Course information
Department
Length
3-4 years full-time or 4-6 years part-time
Course overview
We are committed to developing our postgraduate students into competent educational researchers able to conduct rigorous research using a variety of methodological approaches. We welcome inquiries about possible research topics both theoretical and empirical.
We are particularly interested to hear from those who would like to work within areas such as:
- art practice and learning
- bilingualism in education
- children’s literature and education
- curriculum policy and practice
- digital technologies and learning
- equity and social justice
- education policy
- social research ethics as situated practice
The Department of Educational Studies is part of South East Network for Social Sciences (SeNSS), a consortium formed of 10 leading UK Universities, all of which are engaged in cutting-edge social science research and training.
It has about thirty research students from the UK, the EU and other countries. Many of our research students are also practising professionals carrying out research related to their work. Students study either full-time or part-time.
Students become members of the Department’s Research Centres and they are encouraged to contribute along with staff and other visiting scholars to their seminar series. Additional facilities for research students are provided by the Goldsmiths Graduate School.
ESRC/SeNSS scholarships
For information about ESRC/SeNSS funding please visit our ESRC studentships section.
Departmental Bursaries
For information about 2018 Departmental Bursaries completion please visit our Departmental Bursaries section.
Contact the department
If you have specific questions about the degree, contact the programme administrator
Structure
Programme aims
To help you:
- Identify appropriate issues of educational significance for your enquiry
- Select appropriate methods and methodologies by which to investigate these
- Appreciate the epistemological and technical assumptions that underpin this choice
- Design and execute a well-founded enquiry
- Analyse and interpret findings with accuracy, rigour and originality
- Identify the practical and professional implications of educational enquiry
Structure
We ensure that you are supported by highly qualified supervisors with whom you work to a mutually agreed timetable and maintain regular tutorial contact throughout your research. An induction and research training programme is provided and you are normally expected to follow this. There is an annual appraisal of your progress, and every effort is made to ensure good communication between yourself, your supervisor and other relevant members of staff.
Students have additional support from the Goldsmiths Graduate School, where there is a lively programme of interdisciplinary seminars, as well as core research training to support your studies. The Graduate School also has its own virtual research community, running in parallel to the physical School and providing online seminars and research training programmes.
All MPhil and PhD students and academic staff are invited to research seminars run by the Department’s three Research Centres: the Centre for Language, Culture and Learning (CLCL), the Centre for the Arts and Learning and the Centre for Identities and Social Justice. In addition to academics from inside and outside the University, research students also have an opportunity to contribute to seminars on work in progress.
Facilities
In addition to the facilities available in the Graduate School the Department has good facilities for research students including a study room with networked computers, scanner and printers.
Assessment
Thesis and viva voce.
Entry requirements
You should normally have (or expect to be awarded) a taught Masters in a relevant subject area.
You might also be considered for some programmes if you aren’t a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that you have the ability to work at postgraduate level.
International qualifications
We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.
If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.5 with a 6.5 in writing and no element lower than 6.0 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate-level study.
Fees, funding & scholarships
Find out more about tuition fees.
Find out more about funding opportunities for home/EU applicants, or funding for international applicants. If you're applying for funding, you may be subject to an application deadline.
Departmental Bursary
The Department of Educational Studies offers a bursary for this programme.
How to apply
You apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system.
Before submitting your application you'll need to have:
- Details of your education history, including the dates of all exams/assessments
- The email address of your referee who we can request a reference from, or alternatively an electronic copy of your academic reference
- Contact details of a second referee
- A personal statement – this can either be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online
Please see our guidance on writing a postgraduate statement
- If available, an electronic copy of your educational transcript (this is particularly important if you have studied outside of the UK, but isn’t mandatory)
- Details of your research proposal
You'll be able to save your progress at any point and return to your application by logging in using your username/email and password.
Before you apply for a research programme, we advise you to get in touch with the programme contact, listed above. It may also be possible to arrange an advisory meeting.
Before you start at Goldsmiths, the actual topic of your research has to be agreed with your proposed supervisor, who will be a member of staff active in your general field of research. The choice of topic may be influenced by the current research in the department or the requirements of an external funding body.
If you wish to study on a part-time basis, you should also indicate how many hours a week you intend to devote to research, whether this will be at evenings or weekends, and for how many hours each day.
Research proposals
Along with your application and academic reference, you should also upload a research proposal at the point of application.
This should be in the form of a statement of the proposed area of research and should include:
- delineation of the research topic
- why it has been chosen
- an initial hypothesis (if applicable)
- a brief list of major secondary sources
When to apply
We accept applications from October for students wanting to start the following September.
We encourage you to complete your application as early as possible, even if you haven't finished your current programme of study. It's very common to be offered a place conditional on you achieving a particular qualification.
Selection process
Admission to many programmes is by interview, unless you live outside the UK. Occasionally we'll make candidates an offer of a place on the basis of their application and qualifications alone.
Find out more about applying.
Staff
Find out about the staff in the Department of Educational Studies and their research interests.
