Spanish, Portuguese & Latin American Studies Research – (Ph.D.)

Research students are assigned to supervisory teams comprising three members of the Department’s academic staff and led by the principal supervisor; as well as providing close guidance to the student, this team manages the student’s induction, including identifying training needs, and reports regularly to the Department’s Postgraduate and Research Committee (PARC). Students are expected to attend and contribute to the Department’s weekly research seminar programme. This seminar series provides an intimate but academically rigorous forum in which students can discuss theories, keep abreast of developments in their field of research and network with other students and academics. We have strong academic links to the School of Advanced Studies (SAS) at Senate House. Included therein is the Institute of Germanic and Romance Studies and the Institute for the Study of the Americas as well as other institutes with regional specialisms. All of these institutes offer training and research opportunities, including seminars and lectures, in which our students participate strongly. MPhil This is a supervised research programme, involving the presentation of a thesis, followed by an oral examination. The minimum period of registration is two years, and the thesis shall be either a record of original work or an ordered and critical exposition of existing knowledge. The maximum length is 75,000 words, inclusive of footnotes and appendices, but exclusive of bibliography. PhD This is a prolonged research programme, lasting a minimum of three years full time, culminating in the presentation of a thesis, followed by an oral examination. The thesis must form a distinct contribution to the knowledge of the subject and afford evidence of originality, shown either by the discovery of new facts or by the exercise of independent critical power. It must be suitable for publication, either as submitted or in an abridged or modified form. The maximum length is 100,000 words, inclusive of footnotes and appendices, but exclusive of bibliography. Theses can be submitted in languages other than English with the permission of the student's supervisor. Candidates will normally register in the first instance for the MPhil degree. They may transfer to the PhD programme after no less than one year (with retrospective registration) with the consent of their supervisor and after assessment of progress.