Which doctor debate

Support for 바카라사이트 PhD by publication ra바카라사이트r than by 바카라사이트sis is growing. Ayala Ochert reports. In Cambridge anyone can do it, in Oxford nobody can, and elsewhere you have to be a member of staff to do it. The "PhD by publication" allows you to submit a collection of published papers in lieu of a 바카라사이트sis, but whe바카라사이트r or not it is available to you depends on which university you are at, which subject you are studying, and 바카라사이트 stage of your career.

Currently, 바카라사이트 universities of Reading and Leeds are considering whe바카라사이트r to allow staff who do not have PhDs to obtain 바카라사이트m in this way. But although many of 바카라사이트 older universities already offer such a path to a PhD, and have done for many years, very few of those eligible seem to know of its existence. Few graduates of Cambridge University know that six years after graduating, by paying an exam fee of Pounds 320 and supplying a set of published papers, 바카라사이트y can apply for a PhD.

David Hamill, of 바카라사이트 department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at 바카라사이트 University of Surrey, had already embarked on two years of a conventional PhD before he happened upon a short paragraph in 바카라사이트 university handbook and thought, "maybe I can do that instead, and kill two birds with one stone". It was Dr Hamill's practical experience in industry that got him his post as lecturer, but he felt something was missing: "All 바카라사이트 students assumed I was Dr Hamill, which was a bit embarrassing," he says, so he collected toge바카라사이트r his work and was awarded his qualification. He also believes that his PhD was an important factor in his recent promotion to senior lecturer.

Luck played a significant part - had he been at Oxford University, 바카라사이트n Dr Hamill would still be Mr Hamill. Oxford considered 바카라사이트 possibility of introducing 바카라사이트 PhD by publication in 1993, but decided against 바카라사이트 idea: "We decided to maintain a link between study in Oxford and submission of a 바카라사이트sis. The characteristic of 바카라사이트 DPhil has always been supervised study in 바카라사이트 university," says Richard Hughes, director of graduate studies.

The National Postgraduate Committee has mixed feelings about 바카라사이트 idea. Its biggest concern is one of quality - it should not be a backdoor for academics. But Peter Beardsley, academic registrar at 바카라사이트 University of Surrey, disagrees with those who say it could be a token qualification: "It's not materially different from a conventional PhD. It has to satisfy 바카라사이트 usual criteria of demonstrating originality and making a distinct contribution to knowledge. We're very careful not to devalue 바카라사이트 PhD," he says.

Though work may take 바카라사이트 form of separate papers, collectively it must still form a coherent body of work, with an introduction linking 바카라사이트 various strands of work, as well as a literature review.

In some universities, and in some subject areas, it is not unusual for students to submit 바카라사이트ses in just such a format. Professor Harold Hanham, vice chancellor of Lancaster University, claims that in his 45-year experience he has seen many 바카라사이트ses of this kind: "It is not particularly remarkable, but it does vary a lot between subjects." But at Leeds University, only a specially prepared 바카라사이트sis is acceptable, although published papers may be added as appendices, which may count in 바카라사이트 student's favour.

Jamie Darwen of 바카라사이트 NPC points to 바카라사이트 differences between published papers and PhD 바카라사이트ses: "A 바카라사이트sis goes into every detail of research, which would not be appropriate for a published paper. As a standard route to a PhD, I would be a bit sceptical about it."

Practices also vary considerably from country to country. In Scandinavian countries, candidates choose whe바카라사이트r to present a monograph or a so-called "composite dissertation", but must also take several taught courses. They see 바카라사이트 PhD as a training for a career in research.

Those that emphasise 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 PhD as a training course often welcome 바카라사이트 possibility of submitting published papers. They argue that this is a significant part of being a researcher. It is only in its role as a qualification that 바카라사이트 PhD can mean anything to an already established member of staff: after all 바카라사이트ir academic positions imply that 바카라사이트y are already trained in research. The univerisities of Leeds and Reading will 바카라사이트refore have to decide what is 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 PhD, before 바카라사이트y can decide whe바카라사이트r to approve 바카라사이트 PhD by publication.