uclan thesis guidelines

How to apply for postgraduate research

We have an established research reputation in a wide range of academic disciplines and on completion of your research degree, you should be in a very strong position for pursuing your chosen career. If you're ready to start your application, we hope you find the information below useful.

When to apply

Before applying you should have reviewed our Research and Knowledge Exchange Institutes in depth to make your choice ready for your application. If you are submitting your own proposal for a research project we suggest that you contact the degree tutor for the area to discuss your topic before applying. New research students can commence their studies in September, January and March

The deadlines for applications are as follows:

March 2024 The deadline for both Home and EU/International entry have passed for March 2024 entry.

September 2024 Home – 1 June 2024 EU/International – 1 May 2024

January 2025 Home - 1 November 2024 EU/International - 1 September 2024

March 2025 Home - 1 December 2024 EU/International - 1 November 2024

September 2025 Home - 1 June 2025 EU/International - 1 May 2025

Applications are accepted throughout the year and you should indicate your preferred start date on the application form. For studentship applications and deadlines please our Bursaries and Studentships webpage.

International students You need to take in to consideration the time needed in your home country to obtain a visa. Additional time will be needed if you need ATAS Clearance for your subject. If you’re an international student who’ll be studying on a Student Route (Tier 4) Visa then you’re required to study full-time.

Applying for an MRes course?

Please note that the deadlines for the MRes course may differ. Whilst this course comes under the title of a Postgraduate Research degree, it is not processed by the Research Admissions Team and therefore does not follow our deadlines. 

How to apply

Submitting your application It is important to enclose all requested information so the University can make a decision on your application. This should include:

• Application form. You can create a login and get started using our Online Application System
• A research proposal (Not applicable for studentship applications unless specified in the studentship description)
• Copies of your first degree/master’s degree qualification certificates and transcripts with certified translations where applicable. If you are waiting for your award please advise when it will be conferred.
• International students: A copy of your current passport and current visa, if applicable.
• Where English is not your first language, evidence is required of your English language qualification at IELTS 6.5/7.0, with a minimum of 6.0 in each sub-score or an equivalent, acceptable qualification (IELTS 7.0 is required in medicine, dentistry and nursing). The IELTS certificate must be dated to within 2 years of your intended programme start date.
• Two academic references (You must send you reference forms to your academic referees. These may be submitted separately. The completed references should be emailed to [email protected] .

Please note, we reserve the right to request sight of original certificates or further information.

What happens next?

• Once you’ve submitted your application, you will receive an email confirming we have received it.
• Your application will be sent to the relevant Research Degree Tutor to review. Decisions are expected to take up to six weeks but may be returned sooner.
• You’ll be notified of the outcome of your application by email. If you have been offered a place, we will send you a formal offer letter by email. This will include your course details and any conditions of the offer such as references or qualification evidence.
• To accept your offer, you must sign the letter and email it to the research admissions team .
• Once you have met all conditions your offer will be made unconditional. The next step is completing enrolment. Closer to your start date enrolment instructions will be sent to your personal email address.

If you have any queries about the Research Degree Application process, please contact the research admissions team .

• As part of the conditions of offer, a deposit payment will be required. Full details of the deposit amount will be included in your offer letter. If you are being sponsored, you must provide a letter of sponsorship instead of a deposit. Please contact the research admissions team for guidance on what this should include.
• If you require an ATAS Certificate for your programme of study this will also be listed as a condition of offer. You will need to make the ATAS certificate application through the GOV.UK website. The CAH Code required will be included in your offer letter.
• Once you have met all conditions you will be sent a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) letter by email and your offer will be made unconditional. The CAS letter is required for the Visa application process. Visit our visa advice page for further advice on the Visa application process. You can also contact the Student Immigration and Compliance Team .

Fees and funding

Our current tuition fees can be viewed on the pages below:

• UK/Home students
• EU and International students

You should ensure that you have sufficient funding for tuition fees, any bench fee and living expenses for the duration of your research degree programme. You should make enquiries about funding opportunities at an early stage, approximately 12-18 months before you intend to commence studying and secure the funding you need before accepting and taking up your research degree place.

If you are unable to self-fund your studies you may be able to obtain funding elsewhere. However, funding opportunities for research degrees are very competitive. To be successful you normally need to demonstrate outstanding academic achievement.

There’s lots of financial support on offer:

• Studentships and bursaries are advertised throughout the year on our website .
• Postgraduate Master’s Loan or Doctoral Loan gov.uk/funding-for-postgraduate-study
• Sponsorship from your employer
• Bursaries from charities and trusts

Studentships

When studentships for postgraduate research degree programmes become available they are advertised on the University’s studentship webpage . There will be a link to all the forms you need to use. Studentship places are awarded following the short listing of applications and interviews.

Entry requirements

• MPHIL OR PHD A recognised UK first degree, second class honours or above; or a UK Master’s degree or equivalent qualification. PhD studentships normally require at least an upper second class honours first degree.
• have held a research or teaching appointment; or
• have been engaged in practice of medicine or surgery; and
• have been registered with the General Medical Council of the UK.
• MA/ MSC/LLM (BY RESEARCH) A recognised UK first degree, second class honours or above or equivalent qualification.
• PHD (BY PUBLISHED WORK) The applicant must hold a Bachelor degree with honours from a UK University (or equivalent) and be a current member of staff of the University and/or a University of Central Lancashire graduate.

If you are a European student entering the UK after 31 December 2020 without settled or pre-settled status, or an Irish citizen living in the UK or Ireland, you will need to apply for a study visa.

gov.uk/student-visa

If you hold qualifications other than those specified they will be considered on their merits. You will be required to demonstrate equivalence to the entry requirements either through presentation of a portfolio of work otherwise you may need to take another course prior to applying for research degree.

Where English is not your first language an English language qualification is required at IELTS 6.5/7.0 or equivalent, acceptable qualification.

The University of Central Lancashire is a diverse environment, which brings people into contact with each other in a wide variety of ways. The University community includes students who are children (those under the age of 18) and vulnerable adults. We have a duty to safeguard these groups of individuals, as well as a duty to provide a safe environment in which our staff can work and all of our students can study and where relevant, live. We therefore ask all applicants who have accepted a place with us if they have relevant unspent criminal convictions obtained in the UK or other jurisdiction. This is so that we can consider the implications of any convictions, assess any risks to you or others within the University environment and determine whether we can reasonably manage any risks to enable you to take up your place here. Having a relevant unspent conviction therefore is not an automatic barrier to taking up your place on your chosen programme. Therefore, if you accept an offer the University will ask you to disclose details about relevant unspent convictions and supporting information.

More information

Bursaries and scholarships

We believe that opportunity creates success, and that’s why we offer a range of attractive bursaries, scholarships, funds and discounts to our prospective students to give them a helping hand along the way.

Accommodation

There’s something special about living in university accommodation, especially if it’s your first time away from home. With a wide range of accommodation options, we'll help you find the right place for you.

MA Social Policy

Help drive change in social inequalities, course details.

Delivery: online, part-time

Duration: two years

Start dates: January, May and September

Next welcome week: 13   May 2024

Next course start date: 20 May 2024

Fees: £8,549 (flexible payment plans available)

Application deadline: 12 May 2024

Applications are open for both UK and international students. Apply as soon as possible to secure your place. Visit our Apply now page to start your application.

Course overview

Our online MA in Social Policy will help you understand and analyse some of the most pressing issues faced by the world today.

You’ll explore how cultural, demographic, economic, governmental, and technological changes shape social policy across the globe, and develop the skills needed to carry out social research informed by debates on methodology, epistemology, ethics, and politics.

Social policy glossary

What is social policy and why is it important?

Why study a master's in social policy?

Speak to a course adviser

Why study with us , experienced team.

Benefit from the insight of our experienced academics through regular discussion, feedback, assessments and live webinars (recorded so they can be watched back at any time).

Professional growth

Receive tailored support and resources to sharpen your independent learning, giving you the skills to further your own development long after graduation.

Thrive in the field

Explore contemporary issues with modules that will provide you with a framework of knowledge and the analytical skills needed to thrive in this field.

Learning outcomes

This programme has been carefully designed to provide higher-level critical thinking, awareness and theoretical knowledge in the study of poverty and social inequality as social phenomena.

Upon completing the MA in Social Policy, you’ll be able to:

Demonstrate an advanced knowledge of the challenges involved in undertaking social policy research

Identify, examine, and make use of research and other appropriate material for the analysis of social policy issues

Use the subject specific and cognitive skills you’ll develop in the critical analysis of social policy issues

Plan, conduct, and report on your own social policy research projects

Watch your course overview

Watch our webinar with Course Leader Jonathan Pratt to find out about the course in more detail.

Have a question? 

Module overview

The making of social policy (20 credits).

During this introductory module, you’ll be introduced to several concepts, techniques, and theories employed in developing social policy systems and analysis. You’ll learn how to apply this knowledge to specific social policy issues, and will also dedicate time to researching the various dilemmas and challenges faced by the welfare state.

Poverty and Inequality: Conceptualisation, Investigation and Policy Making in Historical and Contemporary Societies (40 credits)

This module will allow you to develop an in-depth understanding of the contexts within which studies and debates on poverty and social inequality have been conducted.

You’ll analyse major investigations into poverty and learn how to identify elements of continuity and change in the study of poverty and social inequality as social phenomena.

Comparing Welfare States (40 credits)

The aim of this module is to help you expand your knowledge of this field by exploring the dynamics of social policy developments from an international point of view.

You’ll be encouraged to critically evaluate current international social policy trends and issues by drawing upon case studies and a range of theoretical contributions to social policy analysis.

Themes and Perspectives in Social Research (20 credits)

The studies you’ll take on will provide an overview of crucial issues and debates associated with the production and evaluation of research for practice in social care. You can look forward to extending your own knowledge and understanding of qualitative and quantitative research processes whilst developing your capacity to act as an independent and critical thinker.

Dissertation (60 credits)

With this final module, you’ll have the opportunity to undertake an in-depth, critical exploration and analysis of an area you are interested in within this field.

Your dissertation can be based on the area of specialisation you hope to enter following graduation, or even a challenge that’s present or relevant to your current place of work.

Examples of previous dissertation topics for on-campus MA Social Policy students include:

The social impact of the Second World War and the creation of the 'classic' Welfare State

Is the introduction of Universal Credit causing a decline in mental health?

Child Protection in England and India: Experience from the last three decades

Crumbs from the table? The social legacy of the ‘Right to Buy'

Entry requirements

You must hold at least a 2:2 degree in Social Policy or a related discipline such as Economics, Health Studies, History, Politics, or Sociology. We’ll also consider your application if you have an honours degree classification of 2:2 or above in other disciplines.

We may ask you to attend an online, 45-minute interview to discuss your background and interest in the course.

You can also explore using our accreditation of prior learning (APL) to claim credits that you can put towards your degree, based on the experience you currently hold.

If you don’t speak English as a first language you will need to hold a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 or an accepted equivalent .

Unsure if you have the right qualifications or experience? Don’t worry – we know it’s impossible to measure everyone’s capabilities in the same way.

If you’d like some advice regarding your eligibility, our Course Adviser team is here to help. You can reach them by phoning +44(0)1524 938 558 or emailing [email protected]

Hear from a student

" I'm a Leadership and Management Training Consultant. I chose Social Policy because I deliver classes with mature learners on various things like legislation, welfare policy, the Mental Capacity Act, and how housing is affecting our people, community and society at large. This course was a really good opportunity for me to broaden my knowledge . "

Nonye Otuonye, MA Social Policy student

Ready to start in May 2024?

Your academics.

Dr Jonathan Pratt, Course Leader

Jonathan is a Senior Lecturer in Social Policy and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He holds expertise in the history, politics, and theory of social welfare development; comparative social welfare; and the impact of ideology on the organisation and delivery of welfare services.

Dr Steve Cunningham, Module Leader

Steve is a Senior Lecturer in Social Policy and the Course Leader for our on-campus BA (Hons) Social Policy and Sociology programme. His areas of research are welfare history; poverty and social security; the sociology of welfare; asylum and immigration policy; child labour; and children’s activism.

Dr Stuart Cameron, Module Leader

Stuart is a Senior Lecturer in Social Policy and the Course Leader for our on-campus Doctor of Professional Practice Community and Social Care: Policy and Practice programme. His research interests consist of education policy; undergraduate employment; welfare history; social theory; and the sociology of childhood.

Dr Mary Drummond, Module Leader

Mary is a Lecturer in Social Policy as well as an Academic Adviser and Dissertation Tutor to on-campus BA Community and Social Care: Policy and Practice students. Her areas of expertise include social housing; urban development; poverty and welfare conditionality; social theory; and critical realism.

How we teach

We offer an interactive mix of weekly webinars, forums, and learning activities to keep you engaged and challenged during your studies with us. However, you’ll also be given the freedom and flexibility to access these resources at your own time, to best fit your schedule.

In addition, we’ll provide guidance on how to identify, locate, and use the online material available in the Library. Comprehensive bibliographies are provided for each module, as are guidelines for when you’ll be expected to produce essays, projects, and your dissertation.

How you're assessed

Throughout the programme there will be a combination of formative and summative assessments. There are no exams.

Formative assessments will typically involve tutor feedback on your presentations and other projects. Summative assessments will typically take place through essays and assessed coursework – your dissertation being one example.

Careers and opportunities

Upon completing the course and earning your degree, you’ll have the expertise needed to establish a successful career in social welfare provision and public service.

The self-direction and time management skills you can expect to gain will also make you a strong candidate for a variety of roles, particularly at a managerial level.

Some of the positions you could explore include:

Charity officer

Civil service administrator

Health service manager

Policy officer

Social researcher

Your degree also opens you up to the prospect of pursuing a PhD; in many countries an MA is an essential requirement for study at doctoral level.

As mentioned in the module overview section above, your dissertation gives you with the opportunity – after obtaining ethical approval – to conduct an in-depth research project in your intellectual and professional specialist area of choice.

Check out our MA Social Policy careers page for more information on potential career paths open to you.

Find out about the people you'll meet and the services available to you

Get more information on course fees, payment plans, and funding options

More resources

How do different countries address social reform?

Discover how different countries tackle social reform in this insightful blog post. Explore case...

The connection between social policy and healthcare

Discover how social policy and healthcare are linked, including how social policies can impact...

Social policy trends and challenges

Explore the future of social policy, including the latest trends and challenges that policymakers...

“From the beginning it’s been clear that UCLan has a really effective system for supporting online students.”

- Sophie Liebe-Kreutzner, MSc in Human Resource Management

Have questions?  

We'd love to hear from you. Get in touch to discuss your course of interest and ask any questions about studying.

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UCL Doctorate In Clinical Psychology

Guidelines for Writing and Presenting the Thesis

The DClinPsy thesis has two volumes. The major research project forms Volume 1; Volume 2 contains the four case reports and the service-related research report. These guidelines describe what goes into each part of the thesis and how it all fits together. They mostly focus on Volume 1, which is covered in the following section; the later section on layout and formatting covers both volumes.

What goes in Volume 1

Volume 1, the research component of the thesis, has a three-part structure, consisting of a literature review paper, an empirical paper and a critical appraisal. In addition, from June 2018 onwards, UCL regulations stipulate that the thesis should contain a brief (≤500 words)  Impact Statement , explaining how the work in the thesis could be put to beneficial use inside and outside of academia.

The first two parts (the literature review and the empirical paper) are in the form of papers that might be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal; the third part (the critical appraisal) is not intended for publication, but aims to give you an opportunity to reflect critically on the research that you carried out. Each part is described below.

There will inevitably be some overlap between each of the three parts: for example, the introduction section of the empirical paper may partly be condensed from the literature review paper, and the critical appraisal may address in greater detail some of the issues raised in the discussion section of the empirical paper. However, overlap should generally be minimal, and the same sentences should not normally be repeated in different parts of the thesis.

The regulations state that the length of the research thesis shall be approximately 25,000 words, with a maximum of 40,000 words; there is no minimum word count. We suggest that you aim for about 20,000 to 25,000 words. Conciseness of expression is greatly valued by the examiners, who may require overly wordy theses to be shortened.

We strongly encourage you to start writing drafts of your thesis early on, as this is an essential way to clarify your thoughts. It is a bad idea to leave a lot of the writing until late in the project, since this usually leads to a rushed, poor quality thesis.

Part 1. Review paper

The review paper (of approximately 8,000 words not including tables and references) is a focused review of a body of literature relevant to the research topic. It is not necessary to address the literature for every aspect of your empirical study (the introduction section of your empirical paper will provide the necessary background). The review paper should either be a stand-alone paper in its own right, which should pose a question and then systematically examine the empirical literature that addresses that question OR a Conceptual Introduction which reviews the evidence in a more narrative fashion. Guidance for both formats is avaiable on this website.

The structure that follows is for the stand alone paper - for a conceptual introduction you are free to organise it how you wish (see suggestions in the more detailed guidance in the Literature Review section of the website here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/clinical-psychology-doctorate/guidance-conceptual-... ):

• A structured Abstract (of about 200 words), with headings of Aims, Method, Results, Conclusions. It should specify the number of papers reviewed.
• The Introduction gives the background to the topic and ends with a clearly specified question that the review will address.
• The Method section specifies the inclusion and exclusion criteria for the studies to be reviewed and the search strategy for locating them. The latter should indicate which databases you used, with which search terms, and specify other search limits, e.g. date or publication type. You should also describe how you narrowed down the studies from the initial (usually large) number of hits generated by the search to the final set of studies that you focus on. The steps in the narrowing down process are usually illustrated by a flowchart.
• The Results section reviews the assembled studies. It is usually helpful to include a table listing their important characteristics and findings. The review should not be simply descriptive; it should weigh up the evidence, taking into account the methodological soundness of the studies, and take a critical perspective on the evidence base as a whole. It is often helpful to use a structured critical appraisal checklist -- there are several in the literature (see the list on Moodle).
• The Discussion section addresses what can be concluded from the body of studies reviewed. It should draw on the methodological critique of the studies in order to evaluate the quality of the evidence. It should also address the limitations of the review, draw any clinical implications and make suggestions for further research (that may, by remarkable coincidence, bear considerable similarity to the empirical project reported in the second part of the thesis).
• The References.
• Any appendices are placed at the end of Volume 1 (see section below on layout).

One model for the stand-alone paper style of this part of the thesis is articles in  Clinical Psychology Review . You could also look at any theoretical or review article in other clinical psychology journals. However, these published review papers, particularly those in prestigious journals, are usually much more ambitious in terms of quantity, scope and method than is possible within the constraints of the DClinPsy.

Part 2. Empirical paper

The empirical paper (of approximately 8,000 words not including tables and references) reports on your study. Its structure follows the usual research article format, although the length of each section will vary according to the nature of the project, and additional detail may need to be provided in the Method or Results sections (or in an Appendix). You can model it on papers in any mainstream peer-reviewed clinical psychology journal, e.g. the  British Journal of Clinical Psychology  or the  Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology , or a specialist journal in your particular research area. As a rough guide, each of the four main sections is usually in the range of about 1,500 to 2,500 words, with the Results section usually being longer than the other three. The structure is as follows:

• A structured  Abstract  (of about 200 words), with headings of Aims, Method, Results, Conclusions.
• Introduction . A brief review of the literature, which shows the flow of ideas leading to your research questions. The rationale for the study should be clearly articulated. The Introduction ends with your research questions or hypotheses.
• Method . A description of participants, procedures, design and measures. The methods should be described in sufficient detail to enable the reader to understand what was done and potentially to be able to replicate the study. For quantitative studies, the statistical power analysis should normally be reported. Descriptions of measures need to include sample items, response options, scoring methods and psychometric properties. There will also be a section on ethics, saying where approval was obtained and discussing any ethical issues in the study. For confidentiality reasons, no names of services where participants were recruited should be given.
• Results . The findings and any statistical analyses should be presented with the aid of tables and, if necessary, figures. It should be possible for the reader to evaluate the data from which your conclusions are drawn. Qualitative papers will include quotes to illustrate each of the themes.
• Discussion . An examination of the research questions in the light of the results obtained and the methods used. It will interpret the findings in the context of the research questions and the wider theoretical context in which the work was carried out, including a consideration of alternative explanations, methodological limitations and reasons for unexpected results. It will conclude with a discussion of the scientific and professional implications of the findings.
• References . A list of all references cited.

Part 3. Critical appraisal

The final part of the thesis (of approximately 3,000 to 5,000 words not including tables and references) is intended to encourage critical reflection on the whole process of doing the research. Its structure and content are more flexible than those of the other two parts. You could, for example, discuss how your previous experiences or theoretical orientation might have influenced how you set about the study, how the process of doing the research might have modified your views (it is often helpful to draw on your research journal here), how you dealt with any dilemmas or methodological choices that arose during the course of the study, and what you might have done differently and why. You could also include an expanded discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the study, its clinical and scientific implications, and future directions for research (depending on how extensively each of these areas is covered in the discussion section of the empirical paper). It is essential, however, to ensure that all important points are mentioned in your empirical paper first – this is not the place to introduce significant limitations of the study or different ways of interpreting the findings. Whilst it is less formal than the other two parts, the critical appraisal should not be overly personal; it should ideally be addressed to an audience of fellow researchers who might benefit from your considered thoughts about conducting the research.

All appendices are placed at the end of Volume 1. Include here any additional material related to the empirical study, or to the other two parts if needed. Essential material to append includes: the official letter giving ethical approval, sample letters to participants, participant information sheet, informed consent form, instruction sheets, questionnaires, interview schedules and any measures not in common use. Measures that are sensitive or copyrighted will eventually need to be removed. Raw data and computer printouts are not normally needed. However, for qualitative studies, examples of the procedures of analysis should be included.

Confidentiality and privacy

Once your thesis is completed it will effectively become a public document, available on the internet via the UCL's e-thesis repository (UCL Discovery). Therefore it is essential when presenting your work that your participants' right to confidentiality and privacy be upheld. In particular, students writing up small-N and qualitative studies should be especially careful to ensure that no participants are identifiable from the thesis.

Layout and formatting

The text should be double-spaced on plain, white A4 paper. Both sides of the paper may be used - you can choose whether to print the thesis single-sided or double-sided. Margins at the binding edge should be 4cm. The other margins (i.e. top, bottom and unbound side) should be 2.5cm. Remember, if you include a table or figure that uses a landscape page setup then the margins need to be adjusted accordingly, i.e. 4cm becomes the top margin.

Number pages on the bottom right or bottom centre of the page. Page 1 is the title page (although it looks tidier if you suppress the page numbering for that page only).

For general guidance on formatting, follow  APA style , as set out in the  APA Publication Manual  (7th edition). It is essential to use APA citation and referencing style (see the course document on Moodle), and also to lay out tables in APA format. Heading formats can depart slightly from APA style (e.g. you can use italicised headings, or adopt a numbering system if you wish): what is important is to adopt a systematic hierarchy of headings within each part of the thesis. Look at recent theses for models of layout and formatting (ask your UCL supervisor to recommend one or two). Pay meticulous attention to spelling, grammar, punctuation and format: poorly presented theses give an impression of carelessness and will be referred for revision.

The thesis is more easily readable if you left justify the text and use a standard font. We recommend Times New Roman 12 point or Arial 11 point for the main body of the text, although tables and figures can be set in a smaller font size if necessary, as long as they are readable. In accordance with APA style, the best way to indicate a new paragraph in double-spaced text is to indent its first word; there is then no need to leave a blank line between paragraphs.

Tables and figures are numbered (Table 1 etc.) and usually placed on their own separate pages, although smaller ones can be embedded in the text, usually just below the paragraph that first refers to them (in contrast to APA format for submitted journal articles, where the tables and figures are at the end of the paper).

Volume 1 is laid out in the following order:

• the  Title Page  gives the title (usually the same as that of the empirical paper), your name, and lower down on the page, the words "DClinPsy thesis (Volume 1), [year of submission]" and on the line below "University College London". The title page is justified as centred. You can use a slightly larger font if you wish.
• a  Signed Declaration  that the work presented is your own. The professional doctorate regulations specify that this be inserted right after the title page of the thesis There is a  declaration form  on the course website.
• an  Overview  (up to 250 words), giving a summary of the contents of all three parts of the thesis. (Note that this will ultimately be used by the library to catalogue your thesis, and it will form part of the meta-data that will be seen first by people searching for your thesis.)
• an  Impact Statement  that describes, in no more than 500 words, how the expertise, knowledge, analysis, discovery or insight presented in your thesis could be put to a beneficial use. Please see  guidance  from the UCL Doctoral School on this.
• the  Table of Contents  covers all three parts of Volume 1, including the appendices, and gives a separate list of tables and figures.
• the  Acknowledgements  page mentions everyone whose contribution to the work you wish to recognise.
• Part 1  (the literature review) with a title page and abstract (both on separate pages) and references. The title page should say “Part 1: Literature Review” and then give the title of the review paper on a separate line.
• Part 2  (the empirical paper) with a title page and abstract (both on separate pages) and references. The title page should say “Part 2: Empirical Paper” and then give the title of the empirical paper on a separate line. The text of the main body of the paper should run continuously: the main sections (Methods, Results, Discussion) should not start on new pages. Tables and figures should be numbered afresh for the empirical paper, so the first table in the empirical paper is Table 1, even if there is also a Table 1 in the literature review.
• Part 3  (the critical appraisal) with a title page (just saying “Part 3: Critical Appraisal”), and references.
• the  Appendices , each with their own title page. (There’s no need to number the pages within the appendices if this is fiddly.) There is only one set of appendices for all of Volume 1, placed at the end of the volume. They are numbered in the order in which they appear in the thesis. (If there is only one appendix, just call it Appendix, with no number.)

If your research is part of a joint project (e.g. with another trainee or with a PhD student), you must state this in the Overview and in the Method section of your empirical paper, and include an Appendix setting out each person’s contribution to the project. Please see the course document on  submission of joint theses .

Volume 2 (no longer submitted but you should assemble it as a document as follows)

Volume 2 begins with a title page, which says "Case Reports and Service-Related Research Project", then lists on separate lines your name, "D.Clin.Psy. thesis (Volume 2), [year of submission]" and "University College London". On the next page there is the table of contents, giving the full title, as below; there is no need to list tables and appendices. Then follows each of the four case reports and the service-related research report, in the order in which each was submitted. For case reports, the title page gives the submission number, your own title and the type of case report, e.g., Case report 4: "An angry young man" (Completed Clinical Intervention). For the service-related research it has the words "Service Related Research Report (submitted as Case Report x)"; the title of the report is then listed on a new line. Word counts and trainee code numbers should be omitted. After the title page comes the body of the report, its references, and then any appendices pertaining to that report. Each case report is a stand-alone entity, so tables and appendices are numbered afresh (i.e. each report could have a Table 1, etc.). As described above, Volume 2 is separately paginated.

Handing in before the viva

Electronic submission.

You need to submit an electronic version of Volume 1 in pdf format. Send it to the Research Administrator at  [email protected]   via the  Moodle submission link  with a file name of Thesis_submission_volume1_[yourlastname] (e.g. Thesis_submission_volume1_Smith).

NOTE -  Volume 2 does not need to be submitted at this point but must be made available on request.

Running volume 1 through turnitin.

In addition to the procedures outlined above for submission of the thesis, we require that Volume 1 of the thesis be submitted via Turnitin, a plagiarism-detection programme.

As with case reports, submission of Volume 1 of the thesis to Turnitin is done via Moodle. The link for thesis submission on your Moodle homepage is called ‘Thesis Volume 1 Submission’.

When uploading Volume 1 please call the file ‘Volume 1 [First name] [Family name]’. For example, ‘Volume 1 Ed Miliband’ or ‘Volume 1 Nicola Sturgeon’. You should upload your full Volume 1 (as outlined in the section above called ‘Volume 1’) as a word document.

Turnitin is being used to promote good academic practice, not to catch students out. For this reason the system has been configured so that you can submit your Volume 1, look at the Turnitin report to identify any sections where there may be potential plagiarism, delete the submission and submit a revised report.

Resubmissions can be made up to 14.00 on the day on which theses are due, although in practice it is strongly recommended that Turnitin submissions are made well before then: it will be important to leave yourself time to submit to Turnitin before you submit your final version of Volume 1. Also, please note that Turnitin can take upto 24 hours to generate a similarity report for each submission, so you will need to factor this in to any plans for checking and resubmission. 

How to judge the Turnitin report to decide whether the thesis needs to be amended?

Turnitin will give your Volume 1 an originality score, but this tells you very little about whether there are any problems with plagiarism in your thesis. That is because theses contain copies of measures, participant information sheets, references and so on, which inflate the Turnitin originality score.

Trainees need to use their own judgement to decide whether they should amend their thesis because of inadvertent plagiarism. The key principle is that ideas and quotations are appropriately referenced.  Please look at the guidance about plagiarism on the UCL  website , which is also reproduced in Section 23 of the Training Handbook.

If you have any queries about using Turnitin as part of the thesis submission, please contact Priya Dey, the Research Administrator, in the first instance. 

After the viva

Ongoing access to ucl library resources.

All DClinPsy students continue to have access to UCL library resources after the viva, whilst they work on any required thesis revisions. Once you have have completed any revisions, had them approved and submitted your thesis, your access to the library as a UCL student will come to an end. However, the good news is that UCL alumni are entitled to library access after they complete their studies. You just need to re-register, following the instructions given on the  UCL library website .   

You need to submit two electronic copies of Volume 1 in pdf format:

1. One e-copy to the Research Administrator with a filename of Thesis_final_volume1_[yourlastname] 

2. One e-copy to UCL's e-thesis repository (UCL Discovery) via the  Research Publication Service . The library have produced a useful document (available on the Project Support  Moodle  site) outlining the e-thesis submission procedure.

Once the Research Administrator can confirm that you have completed all other components of the course, they will inform the HCPC that you have satisfied all the course requirements. However, before the Research Administrator can report to UCL that you have completed the course, you also need to have submitted the e-thesis copy to UCL Discovery. Once this is done, you will get a letter from the Course Directors confirming that you have passed the DClinPsy.

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Thesis & Dissertation Filing Requirements

This is the official UCLA manuscript preparation guide that contains established criteria for uniformity in the format of theses and dissertations. The regulations included in it supersede any style manual instructions regarding format. Also includes information on filing dates and procedures, registration of copyright, and guidelines for submission.

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