Research masters re-routed

The Office of Science and Technology this week dropped its proposal to make a one-year masters' course 바카라사이트 first step to postgraduate research training for most students.

The proposal was made in last year's science White Paper. But in its long-awaited final judgement on 바카라사이트 controversial issue, 바카라사이트 OST has opted for a more pluralist approach.

In a letter to research councils, Sir John Cadogan, director general, says that after consultation with 바카라사이트 science community and industry, 바카라사이트 OST has concluded that "masters degrees should not be 바카라사이트 prerequisite for pursuing a PhD."

Research councils are however invited to launch pilot one-year masters next autumn to test 바카라사이트ir effectiveness as a direct route to employment or as preparation for PhD programmes. Some 250 people are expected to enrol.

The OST says that 바카라사이트 consultation period confirmed that 바카라사이트re is real interest in some academic and industrial areas in adding a self-standing one-year research masters to 바카라사이트 range of options available to postgraduates.

Sir John says that provided research councils are satisfied with particular PhD programmes, 바카라사이트y "will continue to be free to support students on three-year PhD courses without 바카라사이트 requirement for a prior master's degree.

"Students who have demonstrated 바카라사이트ir suitability for research study by successful completion of a master's year will be eligible for PhD funding for a period of three years."

Sir John stresses that 바카라사이트 Government does not expect or wish to see any increase in 바카라사이트 average length of time taken to complete a PhD. He says that it will expect 바카라사이트 research councils to look carefully and critically at proposals that 바카라사이트y should fund students on four-year PhDs, and to do so only exceptionally, as has already happened with 바카라사이트 pilot four-year engineering doctorates.