PhD by published work

What is PhD published work?

A PhD awarded for the submission of a portfolio of published research to the standard of a regular PhD.

Candidates may apply for the PhD by published work under Regulation 38 and the associated Guidance on the Requirements for the Award of Research Degrees.

Candidates must be either:

Members of academic staff or administrative or library staff of equivalent status of the University. Normally has been employed by the University for at least three years immediately prior to the submission of published work; or
Graduates of at least seven year’s standing normally holding a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.

Please note: You do not need to be a Warwick graduate to be able to apply for the PhD by published work.

Candidates must make a research application using the standard online Postgraduate Application Form
Candidates must apply for the PhD most relevant to the portfolio of work that they will be submitting
Candidates should state clearly on the form that they wish to be considered for the PhD by Published Works
Candidates should then submit their CV (this can be uploaded with their application) and copies of the Works to be considered
Candidates should submit between 3 - 8 publications, which will form the intellectual basis of the examination for the award, for consideration (this may vary dependent on the discipline and focus of the candidate's research)
Submissions should include further contextual information regarding the publications, including, but not limited to, the profile of journals that articles have been published in, the candidate's individual contribution to each of their publications, the number of citations, and their significance to the field.

The Head of the relevant Department will initially consider the submission. (S)he will appoint an Academic Advisor to provide guidance to the candidate on the presentation of the published work.
The Academic Advisor should produce a statement that outlines the Candidate's suitability for admission to a PhD programme, an assessment of the quality of publications presented, and any further relevant details regarding the Candidate, including their employment (current or past), area of expertise and profile within their discipline/field of research.
If the Head of Department is satisfied with the submission, (s)he will ask that the Chair of the Faculty Education Committee consider the submission.
If the Chair of the relevant Faculty Board is of the view that the Works are of the appropriate standard, (s)he will make a recommendation to the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies that the candidate is admitted to the PhD.
An offer can only be made once the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies has given his/her approval following consideration of the aforementioned recommendation.
Candidates should be aware that a successful application does not guarantee the award of the degree – candidates are required to successfully complete the examination process as set out in the Guide to Examinations for Higher Degrees by Research.

The normal period of registration will be for 12 months.
Where the candidate is not a member of the staff of the University, submission for examination for the degree of PhD may be made after a minimum period of six months' registration.
Where the candidate is a member of the staff of the University, submission for examination for the degree of PhD may be made after a minimum period of three months' registration.
During the period of registration, students will additionally need to submit the Works to be assessed and a Covering Document of between 5,000 and 10,000 words setting out the relationship between the Works presented, the significance of the Works as a contribution to original knowledge within the relevant field, and, as an appendix, a full bibliography of all of the works ever published by the candidate.

The normal fee is an amount equivalent to one year’s full-time fee for the traditional PhD in the relevant academic year and department regardless of the date of submission of the work.
The fee for members of staff and for graduates of the University is charged at 20% of the home full-time postgraduate research fee.

All inquiries regarding applying for a PhD by published work should be directed to the Postgraduate Admissions team.
For detailed information on the requirements for an examination of the PhD by published work, see Regulation 38 and the associated Guidance on the Requirements for the Award of Research Degrees, and the Guide to Examinations for Higher Degrees by Research.
For information on the fees for your registration for the PhD by published work, please consult Student Finance.