Graus de Pesquisa (MPhil / PhD) em Estudos Japoneses e Coreanos

All students register in year 1 of the programme as MPhil students. The upgrade from MPhil to PhD takes place at the end of the first academic session for full-time students (or at the end of the second academic session for part-time students).

All new MPhil/PhD students are provided with a supervisory committee of three members, comprising a main or primary supervisor, and a second and third supervisor. The split in time commitment across the supervisory committee is 60:25:15. In the first year, students are expected to meet their main supervisor on a bi-weekly basis for a period of at least one hour.

The student’s primary supervisor is always a member of the Department in which the student is registered. The second and third supervisors, who act in a supplementary advisory capacity, may be from the same Department, or other Departments/Centres in the Faculty of Languages and Cultures or in Departments/Centres in the other Faculties of the School. The student’s progress is further overseen by the Departmental Research Tutor.

Year 1

In the first year, students prepare for research by following a research training seminar series (RTS) convened at the Faculty level by the Associate Dean for Research and supported by the generic training on offer in the Doctoral School.

Students working in the fields of literature and cultural studies are also invited to participate in the additional training offered by the Centre for Cultural, Literary and Postcolonial Studies (CCLPS).

Students may also be encouraged by supervisors to attend additional taught courses relevant to their research and to their training needs. These may include specialist disciplinary, language or regional culture courses or research training in other Departments outside the Faculty.

Perto do final do primeiro período, os alunos em tempo integral são obrigados a enviar uma revisão de literatura de aproximadamente 5000 palavras. Instruções para isso são fornecidas nos seminários de treinamento de pesquisa do corpo docente e os alunos discutem com seus supervisores como essa revisão de literatura pode ser integrada em sua proposta de pesquisa atualizada e mais tarde sua dissertação.

Para o processo de atualização, os alunos do ano 1 em tempo integral (ano 2 para alunos de meio período) devem enviar um portfólio de atualização de 10.000 palavras, consistindo de uma proposta de pesquisa e um capítulo principal. A contagem relativa de palavras desses dois elementos deve ser decidida entre o aluno e o comitê de supervisão, mas espera-se que o capítulo principal não tenha menos de 3.000 palavras. O prazo para a entrega deste portfólio é 15 de maio de cada ano.

Research Proposal

The research proposal typically includes the following elements:

• Research rationale and context of proposed research
• Main research questions
• Literature review
• Theoretical and methodological framework and considerations
• Proposed research methods
• Ethical issues (where applicable)
• Outlining the structure of PhD dissertation
• Schedule of research and writing
• Bibliography.

Adjustments to one or more of these sections, including additions or deletions where appropriate, are possible by prior arrangement between the students and lead supervisors.

Capítulo principal

The core chapter should ideally be an analytical piece of writing in which the student by way of a case study shows how the research proposal translates into actual research. Depending on the nature of the research project access to primary source material can be difficult before the student undertakes the second-year research and in such cases, the content should be agreed between the student and the supervisory committee.

O processo de atualização do status de MPhil para PhD é baseado em uma avaliação do portfólio de atualização pelo comitê de pesquisa do aluno e em uma apresentação oral de 20 a 30 minutos, seguida de uma discussão. A apresentação oral é dada à equipe departamental e aos alunos de pesquisa. Os três supervisores se reúnem separadamente para discutir o resultado da atualização e informar o aluno. Após a conclusão bem-sucedida do portfólio de atualização, os alunos são formalmente atualizados para PhD e prosseguem para o segundo ano. (Se os avaliadores considerarem que há deficiências no portfólio, os alunos serão solicitados a revisá-lo para sua satisfação antes que a atualização para o status de PhD possa ser confirmada.) Os alunos normalmente não têm permissão para prosseguir para o segundo ano até que o processo de atualização seja concluído.

Year 2

The second year (or part-time equivalent) is normally spent engaged in research. This may be by any combination of fieldwork and research in libraries and material collection as agreed between the student and the supervisor(s).

Year 3

The third year (or part-time equivalent) is devoted to writing up research for the PhD thesis. During this time, students will normally give a presentation in a research seminar organised by the Departmental Research Tutor, comprising a select number of staff members with special expertise in the topic and other research students. During the third year (or part-time equivalent) students will present draft chapters to their main supervisor for comment, before completing a final draft of the thesis. Once a full draft is complete, the work is assessed by all members of the supervisory committee and the student can either submit the thesis or move on to Continuation Status to be given a further 12 months to complete the thesis and submit it for examination. The thesis must be completed within 48 months from the time of registration (or part-time equivalent).

A tese – que não deve exceder 100.000 palavras – é examinada por duas autoridades líderes na área, uma das quais tem experiência em exames na Universidade de Londres e pelo menos uma delas é externa à SOAS .

PhD Degrees are awarded by SOAS from registration in 2013 and are subject to SOAS regulations.