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Entry Requirements

The minimum requirements for an applicant for registration for the degree of MRes or MPhil or for the degree of MRes/MPhil with the intention of transfer to PhD shall be a first or second class honours degree of a university in the United Kingdom, or of an equivalent qualification.

Applicants holding qualifications other than those specified in (above) shall be considered on their merits and in relation to the nature and scope of the programme of work proposed.

Direct registration for the degree of PhD may also be approved, at the discretion of the University if the applicant holds an MRes/MPhil degree of a United Kingdom University, or an MRes/MPhil degree of equivalent standard of a non-UK University, provided that the MRes/MPhil degree is in a subject area which is appropriate to the proposed programme of work.

Exceptionally, direct registration for the degree of PhD may also be approved, at the discretion of the University, even if the applicant is not the holder of an MRes/MPhil degree, but does hold an exceptionally high-quality honours degree or taught master’s degree (or equivalent) in an appropriate discipline, AND has appropriate research experience at postgraduate level which has resulted in significant peer-reviewed publications, and where verifiable evidence of accomplishment is supplied.

For applicants whose first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level. The qualifications below must have been gained within two years of the start of your course.

General English language requirements at UWS: International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training)

For our research degrees (MRes, MPhil, PhD, DBA, DProf), applicants are required to have an IELTS score as follows:

  • Overall score of 6.5
  • No sub-test less than 6.0

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

SOCIAL SCIENCES - PHD

Qualification: Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD) in Social Sciences
School: School of Education and Social Sciences
Campus(es): Paisley, Lanarkshire and London
Start date: October, February, April, or June
Admissions Deadline: September, January, March, or May
Duration: Minimum of 36 months full-time or 72 months part-time
Fees: Tuition Fees for Research Degrees

Doing a PhD at the University of the West of Scotland, on the topic of Roma, Gypsy and Traveller students’ agency, educational progression and career-decision making, was a once in a lifetime experience that has changed the trajectory of my life.

During the PhD I was surrounded by supportive, professional, and inspiring supervisors and doctoral peers who were creating impact through their research. Support was always on hand when you needed to test an idea or clarify your thoughts in an academically enriching environment.

I was offered many teaching and mentoring opportunities while doing my thesis and it ultimately led to a permanent lectureship where I am now lucky enough to teach and research alongside brilliant colleagues and wonderful UWS students who bring a wealth of life experience which helps us collectively think of phenomena in novel ways.

Dr Nicola Hay, Lecturer

I started my PhD at UWS in 2019 on the migration of Albanians from Montenegro and Kosovo to the United States, and the effect their migration has had on their country of destination and on the non-migrants in their home countries.

All in all, this experience has taught me how to be a better researcher, especially how to use my multi-lingual skills to support my multi-methodological project. It has also taught me the importance of having a great support system in the form of motivated and responsive supervisors.

More importantly, it also taught me about myself, my culture, my people, and the importance of pursuing something that has not been as closely studied or researched before and how information can be drawn from multiple different sources to formulate new or different ways of looking at social phenomenon such as migration.

I am happy to say that all of my hard work and long nights have definitely paid off as I am now a lecturer with UWS, a title that I always dreamed of one day holding.

Dr Klement Camaj, Lecturer

Last updated: 01/04/2025

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