Grados de investigación MPhil / Doctorado en estudios japoneses y 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.

Hacia el final del primer semestre, los estudiantes de tiempo completo deben presentar una revisión bibliográfica de aproximadamente 5000 palabras. Las instrucciones para ello se proporcionan en los seminarios de formación en investigación de la facultad y los estudiantes discuten con sus supervisores cómo esta revisión bibliográfica podría integrarse en su propuesta de investigación mejorada. y posteriormente su tesis doctoral.

Para el proceso de actualización, los estudiantes de primer año a tiempo completo (año 2 para los estudiantes a tiempo parcial) deben presentar un portafolio de actualización de 10 000 palabras que consta de una propuesta de investigación y un capítulo central. El recuento relativo de palabras de estos dos elementos debe decidirse entre el estudiante y el comité supervisor, pero se espera que el capítulo central no sea inferior a 3000 palabras. La fecha límite para la presentación de este portafolio es el 15 de mayo de cada año.

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.

El proceso de ascenso de MPhil a PhD se basa en una evaluación del portafolio de ascenso por parte del comité de investigación del estudiante y en una presentación oral de 20 a 30 minutos, seguida de un debate. La presentación oral se realiza ante el personal del departamento y los estudiantes de investigación. Los tres supervisores se reúnen por separado para analizar el resultado del ascenso e informar al estudiante. Una vez completado con éxito el portafolio de ascenso, los estudiantes ascienden formalmente a PhD y pasan al segundo año. (Si los evaluadores consideran que hay deficiencias en el portafolio, se les pedirá a los estudiantes que lo revisen a su satisfacción antes de que se pueda confirmar el ascenso al estado de doctor). Normalmente, a los estudiantes no se les permite pasar al segundo año hasta que se haya completado el proceso de ascenso.

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).

La tesis, que no debe exceder las 100.000 palabras, es examinada por dos autoridades destacadas en el campo, una de las cuales tiene experiencia examinando en la Universidad de Londres y al menos una de las cuales es externa a SOAS .

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