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Course information

Department

Graduate School

Length

12-18 months part-time

Course overview

Goldsmiths' PhD by Publication is designed for academics with an existing portfolio of published work addressing a central research question

The PhD by Publication is not offered as an alternative to the traditional PhD programme of study, but as an option for academics who may have entered higher education mid-career and have a body of work not more than 10 years old that can be submitted as part of a doctoral-level thesis.

A submission for PhD by Publication may comprise papers, chapters, monographs, scholarly editions of a text, technical reports, creative practice, artefacts, or curatorial production. Whatever the form of your prior work, it is important that it is compatible with research expertise at Goldsmiths. For details of which subject areas the PhD can be in, please see our list of academic departments and research centres.

Who can apply for this programme?

Candidates are expected to be based within the UK (and within reasonable travel time to Goldsmiths’ campus) during their programme, to ensure that they are able to maintain regular contact with their department and supervisor. This is to ensure engagement with supervision, training, and the wider research environment of the College and student’s Department.

Candidates who require a Tier 4 visa are not eligible, as the programme is offered only on a part-time basis.

It is expected that those undertaking a PhD by Publication will not already be holders of a doctorate. However, if a candidate has a distinct body of research that they can clearly demonstrate has not formed part of their previous doctorate, their application may be considered. 

Before submitting your application

Candidates interested in applying for the programme should contact Professor John Drever in the Graduate School before submitting a formal application, to discuss eligibility.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact John Drever.

Structure

The PhD by Publication is available on a part-time basis only.

Thesis

You will develop a thesis of 15,000-30,000 words, which will be a contextualised, coherent narrative, and critical appraisal of the portfolio of work you choose to submit alongside it. This submission will be assessed by the standard examination processes for doctoral degrees, including a viva voce examination.

Supervision

You’ll receive academic support and advice from your supervisors, who will be from relevant academic departments. Their role will be to provide you with support and advice on:

  • selecting work from your portfolio to include with your thesis submission
  • the development of your thesis
  • preparation for the viva voce

Training

Your supervisors will work closely with you to ensure that your training needs are met throughout the programme.

You’ll also be expected to give at least one presentation to your peer group, including non-specialists, during your period of registration.

Assessment

Written thesis (15,000-30,000 words) and viva voce.

Entry requirements

You should have a first class undergraduate degree and/or a higher level degree in a relevant subject, and/or appropriate experience. You will also need a body of work not more than 10 years old in a relevant field, which will form the basis for your thesis.

Please be aware, that you can only study full-time with a Tier 4 visa, so unfortunately you will be unable to study this part-time programme if you need a student visa. 

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 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

To find out more about your fees, please check our postgraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office, who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page.

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments.

Funding opportunities

Find out more about postgraduate fees and explore funding opportunities. If you're applying for funding, you may be subject to an application deadline.

There is no separate staff discount on these tuition fees.

How to apply

Application process

As part of the application process you will be required to submit:

  • A 1000 word critical summary of the contribution to knowledge represented by your body of work, establishing how it constitutes a coherent study
  • an outline of any of your works that have been published within the last 10 years

Before submitting your application

If you have considered the information above and think the programme might be right for you, then please contact John Drever in the Graduate School for an informal discussion before submitting a formal application.

Apply for this programme.

Find out more about applying.

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