Professional Doctorates are usually part-time, practice-based research degrees. The University currently offers Professional Doctorates in Children & Young People's Services Leadership (PDC&YPSL),  Osteopathy, Systemic Practice (PDSP) and in Media, Journalism, Cinema and Television.

Both confer the title 'Dr' on a successful candidate and they are equivalent in academic attainment. Professional Doctorates usually take place with cohorts of students studying similar areas of professional practice. Cohorts create a research community which discusses theory and practice specific to the professional activities under inquiry. Both PhDs and the Professional Doctorates in this university are research-based doctoral programmes.

If you are applying for a research institute proposal, you should expect to hear from the RGS within five working days. If you're applying with your own proposal, you should receive a response within 4 working weeks. Please note that responses during University holidays and during August will be delayed.

We have two structured intakes per year for research degree students*. They are usually held in March and October each year.

*This does not include Professional Doctorates

When funding opportunities arise, these will be advertised on jobs.ac.uk and the RGS web pages.

The maximum registration date of a student represents the last point at which they may submit their thesis. Students who have not submitted their thesis by this date and who do not have an extension formally approved by the Research Degree Committee, will no longer be registered as a student of the University nor able to complete their award.

Please complete the online letter request for via SID Online

Please see Research fees for more details.

Please contact the RGS office rgsoffice@beds.ac.uk with your details and a member of the team will log a call with ICT.

Please complete a request form which can be downloaded from BREO. It needs to be approved by the research institute director who needs to authorise and complete the cost code. As there is a cost involved a clear case will need to be made to the director. The completed form needs to be returned to the Research Graduate School office (room PM05 Postgraduate Centre, Luton), who will submit it to Facilities.

Research students are expected to attend all mandatory training events. However with the exception of the first stage of the Professional Doctorate, there are no structured lectures.

Please contact the Graduation Team on 01582 743826 or graduation@beds.ac.uk

As a research student studying for a PhD, Masters by Research or MPhil * you manage your own schedule.

There are no lessons to attend but you will arrange regular and frequent meetings with your supervisors to ensure you progress in your study and meet the different academic milestones during your course.

Each research study is bespoke and so you will be expected to identify and manage your own training needs (with guidance from your supervisors) and choose which of the available training sessions to attend as and when you need to. There may also be conferences or other events specific to your field of study which your supervisors may encourage you to attend.

*For professional doctorate students there may be set events scheduled throughout each year of study, but you will be made aware of these when interviewed for the course.

As each research student has their own bespoke study pattern within a maximum study period, the traditional teaching structure or term/semester dates that you may be familiar with from your previous undergraduate or postgraduate study does not apply to you when you become a research student at Bedfordshire.

Instead, you manage your own study and can choose when to take your yearly holiday leave allowance. This allowance is in addition to all of the University closure days at Christmas, Easter and all UK bank holidays.