Fees and key information

Course type
Postgraduate
Entry requirements
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Why study this course?

A Master of Philosophy (MPhil) is conducted purely by research. Each MPhil is the unique development of your individual research project, conducted under the guidance of at least two supervisory members of staff with expertise in the research area.

An MPhil can be pursued in any area of research within the university, where suitable expertise is available to support the proposed research. Cross-disciplinary projects are welcome. Here at London Met, we provide a supportive framework for research where your work is carefully overseen and your progress is monitored. It's also possible to study an MPhil via distance learning with us.

An MPhil means becoming an expert in a subject area, critically reviewing research in relation to a research question and carrying out a piece of research using suitable methods.

Undertaking an MPhil requires an excellent overview of existing research in your field and analytical skills in assessing research claims. You'll also need the ability and stamina of working independently and be in a position to afford the time investment pursuing an MPhil represents.

Although the degree is awarded for research with no taught component, as a research student, you'll be provided with research training and have access to any master's level modules that may facilitate your research.

London Met has a spirited and diverse community of research students and you'll be studying at an exciting time when the University is investing in research. As part of our Graduate School, you'll benefit from frequent events to enhance your personal development and help prepare you for life after the MPhil. You'll also benefit from our conferences, lecture series and research seminar series and be encouraged to present at our annual Student-Staff Research Conference.

Your progress will be closely supported by your supervisors and monitored by your School. You'll be encouraged to attend conferences, write papers and publish while pursuing your research.

London Met has strong links with a wide range of industries, businesses, hospital trusts, the legal profession, governmental and non-governmental organisations, as well as local stakeholders in London that may impact your research and future career.

Our specialist research areas include: The Centre for Creative Arts, Cultures and Engagement; The Cyber Security Research Centre; The Cellular Molecular and Immunology Research Centre; The Centre for Primary Health and Social Care; The Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit and The Global Diversities and Inequalities Research Centre, to name a few.

Staff undertake research and offer supervision in areas including:

  • 3D design
  • applied health research, health studies (interdisciplinary perspective), public health and nutrition
  • architectural history/culture, design, ecologies and the civic realm
  • cellular and molecular biosciences
  • criminology
  • design history, global fashion studies, visual and material culture
  • education with a commitment to social justice
  • finance, economics, social marketing
  • health psychology
  • human resource management
  • intelligent systems
  • jewellery, textile and creative practice
  • loose-fit construction, community-led design, architect as craftsperson
  • maritime law and company law
  • media and communications
  • medicinal chemistry and drug delivery
  • molecular sciences
  • operations management
  • politics and international relations
  • public/visual art, performance and practice-based/led research
  • sociology
  • translation studies
  • urban planning, design and participation
  • violence against women and children and the emergence of trafficking
  • visual communication
  • women’s studies

For a full list of our research centres, visit our research section of the website.

Research an area that interests you

You can pursue an MPhil with us in any area of research where suitable expertise is available to support your proposed project, and cross-disciplinary projects are welcome

Learn in a way that suits you

We provide a supportive framework for research where your work is carefully overseen and your progress is monitored, and it's also possible to study an MPhil via distance learning

Make the most of extra-curricular activities

You'll have the chance to attend conferences, lecture series and research seminar series and be encouraged to present at our annual Student-Staff Research Conference

Course details

You will be required to have:

  • a good honours degree from a UK university or equivalent (first or upper-second class), although applicants will usually have obtained a master's degree before entry

Candidates with other qualifications are considered on their merits.

The university only offers supervision to candidates if there is adequate available supervisory expertise in the area of the research project.

Accreditation of Prior Learning

Any university-level qualifications or relevant experience you gain prior to starting university could count towards your course at London Met. Find out more about applying for Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL).

English language requirements

To study a degree at London Met, you must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. If you require a Student visa (previously Tier 4) you may need to provide the results of a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. This course requires you to meet our standard requirements.

If you need (or wish) to improve your English before starting your degree, the University offers a Pre-sessional Academic English course to help you build your confidence and reach the level of English you require.

To obtain an MPhil, you'll be expected to identify a research question in their chosen subject area and make a contribution to knowledge.

During the course of the research, each student’s work is assessed annually by a Research Student Progress Group in order to ensure that good progress is being made, and that adequate guidance is available.

The degree Master of Philosophy (MPhil) is awarded by the University after the successful presentation of a thesis based on research, completed under the supervision of University staff, and the successful defence of the thesis at an oral examination.

People with a research degree may become lecturers, teachers or researchers, but these are by no means the only potential destinations.

Depending on your discipline, you may go into industry (this is frequently the case for graduates in biological or computer science), the City (business and law graduates), public sector management and/or policy-making (social science and business graduates), international governmental organisations (social science and business graduates), the social professions, or non-governmental organisations.

Many of our research graduates are mid-career and use their degree for career enhancement in (for example) the police or security services, education, counselling, health and social care, or diplomacy.

If you've already studied your undergraduate degree with us, as a graduate of London Met, you'll be entitled to a 20% discount on any further study with us.
* exclusions apply

The University shall award the degrees of Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of
Philosophy (PhD) to registered students who successfully complete approved programmes. All proposed research programmes shall be considered for research degree registration on their academic merits.

A PhD by prior output allows students who do not contain traditional qualifications, but have produced research, and developed their skills and knowledge to a doctoral level, to gain academic recognition.

The publications of the student must be accessible to scholars or other interested persons. The work submitted must have been subjected to peer review by the relevant academic community, and also provide evidence of an independent, original and significant contribution to knowledge and critical judgement. All work should have been published in the last ten years, and be traceable in publicly available databases, catalogues, etc.

Programmes of research may be proposed in any field of study, as long as the proposed programme is capable of leading to scholarly research. The written thesis may be supplemented by material other than written form, if special provision has been made and agreed.

There is a distance learning option available. 

Research students at London Met can work towards a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). To obtain a PhD you’re expected to investigate a topic and make an original contribution to knowledge. At MPhil level, your research should represent an extension of existing knowledge, although the demands of originality and sustained enquiry are less than those required for a PhD.

Please note, in addition to the tuition fee there may be additional costs for things like equipment, materials, printing, textbooks, trips, fieldwork, specialist conferences, and/ or professional body fees.

Additionally, there may be other activities that are not formally part of your course and not required to complete your course, but which you may find helpful (for example, optional field trips). The costs of these are additional to your tuition fee and the fees set out above and will be notified when the activity is being arranged.

How to apply

Use the apply button to begin your application.

If you require a Student visa and wish to study a postgraduate course on a part-time basis, please read our how to apply information for international students to ensure you have all the details you need about the application process.

When to apply

September entry:

  • Application deadline: 1 July (international applicants)
  • Application deadline: 1 August (home/EU applicants)

January entry:

  • Application deadline: 1 November (international applicants)
  • Application deadline: 1 December (home/EU applicants)

29 January to 16 February 2018.

To find out when teaching for this degree will begin, as well as welcome week and any induction activities, view our academic term dates.