Masters by Research (MAR)

A Masters by Research degree enables you to work for a full year on your own research project, while receiving individual guidance from an expert supervisory team. 

An MAR is an alternative to a conventional taught Masters degree. It offers both a postgraduate qualification in its own right and a potential starting point for PhD study. You’ll develop advanced research skills, and become part of Leeds’s dynamic postgraduate research community.

You will have two supervisors, who will give you advice and feedback in regular supervision meetings. With their support you’ll write a thesis of up to 30,000 words, before taking part in an oral (‘viva voce’) examination with two independent examiners.

You’re free to work on any topic for which the School of English can provide supervision. We frequently collaborate with co-supervisors in other departments of the university, further expanding the options available to you. 

This degree lets you explore a single subject in much more detail than at undergraduate level. With no weekly seminars and no fixed curriculum, an MAR suits self-motivated students who want to pursue their own academic interests.

Timescales

An MAR takes one year if you study full-time, or two years if you study part-time. 

We have two start dates for our postgraduate research programmes, in October and February each year. Application deadlines are as follows:

Entry requirements

To study for an MAR with us you’ll need to have (or to be working towards) a 1st-class or 2:1 honours degree at undergraduate level, or the overseas equivalent.

If English isn't your first language you'll also need an English language qualification. In the IELTS, we ask for 6.5 overall with no less than 6.0 in each component.

Contact us for more information.

How to apply

Our staff profiles allow you to identify supervisors with expertise in your field of study. You should begin your application by making contact with a potential supervisor to enquire about your project. 

Once you have discussed your project with a member of staff, you can then apply for a place. Linking your application to a specific supervisor is more likely to help your application be successful. 

You'll need to provide:

• A research proposal, outlining the questions you'll investigate and the material you'll study (up to 1000 words)
• A Curriculum Vitae (you can also include an additional personal statement of up to 500 words)
• A sample of your academic work (up to 4000 words)
• Two references
• Copies of your final degree certificates and transcript (or provisional transcripts if you're still studying). If your documents are not in English, we also require certified English translations.
• Copies of an English language qualification certificate if English isn't your first language

Your research proposal should summarise the questions that you plan to investigate and the material that you plan to study. Your ideas are bound to change during your degree. However, your proposal should outline a project that is appropriately broad and achievable for an MAR degree. It should show knowledge of existing work in the field, and give evidence of your ability to succeed at Masters level.

The final stage of your application is an interview, usually conducted by video call.

If you have any questions about the application process, please contact ahcprgadmissions@leeds.ac.uk.