Why do a Research Degree?

Enhanced skills and employability

The skills and qualities you develop during your research degree will enhance your CV and help you stand out in a highly competitive graduate employment market.

With relatively few graduates opting for research studies, there is no doubt that this higher level qualification will give you the ‘stand out’ factor, as well as developing your transferable skills in:

• Communication
• Project management
• Data analysis
• Advanced IT
• Problem solving
• Independent thinking
• Critical thinking
• Organisation
• Time management

At the end of your research you will have acquired an internationally respected qualification which employers of all types will recognize and reward. You will be more likely to secure a job and attract a higher salary, meaning you can be confident of getting a return on your investment in your postgraduate education.

Prepare for an academic or research career

If you wish to pursue a career in academic research, a doctorate will be essential in giving you the required skills, experience and qualification. If you wish to pursue a career in research outside academia, a research degree is preferred as you will have both the theoretical grounding and practical experience required by research institutions.

Programme flexibility

If you have a particular topic that you are passionate about, or crave the freedom to choose what, how and when you study, then a research programme is ideal for you.

Research degrees give you the opportunity to pursue a specialist area of interest developed during your previous studies or in your career, allowing you to shape the topic of your studies in a unique and distinctive way.

As long as we have the academic expertise to advise you and guide your studies, you are free to choose your own study topic, planning and carrying out the research from the very beginning.

Intellectual reward

From identifying the research problem and selecting the appropriate research methodology, to carrying out the research, analysing and writing up the results, you will manage your own research project and have the freedom to explore new avenues as they arise.

As a result, you will be rewarded with an intellectually stimulating programme which gives you the chance to add to the body of knowledge in your subject area and to publish your results.

You will have the opportunity to work with some of the world’s leading academics and become an expert in your own right. Your final leather-bound thesis will continue to be a source of tremendous pride for many years after you complete your studies.