed programmes ofresearch (especially the +3 form), so it isimportant to start work on preparing these early(ideally by the start of April at the latest).

The Engineering and Physical Sciences ResearchCouncil (EPSRC)The EPSRC covers engineering-related work on

human factors, especially in the context ofhuman-computer interaction. EPSRC operates acompletely different scheme to ESRC, based on

what are called Doctoral Training Accounts.Institutions whose academic staff are successful inobtaining EPSRC grants for research projects areawarded a certain amount of funding per unit ofresearch grant, which they are required to put

towards training postgraduate students in areasunder the EPSRC remit. As with the ESRC quotaawards, it is up to each Department (subject toEPSRC confirmation) who these funds areawarded to. Departments should be able to tell

you when you apply to them whether they arelikely to have EPSRC-funded studentshipsavailable. At the moment, the EPSRC does notrequire students to undergo a 1+3 programme, soit may be possible to move on to a Doctoraldegree programme without taking a masters inresearch methods first.


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The Medical Research Council (MRC)The MRC funds work in biologicalpsychology,neuropsychology and clinicalpsychology, especially where this has a bearing onmedical issues. The MRC operates a DoctoralTraining Accountscheme of the same kind as theEPSRC (but, unlike EPSRC, this is calculated on

the basis of institutional income and not justDepartmental). As for the EPSRC, the MRC doesnot require students to undergo a 1+3programme, so it may be possible to move on to aDoctoral degree programme without taking amasters in research methods first.

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research

Council (BBSRC)

The BBSRC funds research in physiological andbiological psychology, especially where this has

wider biological significance. Postgraduatestudentships are awarded to departments on aquota basis, similar to the ESRC 1+3 scheme,depending on past success in obtaining fundingand in training postgraduates. The BBSRC doesnot require students to complete a MSc prior toundertaking a Doctoral degree.

The Arts and Humanities Research Board (AHRB)The AHRB funds research that has a bearing onsocial and cultural issues. It is currently movingtowards research council status, and therefore

regards itself as having a responsibility fortraining postgraduate students in these areas.

AHRB studentships are awarded under acompetition system similar to the ESRC +3awards, which also has a deadline of thebeginning of May. As with EPSRC, AHRBcurrently has no 1+3 requirement (thoughstudents with a masters degree may stand a betterchance of securing funding). Unlike ESRC, which

welcomes studentship applications tied to widerresearch programmes, AHRB requires the

Doctoral work it supports to be fullyindependent.

Other research council schemesIt is quite common for other agencies, such asGovernment Departments, to ask the ResearchCouncils to administer studentship funding forresearch in areas of particular priority. Whilstapplications for such studentships typically haveto come from Departments themselves, staff willnot always be aware of these one-off schemes, soit may be useful to watch out for advertisements

about them, and draw these to the attention ofprospective supervisors. Adverts for schemes of

this kind will usually be placed in theEducationGuardian(Tuesdays) and Times Higher EducationSupplement(THES) between November and

January. If Departments have been successful inobtaining funding under this type ofarrangement, they may advertise for candidateson www.jobs.ac.uk, or in The Guardian, THES, the

Societys Appointments Memorandum(issuedmonthly).

InstitutionsWhile Research Council funding is probably thebest kind (because things like conferenceattendance are usually built into the award),there are other sources of funding available ifeither you prefer a Department which cannot getResearch Council money or if your fundingproposal has been turned down. Increasingly,many Departments make their own studentshipfunding available, as a means of attracting highcalibre postgraduates. The number of awards,level of funding, type of degree they are availablefor (i.e. Masters or doctoral), and applicationprocedure vary substantially from one institutionto another. Increasingly, some Departments haveteaching studentships or graduate teachingassistants who are funded on the basis that theytake on a certain amount of undergraduateteaching (usually seminars and workshops) whilethey do their PhDs. To apply for these you will

normally need to submit a proposal (usually puttogether by the student and potential supervisor)and/or go to an interview. Also, research staff atuniversities gets funding for their research andsometimes they will get research money toemploy a student to work on their project.Occasionally this is simply another type of fundedPhD but often this will be a research assistantposition where the person will work on theproject part-time while doing a part-time PhDpart-time in a related area. Applying for these

posts is like applying for a job and you will almostcertainly have to go to a formal interview. Othersources of funding may be available in theuniversity, for example, some universities givebursaries to their ex-students to do PhDs.

Advertisements for such awards will usually beplaced early in the year on www.jobs.ac.uk, or inThe Guardian, THES, or the Societys AppointmentsMemorandum(issued monthly), as well as in someregional newspapers. It would also be sensible

when applying to departments to enquire whether

there are likely to be institutional awards available.

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CharitiesA large number of charitable organisationsprovide studentship funding, though as withinstitutional awards, the precise details are hugely

variable, and are often further complicated byentitlement restrictions based not just on yourqualifications and area of work, but on

geographical criteria such as where you wereborn, where you did your first degree, or where

you are planning on studying. Moreover, whilstsome organisations have large sums of moneyavailable (e.g. the Wellcome Trust), others have

very limited amounts and may offer either partfunding only, or else just one or two awards each

year. Academic staff in departments you areapplying to may know of some applicableschemes for your work, but it is rare for anyoneto have particularly comprehensive knowledge, sothis is one area where it may pay for you toengage in some legwork. There is a centralcompendium of charitable organisations and

what they fund published each year, and copies ofthis are usually held by university careers servicesand research offices. Getting access to this will bea good place to start. Alternatively, you could use

www.funderfinder.org.uk to help you identifypotential sources of charitable funding.

CommerceThe main Research Councils (ESRC, MRC,

EPSRC, BBSRC and AHRB) all runCollaborative/Industrial (CASE) Studentshipschemes. These CASE Studentships are awardedto UK-based industrial companies who wish tosupport postgraduate research in areas relevantto their operations. The company defines theresearch project and establishes a partnershiplink with an eligible academic institution. It mustalso be willing to make a financial contribution(this varies for each scheme) to the Studentshipaward. The award usually includes a placement at

the at the companys premises to enable thepostgraduate to gain some work experience in anindustrial or commercial environment. Fulldetails of the CASE Studentship schemes can beobtained from the relevant Research Council

websites.

A number of commercial organisations providestudentship funding in the same way as charities,under sponsorship schemes. These may have theadditional proviso that you commit to workingfor the organisation for a period of time after

receiving your postgraduate degree. Studentsconsidering work in the area of occupational

psychology are perhaps the most likely to findschemes applicable to them, but it is worth askingat your universitys careers office to see if theyknow of other possibilities.

The other source of commercial funding is loanschemes. After having built up debts from

student loans during your undergraduate degree,self-financing by borrowing more money mayseem a less than attractive proposition. However,many postgraduates do take out loans, especiallyto support themselves through one-year Mastersdegrees in research methods, on the grounds thatthis investment is likely to repay itself by openingup other possibilities. Different organisations willhave different schemes available, but most of thehigh street banks administer government-fundedcareer development loans, which have lowinterest rates and extended payback periods. Toqualify for a loan, the course in question mustrelate to a job (this seems to be interpreted fairlyloosely in practice), and not last for more thantwo years. In addition, candidates must not be inreceipt of any public or institutional award.

Schemes for overseas studentsMost of the schemes detailed above are availableonly to UK nationals, though EU students mayapply to the UK Research Councils for fees onlyawards. The exception is institutional awards,

which are usually open to suitable applicants fromany country of origin. There are also a number ofschemes aimed specifically at overseas students:

The Department for International Development

(DFID)Shared Scholarship Scheme:A limited number of awards are available tostudents from developing Commonwealthcountries to allow them to come to the UK tostudy for one-year taught Masters degrees (e.g. anMSc in Research Methods). The scheme is

administered by the Association ofCommonwealth Universities, and applicationforms are available from host universities inMarch/April. Candidates must be under the ageof 35, and must not have studied in the UKpreviously. Awards covers fees, maintenance anddependents allowances.

The Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan:

This provides awards under similar terms to theDFID scheme, but may also be applicable todoctoral study. Candidates need to apply well in

advance through the CommonwealthScholarship Agency (usually based in the

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Department of Education) in their homecountry. More information is available at

www.acu.ac.uk

Overseas Research Students Awards Schemes (ORSAS):

A limited number of ORSAS awards are providedto UK universities who then grant these via open

competition among students who have beenoffered a place to study in that institution. Theyare available to students who are about to start aresearch degree, or who are already undertakingfull-time research (provided they are not in theirfinal year). The awards pay fees only, making upthe difference between the home and overseasrate (though institutions typically cover theremainder of the fee themselves).

British Chevening Scholarships:

This is the collective title given to a range ofawards funded by the UK Foreign Office for

postgraduate study (mainly instructional) in theUK. Selection is carried out by British Embassiesand High Commissions overseas, in conjunction

with the local British Council representative.Further details are available from British Counciloffices or at www.chevening.com and

www.britishcouncil.org.

Some other international agencies, such asUNESCO, the World Bank and the EuropeanCommission, operate funding schemes, usuallyfor students from developing countries.See www.unesco.org or

www.InternationalScholarships.com for furtherinformation.

A list of international funding opportunities forinternational students wishing to undertakeresearch degrees in the UK is available at:

www.psypag.org.uk/main/international.html.

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The Application Timetable

Deadlines for applications for postgraduateresearch degrees can be quite variable, but tendto be in the spring (late January to the end of

April) for entry in the following October. Morespecific up-to-date details are available from theResearch Board section of the Societys website at

www.bps.org.uk

Given all that needs to be done in terms offinding a place to study and securing funding,

you need to start thinking about the various

possibilities earlier than this, however. Thefollowing rough timetable indicates what youshould aim to do when:

October/November: consideration of options/courses

December/January: (depending on deadlines) preliminary contact with departments and Directors ofPostgraduate Studies for advice on applications and funding opportunities, andsignalling of interest

January to March: (depending on deadlines) formal application for place to study, decision onwhether or not to accept offers

February to April: (depending on deadlines) application for funding completed in conjunction withdepartment.

June to August: notification to funders of degree result (if applying in final year of undergraduatedegree); decision on funding application

July to September: conformation of intention to take up place

October: start course of study.


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Securing a Masters or PhD place is a highlycomplicated business. There is a bewilderingarray of options and, unlike for undergraduatecourses, there is little in the way of central

organisation bodies, such as UCAS, to help cutthrough the complexity. Not only do you have tofind a topic that you will want to spend up to thenext three years of your life investigating and asupervisor who you trust to guide you into the

world of academia but you also have to secure themoney to allow you to do this. However,hundreds of people every year manage tonegotiate this process and secure funded Mastersand PhD places.

Will you have the necessary qualifications?Before you start hunting for a PhD place, inparticular, it is important to be aware that it isbecoming increasingly the case that PhD placesare awarded to people who have Masters degreesor first-class honours degrees. It is becominglyincreasingly rare for people with second-classdegrees and below to get a PhD place without aMasters degree (and is especially relevant forthose seeking funding from the ESRC under the1+3 scheme).

What do you want to do?For MSc courses in Research Methods, you arebest to look at Departmental websites, look outfor advertisements on the notice boards in yourundergraduate degree Department, and have alook at the list of accredited courses on the ESRC

website. As these are taught courses, and willtherefore be timetabled within the Departmentalteaching schedule, it is a relativelystraightforward process to identify a course andits components for this kind of Masters degree.

For both MPhil and PhD courses, this is a lesswell structured process. The first thing to do is todecide on what area you want to study. This willconstrain the search space and determine whom

you need to talk to to get further information.You dont need a fully formed proposal at thisstage but try to identify the area that you want to

work in. It is important that you choose an areathat you are interested in as two/three years is along time to get stuck doing a boring project andoften in the dark hours of your research, it is

sometimes only the interest of the project thatkeeps you going. Also a PhD, in particular, will

place your academic career within the area thatyou have chosen since you will invest time andeffort in building up a knowledge base andpublish work in this area. It can often be difficult

to break away from your PhD into other areas.

Where do you want to do it?After identifying the topic, the next stage is toidentify an institution and a supervisor who you

will want to work with for the next two/threeyears. The most common way of getting a PhDplace is through unsolicited enquiries toDepartments and potential supervisors. Onlyapproximately 15 per cent of people get a PhDpost by responding to adverts in the nationalpress (PsyPAG survey, Hatton, 1994). Manypeople do Masters degrees and/or PhDs at theinstitution where they have done previousdegrees, supervised by people they already know.However, if you dont want to, or cannot do, aMasters or PhD at your current institution, agood strategy is to talk to people who work in

your chosen area about departments andsupervisors. These people often have insideknowledge on where you could start to look for aplace, who would be a good or bad supervisorand they may provide letters of introduction for

you.

As outlined previously, one of the importantthings to find out about any institution that youare considering is the potential for obtaining afunded place and in particular whether they areaccredited to receive funding from the ResearchCouncils (ESRC, EPSRC, BBSRC and MRC). Firstof all, if a Department is accredited you will havea much better chance of getting funding; second,accredited Departments may have higher

retention rates as Research Councils sanctionDepartments with poor completion rates. To getResearch Council funding you either puttogether a research proposal with your potentialsupervisor or are nominated by the Departmentto receive an award, depending on the ResearchCouncil that you are applying for. Overseasstudents rarely qualify for Research Councilawards (see page 4 for further details).

When contacting a potential supervisor it isessential to do your homework on the research

topic, institution, Department, and potentialsupervisor(s). This information is crucial for

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Finding a Place


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helping you to decide whether you want to applyfor the post in the first place, and is also essentialfor the interview stage if you are short listed. Donot be afraid to ask important questions, such asthose outlined in this guide. Remember that youare choosing them as much as they are choosing

you. There is nothing wrong with negotiating

with more than one Department simultaneouslyand dont worry too much about hurtingpeoples feelings. For a Department, the decisionabout who to take on as a Masters or PhDstudent is important; for you, however, the nexttwo or three years of your life depends on it. Alsobe aware that Departments will attempt to attractas much research funding; be careful that you are

not caught up in the process and are asked toaccept a situation that you do not feelcomfortable with (for example, you are asked toturn down the offer of an ESRC QuotaStudentship to allow that funding to go toanother student, as the Department feels that youare of high enough calibre to secure a

Competitive Research Studentship Award).

Finally, the last piece of advice is to believe inyourself and persevere. Every year, hundreds ofpeople are successful in securing a fundedMasters or PhD place so there is no reason why

you shouldnt be one of them. Good luck!

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Doing PhD Research

If we hear someone say You wont need a PhD inrocket science to be able to understand that or youwont need a PhD in brain surgery to be able to workthat out we normally expect to be able to stay

within the comfort zone of our current expertisebase for whatever demand is being required ofus. Although such clichs imply that a PhDinvolves gaining a state-of-the-art knowledge base

within a specialist subject area, of course they canonly ever tell a partial story about what a PhDactually is or means. So, if you are passionateabout psychology and want to familiarise yourself

with various viewpoints about what a PhD inPsychology actually is before weighing up thebenefits and costs of doing one, read on

One way to find out what a PhD is, is to look at thestandards set up by national frameworks. Forexample, in the UK, the Quality Assurance Agency

for Higher Education gave the following descriptorfor qualification at doctoral level (January 2001):

Doctorates are awarded to students who havedemonstrated:

(i) the creation and interpretation or newknowledge, through original research orother advanced scholarship, of a quality tosatisfy peer review, extend the forefront of thediscipline, and merit publication.

(ii) a systematic acquisition and understanding ofa substantial body of knowledge which is at

the forefront of an academic discipline orarea of professional practice;

(iii) the general ability to conceptualise, designand implement a project for the generationof new knowledge, applications orunderstanding at the forefront of thediscipline, and to adjust the project design inthe light of unforeseen problems;

(iv) a detailed understanding of applicabletechniques for research and advanced

academic enquiry.

Another way to find out what a PhD is, is to lookat the requirements of individual institutions.Often you will find that a PhD is viewed in termsof learning outcomes. The learning outcomesbelow have been adapted from the University ofLeeds Research Student Handbook(2000). As well asenabling you to see what areas are central to yourown proposed area of research, they also enable

you to start forming an idea of the ways you might

be able market yourself for life after the PhD whether you want to pursue a future postdoctoralcareer or chosen career path outside academia.

Research to be able to:G Identify original research topic to be tackled

recognise and demonstrate originality andindependent thinking.

G Set research in context of previous research andknowledge, current priorities andopportunities.

G Design and carry out investigationsG Identify and access library information.G Demonstrate practical and analytic skills


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G Collect, record, and manage, analyse findingsG Critically evaluate ones findings and those of

othersG Develop theoretical concepts.

Presentation and Communication to be able to:

G present and defend research to a variety ofaudiences (oral presentations, posters,communicating findings to research users)

G present research outcomes in thesis and defendin viva

Research/working environment to be able to:G Understand ethical issues and health/safety

issues, good working practice,G Awareness of sources of funding appropriate to

area of researchG Justify own research to public and funding

agencies

Personal effectiveness to be able to:G Plan and organise research programme so as to

submit thesis within registration periodG Understand and manage professional

relationshipsG Ability to identify own training needsG Use information technology packages and

techniquesG Manage ones career progression

TimeAccording to John Wakeford, a nationalconsultant in higher education, once you haveremoved weekends, holidays, teaching, family andpersonal commitments and illness from theapproximately 1,000-day allocation to do a PhD(according to a full-time three-year model),thereare actually less than 500 working days tocomplete it! So, in Psychology, depending on thekinds of data collection you embark on, you are

likely to draw on evening and weekend time. Ifyoure studying animal learning or memory youmight find yourself working solitarily in adarkened laboratory over the weekend. If youreresearching with specialist low incidencepopulations you might find yourself travelling thelength and breadth of the country at unsociablehours. Of course, the kinds of research questions

you will feasibly end up being able to pursue willinteract with your availability in the context ofbeing a part-time or a full-time PhD student.

A prompt completion not only leads to career,financial and personal benefits for the student

but means that the university avoids institutionalpenalties for delayed submission.

The student experience

If you read through the acknowledgementsection prefacing many PhD theses you gain a

glimpse into the kinds of support and resourcesthat students called on to achieve their doctoralaward (such as parents, supervisors, partners, thelocal pub, etc.). The three-year journey of courseinvolves a range of highs and lows.

The end productA doctoral dissertation in Psychology cannormally be expected to be in the region of70,000100,000 words. If this seems a somewhatdaunting prospect, bear in mind that accordingto the Index to Thesesdatabase over 480,000 thesesentries across all subject areas have beenaccepted so know that all these people before

you have faced a similar challenge and achievedit! There is a benefit in perusing a thesis early on actually physically looking at one to give youan idea of the goal-posts. To look for a topicrelevant to your area you might want to try someof the following links:

Index to Thesis Servicehttp://80-www.theses.com.libezproxy.open.ac.uk/

British Libraryhttp://www.bl.uk/services/bsds/dsc/theses.html

Alternatively, there are a number of very usefulself help guides, including:Murray, R. (2002) How to Write a Thesis. OpenUniversity Press: London

Is there a recipe for successful supervision?To avoid making yours the kind of horror story

that you might read about in the HigherEducation section in newspapers, any early stepsyou can take in electing and applying for theright student-supervisor(s) match is essential fora smooth passage to the award of a doctorate.

With the supervisor-student relationship beingjust one of many professional relationships youwill build on the way to the award of a PhD, it isworth thinking about the other kinds ofrelationships and audiences you will need toencounter. In the schedule you devise, it will be

critical to include a plan of when you hope toshare your ideas, findings and academic writing


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and receive feedback from other students,academics at conferences and journal editors.

Supervisor-student match

Some experts in higher education researchdegree training view best practice as involving

joint supervision between two or more

supervisors rather than just one. As well as beinga good practical precaution (say in terms of coverin the case of staff absence due to illness), wherethis works well, the set-up can offer the studentalternative view points and enable supervisors tobring different topic areas to the supervisionprocess. It has the potential to be an effectivemodel as each supervisor has the chance to bringdifferent characteristics, knowledge bases andskills to the process. the way you choose yourmatch will depend on the kind of research topicarea you are choosing to focus on. Of course, onepitfall is the potential for each supervisor to leavethe responsibility to others and so it is worthestablishing early on with your supervisors thekinds of roles you would expect them to play, andhow this might change over the course of thedoctorate.

One way to promote successful supervision is tonegotiate what you might reasonably expect ofeach other. You might find that some of thequestions below help to identify topics you as

student and the supervisor may want to talkabout or negotiate over.

G What is the framework for supervisionincluding arrangements for regularsupervisory meetings?

G Is there agreement about the stages that thestudent will be expected to have completed atcertain points in the research?

G What is the role of each supervisor?G What kinds of assistance can the supervisor

offer in terms of identifying a topic?G Does the topic fall within the expertise of the

supervisor?G Can the PhD be completed with the resources

available?G Is the topic suitable for the award of PhD?G What training opportunities are available at the

University?G Meeting student regularly and frequently at the

intervals agreed at the beginning of theresearch programme.

G Assisting in defining topic of research

agreeing the scope of the problem area.G Can the project be completed within study

period?G Is the nature of the research problem worthy of

a PhD?G Are supervisors aware of research training on

offer at the University?G Does the supervisor expect to respond

promptly and constructively to submitted work?

G Stick to monitoring timetable agreed atbeginning of project?

G Does the supervisor anticipate any periods ofabsences?

G Will the supervisor take an active role inintroducing students to range of differentaudiences?

G Can they nominate examiners in time, so thatthe viva can go ahead as soon as possible aftersubmission of thesis?

G Will the student come to supervisory meetingswith a clear and prepared agenda?

G Will the student be able to maintain progressaccording to timetable agreed with supervisor?

G Will the student present written material intime for comment and attempt a record of

work attempted.G Is the language presentation good enough for

a thesis?G Will the student be able to negotiate a the form

of guidance and kind of comment they findhelpful?

G Will the student recognise supervisors have

other demands on their time?

Teaching responsibilitiesAs well as topping up any student grant, thechance to undertake teaching responsibilitiessuch as demonstration sessions, seminar teaching,marking, sessional lecturing is a good way to gainexperience for future career in academia.However, most PhD funding agencies stipulatethe maximum number of teaching hours astudent is permitted to undertake in any one

teaching year.An alternative model of a PhDwhere teaching studentships (which usually paymore than the research councils) offer analternative way to manage the time and costpayoffs of doing a PhD.

Monitoring of progressIt is normal practice for institutions to haveguidelines for the submission of an end of first

year report (in the case of a full-time student)both by students and supervisors. Progress will becharted against the framework for supervision set

up in the first phase of the registration for adegree. At the end of the full-time degree, or at

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the end of the second year in the case of a part-time degree, normal practice requiresrecommendation for transfer for doctorate(rather than Masters level). Although themethods for doing this will vary acrossinstitutions, standard practice involves theappointment of a panel at a departmental or

Faculty level. Methods for appeal procedures arenormally cited in the Research Handbook of theinstitution concerned.

VivaTo ensure that your thesis meets the UK nationalstandard, external examination is through a viva

which serves as a check that the thesis is thestudents own work. Crucially, it looks at yourcompetency in defending and talking about yourresearch.

There are resources available for support inpreparing a viva including:

Murray, R. (2003). How to survive your Viva.Open University PressMcGraw-Hill.

Guidelines for the Assessment of the PhD in Psychologyand Related Disciplines(2000). BritishPsychological Society, UCoSDA and ESRC.

12

1This was first published as an article in The Psychologist, 16(1),12-13

Psychology Postgraduate Affairs Group (PsyPAG)

1

The Psychology Postgraduate Affairs Group(PsyPAG) was formed in the late 1960s when agroup of Sheffield postgraduates got together toorganise a conference aimed specifically atpostgraduates. It is now a national organisation thataims to support all aspects of postgraduate work.PsyPAG is effectively the postgraduate wing of theSociety and it is run by postgraduates on a

voluntary basis. Any postgraduate who is studying a

psychology-related course (PhD or Masters) iseligible to stand for the committee, whosemembership is constantly changing as existingmembers complete their PhDs and advance frompostgraduates to post-docs. This presents manyopportunities to become actively involved inPsyPAG

PsyPAG represents postgraduate interests withinthe Society through postgraduate representativeson the Research Board, Membership and

Professional Training Board, and within each ofthe Divisions, Sections and Branches. PsyPAG alsohas a representative in the Learning Teachingand Support Network (LTSN now the HigherEducation Academy for Psychology) and hasmade several presentations to the LTSN onpostgraduate views about particular issues (e.g.

Atherton, Wan & Bearman, 2002). PsyPAG hasalso conducted research on postgraduateexperiences of their PhDs (Hatton, 1994) andhas collaborated with the Societys ResearchBoard to produce documents aimed at both

current and prospective postgraduates, such asthe this booklet and the How to Apply for a PhDarticle (Bearman, 2002).

Every year PsyPAG holds a conference at a UKuniversity. In addition to providing an idealsetting for postgraduates to present their work toa friendly audience, the conference is anopportunity to meet and form friendships with

other postgraduates. Studying for a higher degreecan be very isolating at times, particularly if thereare only a few postgraduates in the Department,and the opportunity to talk to otherpostgraduates who may have experienced similarproblems can often help. This is one way in

which PsyPAG provides a social support networkfor postgraduates.

Another way it seeks to create a social supportnetwork is through its newletter, PsyPAG Quarterly,

which is sent to every Psychology Department inthe UK and contains reviews of conferences,articles on particular areas of psychology,Departmental reviews and humorous pieces.

While the quarterly is designed to be a bit of lightcoffee-time reading it is an important means ofestablishing a postgraduate community and a wayof publicising PsyPAG events.

The group also runs three annual workshops,designed to allow postgraduates to developexcellence in the skills of their discipline.


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Workshops are held on both qualitative andquantitative methods.

In addition to these activities, PsyPAG also awardsbursaries to postgraduates to allow them to travelto and present their work at conferences thatmight otherwise have been financially

unattainable. Through this scheme PsyPAG hasallowed many postgraduates to present their workat key conferences, to mix with key experts intheir field and to become part of respected

worldwide academic communities.

PsyPAG is actively involved then in supportingresearch at the organisational level, with itsinfluence on important committees; at the sociallevel, through the creation of a postgraduate

community; and at the practical level, by meansof structures that exist to allow postgraduates topresent their work, to acquire skills and tobecome part of important academic communities.For more information on PsyPAG, how to applyfor bursaries, and how to stand for committeepositions please visit www.psypag.co.uk.

ReferencesAtherton, C., Wan, M, W. & Bearman, C.R. (2002).

Research students' expectations of joining theresearch staff. Paper presented at BPS AnnualConference, Blackpool.

Bearman, C.R. (2002). How to Apply for a PhD. ThePsychologist, 15(7), 340-341.

Hatton, C. (1994). To PhD or not to PhD? The PsyPAGsurvey. The Psychologist, 7(5), 212-215.

Research Board

The British Psychological Society Research Boardis committed to promoting and supportingpsychological science and its applications. A coreelement of this is a strong commitment toproviding various forms of support for

postgraduate research students.

Schemes supported by the Board include:G bursaries to assist postgraduate students

presenting papers and posters at the AnnualConference of the Society;

G travel grants for visits to other institutions inthe UK, Europe and elsewhere in the world;

G the award for outstanding research carried outduring the completion of a doctoral degree;

G a joint award with the Parliamentary Office ofScience and Technology; and

G a prize for the best article about some aspect ofpsychology written in a clear, accessible,interesting and relevant way.

As the Board is committed to supportingpostgraduate research students in general, it isnot necessary to be a member of the Society tosubmit an application under these schemes. Forfurther information on the support schemesavailable and other relevant activities of theBoard, please visit the Research Board section ofthe BPS website (www.bps.org.uk) or contact theScientific Officer, Lisa Morrison Coulthard (e-mail: [email protected], or telephone: 01162529510).


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The British Psychological Society

St Andrews House, 48 Princess Road East, Leicester LE1 7DR, UK

Tel: 0116 252 9530 Fax: 0116 247 0787 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.psychtesting.org.uk

The Society has more than 42,000 members

and:

I has branches in England, Northern

Ireland, Scotland and Wales;

I accredits nearly 800 undergraduate

degrees;

I accredits nearly 150 postgraduate

professional training courses;

I confers Fellowships for distinguished

achievements;

I confers Chartered Status for

professionally qualified psychologists;

I awards grants to support research and

scholarship;

I publishes 10 scientific journals and also

jointly publishesEvidence Based Mental

Healthwith the British MedicalAssociation and the Royal College of

Psychiatrists;

I publishes books in partnership with

Blackwells;

I publishes The Psychologisteach month;

I supports the recruitment of

psychologists through the Appointments

Memorandumand www.appmemo.co.uk;

I provides a free Research Digest by e-mail;I publishes newsletters for its constituent

groups;

I maintains a website (www.bps.org.uk);

I has international links with psychological

societies and associations throughout the

world;

I provides a service for the news media

and the public;

I has an Ethics Committee and provides

service to the Professional Conduct

Board;

I maintains a Register of more than

12,000 Chartered Psychologists;

I prepares policy statements and responses

to government consultations;

I holds conferences, workshops,

continuing professional development

and training events;

I recognises distinguished contributions

to psychological science and practice

through individual awards and honours.

The Society continues to work to enhance:

I recruitment the target is 50,000

members by 2006;

I services the Society has offices in

England, Northern Ireland, Scotland

and Wales;

I public understanding of psychology

addressed by regular media activity and

outreach events;

I influence on public policy through the

work of its Boards and Parliamentary

Officer;

I membership activities to fully utilise

the strengths and diversity of the Society

membership.

INF78/03 05

The British Psychological Society was founded in 1901 and incorporated by Royal

Charter in 1965. Its principle object is to promote the advancement and diffusion of

a knowledge of psychology pure and applied and especially to promote the efficiency

and usefulness of Members of the Society by setting up a high standard of professional

education and knowledge.

postgraduate research in psychology

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