submitting thesis university of birmingham

Tracing Theses

Introduction to theses, finding university of birmingham theses, finding uk theses, finding theses from other countries.

A thesis is a published piece of written work embodying the results of original research for the award of a higher degree from an academic institution. 

Reasons for consulting a thesis include:

• For use as an information resource relevant to your research topic, i.e. you may like to refer to and cite a thesis;
• To ensure that your proposed topic of research has not already been substantially covered by somebody else;
• To become acquainted with recent trends, methodologies and approaches in your subject;
• To gain understanding about what is expected of you if you are undertaking a research degree, and to gain ideas for structure, tone, language, layout etc.

Theses for the higher research degrees (PhD, M Litt,  M Phil or MRes) of the University of Birmingham are deposited with Library Services. Since 2009, University of Birmingham research theses have been deposited in electronic format in the University of Birmingham eTheses Repository .

University of Birmingham theses are indexed and discoverable on FindIt@Bham . Carry out a search on FindIt@Bham using your topic, or search for your school or department directly (for best results, use the dropdown menu in the FindIt@Bham search bar to switch the scope of the search from an "Everything" search to a "UoB Research & Publications" search). Once you have generated some results, use the "Resource Type" filters in the “Tweak my results” menu on right-hand side of the page and select "Dissertations" (you may need to click "Show more" to get this option).

Theses listed in the  eTheses Repository will be available electronically, unless embargoes are in place. Click on “View Online…” to access the full text. 

To access the older, printed theses, click "Check for current availability at Research Reserve..." and then click “Request this item from the Research Reserve…”. Complete the form, selecting your delivery site. You will receive an email notification when the thesis is ready for collection. 

Please note the following:

• Theses may not be removed from the Library;
• You must sign the copyright declaration in each thesis used;
• Since theses are under copyright, you must consult Library Services staff if you wish to photocopy more than a short extract;
• Occasionally an author may place an embargo on a thesis if any of its content is commercially valuable or confidential.

To search for research theses across the UK, the British Library's  EThOS  service is highly recommended. EThOS is the British Library’s e-theses service and provides access to over 500,000 doctoral theses.  Many are available for immediate download (registration is required, but this is free and straightforward to do), and for others you can request that the printed version be digitised. If you are requesting digitisation of a thesis, a scan fee may apply depending on whether the institution is a participating Higher Education Institution (HEI) – see the list of Participating Institutions  for details of members.

To search widely across theses from many countries, the  ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global  database is highly recommended (theses from the UK and Ireland are included here too). It includes millions of searchable citations to theses from 1861 to the present day, together with over a million full-text theses that are available for PDF download. The database offers full text for most of the theses added since 1997 and strong retrospective full-text coverage for older graduate works. Each thesis published since July 1980 includes a 350-word abstract. Simple bibliographic citations are available for dissertations dating from 1637. 24-page previews of theses are provided where possible.

Another option when searching for theses globally is to consult e-theses repositories available from other countries. The Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations  contains a breakdown of e-theses repositories by country.

• Last Updated: Jul 14, 2021 4:31 PM
• URL: https://libguides.bham.ac.uk/rst/theses

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University of Birmingham eTheses Repository

Forthcoming downtime.

We are expecting eTheses to be unavailable on Tuesday 12th and Wednesday 13th March while ITServices carry out some essential maintenance on its hosting infrastructure. Apologies for any inconvenience.

Recent Changes

We have recently introduced some changes to Library thesis deposit, in summary:

• You are no longer required to submit a hard bound copy of your thesis to the Library, an electronic version is still required
• If your thesis should not be made immediately publicly accessible, you must upload a signed and approved restricted access form alongside your thesis deposit

To upload a research output to the repository, select the type of output from the dropdown menu and choose ‘Deposit’

It may take us up to 5 working days to confirm receipt of Theses deposits. If you require urgent acknowledgment that we have received your deposit, please Email Us once you have completed your deposit.

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School of Government guidance for PhD applicants

This page guides potential applicants through the process of making a PhD application in the School of Government. It also provides guidance on funding opportunities and writing research proposals. 

The School accepts applications throughout the year, but research students can only begin their studies in September or in January. We strongly encourage research students to begin their studies at the start of the UK academic year in September to take advantages of all available training opportunities. Deadlines for applying for financial support are separate and are detailed below or on the website of the relevant funder.

What is a PhD? 

A PhD is an advanced research degree that requires students to produce a thesis of up to 80,000 words. This research is undertaken with the expert supervision of an academic member of staff and is on a subject of your interest. 

What is the mode of study? 

A PhD in the School of Government can be undertaken in person on campus or on a distance learning basis, on a full-time or a part-time basis. Please note that in some cases visa requirements do not allow for part-time study. 

What are the entry requirements?

Applicants for a PhD typically hold a Masters degree in a related discipline. If you have relevant professional experience or qualifications, these will also be taken into account when considering your application. If you hold qualifications that are different from those stated here, please contact Tricia Thomas, Doctoral Research Administrator, School of Government Email:  [email protected]  

PhD applicants must have identified a subject area they wish to research and should identify a member of School of Government staff with the appropriate expertise to supervise the project. We recommend that you contact a member of our staff with a clearly defined area of potential research. When contacting staff, please include: 

• A draft proposal or a brief summary of your intended research
• Any Masters level qualifications and relevant professional experience
• Whether you intend to apply for a scholarship 

What scholarships are available?

The University of Birmingham offers a range of scholarship options available each year for doctoral researchers who meet the eligibility criteria and can demonstrate an excellent academic track record. You can find a full list of available scholarships and finding opportunities on the  Doctoral Research Scholarships and funding  page. 

Scholarships are highly competitive, with limited funding available. It is essential that all applications for scholarships are carefully prepared, and include all necessary documentation. Incomplete applications cannot be considered for scholarship funding. 

The next deadline for scholarship applications will be announced in November 2023.

If you wish to be considered for a scholarship, please contact the relevant departmental lead (see contacts section above) and cc Dr Danielle Beswick, Email:  [email protected]  

What are the application deadlines?

October 2023  - Applications for a PhD place, commencing September 2024, open.

January 2024 (exact date to be confirmed) - Applications for ESRC competition closes.

June 2024  - All applicants intending to start in September 2024 should have their applications in by June 30th at the latest.

August 2024  - Successful applicants will receive additional information relating to PhD orientation and doctoral research training.

September 2024  - New doctoral researchers will start their studies at the beginning of the new academic year 

Important note:

• This timeline is indicative only, and deadlines are subject to change
• You must hold an offer of a PhD place at the university to be eligible for funding. As such, we recommend that you apply for a PhD place by the end of November. If you wish to apply for scholarship funding, contact the Departmental PGR Director (and cc the School PGR Director) as soon as possible. Advance consultation when preparing your application is key to success.
• PhD applications should not be rushed. Successful applications require time and effort to put together.

Applying for a PhD

Research in the school is aligned to one of three departments and it is important to establish whether the department you are looking at in the School of Government is the right fit for your research plans and qualifications. PhD applicants must have identified a subject area they wish to research and should identify a member of School of Government staff with the appropriate expertise to supervise the project. We recommend that you contact a member of our staff with a clearly defined area of potential research. Please include: 

• The Department of Political Science and International Studies (POLSIS)
• The International Development Department (IDD)
• The Department of Public Administration and Policy (DPAP)

Please do not email multiple members of staff with the same query. If you are unsure of who to contact as a potential supervisor, please write to the  relevant department’s PGR leads . 

Applications must be submitted online directly to the University of Birmingham. To submit an application, you will require: 

• Personal e-mail address (in addition to a university e-mail address).
• Contact with a potential supervisor in POLSIS, IDD, or DPAP.
• A completed  online application  
• 2–3 page CV, with previous educational achievements and grades.
• 1000-2500-word PhD Research Proposal (see guidelines below).
• A personal statement to explain why you are interested in pursuing a PhD
• Academic references and copies of academic transcripts / degrees.
• Successfully completed English Language Test (if applicable).
• For applicants to the Distance Learning programmes only: complete ‘checklist’ in consultation with your supervisor (please contact  [email protected] for details).  

It can take 6 weeks to make a decision on your application once all supporting documentation is received as we take the time to review all documentation and consult with our staff over your submission. Applicants are interviewed by members of staff before a final decision is made. We might ask you to amend or refine your proposal during this process based on comments from members of faculty with expertise on your intended area of research.

What should you include in a PhD research proposal?  

• A project title and abstract / summary
• A brief introduction to / background on the topic and its significance within the relevant field
• Central research question (with sub-questions where appropriate)
• A concise literature review of the key existing debates in the field relating to this topic, with appropriate references to key academic sources
• The proposed theoretical framework for the project (including discussion of potential alternative approaches where appropriate)
• The proposed research methodology (with clear justifications for why a particular methodology is appropriate for this research, and what methodological limitations, if any, you may encounter)
• A succinct discussion of the potential original contribution of the project to existing scholarship in the field
• A proposed timeline and detailed chapter outline for the project
• A list of references (not included in the word count)  

Further information

More detailed online  advice on preparing a PhD research proposal  and also read Patrick Dunleavy,  Authoring a PhD: How to Plan, Draft, Write and Finish a Doctoral Thesis or Dissertation  (Palgrave, 2003).    

Important note on word limits

For the purposes of your application for a PhD place, admissions allow candidates to submit PhD Research Proposal up to 2500 words (excluding the bibliography). However, the PhD Research Proposal word limit for both the ESRC and School scholarship is 1000 words (plus one page of references). If you are considering applying for funding, we recommend that you limit your PhD research proposal for the PhD place to approximately 1000 words to avoid the need to edit the proposal significantly for funding competition purposes. 

Criteria for a successful PhD application

• Educational background and academic achievements
• The strength and quality of your proposed research project
• The capacity of the department to supervise a particular topic (i.e. is there a supervisor available with the right expertise?)
• The support of your prospective supervisor for your application
• Fluency in English
• Evidence of your ability to fully finance your studies (for self-funding students)  

Contact details

In the school of government .

Contact for information relating to scholarships and doctoral training:

Dr Peter Kerr, Head of Postgraduate Research Email:  [email protected]  

Contact for general information relating to a PhD application in School of Government:

Charlotte Fowler-Parkes, Doctoral Research Administrator, School of Government Email:  [email protected]  

Departmental leads and admissions contacts 

Enquiries relating to doctoral study, supervision, and admissions should be directed to the following department contacts: 

Dr Huw Macartney, POLSIS Director of Doctoral Admissions Email:  [email protected]  

Dr Sameen A Mohsin Ali, IDD Director of Doctoral Admissions and Research Email  [email protected]  

Dr Brock Bersaglio, IDD Director of Doctoral Research and Training Email:  [email protected]    

Dr Timea Nochta, DPAP Director of Postgraduate Research & Admissions  Email:  [email protected]     

For technical information relating to the PhD application process, including: admission requirements; documentation requirements; fees; language requirements, please contact the University of Birmingham Postgraduate Admissions Office 

• Phone: +44 (0)121 414 5488
• Email:  [email protected]  

How can I submit an application? 

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Accessing eTheses

A number of services exist to provide access to full text Doctoral theses. Such services help improve access to this hidden gem of research materials.

Where to find University of Birmingham (and UK) theses

• The University's eTheses repository . More than 70% of the theses indexed in the repository are available to download. Please read our  Frequently Asked Questions .
• FindIt@Bham : University of Birmingham library catalogue.
• EThOS:  enables anyone to search and locate the full text, in secure format, of electronically stored doctoral theses from UK Higher Education.

Where to find theses beyond the UK

• DART Europe : the portal for European research theses provides access to just under 100,000 full-text research theses from 12 European countries - including from some national aggregation services.
• Open Access Theses and Dissertations : OATD indexes open access postgraduate theses and dissertations from electronic repositories around the world. It includes details of over 1.8 million theses from over 800 colleges, universities and research institutions. 
• ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global : PQDT Global is the world's most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses from around the world. It contains a significant amount of new international dissertations and theses both as citations and full text. PQDT Global has recently been launched as a searchable index within Web of Science with further citation enrichment planned. 

For further information please consult the Tracing Theses online guide .

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