THE FACULTY OF LAW AND SOCIAL SCIENCES. Department of Economics and Department of Development Studies

Transcription

1 Appendix G REC 25 May 2011 THE FACULTY OF LAW AND SOCIAL SCIENCES Department f Ecnmics and Department f Develpment Studies PROGRAMME SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE DEGREES OF MPHIL AND PHD IN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

2 Table f Cntents THE STRUCTURE OF THE RESEARCH DEGREE IN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT... 3 Departments... 3 Schedule... 3 Research Training... 4 SUPERVISION AND EXAMINATION... 4 Upgrade Prcedure... 5 Final Examinatin... 6 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES... 6 ENTRY REQUIREMENTS... 6 Academic... 6 English language requirements

3 THE STRUCTURE OF THE RESEARCH DEGREE IN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Backgrund The PhD in Internatinal Develpment is the research degree part f the PhD pathway within the Blmsbury Dctral Training Centre that is ne f the few such Centres recgnised by the UK s Ecnmic and Scial Research Cuncil (ESRC) and which thereby receives financial supprt fr MSc and research students. But the pathway is pen t applicants whether eligible fr r in receipt f ESRC funding r nt, with ESRC funded-students expected t frm a small minrity verall. The pathway may be entered directly at the first-year f the MPhil/PhD, subject t prir suitable pstgraduate qualificatin, usually MSc at suitable level, r thrugh a dedicated SOAS MSc that qualifies fr admissin subject t level f achievement and ther requirements. Departments The PhD is hsted by the Department f Ecnmics and the Department f Develpment Studies within the Faculty f Law and Scial Sciences. Additinal partners in the PhD pathway are the Institute f Educatin (IOE) and the Lndn Schl f Hygiene and Trpical Medicine (LSHTM). The prvisin f research training will be shared between Develpment Studies and Ecnmics, while additinal training will cme in the frm f an interdisciplinary research seminar in Internatinal Develpment tpics crdinated by the Lndn Internatinal Develpment Centre (LIDC). Schedule The research degree embdies a cre f training in research methds cmbined with a clear structure f prgressin thereafter. The training cmpnents are explained belw. The duratin and structure f the research degree will be as fllws: - Full Time Research Degree: 3 years plus 1 year writing up. YEAR 1: Research Training: research students will take ne r mre Research Methds curses in the Ecnmics and/r Develpment Studies departments, fr their their research tpics YEAR 1: Upgrade: Students will nrmally be expected t pass an upgrade frm MPhil t PhD status within 9 mnths f cmmencing the degree. YEAR 2-3: Research: Cre research undertaken: primary and secndary data cllectin as apprpriate, thesis chapters finalised. YEAR 4: Write Up: If necessary a 4 th year can be taken t write the final thesis. Examinatin f the thesis will take place after submissin within the 4 th year. - Part Time Research Degree: 6 years plus 1 year writing up. 3

4 The research degree can be undertaken ver 6 years; Research Methds curses can be taken ver the first 2 years, but at least ne has t be taken in year 1. Upgrade will take place within the 24 mnths after initial registratin. Examinatin: this will take place after submissin within the writing-up year (year 7) at the latest. Research Training The fllwing prgramme f research training will be cmpleted in the first year f study (if full time), r ver the first 2 years (if Part Time) in part fulfillment f the PhD in Internatinal Develpment. Curses and seminars: All MPhil/PhD in Internatinal Develpment research students will participate in (research methds and subject-specific) cursewrk and attend research student seminars in the cllege and department where they are registered fr the MPhil/PhD, as advised by their supervisr(s). Each department has seminar series assciated with the particular discipline and subjects, and students will be expected t jin and participate in the wrk f relevant research clusters within each department. Seminar in Internatinal Develpment Issues: All MPhil/PhD in Internatinal Develpment research students will be required t attend a crss-cllege interdisciplinary seminar series/mdule in internatinal develpment hsted by the Lndn Internatinal Develpment Centre (LIDC). Tpics in Internatinal Develpment will be presented by a range f academics and practitiners. Cntributrs t the seminar will be drawn frm bth within the Blmsbury institutins that cnstitute funding members f the LIDC and frm utside. Research prpsal/upgrade paper: At the same time, students wrk with their supervisr(s) and departmental research tutr(s) t develp a detailed research prpsal/upgrade paper, undertake the first stages f research and write sme draft sectins t utline the main themes and hyptheses f the thesis. Tgether these cmpnents represent the cre training fr the PhD in Internatinal Develpment. It is designed t prvide the analytical tls required by students in gaining an advanced understanding f recent develpments in Research Methds and Internatinal Develpment mre generally, and t enable the carrying ut f high-level research fr the purpses f the thesis and in wider applicatin. SUPERVISION AND EXAMINATION A central feature f PhD wrk is the clse relatinship between research students and supervisrs. Supervisrs and students are expected t meet regularly and cnsult clsely as laid ut in the SOAS Cde f Practice. 4

5 Admissin int the prgramme at the MPhil/PhD level is made n the basis f the ability and expressed willingness f at least ne member f staff t serve as the main supervisr fr the student s PhD thesis. Thus, frm the student s entry in the first year f the MPhil/PhD prgramme, the supervisr assumes primary respnsibility fr mnitring and enhancing the student s prgress twards the cmpletin f the degree. This relatinship is supprted and strengthened in varius ways. Students will be supervised by a panel f three academics cnsisting f a lead supervisr and tw secnd supervisrs. Lead supervisrs will be lcated in the Departments f Ecnmics r Develpment Studies, while secnd supervisrs can be lcated in any f the SOAS Departments r Centres, r in the Institute f Educatin r Lndn Schl f Hygiene and Trpical Medicine. Beynd this, the Department research tutr has verall respnsibility fr SOAS research students, being available t discuss general prblems. Mst SOAS research students spend sme time ding fieldwrk in the regins f their research. The Faculty f Law and Scial Sciences and the Schl as a whle, thrugh their varius cnnectins with individuals and institutins in the universities and gvernments f Asia and Africa, can where pssible facilitate this wrk with persnal cntacts and intrductins. Upgrade Prcedure In Term 3 f Year 1 (within 24 mnths) fr full-time (part-time), students submit a Research Prpsal/Upgrade Paper (f abut 10,000 wrds), typically including the fllwing elements: 1) Research ratinale and cntext f prpsed research; 2) Main research questins; 3) Literature review; 4) Theretical and methdlgical framewrk & cnsideratins; 5) Prpsed research methds; 6) Ethical issues (where applicable); 7) Wrk Plan and Budget, 8) Bibligraphy. Adjustments t ne r mre f these sectins, including additins r deletins where apprpriate, are pssible by prir arrangement between the student and supervisry cmmittee. This research prpsal/upgrade paper is assessed by the student s supervisry cmmittee in a viva vce. Prir t the viva vce, the student will have presented an earlier versin f the research prpsal/upgrade paper in a departmental research seminar, invlving: a minute ral presentatin, fllwed by a discussin, als pen t ther staff and students. On successful cmpletin f the viva, students are frmally upgraded t PhD and prceed t the secnd year. If the assessrs cnsider there t be shrtcmings in the research prpsal /upgrade paper, a student will be asked t revise it t their satisfactin befre the upgrade t PhD status can be cnfirmed. Students are nt permitted t prceed t the secnd year r t fieldwrk until the upgrade prcess has been cmpleted. Students studying part time take the MPhil training seminar in the first year and write the Research Prpsal/Upgrade Paper (see abve) in the secnd year. The length f time fr field r research and material cllectin, and writing up, are adjusted accrdingly. 5

6 Final Examinatin Examinatin is by assessment f the thesis and an ral examinatin (viva vce) cncerning the thesis and the research upn which it is based, as specified in the SOAS PhD Regulatins. Students may nt submit after fur years f full time registratin (7 years fr part time). ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The rles and respnsibilities f students, supervisrs and the supervisry cmmittee, as well as the Schl, Faculty and Departments, are laid ut in the dcument entitled Cde f Practice fr Research Degrees ( regulatins fr the PhD prgramme are included in the University f Lndn s REGULATIONS FOR THE DEGREES OF MPHIL AND PHD with effect frm September 2007 ( ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Academic As indicated successful applicants will nrmally have a gd Masters degree in a relevant subject if entering directly int the MPhil/Phd pathway. In sme cases, prir knwledge f a freign language may be necessary r advisable. Entrants t the pathway thrugh first taking a SOAS MSc will nrmally be expected t have a 2:1 undergraduate degree in an apprpriate discipline r equivalent. Any queries abut the applicatin prcess shuld be addressed t researchadmissins@sas.ac.uk. English language requirements In rder t ensure that SOAS students have a sufficient standard f English t study effectively, we require verseas students t submit evidence, during the applicatin prcess, f their current level f prficiency. Full details f English language requirements can be fund here: 6