Education Swansea University
| Award | Attendance | Study | Duration | Start | Domestic fees | International fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PhD, MPhil | On-Campus | Full-time, Part-time | 2 - 6 years | October, January, April, July | £5006 per year | £18850 per year |
Course overview
A PhD or MPhil in Education enables you to undertake a substantial research project led by your own passions and interests.
The PhD takes three years full-time or six years part-time, and the MPhil takes two years full-time or four years part-time.
You submit a thesis of up to 100,000 words for PhD assessment and 60,000 words for MPhil assessment, demonstrating original research with a significant contribution to the field of Education. This is followed by an oral examination of the thesis (a viva voce examination, or viva).
Working at an elite academic level, you will conduct original research. The research strengths of the School reside around six main areas of scholarship:
- Early childhood
- Digital skills
- Widening participation
- Leadership
- Professional Learning (including Additional Learning Needs)
- Teacher Education
- Parental and Family engagement with learning
According to the most recent Research Excellence Framework in 2021, over 81% of the research in Education, Sociology and social policy was of international or world-leading quality.
All academic staff hold doctorates and are research active. The research profile of the department represents both a breadth and depth of interests within the field of education and those holding more senior posts have an international research profile with a strong track record of securing research income. Most staff have successfully supervised post-graduate students to completion and have a range of expertise within the discipline.
As a PhD/MPhil student you will develop and refine the research skills needed for high-level work in the field of Education, while skills and training programmes available on campus provide further support. You will have the opportunity to deliver presentations to research students and staff at departmental seminars, and at the Postgraduate conference.
You may also have the chance to teach undergraduate tutorials and seminars from the second year, for which you receive training and payment.
We also offer a Professional Doctorate in Education (EdD) which is designed for those who would like to study education part-time at doctoral level. Many EdD students will be teachers or senior leaders in schools, or will be working in the field of education more broadly. The EdD is a research-led programme comprising of taught and research phases, offering students the opportunity to approach issues in education in a professional and critical manner while being supported by academics with international reputations of excellence. Discover more here.
Entry requirements
Note for international and European applicants: details of how your qualification compares to the published academic entry requirements can be found on our Country Specific Entry Requirements page.
MPhil: Applicants for MPhil must normally hold an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level (or Non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University). See our Country Specific Postgraduate Entry Requirements.
PhD: Applicants for PhD must normally hold an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level and a master’s degree with a minimum overall grade at ‘Merit’. Alternatively, applicants with a UK first class honours degree (or Non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University) not holding a master’s degree, will be considered on an individual basis. See our Country Specific Postgraduate Entry Requirements.
English Language
IELTS 6.5 Overall (with no individual component below 6.5) or Swansea University recognised equivalent. Full details of our English Language policy, including certificate time validity, can be found here.
As well as academic qualifications, Admissions decisions may be based on other factors, including (but not limited to): the standard of the research synopsis/proposal, performance at interview, intensity of competition for limited places, and relevant professional experience.
As well as academic qualifications, Admissions decisions may be based on other factors, including (but not limited to): the standard of the research synopsis/proposal, performance at interview, intensity of competition for limited places, and relevant professional experience.
Reference Requirement
As standard, one reference is required before we can progress applications to the Faculty research programme, academic Admissions Tutor for consideration.
Please note that any protracted delay in receiving the outstanding reference may result in the need to defer your application to a later potential start point/entry month, than what you initially listed as your preferred start option.
You may wish to consider contacting your referee to assist in the process of obtaining the outstanding reference or alternatively, hold submission of application until a reference is sourced. Please note that it is not the responsibility of the University Admissions Office to obtain missing reference after our initial email is sent to your nominated referee, requesting a reference on your behalf.
The reference can take the form of a letter on official headed paper, or via the University’s standard reference form. Click this link to download the university reference form.
Alternatively, referees can email a reference from their employment email account, please note that references received via private email accounts, (i.e. Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail) cannot be accepted.
References can be submitted to [email protected].
Why study at Swansea University
There are many reasons to choose Swansea University for your studies; from the stunning beachfront locations of our Singleton Park and Bay campuses, to our global reputation for research and academic excellence, we offer a safe, supportive and fun environment to live and study, and our vast range of courses and subject areas mean you are sure to find the future career for you.
- Top 30 UK research-led university (Research Excellence Framework 2014-2021)
- Ranked within the Top 350 of universities globally (QS World University Rankings 2027)
- 95% of students surveyed would recommend Swansea University (Uni Compare 2026)
- 95% of graduates are in employment, study and/or other activities (HESA 2025)
Whether you join us for your undergraduate degree, postgraduate studies or research, you’ll receive a modern approach to learning, backed by cutting-edge facilities and an excellent research and teaching faculty.
Join Swansea and start your journey, studying in a picturesque, student-friendly city by the sea with so much to offer.