Keele University Prospectus Postgraduate | 2017 | Page 22

Postgraduate Prospectus 2017 How to apply to a postgraduate research course at Keele talk 4 3 2 1 Visit us Visit our Virtual Open Day to find out more about postgraduate study at Keele www.keele.ac.uk/ studyatkeele/ postgraduatetaught If you’d like to see our campus, come and visit. www.keele.ac.uk/visiting 22 Consider your postgraduate research pathway Decide whether to do a direct entry into a PhD or do a master’s degree first, and decide on your subject area and think about your research proposal. Direct entry from a good first degree is still the norm in sciences, but most humanities and social sciences look for relevant research training in the form of a master’s qualification before they will accept students to a PhD. Contact the Research Office or Institute Once you have identified the subject area you wish to undertake a research degree in, contact the Research Office or Institute to express your interest in applying. This is a pre-application stage designed to help you focus your efforts and identify whether further work on your application is likely to be productive. Explore funding options The Research Office or Institute will be able to give you a preliminary view about whether your proposed research and background would be a good fit with their research strengths and, if so, identify an appropriate supervisor. They will also be able to give an initial view about funding opportunities. There are sources of funding support for PhD students, but they are highly competitive. If you wish to pursue these you need to make sure you start your search for funding early, understand the options available to you, and learn the relevant procedures and closing dates. Sources of funding include: • Research Council • Charities • Studentships • Disability Allowances