MPhil, PhD, DHSC and EdD degrees are all available for part-time study.
Studying part-time may be more convenient if you need to balance your studies with work and family commitments. Part-time students are supported by their supervisors and can access a wide range of virtual services and facilities, including the rich online resources of the world-class OU Library, Research Skills training modules, and live training and meetings via Microsoft Teams.
Access to tailored online spaces and communities provides a rich source of links to streamed events and training resources.
Residence requirements
Professional Doctorate
Students undertaking a professional doctorate (EdD or DHSC) may be resident anywhere in the world. However, you will still need to attend campus for residential weekends.
PhD and MPhil
Part-time PhD/MPhil students are typically expected to be resident within the UK and are encouraged to come to campus for meetings, seminars and events in your research area, to make sure you can get the full benefit of integrating into the research environment.
Studying a PhD from outside the UK is available for some research areas with each Faculty independently deciding whether they can offer this option. Availability is dependent on whether there is sufficient infrastructure in place for us to be able to support a specific project from a distance so we would recommend you start by spending some time identifying your research area of interest before making an enquiry. You should also be aware that most funded studentships require students to be resident in the UK.
Can I work while I study?
There is no limit to the number of hours part-time students can work. Part-time students are expected to commit to spending a minimum of 18.5 hours a week on study.
How long does a part-time research degree take?
The time to complete your degree may vary. However, the minimum registration period for a part-time PhD is 48 months (4 years) while the maximum is 96 months (8 years). For part-time MPhil students, the minimum registration period is 30 months while the maximum is 72 months. If you are applying for a funded studentship, you should check the funding duration as this may be shorter than the maximum registration period.