MPhil/ PhD by Portfolio

A newly refurbished study space on our Canterbury Campus is available exclusively for postgraduate students, complete with full IT facilities and social space. Specialist teaching and research supervision within our academic Faculties, Schools and Research Centres is complemented by a cross-disciplinary research development and training course provided by the Graduate College.

As a postgraduate research student you will be able to join the Post Graduate Research Association (PGRA). The PGRA is an active and enthusiastic society run by the postgraduate students themselves. They meet regularly and are involved in liaising with various student service departments within the University on behalf of research students. The PGRA also arranges seminars and events including the annual postgraduate research student conference in May. All are interdisciplinary events which encourage learning and an exchange of views across subject areas. All research students are also eligible to join the clubs and societies of the Students’ Union.

We hope very much that you will enjoy your time as a research student at Canterbury Christ Church University and we look forward to meeting you during the induction period and exploring your ideas as you develop your research with us.

If you have any queries regarding your course before you arrive at the University, please do not hesitate to send an email or telephone the Graduate College.

Key Dates

• 21 - 25 July 2025 - Postgraduate Summer School

What to Expect

The MPhil/ PhD course is available across all of the University’s established research subject areas. You will receive the guidance of dedicated academic tutors and supervisors who are experts in their field.

From the outset, the MPhil/ PhD provides you with the opportunity to develop as a researcher through our course of research methods and training. The Researcher Development Programme (RDP) will enable you to develop your knowledge of research skills and methodologies that will in turn help to refine your research question, design your study and produce high-quality results.

Our approach allows you to follow an individualised course of study that is tailored to your research project, training and skills needs, and career ambitions.

Getting Started

In due course you will be invited to the postgraduate research student induction event where you will be introduced to academics and fellow students and will learn about the range of services and facilities that Canterbury Christ Church University has to offer you.

You will need to attend mandatory training days as part of your course, training days happen every semester. Information about the training days will be available in Blackboard which you will have access to when you complete your registration. We also recommend that you explore Research Space after you have registered so you can see upcoming training opportunities.

The library blog and the learning skills hub has a wealth of resources to help you get ready for postgraduate study. A good starting point is modules for postgraduates and SAGE Research Methods.

The University has made a significant investment in hard-copy texts and electronic resources in our award-winning Authoring a PhD. How to Plan, Draft, Write and Finish a Doctoral Thesis or Dissertation Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

The University Bookshop on the Canterbury campus offers a 10% discount to our students and we also advise you to look at the second-hand book market.