DPhil in Information, Communication and the Social Sciences
About the course
The DPhil in Information, Communication and the Social Sciences provides an opportunity for highly-qualified students to undertake innovative internet-related research.
The Oxford Internet Institute's (OII) students work on multidisciplinary research across the social sciences.
As a DPhil student at the OII (known as a PhD at other universities), your research will be anchored in disciplinary questions (in, for instance, politics or sociology), while also being situated in broader social science theories and methods. OII faculty are international leaders in their research fields, and their teaching and supervision reflect their innovative research.
To learn more about the research topics you’ll have the opportunity to explore, please refer to the Research areas section on this page.
The diverse cohorts of doctoral students complement the strength of the course by providing a multidisciplinary peer network for students to engage in ideas, discussion and debate.
Over the course of the DPhil you will produce an important and original piece of scholarship that will make a significant contribution to the dynamic area of internet research.
In addition to the formal requirements of the DPhil thesis, you will have access to regular training in the key professional skills necessary to support your research and future employment. These range from classes on advanced research methods as part of the OII’s option course offerings to professional development training (provided both by the department and the University) such as presentation skills, academic writing and navigating the process of peer review.
You will attend a weekly doctoral seminar in which you will present your own work for critique, and critique the work of your peers.
In addition, the department's busy calendar of events brings many of the most important people in internet research, innovation and policy to the OII, allowing students to engage with cutting-edge scholarship and debates around the internet and digital technologies.
Attendance
The course can be studied full-time or part-time with both modes requiring attendance in Oxford. Full-time students are subject to the University's Residence requirements. Part-time students are required to attend course-related activities in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year.
The full-time programme is studied over three to four years. The part-time programme has the same requirements, but is studied over six to eight years.
The part-time degree offers the flexibility of part-time study with the same high standards and requirements as the full-time DPhil course. It also provides an excellent opportunity for professionals in high tech industries to undertake rigorous long-term research that may be relevant to their working life.
If you study part-time, you will be required to attend seminars, supervision meetings and other obligations in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year. In particular, in-person attendance is required during Michaelmas term of years one and two (October-December) to attend core teaching. This means spending one day in Oxford for eight consecutive weeks in the autumn term of years one and two. There is limited flexibility in the dates and pattern of attendance, which will normally be determined by the fixed teaching and seminar schedule during term. After the fourth term you will have the opportunity to agree your pattern and dates of attendance in liaison with your supervisor.
Resources to support your study
As a graduate student, you will have access to the University's wide range of resources including libraries, museums, galleries, digital resources and IT services.
The Bodleian Libraries is the largest library system in the UK. It includes the main Bodleian Library and libraries across Oxford, including major research libraries and faculty, department and institute libraries. Together, the Libraries hold more than 13 million printed items, provide access to e-journals, and contain outstanding special collections including rare books and manuscripts, classical papyri, maps, music, art and printed ephemera.
The University's IT Services is available to all students to support with core university IT systems and tools, as well as many other services and facilities. IT Services also offers a range of IT learning courses for students to support with learning and research, as well as guidance on what technology to bring with you as a new student at Oxford.
The OII is based in the Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, a brand-new building at the University of Oxford which opened in 2025. In addition to the OII, the building is home to seven humanities faculties and the Institute for Ethics in AI, a new library, an on-site cafe, a large number of well-equipped teaching and seminar rooms, and several performance and arts venues which are open to the public. The Oxford Internet Institute has its own centre and social hub within the building which facilitates interdisciplinary and collaborative work. At the heart of the building is the Great Hall, a large atrium which serves as a space for informal work, relaxation, meeting with friends, taking breaks and having refreshments.
The library, part of the Bodleian Libraries, houses the Oxford Internet Institute’s lending collection. There are 340 general reader seats, and around 80 graduate study seats – with a further 320 formal and informal study seats throughout the building outside the library. As well as the Library’s extensive staffed hours, there will be a 24/7 study space, including smart lockers for self-collect of borrowable items out of hours.
Students are provided with hot-desk working space in the department. You will have access to OII's dedicated computing facilities and IT support as required for your research project, which includes collaborative software, server space, and compute resource, and may also make use of Oxford’s Advanced Research Computing service.
Supervision
The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Oxford Internet Institute and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Please see the full list of faculty members eligible to supervise DPhil students for this course.
Students should normally expect to meet with their supervisor around three to four times a term.
Assessment
The first year is a probationary year, soon after which, subject to satisfactory progress, you will normally transfer from Probationer Research Student (PRS) to full DPhil status. A second formal assessment of progress, Confirmation of Status, takes place later in the programme, normally in the third year if studying full-time, or fourth/fifth year if studying part-time.
The Transfer of Status and Confirmation of Status assessments are conducted by two members of staff other than your supervisor(s).
Examination for the DPhil takes place at the end of the programme by means of a written thesis and an oral examination.
Graduate destinations
The Oxford Internet Institute provides you with skills and opportunities in teaching, research, policymaking and business innovation. Employers recognise the value of a degree from the University of Oxford, and the OII's doctoral students regularly go on to secure excellent positions in industry, government, NGOs, think tanks, civil society and with other leading international universities.
Alumni who have pursued academic careers have taken up research and teaching positions notably at the University of Oxford, Cornell University, University of Hong Kong, Imperial College London, and Tu Delft. OII DPhil alumni work in a wide-range of organisations including The World Bank, The Tony Blair Institute, the Reuters Institute, Open Technology Fund, Oxfam, Cisco, McKinsey, Facebook and Google.
Accomplishments of recent MSc and DPhil alumni are highlighted on the study section of the OII website.
Changes to this course
The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made if a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency occurs. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.
Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.
For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.
Research areas
You’ll have the opportunity to undertake research within the specialised themes of this course, which include:
- AI and the Future of Work
- Digital Economies
- Digital Knowledge and Culture
- Digital Politics and Government
- Education, Digital Life and Wellbeing
- AI Ethics and Philosophy of Information
- Information Geography and Inequality
- Information Governance and Security.
Further information
Information on academic and research staff and research at the institute can be found on the institute's website.
Entry requirements for entry in 2026-27
Proven and potential academic excellence
The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our guidance to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.
We know that contextual factors can make it difficult for candidates to demonstrate their full potential. This course is taking part in an initiative to use contextual data to help us to better understand your achievements in the context of your individual background. For further details, please refer to the information about improving access to graduate study in the How to apply section of this page.
Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying. Contextual data may also be used in the assessment of studentships.
Degree-level qualifications
As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:
- a master's degree with a mark of at least 67%; and
- a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in any subject.
It is expected that applicants will hold a taught master's or other advanced degree, normally in one of the social sciences, including law, but candidates from other disciplines embracing the social study of technology will also be considered.
For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum overall GPA that is normally required to meet the undergraduate-level requirement is 3.5 out of 4.0.
If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.
GRE General Test scores
No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.
Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience
- Strong analytical abilities in understanding the social aspects of the internet, World Wide Web and related technologies, as shown by the candidate’s writing sample and/or the reports of referees, is required.
- While prior publication is not required, evidence of successful academic publication will be taken into account and may provide the applicant with an advantage.
- It would be expected that graduate applicants would be familiar with the recent published work of their proposed supervisor.
English language proficiency
This course requires proficiency in English at the University's higher level. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.
| Test | Minimum overall score | Minimum score per component |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic (Institution code: 0713) | 7.5 | 7.0 |
| TOEFL iBT* including the 'Home Edition' (Institution code: 0490) | 110 | Listening: 22 Reading: 24 Speaking: 25 Writing: 24 |
| C1 Advanced† | 191 | 185 |
| C2 Proficiency‡ | 191 | 185 |
| Oxford Test of English Advanced | 165 | 155 |
*Changes to the TOEFL iBT test are being introduced on 21 January 2026. The University will not accept TOEFL tests taken from that date to meet the English language condition until a review of the revised test has been completed. Our Application Guide provides full details of the tests we accept.
†Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)
‡Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)
Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides further information about the English language test requirement.
Declaring extenuating circumstances
If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.
References
You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Supporting documents
You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Performance at interview
All applications are reviewed by at least two members of faculty with relevant experience and expertise. Applicants are shortlisted based on the quality of the written application. Those who are shortlisted will normally be interviewed.
Interviews are usually held within eight weeks of the application deadline. There is usually one interview held, which is online and lasts 30 to 40 minutes. You will be asked questions about your academic background, your research plan, and why you think the Oxford Internet Institute would be the best place to conduct your studies. The interview panel will consist of at least two interviewers which will normally include the potential supervisor.
If you are applying for part-time study and invited to attend an interview, you may be asked about your ability to commit sufficient time to study and fulfil all elements outlined in the course description (eg completing coursework, assessments, and attending course and University events and modules).
Offer conditions for successful applications
If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our 'After you apply' pages provide more information about offers and conditions.
In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:
Financial Declaration
If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a Financial Declaration in order to meet your financial condition of admission.
Disclosure of criminal convictions
In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any relevant, unspent criminal convictions before you can take up a place at Oxford.
Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)
This course may require you to obtain an ATAS certificate before you can apply for a visa/immigration permission. If you are offered a place, the academic department will confirm whether an ATAS certificate is required. If so, they will also send you the information you need to apply for one. You can apply for ATAS whilst your offer is conditional and before the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) is issued. Further information about ATAS is available on the student visa webpages.
Evidence of ability to study for employed part-time applicants
If you are applying for part-time study and are currently employed, you may be asked to provide evidence that your employment will not affect your ability to study and that you can commit sufficient time to fulfil all elements outlined in the course description. You may be asked to provide details about your pattern of employment and provide evidence to show how you will fulfil your commitment to make time available to study, eg to complete coursework, and attend course and University events and modules.
Other factors governing whether places can be offered
The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:
- the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the About section of this page;
- the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
- minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.
Funding
For entry in the 2026-27 academic year, the collegiate University expects to offer over 1,100 full or partial graduate scholarships across a wide range of graduate courses.
If you apply by the January deadline shown on this page and receive a course offer, your application will then be considered for Oxford scholarships. For the majority of Oxford scholarships, your application will automatically be assessed against the eligibility criteria, without needing to make a separate application. There are further Oxford scholarships available which have additional eligibility criteria and where you are required to submit a separate application. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential.
To ensure that you are considered for Oxford scholarships that require a separate application, for which you may be eligible, use our fees, funding and scholarship search tool to identify these opportunities and find out how to apply. Alongside Oxford scholarships, you should also consider other opportunities for which you may be eligible including a range of external funding, loan schemes for postgraduate study and any other scholarships which may also still be available after the January deadline as listed on our fees, funding and scholarship search tool.
Details of college-specific funding opportunities can also be found on individual college websites:
Please refer to the College preference section of this page to identify which of the colleges listed above accept students for this course.
For the majority of college scholarships, it doesn’t matter which college, if any, you state a preference for in your application. If another college is able to offer you a scholarship, your application can be moved to that college if you accept the scholarship. Some college scholarships may require you to state a preference for that college when you apply, so check the eligibility requirements carefully.
Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the institute's website.
Costs
Annual course fees for the 2026-27 academic year at the University of Oxford
The fees for this course are charged on an annual basis.
Full-time study
Fee status | Annual Course fees |
| Home | £15,350 |
| Overseas | £32,960 |
Part-time study
Fee status | Annual Course fees |
| Home | £7,675 |
| Overseas | £16,480 |
What do course fees cover?
Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional costs information below.
How long do I need to pay course fees?
Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year fees will usually increase annually, as explained in the University’s Terms and Conditions.
Graduate students who have reached the end of their standard period of fee liability will be required to pay a University continuation charge and/or a college continuation charge.
The University continuation charge, per term for entry in 2026-27 is £656, please be aware that this will increase annually. For part-time students, the termly charge will be half of the termly rate payable by full-time students.
If a college continuation charge applies (not applicable for non-matriculated courses) it will be between £150 and £500, as explained in our information about continuation charges. Please contact your college for more details, including information about whether your college's continuation charge is applied at a different rate for part-time study.
Where can I find more information about fees?
Our fees and other charges pages provide further information, including details about:
- course fees and fee liability;
- how your fee status is determined;
- changes to fees and other charges; and
- continuation charges.
Information about how much fees and other costs will usually increase each academic year is set out in the University's Terms and Conditions.
Additional costs
Full-time study
Depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and materials. You are not formally required to undertake field research for your thesis, but if applicable to your choice of research topic, may also have to meet the costs of any fieldwork. These costs will vary widely according to the location and length of the fieldwork, but the department estimates that this may range from £1,000 to £10,000 or more. You will need to meet these additional costs yourself, although you will have access to some departmental funding towards research expenses and may be able to apply for additional grants. There are no other compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees and living costs.
Part-time study
Please note that this course requires that you attend in Oxford for a minimum 30 days each academic year, and you may incur additional travel and accommodation expenses for this. Part-time students are normally required to attend teaching in person in Year 1 for one day a week across one or two terms (8 to 16 days in total). Accommodation costs in Oxford can start at around £40 per night in a college or around £80 in a hotel (single rate). Students should also factor in costs for meals during their stay. Depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and materials. You are not formally required to undertake field research for your thesis, but if applicable to your choice of research topic, may also have to meet the costs of any fieldwork. These costs will vary widely according to the location and length of the fieldwork, but the department estimates that this may range from £1,000 to £10,000 or more. You will need to meet these additional costs yourself, although you will have access to some departmental funding towards research expenses and may be able to apply for additional grants. There are no other compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees and living costs.
Living costs
In addition to your course fees and any additional course-specific costs, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.
Living costs for full-time study
For the 2026-27 academic year, the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student is between £1,405 and £2,105 for each month spent in Oxford. We provide the cost per month so you can multiply up by the number of months you expect to live in Oxford. Depending on your circumstances, you may also need to budget for the costs of a student visa and immigration health surcharge and/or living costs for family members or other dependants that you plan to bring with you to Oxford (if dependant visa eligibility criteria are met).
Living costs for part-time study
Your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you will still need to cover your cost of living on a full-time basis for the duration of your course, even if you will not be based in Oxford throughout your studies. While the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student living in Oxford in the 2026-27 academic year is between £1,405 and £2,105 per month, living costs outside Oxford may be different.
Part-time students who are not based in Oxford will need to calculate travel and accommodation costs carefully. Depending on your circumstances and study plans, this may include the cost of a visitor visa to attend for short blocks of time (if visitor visa eligibility criteria are met).
Further information about living costs
The current economic climate and periods of high national inflation in recent years make it harder to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. For study in Oxford beyond the 2026-27 academic year, it is suggested that you budget for potential increases in living expenses of around 4% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation.
A breakdown of likely living costs for one month during the 2026-27 academic year are shown below. These costs are based on a single, full-time graduate student, with no dependants, living in Oxford.
| Lower range | Upper range | |
|---|---|---|
| Food | £315 | £545 |
| Accommodation | £825 | £990 |
| Personal items | £160 | £310 |
| Social activities | £50 | £130 |
| Study costs | £35 | £90 |
| Other | £20 | £40 |
| Total | £1,405 | £2,105 |
For information about how these figures have been calculated as well as tables showing the likely living costs for nine and twelve months, please refer to the living costs page of our website.
College preference
Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs).
If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief introduction to the college system at Oxford and our advice about expressing a college preference.
If you are a current Oxford student and you would like to remain at your current Oxford college, you should check whether it is listed below. If it is, you should indicate this preference when you apply. If not, you should contact your college office to ask whether they would be willing to make an exception. Further information about staying at your current college can be found in our Application Guide.
Full-time study
The following colleges accept students for full-time study on this course:
Part-time study
The following colleges accept students for part-time study on this course:
Before you apply
Our guide to getting started provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application, including advice to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.
If it is important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under the January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance. Check the deadlines on this page and the information about deadlines and when to apply in our Application Guide.
Application fee waivers
An application fee of £20 is payable for each application to this course. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:
- applicants from low-income countries;
- refugees and displaced persons;
- UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and
- applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.
You are encouraged to check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver before you apply.
Readmission for current Oxford graduate taught students
If you're currently studying for an Oxford graduate taught course and apply to this course with no break in your studies, you may be eligible to apply to this course as a readmission applicant. The application fee will be waived for an eligible application of this type. Check whether you're eligible to apply for readmission.
Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?
You are recommended to contact a potential supervisor (or supervisors) in the first instance to get feedback on the fit of your proposed research with the expertise of the supervisor before you apply. The full list of faculty members eligible to supervise DPhil students for this course, including their research interests and contact details, can be found on the departmental website. Please note that the Oxford Internet Institute will only admit students where appropriate supervision is available.
Improving access to graduate study
This course is taking part in initiatives to improve the selection procedure for graduate applications, to ensure that all candidates are assessed fairly.
Contextual data (where it has been provided in the application form) will be used as part of an initiative to contextualise applications at the different stages of the selection process.
Completing your application
You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents.
For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application.
If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.
Proposed field and title of research project
Under the 'Field and title of research project' please enter your proposed field or area of research if this is known. If the department has advertised a specific research project that you would like to be considered for, please enter the project title here instead.
You should not use this field to type out a full research proposal. You will be able to upload your research supporting materials separately if they are required (as described below).
Proposed supervisor
If known, under 'Proposed supervisor name' enter the name of the academic(s) whom you would like to supervise your research. Otherwise, leave this field blank.
Referees:
Three overall, academic and/or professional
Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.
Professional references are acceptable, particularly if you have been out of education for some time, though these should focus particularly on your intellectual abilities rather than more narrowly on job performance.
Your references will support intellectual ability, academic achievement, aptitude and potential for research investigation.
Official transcript(s)
Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.
More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.
Personal statement and research proposal:
Statement of up to a maximum of 500 words and proposal of up to a maximum of 2,500 words
Your statement of purpose/personal statement and research proposal should be submitted as a single, combined document with clear subheadings. Please ensure that the word counts for each section are clearly visible in the document.
Personal statement
You should submit a convincing personal statement (statement of purpose) explaining your reasons for applying to the course and highlighting your relevant academic and professional experience. It should be written in English and should be a maximum of 500 words.
If you are applying for part-time study, you should provide evidence of your ability to commit sufficient time to study and fulfil all elements outlined in the course description (eg completing coursework, assessments, and attending course and University events and modules).
If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.
Research proposal
You should also submit a research proposal that should focus on your proposed research topic, rather than your personal achievements, interests and aspirations. Your proposal should include:
- an indicative bibliography;
- an indicative title;
- a short introduction/synopsis;
- a discussion of the most relevant scholarly literature;
- a research question or hypothesis.
The issue or question should emerge from your review of the literature. Please also provide a rationale for the importance of this research topic.
Your research proposal should also indicate your proposed methodological approach. This will depend on the kind of research you envisage. If empirical research is planned, then please discuss the likely data or evidence to be collected. At this stage these ideas are exploratory, and likely to develop and change once you are accepted.
Your research proposal should be written in English and should be a maximum of 2,500 words. You do not need to include the indicative bibliography in your word count.
If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.
Your research proposal will be assessed for your potential to carry out doctoral research, the quality and coherence of the proposal and the originality of the project.
It will be normal for your ideas to subsequently change in some ways as you develop your project. You should nevertheless make the best effort you can to demonstrate the extent of your research question, sources and method at this moment.
Written work:
One essay of a maximum of 2,000 words
An academic essay or other writing sample from your most recent qualification, written in English, is required. An extract of the requisite length from longer work is also permissible.
The word count does not need to include any bibliography or brief footnotes.
If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.
If you have not previously written on areas closely related to the proposed research topic, you may provide written work on any topic that best demonstrates your academic abilities.
Written work must be entirely your own work except where clearly indicated; supporting quotations from any work authored by others must be properly identified and referenced. It is recommended that you do not submit co-authored work, as the academic assessors will find it difficult to evaluate your specific input. If you do submit co-authored work, you should include the full list of authors and clearly describe your own contribution at the top of the written work document.
This will be assessed for evidence that demonstrates your aptitude and potential for research investigation.
Start or continue your application
You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please refer to the requirements above and consult our Application Guide for advice.
Apply - Full time Apply - Part time Continue application
After you've submitted your application
Your application (including the supporting documents outlined above) will be assessed against the entry requirements detailed on this course page. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed. You can find out more about our shortlisting and selection process in our detailed guide to what happens next.
Find out how to manage your application after submission, using our Applicant Self-Service tool.