Postgraduate Research Degree

You can either find/propose your own research project (more common in Arts and Social Sciences) or work on a defined project within a research team. Masters degrees by research usually last one or two years, with PhDs normally taking three to four years to complete. It is now common to do a taught or research Masters degree first before continuing to a PhD. Some funded PhD’s will be on a 1+3 basis, which is one year of a master’s plus three years of PhD funding. Some PhD’s are self funded.

PhD, research masters and research staff

• PhD case studies
• findaphd.com - this guide to current postgraduate research and PhD studentships lists details of graduate research programmes from universities throughout the UK, Europe and further afield. It includes useful PhD forums, and resources on funding and work/study abroad.
• Jobs.ac.uk is another useful source of Masters research and PhD opportunities in the UK and beyond.

Beyond Research Degrees

• Some PhD graduates go on to work in academia. They may begin by undertaking postdoctoral research and then a fellowship or lectureship. However, most PhD graduates will ultimately find work outside academia.
• Other career options will depend on what the PhD was in - commercial research is an option for some, and many are able to use their specialist knowledge and research skills in areas of business and finance.
• PhD’s may also find work in academic related departments in academia, or on graduate training schemes. However, it’s likely that career progression will be faster.
• vitae.ac.uk - has excellent information regarding career development for PhD’s.
• Findapostdoc.com - this is a good site if you’re looking for post doctoral research opportunities.
• Jobs.ac.uk - advertises all sorts of jobs in academia, including post doctoral opportunities, academic and academic related jobs.