phd in psychology at oxford university

Thank you for your interest in the Oxford Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsych) course. To be considered for a place on the training programme, applicants are required to meet all Essential Criteria. We are a National Health Service (NHS) funded course and do not offer self-funded places currently.

Please view the following pages prior to applying:

• Entry Requirements (Essential and Desirable Criteria and Academic Scoring System)
• Job Description and Person Specification
• Eligibility Checklist for 2025 entry
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• Trainee Experiences of Training
• Oxford Admissions Talks

Applicants who meet the Essential Criteria are allocated an Academic Score . The highest scoring candidates will progress to the shortlisting stage. Approximately 300 candidates are considered at the shortlisting stage. From this stage, around 150 candidates will be invited to interview.

We welcome applications from a wide range of individuals.

Course main phone number  01865 226 431

Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

• Accessibility
• Graduate School
• Subject Areas

Psychology and Psychiatry

Programmes in Experimental Psychology and Psychiatry offer opportunities to research social, cognitive and emotional psychological processes in both health and in mental disorders.

Oxford has particular strengths in developmental psychology and disorders, language and communication, action selection and decision-making, attention and cognition, and research into psychological illnesses including depression and bipolar disorder, psychoses and its features, anxiety and trauma.  The range of opportunities encompasses laboratory methods with the range of techniques offered by contemporary cognitive neuroscience including imaging, brain stimulation, neuropsychology, psychopharmacology and genetics.

Strong ties between Experimental Psychology and Psychiatry in Oxford facilitate opportunties to work on translational projects that apply basic research to answer questions about the mechanisms that sustain and confer risk for psychological problems (across the lifespan) and mechanisms that might allow psychological and pharmacological treatments to work. The multi-disciplinary character of this research ensures that our programmes offer rich and exciting opportunities for post-graduate scientific training.

The Oxford Institute of Clinical Psychology Training runs a 3 year Doctoral course in Clinical Psychology that includes a substantial research programme.

Supervisors in Psychology and Psychiatry

Paul Azzopardi

Departmental Lecturer in Perception and Psychophysics

• Neuroscience

Clinical neuroscience

Systems, cognitive and behavioural neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, experimental psychology, psychophysics, visual sciences.

David Bannerman

Professor of Behavioural Neuroscience

Abnormal psychology and mental health

Ageing, geratology and degenerative diseases, alzheimer's disease, neurodegenerative diseases, psychology, mental health and psychiatry, parkinson's disease.

Esther Becker

Professor of Translational Neuroscience

Bioinformatics, Statistics and Computational Biology

Dna and protein sequence analysis, functional genomics, cellular mechanisms (including tumour microenvironment, angiogenesis and metastasis), molecular mechanisms (including dna damage and repair), developmental biology and stem cells, cell commitment, cell fate specification and differentiation, embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotency, multipotent stem cells, organogenesis, genes, genetics, epigenetics and genomics, gene expression, genetic disorders and therapies, biochemistry and chemical biology, cell biology and microscopy, membranes, membrane proteins, ion channels and transporters, signal transduction, structural biology, protein science and proteomics, cellular and molecular neuroscience, genes and developmental neuroscience, language development, translational medicine and medical technology, drug discovery and pharmacology, stem cells and cell therapy.

Timothy Behrens

Professor of Computational Neuroscience

Biomedical engineering

Computational modelling, functional brain imaging.

Rafal Bogacz

Mathematical modeling.

Professor of Developmental Psychopathology

Developmental psychology

Population, global, and public health, epidemiology.

Sven Braeutigam

MEG Physicist

Holly Bridge

Professor of Neuroscience

Ophthalmology, visual and circadian sciences

Ophthalmology.

Michael Browning

Professor of Computational Psychiatry

Randy Bruno

Mark J. Buckley

Professor of Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience

Philip Burnet

Gene therapy.

Claire Carson

Associate Professor in Epidemiology

Medical statistics

Reproductive, genitourinary and sexual medicine.

Grant C Churchill

Professor of Chemical Pharmacology

Cardiovascular Sciences

Pharmacology, diabetes and the metabolic syndrome, diabetes, endocrinology and metabolism, motor neuron disease, molecular, cell, systems and structural biology.

Cathy Creswell

Professor of Developmental Clinical Psychology

Paediatrics

Nele Demeyere

Associate Professor

Vascular disease

Applied psychology.

Benoit Duchet

Klaus Ebmeier

Professor (Chair) & Consultant Old Age Psychiatrist

Evidence-based health care, clinical trials methodology and epidemiology

Mike English

Anti-microbial drugs, design of patient pathways and clinical support systems, diagnostics, epidemiology and population dynamics, health experiences research, maternal health, medical statistics, microbiology, infection and tropical medicine, monitoring chronic disease, patient safety, primary care and general practice, social psychology, surgical science and practice.

Colin Espie

Professor of Sleep Medicine

Circadian sciences and sleep

Seena Fazel

Professor of Forensic Psychiatry

Russell Foster

Head of the Nuffield Laboratory of Ophthalmology and the Sleep and Circadian ...

Daniel Freeman

Professor of Clinical Psychology

John Gallacher

Professor of Cognitive Health; Director, Dementias Platform UK; Director, ...

Epidemiology & clinical trials

John Geddes

WA Handley Professor of Psychiatry; Director, NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical ...

Ben Goldacre

Director of Bennett Institute for Applied Data Science

Evidence-based health care

Health policy and promotion, global health, health economics, telemedicine and telecare.

Spalding Associate Professor

Respiratory Sciences

Trish Greenhalgh

Professor of Primary Care Health Sciences

Primary Care, Clinical Epidemiology, and Health Care Delivery

Clinical trials methodology, health services research.

Catherine Harmer

Associate Head of Department (People and Culture), Professor of Cognitive ...

Paul Harrison

Professor of Psychiatry; Associate Head of Department (Research)

Abdelaali Hassaine

Machine Learning Scientist

Laurence Hunt

Associate Professor of Experimental Psychology

Masud Husain

Professor of Neurology & Cognitive Neuroscience

Andrew King

Director, Centre for Integrative Neuroscience & Wellcome Principal Research ...

Patricia Kingori

Professor of Global Health Ethics

Medical ethics and law

Willem Kuyken

Ritblat Professor of Mindfulness and Psychological Science

Professor of Experimental and Clinical Sleep Research

Belinda Lennox

Head of Department

Victoria Bajo Lorenzana

Associate Professor of Neuroscience

Clare Mackay

Professor of Imaging Neuroscience

Sanjay Manohar

Associate Professor and Honorary Consultant

David Morley

Senior Research Scientist

Robin A Murphy

Professor of Experimental Psychology

Kate Nation

Charles Newton

Cheryl & Reece Scott Professor of Psychiatry

Epigenetics

Fernando Nodal

Departmental Lecturer

Robyn Norton

Acting Executive Director, The George Institute, UK.

Endometriosis

Gynaecological cancer, pre-eclampsia, musculoskeletal science, health promotion.

Jill O'Reilly

Jacinta O'Shea

Principal Investigator

Chrysanthi Papoutsi

Rebecca Park

Associate Professor and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist

Brian Parkinson

Professor of Social Psychology

Andrew Peters

Sir Henry Dale Fellow

Catherine Pope

Professor of Medical Sociology

Matthew Rushworth

Watts Chair and Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, Head of Department

Paul Salkovskis

Gaia Scerif

Professor of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience

Michael Sharpe

Emeritus Professor of Psychological Medicine

Professor of Health Policy & Practice

Ilina Singh

Professor of Neuroscience & Society

Stephen Smith

Professor of Biomedical Engineering

Hannah Smithson

Charles Spence

Charlotte Stagg

Professor of Human Neurophysiology

Emeritus Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Simon Stringer

Molecular, cell and systems biology.

Christopher Summerfield

Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience

Pawel Swietach

Professor of Physiology

Systems biology

Integrative physiology, electrophysiology, myocardial biology & energetics.

Irene Tracey

Professor Anaesthetic Neuroscience

Sridhar Vasudevan

Associate Professor in Pharmacology and Drug Discovery

Nicole Votruba

Senior Research Fellow in Implementation Science

Vladyslav Vyazovskiy

Professor of Sleep Physiology

Kerry Walker

Mark Walton

Wellcome Senior Research Fellow and Professor of Behavioural Neuroscience

Kate Watkins

• Interdisciplinary Bioscience DTP (BBSRC)
• Experimental Psychology (1+3 ESRC Funded)
• Doctoral Training Fellowship Scheme for Clinicians

Other Related Programmes

• Cognitive Therapy
• PG Cert in Supervision of Applied Psychological Practice
• DClin Psych

Related links

• Oxford Neuroscience
• Oxford Institute of Clinical Psychology Training

MPhil or PhD

Find a course

Start dates.

January 2024 / September 2024

Application deadline

Please allow at least four months between submitting your application and your expected start date, especially if you are an international student arranging a visa.

Course length

Full time: 2 - 3 years

Part time: 3 - 4 years

Department of Psychology, Health and Professional Development

Funding status

Self-funded

Psychology research groups

Centre for Psychological Research

Contact [email protected]

A research degree in the Centre for Psychological Research allows you to develop your skills and contribute to internationally recognised psychology related research supported by skilled staff and a vibrant, cross-discipline research student community.

Staff in the Centre work in a wide range of research areas allowing a huge range of potential study areas. Furthermore, the Centre offers high quality training and research facilities that can be accessed by both part-time and full-time students. 

All research students become part of the University's Graduate College, which runs a comprehensive programme of training sessions and workshops to give you the opportunity to acquire both research and transferable skills to advance your career. The department complements this with research methodology courses, seminars featuring eminent academics, and the opportunity to present work at the Annual Faculty Research Student Symposium.

Research expertise

The Centre is underpinned by groups researching a wide ranging number of research areas. These fit broadly into four research groups:

• those interested in aspects of Developmental Psychology
• those interested in Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience (in typical and clinical populations)
• those interested in aspects of applied social psychology
• those interested in the prevention of certain behaviours.

Some members of staff work across these groups but their work can be found from the links below. These links also include details on our current research students.

Institutes and Centres

• Centre for Psychological Research (CfPR)
• Applied Social Psychology
• Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience (C&CN)
• Developmental Psychology
• Health Behaviour and Wellbeing

Degree routes

All students enrol as probationer research students. During the first year you will formally register your research proposal for one of the below routes. 

If you undertake an MPhil you will:

• critically investigate and evaluate an approved topic
• demonstrate understanding of research methods appropriate to the chosen field
• Present and defend a substantial thesis by viva.

Length of study : Full-time: 2 years. Part-time: 3 years.

Entry requirement : The minimum entry requirement for an MPhil degree, or an MPhil with the intention of transferring to a PhD, is a first-class or upper second-class UK honours degree or equivalent qualification.

Applications are also welcomed from those holding qualifications other than the above and will be considered on their merits and in relation to the nature and scope of the work proposed. You will be required to provide the names of two academic referees.

MPhil with the possibility of transfer to a PhD

A candidate registered initially for an MPhil may be able to transfer to a PhD, and has to complete a transfer process within the Faculty, once sufficient progress has been made on the work to provide on the evidence of the development to PhD.

This is normally after 18 months of full-time study or 24-26 months of part-time study). Transfer comprises three main elements:

• a 1000 word transfer report which should be sent to the relevant Postgraduate Research Tutor and the supervisory team
• an oral presentation and/or interview
• an additional piece of work as indicated by the Faculty, Department/School or supervisory team.

Length of study : Full-time: 3 years. Part-time: 4 years.

PhD (direct entry)

If you undertake a PhD you will:

• critically investigate and evaluate an approved topic, resulting in an independent and original contribution to the field
• present and defend a substantial thesis by viva.

Entry requirement : The normal entry requirement for the degree of PhD is a master’s degree in a discipline which is appropriate to the proposed research and which has included research training and a research project.

In exceptional cases, applicants who have a good honours degree (or equivalent) may apply for direct registration to PhD if they have appropriate research or professional experience at postgraduate level which has resulted in published work, written reports or other appropriate evidence of accomplishment.

Why Oxford Brookes University?

The multiple award-winning John Henry Brookes building opened in 2014, and provides a state of the art library and extensive study spaces. In addition, The Centre for Psychological Research is situated on the top floor of the Sinclair building which was re-furbished in 2019. This space provides research students with a research student office, to help foster community within this group, as well as a range of specialist research laboratories:

• BabyLab (with observation room and eye-tracking equipment)
• PAAC Lab (Perception, Attention and Affective Cognition)
• PuMA Lab (Perception and Motion Analysis)
• Writing Lab

We also conduct some of our research in local schools and hospitals, which gives access to student and patient groups and links with education and health professionals.

All research students become part of the University's Graduate College, which runs a comprehensive programme of training sessions and workshops to give you the opportunity to acquire both research and transferable skills to advance your career.

We complement this with research methodology courses, seminars featuring eminent academics, and the opportunity to present work at the Annual Faculty Research Student Symposium.

How to apply

Entry requirements.

All students must be able to meet the University’s requirements for a research degree, which is to be able to devote a minimum of 35 hours per week (full-time) or 15 hours per week (part-time) to the programme of research.

The minimum entry requirement for the degree of MPhil, or MPhil with transfer to PhD, is a first-class or upper second-class UK honours degree or equivalent qualification.

The normal entry requirement for a PhD is a Masters degree, or exceptionally a good honours degree/equivalent.

English language requirements

Our requirement is IELTS: 6.5-7.0 overall, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component (reading, writing, listening and speaking), depending on the subject. Please note that an IELTS certificate must be current; they are only valid for 2 years from issue. For further information about the test visit the IELTS website . Please note that we are unable to accept TOEFL qualifications.

However, there may be some exceptions. See UK Government visa information for more detail on the information.

English requirements for visas

If you need a student visa to enter the UK you will need to meet the UK Visas and Immigration minimum language requirements as well as the University's requirements. Find out more about English language requirements .

Application process

• If you have a research proposal in mind, explore our research groups and supervisory staff webpages, to identify the relevant research group/s for your research.
• Check the fees information on the university website. Oxford Brookes Alumni may be entitled to a discount on course fees.
• Email your CV and an outline of your area of interest to  [email protected] . Give a brief explanation of how your studies will be funded.
• Once we have the initial information we will liaise with you as necessary and pass the information to the relevant Postgraduate Tutor/s, who will advise whether an application can be progressed. If this is possible we will invite you to submit an application through the university system. 

Tuition fees

Fees quoted are for the first year only. If you are studying a course that lasts longer than one year, your fees will increase each year.

For International fees the following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support. 

Home fees are set by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and are released approximately five months before the start of each academic year.

If you have any questions about fees, get in touch with the Research Degrees Team at  [email protected] .

How and when to pay

Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.

• For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
• For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy  page

Compulsory costs

Optional costs

Funding your studies

Financial support and scholarships.

Featured funding opportunities available for this course.

All financial support and scholarships

View all funding opportunities for this course

Back to top

Cookie statement

Course details

The psychology of happiness.

Searching for happiness has been a major preoccupation through the centuries. At present, more than ever, we need to answer those simple questions: what is happiness and how do we get there?

Explore the concept of happiness from a psychological perspective at this day event in Oxford. Learn about different routes to happiness presented by humanistic approach and positive psychology. Explore the studies of positive emotion, positive character, positive institutions and flow made by Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi. 

You will learn about the art of happiness introduced by the Dalai Lama and Haward C. Cutler, mental health, well-being, self-actualisation and peak experience through studying concepts built on pioneering work by Rogers, Maslow, Jahoda and Erikson. You will also learn about the use of psychological interventions to increase individual happiness.

Please note: this event will close to enrolments at 23:59 BST on 23 April 2025.

Programme details

9.45am: Registration at Ewert House reception

10am: The art of happiness: different definitions and components 

11.15am: Tea/coffee break

11.35am: Theories of happiness and authentic happiness

1pm: Lunch break

2pm: On becoming a person: maximizers and satisficers

3.15pm: Tea/coffee break

3.45pm: Self-actualisation, peak experience and flourishing

5pm: End of day

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit or are a full-time student in the UK you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees.

Concessionary fees for short courses

Mrs Magdalena Olmos

Magdalena Olmos has an MA from the University of Warsaw. She has been a lecturer in psychology for over twenty-five years. She is also a qualified Personal Performance Coach.

Application

Please use the 'Book' button on this page. Alternatively, please  contact us  to obtain an application form.

Accommodation

Accommodation is not included in the price, but if you wish to stay with us the night before the course, then please contact our Residential Centre.

Accommodation in Rewley House - all bedrooms are modern, comfortably furnished and each room has tea and coffee making facilities, Freeview television, and Free WiFi and private bath or shower rooms.  Please contact our Residential Centre on +44 (0) 1865 270362 or email  [email protected]  for details of availability and discounted prices.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support

FellowshipBard

Fully Funded PhD in Experimental Psychology at University of Oxford, England

Join our telegram channel, never miss an opportunity.

Students on the DPhil in Experimental Psychology will carry out independent research under the supervision and guidance of principal investigators and researchers within a research group or lab.

Areas of study include behavioural neuroscience, developmental psychology, perception and cognition, psychological and brain health, and social psychology.

The Department of Experimental Psychology runs a number of seminar programmes and all graduate research students are encouraged to attend talks and presentations relevant to their research interests.

On completion of the course, students are expected to have an in-depth knowledge of their field of research and to have made a contribution to scholarship in that area. They are also expected to have acquired research skills that will enable them to pursue independent research in psychology.

PhD Program Requirements

A first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in psychology or a related discipline that is relevant to your proposed research.

You do not need to have a previous master’s degree to apply for this course. However, if you wish to be considered for the ESRC +3 funding then you will need to demonstrate that core training requirements have been met for entry to this course, eg by a recognised master’s degree.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.5 out of 4.0.

It would be expected that graduate applicants would be familiar with the recent published work of their proposed supervisor.

Publications are not required, but if available, publications demonstrating prior experience and proficiency in psychological research will be considered as part of your application.

PhD Funding Coverage

The University expects to be able to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across the collegiate University in 2024-25.

You will be automatically considered for the majority of Oxford scholarships, if you fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit your graduate application by the relevant December or January deadline.

Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential.

Application Requirement

1. Online Application

2. 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.

3. Statement of purpose: You should provide a statement of your research interests, in English, describing how your background and research interests relate to the programme. If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document. The statement should focus on academic or research-related achievements and interests rather than personal achievements and interests.

4. GRE General Test scores: No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

5. 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.

Application Deadline

1 December 2024

Application Fee

An application fee of £75 is payable per course application.

This might interest you

Recently Viewed

Similar programs.

Professors Not Responding? Your CV May Be the Reason.

Try Our Ready-to-Use CV Templates Land You in Harvard, MIT, Oxford, and Beyond!

Our cookies

We use cookies for three reasons: to give you the best experience on PGS, to make sure the PGS ads you see on other sites are relevant , and to measure website usage. Some of these cookies are necessary to help the site work properly and can’t be switched off. Cookies also support us to provide our services for free, and by click on “Accept” below, you are agreeing to our use of cookies .You can manage your preferences now or at any time.

Privacy overview

We use cookies, which are small text files placed on your computer, to allow the site to work for you, improve your user experience, to provide us with information about how our site is used, and to deliver personalised ads which help fund our work and deliver our service to you for free.

The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalised web experience.

You can accept all, or else manage cookies individually. However, blocking some types of cookies may affect your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.

You can change your cookies preference at any time by visiting our Cookies Notice page. Please remember to clear your browsing data and cookies when you change your cookies preferences. This will remove all cookies previously placed on your browser.

For more detailed information about the cookies we use, or how to clear your browser cookies data see our Cookies Notice

Manage consent preferences

Strictly necessary cookies

These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems.

They are essential for you to browse the website and use its features.

You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. We can’t identify you from these cookies.

Functional cookies

These help us personalise our sites for you by remembering your preferences and settings. They may be set by us or by third party providers, whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, then these services may not function properly.

Performance cookies

These cookies allow us to count visits and see where our traffic comes from, so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are popular and see how visitors move around the site. The cookies cannot directly identify any individual users.

If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site and will not be able to improve its performance for you.

Marketing cookies

These cookies may be set through our site by social media services or our advertising partners. Social media cookies enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They can track your browser across other sites and build up a profile of your interests. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to see or use the content sharing tools.

Advertising cookies may be used to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but work by uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will still see ads, but they won’t be tailored to your interests.

Course type

Qualification, university name, masters degree psychology courses at university of oxford.

5 courses available

Customise your search

Select the start date, qualification, and how you want to study

About Postgraduate Psychology

Psychology is a broad and versatile field, which looks into the human mind and its functions and the behaviours which result. Studying this subject at postgraduate level allows you to build on your undergraduate knowledge, developing specialisms into areas which might form the basis for your future career. The distance learning format means you can complete an MA degree from anywhere in the world, since the course content, assignments and assessment are all conducted digitally.

Psychology is a popular postgraduate course in the UK and there are thirty distance learning options available. These are typically one year in duration, or two years if you wish to study part-time, perhaps to continue with your professional work while studying. Usually, you’ll need an upper second-class honours degree in psychology or a related field to gain entry on a course.

What to Expect

The distance learning formula means that you’ll manage your own workload online, while participating in virtual discussions with your academic tutors and peers and using the university’s virtual learning environment to access reading material, assignments and to get structured feedback. Modules can vary from course to course, however a lot of what you research will be of your own choosing.

You’ll work towards your final dissertation thesis, a long-form piece which you’ll build throughout the second half of the year which includes a significant amount of research and development. Once you’ve graduated, you may seek accreditation from professional bodies like the British Psychological Society (BPS) and prepare for a diversity of careers in psychology, education or applied behavioural research.

Related subjects:

• Masters Psychology
• Masters Cognitive Psychology
• Masters General Psychology
• Masters Human Sexuality
• Masters Psychology Specialisations

• Course title (A-Z)
• Course title (Z-A)
• Price: high - low
• Price: low - high

MSc in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

University of oxford.

This course aims to provide students with a high-level of expertise in applying evidence-based findings to clinical practice. Research Read more...

• 2 years Part time degree: £5,545 per year (UK)

MSt in Psychodynamic Practice

A one year part-time graduate course following on from the PG Diploma in Psychodynamic Practice, providing training in advanced clinical Read more...

• 1 year Part time degree: £6,510 per year (UK)

MSt in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

The MSt in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies is a nine-month, interdisciplinary course designed to equip you with the critical and Read more...

• 9 months Full time degree: £17,590 per year (UK)

MSc by Research in Experimental Psychology

Students on the MSc by Research in Experimental Psychology will carry out independent research under the supervision and guidance of Read more...

• 1 year Full time degree: £9,500 per year (UK)
• 2 years Part time degree: £4,750 per year (UK)

MSc in Psychological Research

The MSc in Psychological Research is a one-year taught master's course. The course provides a broad-based research training programme in Read more...

• 1 year Full time degree: £12,540 per year (UK)

Course type:

• Full time Masters
• Part time Masters

Qualification:

Related subjects:.

Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

• Accessibility
• Faculty and Research Fellows
• Postdoctoral Researcher
• Research Support Staff
• Graduate Students
• Professional Support Staff
• Honorary Members

Thomas Akam

Wellcome Career Development Fellow

Jack Andrews

Wellcome Early-Career Fellow

Salomi Asaridou

Departmental Lecturer

Paul Azzopardi

Departmental Lecturer in Perception and Psychophysics

David Bannerman

Professor of Behavioural Neuroscience

Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience

Sage Boettcher

Brain & Cognition Lab (Nobre Lab)

Professor of Developmental Psychopathology

Mark J. Buckley

Professor of Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience

Deborah Clarke

Course Lecturer, Graduate Programme in Neuroscience

Cathy Creswell

Professor of Developmental Clinical Psychology

Vera Da Silva Sinha

Research Fellow

Dejan Draschkow

Associate Professor

Omid V. Ebrahimi

Career Development Research Fellow

Anke Ehlers

Professor of Experimental Psychopathology

Simone Ferrari Toniolo

BBSRC Discovery Fellow

Lucy Foulkes

Prudence Trust Research Fellow

Daniel Freeman

Chair of Psychology

Fabian Grabenhorst

Associate Professor of Experimental Psychology

Alexandra Hendry

NIHR and Castang Foundation Advanced Fellow

Robert Hepach

Associate Professor of Developmental Psychology

Cecilia Heyes

Professor of Psychology

Fei-Yang Huang

Wellcome Trust Early Career Research Fellow

Laurence Hunt

Masud Husain

Professor of Neurology & Cognitive Neuroscience

Maria Kempnich

Nima Khalighinejad

Miriam Klein-Flugge

Urska Kosir

Departmental Lecturer & Research Fellow

Alex Lau-Zhu

MRC Clinician Scientist Fellow

Eleanor Leigh

Patricia Lockwood

Medical Research Council Fellow and Junior Research Fellow

Hjordis Lorenz

Research Clinical Psychologist

Rakoen Maertens

Juliana Cuyler Matthews Junior Research Fellow

Asifa Majid

Professor of Cognitive Science

Shelley McKeown Jones

Professor of Social Psychology

Marie Curie Fellow (UKRI Funded)

Takuma Morimoto

Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellow, Junior Research Fellow at Pembroke ...

Robin A Murphy

Professor of Experimental Psychology

Kate Nation

Elisabeth Norcliffe

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Senior Research Fellow

Jill O'Reilly

Brian Parkinson

Matthew Rushworth

Watts Chair and Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, Head of Department

Paul Salkovskis

Professor of Clinical Psychology

Gaia Scerif

Professor of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience

Danielle Shore

Deputy Research Director of Clinical Psychology Training and Research

Hannah Smithson

DPhil in Education

• Entry Requirements
• Funding and Costs

College preference

• How to Apply

About the course

The DPhil in Education is intended to provide graduates with a wide range of research skills, as well as in-depth knowledge, understanding and expertise in their chosen field of research.

There are full-time and part-time routes available. Currently the overall expected contact time for the part-time route is thirty days at Oxford per year, but the majority of this will take place across the three eight week terms, and will include supervision meetings and core research training. Part-time students will normally be expected to be in the department every Thursday during term time in the first year and every Wednesday during term time in the second year. In later years there is greater flexibility and contact time will be agreed between the student and their supervisor.  

The department's doctoral students develop their skills through a range of research methods and skills training courses in their first year (for full-time students) and in their first two years (for part-time students). At the heart of the skills provision is the Research Training Seminar, where students present and develop their research ideas and proposals with the benefit of feedback and support from their peers. 

You will work closely with supervisors on literature review and study design for your thesis, and you are encouraged to make the most of the doctoral training and research methods provision available across the Social Sciences Division. 

You are also encouraged to join one or more of the department's research groups, becoming part of a vibrant educational research community with an active set of doctoral student-led events, seminars and conferences. All DPhil students are given opportunities to present their work at a variety of seminars and sessions in the department.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision is the responsibility of the Department of Education and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a second or co-supervisor may be found outside the Department of Education. 

A full-time student will typically have three supervisions per term, with some variance according to stage or if they are on fieldwork.

All students will be initially admitted to the status of Probationer Research Student (PRS). Within a maximum of four terms as a full-time PRS student or eight terms as a part-time PRS student, you will be expected to apply for and achieve transfer of status from Probationer Research Student to DPhil status. This application is normally made by the third term for full-time students and by the sixth term for part-time students.

A successful transfer of status from PRS to DPhil status will require submission of a research proposal. Students who are successful at transfer will also be expected to apply for and gain confirmation of DPhil status to show that your work continues to be on track. This will include submission of two chapters from your thesis (methodology and a findings chapter) and a framing document, and will need to be achieved within nine terms of admission for full-time students and eighteen terms of admission for part-time students.

Both milestones involve an interview with two assessors (other than your supervisor) and therefore provide important experience for the final oral examination.

Full-time students will be expected to submit a substantial thesis of at most 100,000 words after three or, at most, four years from the date of admission. If you are studying part-time, you will be required to submit your thesis after six or, at most, eight years from the date of admission. To be successfully awarded a DPhil in Education you will need to defend your thesis orally (viva voce) in front of two appointed examiners.

Graduate destinations

The most recent Oxford University Destination of Leavers from Higher Education Survey made contact with 635 master's course students who graduated from the Department of Education between 2012 and 2014. 90.2% of alumni were in work and 5.8% in further study with only 2.0% looking for work, ranking the department in the best 3 of the 15 departments in Oxford's Social Sciences Division.

Past DPhil students from the Department of Education have gone on to academic and research careers at universities in the UK (eg Oxford, Edinburgh, Warwick, UCL, King's College, St. Mary's, Liverpool) and across the world (eg Stanford, Princeton, MIT, Hong Kong, Chile, Norway), or are employed across a wide range of other sectors such as policy for government departments or NGOs, international organisations such as OECD, think tanks and administration at local and national levels. The department’s ‘Conversations with Alumni’ feature includes interviews with two DPhil alumni on their career paths after Oxford.

Changes to this course and your supervision

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 in circumstances of a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency. 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.

Entry requirements for entry in 2024-25

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 interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

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. 

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 , normally with a mark of at least 68 and at least 68 in your dissertation, in a relevant subject;  and
• a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in a relevant subject, preferably in the social sciences.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.6 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

• Part-time applicants will also be expected to show evidence of the ability to commit time to study and, if applicable, an employer's commitment to make time available to study, to complete coursework, and attend course and University events and modules. Where appropriate, evidence should also be provided of permission to use employers’ data in the proposed research project.

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.

*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.

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

Interviews are held as part of the admissions process.  

Interviews are normally held with two interviewers using Teams videoconferencing. The interview will normally cover issues related to your research proposal, your fit with departmental research groups, and your career plan. Interviews normally take place in February.

How your application is assessed

Your application will be assessed purely on your proven and potential academic excellence and other entry requirements described under that heading.

References  and  supporting documents  submitted as part of your application, and your performance at interview (if interviews are held) will be considered as part of the assessment process. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed.

An overview of the shortlisting and selection process is provided below. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide  more information about how applications are assessed . 

Shortlisting and selection

Students are considered for shortlisting and selected for admission without regard to age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, sexual orientation, as well as other relevant circumstances including parental or caring responsibilities or social background. However, please note the following:

• socio-economic information may be taken into account in the selection of applicants and award of scholarships for courses that are part of  the University’s pilot selection procedure  and for  scholarships aimed at under-represented groups ;
• country of ordinary residence may be taken into account in the awarding of certain scholarships; and
• protected characteristics may be taken into account during shortlisting for interview or the award of scholarships where the University has approved a positive action case under the Equality Act 2010.

Initiatives to improve access to graduate study

This course is taking part in  the 'Close the Gap' project  which aims to improve access to doctoral study.

For this course, socio-economic data (where it has been provided in the application form) will be used to contextualise applications at the different stages of the selection process.  Further information about how we use your socio-economic data  can be found in our page about initiatives to improve access to graduate study.

Processing your data for shortlisting and selection

Information about  processing special category data for the purposes of positive action  and  using your data to assess your eligibility for funding , can be found in our Postgraduate Applicant Privacy Policy.

Admissions panels and assessors

All recommendations to admit a student involve the judgement of at least two members of the academic staff with relevant experience and expertise, and must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies or Admissions Committee (or equivalent within the department).

Admissions panels or committees will always include at least one member of academic staff who has undertaken appropriate training.

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.

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.

The Department of Education has been making a major contribution to the field of education for over 100 years and the department has a world class reputation for research, for teacher education and for its master's and doctoral programmes. We combine international standing as a research-intensive department with the highest quality teaching.

In the 2021 evaluation of research quality in UK universities, the Research Excellence Framework (REF), Oxford University Department of Education had the highest overall percentage of research judged to be 4* (i.e. world-leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour) in Education in the UK. The department has ESRC recognition for its graduate training, and its teacher training was rated ‘outstanding’ by the Office for Standards in Education (OfSTED) in its most recent inspection in 2019.

Research in the department is organised around three major themes:

• Language, Cognition and Development
• Policy, Economy and Society
• Learning: Pedagogy, Learning and Knowledge.

Within each of these themes there are several research groups and centres. All staff and doctoral students belong to one or more of these research groups; each has its own seminar programme to which postgraduate students often contribute. In addition, the department as a whole sponsors regular seminars and public lectures which attract distinguished national and international speakers.

The Bodleian Education Library, located at the centre of the Department of Education, specialises in material on education and related fields. As well as a print collection of books, journals and statistics, the library provides access to a wide range of electronic resources. The library also houses a collection of teaching resources, primarily in support of subjects covered by the department's secondary PGCE course. The Social Sciences Library provides valuable additional resource to students pursuing programmes in the Department of Education.

Oxford has been a major contributor to the field of education for over 100 years and today the University’s Department of Education has a world class reputation for research, for teacher education and for its graduate courses.

The department offers one of the strongest graduate studies programmes in the UK with a range of full- and part-time MSc courses and a lively doctoral programme (DPhil) which is recognised for national funding by the ESRC.

The department's masters' courses are delivered by academics and research experts, the majority of whom are permanent staff engaged in their fields of research. The department's DPhil in Education has excellent facilities for the large number of full-time research students who are well integrated into the research of the department.

The department has an outstanding research profile. In the 2021 evaluation of research quality in UK universities, the Research Excellence Framework (REF), Oxford University Department of Education had the highest overall percentage of research judged to be 4* (ie world-leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour) in Education in the UK. A wide range of funded research projects are based in the department and many of these projects have had a major impact on national policy.

Oxford’s PGCE course has an international reputation for the quality of its work, undertaken in close collaboration with local Oxfordshire secondary schools. Over many years, it has consistently received the highest possible designation (Outstanding) from Ofsted in inspections.

View all courses   View taught courses View research courses

The University expects to be able to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across the collegiate University in 2024-25. You will be automatically considered for the majority of Oxford scholarships , if you fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit your graduate application by the relevant December or January deadline. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential. 

For further details about searching for funding as a graduate student visit our dedicated Funding pages, which contain information about how to apply for Oxford scholarships requiring an additional application, details of external funding, loan schemes and other funding sources.

Please ensure that you visit individual college websites for details of any college-specific funding opportunities using the links provided on our college pages or below:

Please note that not all the colleges listed above may accept students on this course. For details of those which do, please refer to the College preference section of this page.

Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the department's website.

Annual fees for entry in 2024-25

Full-time study.

Further details about fee status eligibility can be found on the fee status webpage.

Part-time study

Information about 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, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges .

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 information below.

Continuation charges

Following the period of fee liability , you may also be required to pay a University continuation charge and a college continuation charge. The University and college continuation charges are shown on the Continuation charges page.

Where can I find further information about fees?

The Fees and Funding  section of this website provides further information about course fees , including information about fee status and eligibility  and your length of fee liability .

Additional information

There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees (or, after fee liability ends, continuation charges) and living costs. However, please note that, 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 field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Please note that you are required to attend in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year, and you may incur additional travel and accommodation expenses for this. Also, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur further additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Living costs

In addition to your course fees, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.

For the 2024-25 academic year, the range of likely living costs for full-time study is between c. £1,345 and £1,955 for each month spent in Oxford. Full information, including a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs, is available on our living costs page. The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. When planning your finances for any future years of study in Oxford beyond 2024-25, it is suggested that you allow for potential increases in living expenses of around 5% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. UK inflationary increases will be kept under review and this page updated.

If you are studying part-time your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you must still ensure that you will have sufficient funding to meet these costs for the duration of your course.

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 . For some courses, the department may have provided some additional advice below to help you decide.

The following colleges accept students for full-time study on this course:

• Blackfriars
• Brasenose College
• Campion Hall
• Green Templeton College
• Harris Manchester College
• Hertford College
• Jesus College
• Kellogg College
• Lady Margaret Hall
• Linacre College
• Mansfield College
• New College
• Regent's Park College
• Reuben College
• St Anne's College
• St Antony's College
• St Catherine's College
• St Cross College
• St Edmund Hall
• St Hilda's College
• St Hugh's College
• Wolfson College
• Worcester College
• Wycliffe Hall

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. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

If it's important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under a December or 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 £75 is payable per course application. 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 do not have to contact anyone before you apply. You are encouraged, however, to approach academics whose research interests overlap with yours to informally solicit their capacity and interest in supervising you. You may also ask them to share with you specific publications that they have authored that you can’t access otherwise and that may help inform your research proposal. Details of academic staff, including their research interests and contact details, can be found on the departmental website.  

In making this informal contact, you may wish to also provide some information about yourself. Please note that potential supervisors receive large numbers of informal requests each year, as such the department recommends getting in contact with a potential supervisor as early as possible. Please also note that final decisions about admission are not made by individual academics but by an appointed panel at the department level - supervisors will also be ultimately be allocated by the department.

General queries should be directed to the course administrator via the contact details provided on this page.

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

Under 'Proposed supervisor name' enter the name of the academic(s) whom you would like to supervise your research. 

You are strongly encouraged to enter the names of two proposed supervisors.

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.

One of your references should be from your most recent academic tutor. If you are currently in employment, you would be expected to provide a reference from your employer alongside academic references which comment on your academic suitability for the course.

Your references will support intellectual ability, academic achievement, motivation and ability to work in a group.

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 a maximum of 1,000 words and proposal of 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 programme and highlighting your relevant academic and professional experience. The final part of your personal statement should indicate your future plans after a doctorate.

Your personal statement should be written in English and should be a maximum of 1,000 words.

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 title;
• a short introduction that introduces the topic and explains its importance;
• a discussion of the most relevant scholarly literature; 
• research questions or hypotheses, and a description of the methods you plan to use to address them; and
• an indicative bibliography.

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’ to be collected. At this stage these ideas are exploratory, and likely to develop and change once you are admitted to the course and start working with your supervisor.

Your research proposal should be written in English and should be a maximum of  2,500 words (not including the indicative bibliography).

Your research proposal will be assessed for your potential to carry out doctoral research, the quality and coherence of the proposal, the rigor of the proposed research design, 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: Two essays, a maximum of 2,000 words each

The written work should be related to the DPhil in Education and should be on separate topics. If you do not have any existing material that fits this requirement, you may wish to critique an article or write a book review based on the course subject.

You may submit written work completed for a prior course of study if the topic is relevant, eg an assignment or chapter of a dissertation etc, provided it meets the requirements. If your work is longer than the guide length it should be edited to meet the requirements.

A list of relevant references is required for your written work and should be included in your word count.

This will be assessed for understanding of the subject area, an ability to construct and defend an argument, and proficiency in academic English.

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 . You'll find the answers to most common queries in our FAQs.

Application Guide   Apply - Full time Apply - Part time

ADMISSION STATUS

Closed to applications for entry in 2024-25

Register to be notified via email when the next application cycle opens (for entry in 2025-26)

12:00 midday UK time on:

Friday 5 January 2024 Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships Final application deadline for part-time study

Friday 1 March 2024 - Full-time study only Full-time applications reopened 7 February 2024 Final application deadline for full-time study

*Three-year average (applications for entry in 2021-22 to 2023-24)

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered by the Department of Education

• Course page on the department's website
• Funding information from the department
• Academic and research staff
• Departmental research
• Social Sciences Division
• Residence requirements for full-time courses
• Postgraduate applicant privacy policy

Course-related enquiries

Advice about contacting the department can be found in the How to apply section of this page

✉ [email protected] ☎ +44 (0)1865 274183

Application-process enquiries

See the application guide

Visa eligibility for part-time study

We are unable to sponsor student visas for part-time study on this course. Part-time students may be able to attend on a visitor visa for short blocks of time only (and leave after each visit) and will need to remain based outside the UK.