PhD Higher Education at University of Kent

Programme overview

The PhD in Higher Education, based in Kent's Curriculum and Educational Development Team, develops independent researchers with a professional or scholarly interest in higher education. Students are matched with a supervisory panel and take a tailored research training programme, including research methods modules and seminars.

Department: Curriculum and Educational Development Team | Duration: 3 to 4 years full-time, 6 to 7 years part-time | Intake: September, January, April | Study mode: full-time or part-time (Canterbury) | Location: Canterbury, England, United Kingdom

What you will study

Independent research with a supervisory panel, research methods modules and regular research seminars; the team does not supervise research on other phases of education such as schools, teacher education or teaching English as a foreign language.

Career pathways

Students are higher education professionals; graduates have been promoted in professional service roles or taken positions in educational research.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

2.2 or above as the typical offer: a good honours degree or Master's degree in a subject relevant to the proposed research topic. Applicants are strongly recommended to contact the Curriculum and Educational Development Team to discuss plans before applying. Applications are considered individually and additional, professional qualifications and relevant experience may be taken into account. International applicants: an Excellent level of English (CEFR C1), for example IELTS 7.0 with at least 7.0 in each component, or PTE Academic 76 with at least 76 in each sub-test; a degree from the UK or a majority English-speaking country is also accepted.

International applicants: GBP 21,950 a year (2027/28). Full-time annual tuition fee from the 2027/28 fee table Source

Intake: September, January, April

Duration: 3 to 4 years full-time, 6 to 7 years part-time

Apply through the official page: https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/apply

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