How to apply for PhD or MD (by Published Work) degrees

What is a PhD or MD (by Published Work) degree?

These awards provide researchers who have already published but not obtained a doctoral award an alternative route to the traditional PhD or MD.

It allows you to demonstrate through the medium of your publications that you have already undertaken doctoral level research and have the appropriate research skills for that level.

The MD is aimed at researchers in a clinical environment who have made a significant contribution to medical knowledge and/or professional practice.

Criteria for the Awards

Our Academic Regulations (A1.1) state:

“The PhD (by Published Work) is awarded to a candidate who, having critically investigated and evaluated an approved topic resulting in an independent, significant and original contribution to knowledge and demonstrated an understanding of research methods appropriate to the chosen field, has presented a synoptic commentary and defended the Published Work by oral examination, to the satisfaction of the examiners.”

"The MD (by Published Work) is awarded to a student, who having critically investigated and evaluated diagnosis or management in a clinical environment resulting in a significant contribution to medical knowledge and/or professional practice, has presented a synoptic commentary and defended the Published Work, by oral examination, to the satisfaction of the examiners.”

An award by Published Work is assessed on your own publications, (not necessarily all of them, more often a selection of them), supported by an overarching synoptic commentary and an oral examination.

Together, the published works and the synoptic commentary (recommended word count approximately 10,000 words) will be very roughly equivalent to a doctoral level thesis. It must demonstrate that your research skills are commensurate with doctoral level and that the research work, including methodology, is of doctoral level.

There is no specific number of publications required for an award.

It's a matter of how many of your publications show that the work achieved has had an impact on other knowledge in your field. It must show that you understand the impact, can justify and defend it against peer critique, and that you are capable of continuing to make a contribution to knowledge in an independent and original way.

The publications may be a selection of your work rather than all the works published. Together they must focus on a particular research topic. The publications selected should be peer-reviewed. The works must be already in the public domain not awaiting publication. Your contribution will need to be clearly detailed for any publications with joint authorship.

Usually, the publications will be peer-reviewed. They can be journal articles, books, or other forms of printed material. We also permit submission of other materials outside conventional publications, allowing areas such as art and design to seek an award by the Published Work route. These need to be accessible for peer review purposes to be considered as ‘published’. Whatever the form of the work, it must be listed in the publications when applying for admission.

Entry requirements

Entry is not open to all.

PhD (by Published Work)

You must hold a Bachelor degree with Honours, or equivalent, and:

Be a current member of the staff of the University or one of the partner institutions of the University; or
Be an honorary academic of the University; or
Be a graduate of the University.

MD (by Published Work)

You must hold a Bachelor of Medicine or Bachelor of Surgery or equivalent, awarded by a UK medical school or equivalent, and:

Have for at least 5 years prior to the entry for the degree, held a research or teaching appointment; or
Have been engaged in the practice of medicine or surgery

Tuition fees

You can find information about fees on our postgraduate research funding opportunities page.

How to apply

You must complete the online application form and submit the following before an application can be considered:

Published Works

You must provide both:

A list of your published works and

Copies of your published works.

Proposal

Your proposal must be a maximum of 2,000 words and contain:

Working title

Contextualisation of your selected publications, demonstrating their coherence and outlining their intended contribution to knowledge and how the doctoral standard has been met.

Statements

You must provide:

A statement confirming that your published works have not been submitted in whole or in part for any other award

A statement from you detailing your contribution to each publication where there is joint authorship, signed by the joint authors to confirm your contribution.
Our Admissions Office will send the application and supporting information to the relevant school research degree tutor.

The school’s research degree tutor plus the Associate Dean for Research & Knowledge Exchange, School Research Lead or Level 2 Professor must both assess the quality and coherence of the publications and the proposal and decide whether to reject the application or proceed to interview.

All Interview Panels will include the research degree tutor and proposed director of studies.

The research degree tutor will complete a RDSC1 form, which incorporates an assurance report that clearly demonstrates support for the decision to accept or reject the application. For acceptances, the report should provide assurance that the published work is (or is highly likely to be) sufficient to support a doctoral level award.

The Research Admissions Office will issue an offer to the applicant confirming candidacy for the award of PhD or MD (by Published Work) following receipt of the RDSC1 form.

Applicants who are rejected for admission may use the Complaints procedure outlined in the Admissions and Applicants Complaints procedure policy.

The recommended length of the Synoptic Commentary is 10,000 words. Further guidance on the format will be provided.

The Synoptic Commentary will differ from a traditional doctoral thesis in terms of its content. It should take the form of a critical appraisal and should demonstrate that the published work makes an independent, significant, and original contribution to knowledge to the nominated topic by the candidate.

You are expected to complete your PhD or MD (by Published Work) within 12 months of the start date.

Continuation beyond this time is subject to approval and will be subject to a maximum additional period of one year. If you do not submit within these timescales you will be recorded as failing for the registered award.

A candidate for PhD or MD (by Published Work) will be required to submit:

A copy of the published works for each of the examiners
A Synoptic Commentary of approximately 10,000 words
A complete list of all your publications
A declaration that the submitted published work, either in whole or in part, has not been submitted either in published or unpublished form for another award
Where the work submitted includes work conducted in collaboration with others, you will need to provide a written statement signed by all collaborating parties indicating the extent of your contribution to the work.

The submission will only be eligible for examination when all the elements required have been lodged with the Academic Registry.

The candidate can only proceed to examination once the synoptic commentary has been drawn up and examination arrangements approved by the Research Degrees Board.

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How to apply for PhD or MD (by Published Work) degrees

What is a PhD or MD (by Published Work) degree?

Criteria for the Awards

Entry requirements

PhD (by Published Work)

MD (by Published Work)

Tuition fees

How to apply

Published Works

Proposal

Statements

Further information

Find out more

Postgraduate research

Types of postgraduate study

Student support

How to apply for PhD or MD (by Published Work) degrees

What is a PhD or MD (by Published Work) degree?

Criteria for the Awards

How is an award by Published Work assessed?

How many publications are needed for an award?

Is there a time restriction on publications?

What kinds of publication are permitted?

Entry requirements

PhD (by Published Work)

MD (by Published Work)

Tuition fees

How to apply

Further information

Enrolment and Welcome

Supervision

Progression monitoring

The Synoptic Commentary

Submission for examination

Examination

Find out more

Postgraduate research

Types of postgraduate study

Student support