phd by publication in usa

A PhD by publication or how I got my doctorate and kept my sanity

Associate, Children's Policy Centre, Australian National University, Australian National University

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Doing a PhD is a difficult business. Long hours, personal stress, institutional pressure to complete on time – and all this for what?

Increasingly a PhD alone does not guarantee an academic career. We are expected to publish, teach and contribute to professional development. Oh and did I mention you have to publish, publish, publish?

However there is a way to publish and do a PhD - hopefully without perishing.

I recently completed my PhD by publication, which for me was a way of getting a doctorate while keeping my sanity.

What is a PhD by publication?

A PhD by Publication is just what it sounds like, instead of producing one large monograph, you produce a series of articles to be published in peer reviewed journals or as book chapters.

The normal format is four to five research papers bookended by a substantial introductory chapter and a concluding chapter. The thesis must still read as a cohesive whole and therefore despite the articles being stand alone pieces, they must also relate to each other.

The aim is that when they are read together they become more than just the sum of their parts.

It is a relatively new concept within the social sciences and humanities but has been around for a while in the hard sciences here in Australia. It is much more common in European Universities where it is often the standard approach for doctoral studies.

The advantages

There are many advantages to doing a PhD this way. One of the more self-evident ones is that it allows you to publish and finish a PhD – academically hitting two birds with one stone.

There are many pressures of doing a PhD that are taken away from publishing. PhD by publication focused my writing on achieving output and helped to avoid the trap of always pushing the publications to the side.

A PhD by publication also helps you to develop practical skills. Through my own process, I learnt how to write to journal editors, deal with rejection and pitch articles – all skills that are important for professional academic life.

This method also divides the PhD up into more manageable chunks – sometimes the hardest thing about a PhD is the enormity of the task it presents. But dividing it up into five discrete papers allowed me to see a way ahead making the PhD seem more achievable.

Last but not least, you can get both expert feedback and it can provide that “tick” factor. PhD students were usually high achieving undergraduate students used to receiving recognition and reward for their work. Entering the land of doctoral studies, you don’t get the pay off from your work until the end of many years and lack of recognition can be deeply un-motivating.

But each time something is published is a chance to celebrate and take a deep breath before moving on to the next portion.

The expert feedback you get during this process is also very helpful even it’s not always pleasant (see below). By the time your PhD goes to examiners it has already gone through a rigorous peer review process.

In times of PhD panic, it was comforting to think that my work can’t be that bad if someone had already agreed to publish it.

The disadvantages

Of course, though, there are some disadvantages to electing to do a PhD in this way.

Chief among them is the pressure to start publishing immediately. Publishing is hardly a quick process; it can sometimes take up to two years from submission to a journal long periods of fieldwork may not be compatible.

Therefore candidates taking this route need to start straight away. Aim to have your first paper finished within the first 6 months.

It’s also worth recognising that this is not a format for the faint hearted. Rejections from journals can be brutal. You need to be prepared to take this on the chin and send it out again.

That said, this is a skill you need to develop for academia. Being exposed to it early helped me develop a thick skin and be humble about my work.

With the benefit of feedback, there’s also the downside of extra work. You may often need to rewrite work for journal editors.

After all, editors have their own agenda and interests and in some respect you are writing for them and not for you. However this taught me to stand my ground with editors and defend things I wished to keep as well as framing things for different audiences.

Another thing to be wary of when considering a PhD by publication is that you need to understand that it’s not a professional Doctorate. A Professional Doctorate recognises contribution to a profession and usually doesn’t include the same level of original contribution or indeed a thesis.

PhD by publication is still examined to the same standards as a traditional PhD. However countering this assumption that it is not a “real” PhD is sometimes hard.

Finally, because you’re likely to be treading new ground in your institution, there’s not always a clear path before you.

I did my PhD in a department which was still sorting out its policy towards this format. As a consequence I needed the strong support of your supervisor and head of department to make this work (which I was lucky enough to have). You shouldn’t expect a clear set of instructions here; guidelines and policies seem to vary between departments, disciplines and universities.

The up shot

The biggest advantage is that I have come out of my doctoral studies not only with a PhD but with a healthy publication record. This I hope will assist me when taking the next step in my career.

For me, PhD with publication provided a framework, a way forward from which I could see the path to submission. It provided me with a way to get my doctorate without worrying about the process. It allowed me the opportunity to contribute to debates while developing my ideas.

If academia is to expect Australian candidates to now finish their PhD and publish, then it should promote and encourage alternative formats such as this. It can only be good for both PhD candidates and the profession at large.

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Introduction: Demystifying the PhD by Publication

• First Online: 28 September 2022

Cite this chapter

• Sin Wang Chong   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4519-0544 3 &
• Neil H. Johnson   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8604-1193 4  

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This chapter documents the rationale for compiling a collection on the PhD by Publication. The aim of the book is to “demystify” this alternative route of doctoral education because there is a dearth of publications (journal articles or books) on this PhD route which is gaining popularity around the world. This book attempts to “demystify” PhD by Publication by identifying pertinent issues and (mis)conceptions pertaining to policies and practices through research, research syntheses, and surveys of university policies on the PhD by Publication internationally (Part I – Landscapes of PhD by Publication). Another layer of “demystification” pertains to experience (Part II: Narratives of PhD by Publication). The inclusion of reflective and autobiographical accounts by PhD by Publication supervisors, students, and graduates internationally provides a vivid insider’s perspective toward this PhD route. This chapter closes with an outline of each chapter of the book.

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Chong, S. W. (2020). PhD by published work and “doctorateness”: My experience at a UK university. Innovative Practice in Higher Education, 4 (1), 1–12. http://journals.staffs.ac.uk/index.php/ipihe/article/view/204/319

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Chong, S. W. (2021). Demystifying commentary guidelines of PhD by published work in the UK: Insights from genre analysis. In Innovations in education and teaching international (pp. 1–10). Advanced online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/14703297.2020.1871396

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Hyland, K. (2015). Genre, discipline and identity. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 19 , 32–43.

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Jackson, D. (2013). Completing a PhD by publication: A review of Australian policy and implications for practice. Higher Education Research and Development, 32 (3), 355–368. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2012.692666

O’Keeffe, P. (2019). PhD by publication: Innovative approach to social science research, or operationalisation of the doctoral student … or both? Higher Education Research and Development, 39 (2), 288–301. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2019.1666258

Smith, S. (2017). Supervising on a PhD by published work route: An exploration of the supervisory role. Zeitschrift für Hochschulentwicklung. Journal for Higher Education Development, 12 (2), 19–43.

Smith, S. (2019). The challenge of supervising students who are doing a PhD by published work . Trust Me! Blog. Retrieved from https://eprints.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/id/eprint/5648/1/TheChallengeOfSupervisingStudentsWhoAreDoingAPhdByPublishedWorkAM-SMITH.pdf

Wilson, K. (2002). Quality assurance issues for a PhD by published work: A case study. Quality Assurance in Education, 10 (2), 71–78. https://doi.org/10.1108/09684880210423555

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Chong, S.W., Johnson, N.H. (2022). Introduction: Demystifying the PhD by Publication. In: Chong, S.W., Johnson, N. (eds) Landscapes and Narratives of PhD by Publication. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04895-1_1

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Why get a PhD by publication (and other career tips)

Finding the ‘golden thread’ in your academic path can offer an opportunity to reflect and grow, writes James Derounian

James Derounian

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Towards the end of my full-time academic career, during a 2020 Covid lockdown, I submitted my PhD by published work. In this article, I argue that this doctoral route offers academics – whether newbies or gnarled veterans – a precious chance to reflect, achieve and grow.

A doctorate by published work can be approached in two ways. If you don’t have a PhD, it can be researched and written as a prospective thesis, which can enable you to pursue research and journal-article production that map out a coherent path. Or, if you are like me, you can work on a retrospective doctorate, identifying a “golden thread” through which to look back and make sense of your academic career. The academic Susan Smith has written the gospel on this subject, entitled, would you believe, PhD by Published Work – which I heartily recommend.

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As Smith suggests, my endeavour in this doctorate aligned with the UK Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education’s 2011 requirement to present a “series of peer-reviewed academic papers, books, citations or other materials that have been published…accompanied by a substantial commentary linking the published work and outlining its coherence and significance”.

So I selected nine of my academic publications – a single-authored chapter in an edited book, single-authored journal articles, co-authored academic articles, co-authored project reports for the Higher Education Academy – plus 10 practitioner publications of mine that supported my case but were not formally included. I argued that together these made an original, significant contribution to scholarship and public knowledge equivalent in scope and esteem to work required for a traditional PhD. Furthermore, I demonstrated my unique input to scholarship in the fields of higher education pedagogy and community development, as well as the sufficiency and coherence of this work and accompanying publications.

The “golden thread” or commentary in my case reflected on a central theme from previous publications, namely to explore and determine the nature and degree of connectedness between HE teaching and learning, and community development theory and practice. Somewhat to my relief, I discovered that my 40-plus-year academic career did, indeed, have some coherence. And the process of looking back bore out Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard’s 1843 contention that life “can only be understood backwards; but must be lived forwards”.

Tried-and-tested advice for a successful academic career

Beyond the career-defining interrogation of a PhD through exploring your own published works, I offer four further career tips that have stood me in good stead.

1. Follow your interests

First, (as far as possible) be true to yourself and follow what interests you, whether in teaching, research, administration or consultancy (rather than where management might push you). An example of this  for me was undertaking consultancy work reviewing community development projects and activities. These examples of action research then provided up-to-date case studies to feed into student contact sessions. Of course, there will be horse trading, whereby you might have to give ground to gain some. Such is life.

2. Get the balance right

This links to my second suggestion: try, for example via annual staff appraisals, to work towards your preferred balance of teaching-admin-research-consultancy. For example, I volunteered to look after work-based modules, such as internships, across my department because I came into academia from practice and believed in the value of work experience for undergraduates; and I researched and published on this topic in academic journals and books. To vary the metaphor, seek to steer the ship that is you and your career rather than be bounced by the strong tides of administrative urgency.

3. Be a good colleague

Third, make alliances and friendships with colleagues – seek those with humanity who are not just work dominated or totally driven. As Iain Hay comments in his 2017 book  How to Be an Academic Superhero , connect to “good colleagues; be a good colleague…to the best of your abilities, try to help out…The web of obligations is two-sided and you will receive reciprocal favours over time”. I deliberately worked with other national teaching fellows (NTF) at my higher education institution to seek to influence teaching policies and practices, similarly helping applicants to gain an NTF on the basis of climbing a mountain and helping colleagues to make the ascent. It helped others and I felt good in offering a hand.

4. Never stop learning

Finally, keep learning as you proceed (in your academic career); don’t assume you have “arrived” (down that road lie fossilisation and lack of currency). In this vein, I undertook a beginners’ Spanish module, joining in like any other student in the class. As well as giving me words of use when I visited the Alhambra in Granada, it taught me valuable lessons for teaching: how you need to be ever so careful and clear in what you say and how you say it, pause regularly to check that students understand what has just been covered and have time to ask questions.

Oh, and enjoy the ride! Yes, there are downsides to academic life, such as the administrative tail wagging the teaching dog, insecure short-term job contracts…but, equally, I maintain that an academic life can give you so much freedom as well as the ability to travel, write, teach, publicise research findings to improve life and the planet…

James Derounian lectures on community governance. He is a national teaching fellow and a visiting professor at the University of Bolton, UK.

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Understanding and preparing a ‘PhD by Publication’

The importance of publication for the academic.

The reality is that to “survive” academia, publications are a must . Employers and funding bodies will review your publication history to factor into their decision-making. To better prepare for this reality, an increasing number of institutions are beginning to allow PhD students to submit their body of published literature that they have created during their PhD programme as the thesis that they would need to produce for earning their degree.

‘PhD by publication’ explained

A PhD by publication (also known as a paper-based thesis ) does what it says on the tin: it’s a mode of submission that allows the candidate to submit their body of published work created during their PhD as a thesis. The idea is to help graduates hit the ground running with a publication history that will help them on their next steps as researchers. While not universally accepted at the time of writing/publishing this article, it is an emerging model that has become more popular in certain disciplines and institutions.

Note: PhDs don’t typically focus on publications

During your PhD, while you are encouraged to actively engage with the publication process, it isn’t usually the focus. There will be a long and arduous learning curve , most likely for the first half of your PhD, where you improve your skills to take on the bulk of the PhD work. In fact, many PhD students report that the bulk of the content for their thesis was created in the final year of their degree.

Getting started with a PhD by publication

That said, if you are considering or have been advised to do a PhD by publication, then the best time to translate this into action is as early as possible. Here’s what you’ll need to think about:

• Find out i f your institution allows PhD by publication (if it’s something you’ve thought of rather than something you were advised to do).
• Identify the stage a publication needs to be at to qualify as submission for examination for your doctoral qualification. For example, some institutions do not require that the PhD candidates have actually had their papers accepted and published, but just that the papers are prepared to a sufficient standard that is ready for submission .

Considerations and challenges in preparing a PhD by publication

A. deciding on the number of papers.

While there is no set number of publications you’ll need to publish, you’ll want to think about how many papers you’ll need to prepare to adequately communicate the full extent of your research to your examiners, and think about timing accordingly . If you are in a STEM discipline, you’ll also want to factor in time for extra experimentation, if required.

b. Considering co-authorship

Make sure you also consider co-authorship as a reflection of your contribution to the research. Don’t feel the need to publish by yourself and do all of the work alone. It is not uncommon to co-author papers, particularly if you are doing your PhD as part of a larger research project and group, and so these collaboratively written papers may still be accepted as part of your submission. However, consider the contribution you made to the piece, and consult with your institution to make sure that whatever you plan to produce would be acceptable.

c. Undergoing peer review

Finally, a common thought to this mode of submission will likely be:

What if I don’t pass peer review?

While a valid concern, it’s important to remember that rejection is a part of the publication process , and d oes not necessarily reflect the quality of your work . Also bear in mind that you don’t usually need to decide on whether you would prefer to opt for a ‘PhD by publication’ at the commencement of your PhD programme. So, you will still be able to submit a more traditional thesis should your publication plans not pan out.

A thesis by publication can be a worthy undertaking to add additional challenge to your PhD journey. It will teach you to go through the motions of what researchers rely on for their next project: publications. So, if you feel up for the challenge and your institution allows it, then go for it! Just remember the key points discussed in this article and ensure that you prepare your submission according to the specific requirements of your institution .

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• PhD in USA – A Guide for 2020/21
• Finding a PhD

A PhD in USA takes approximately 5 – 6 years of full-time study and can cost between $12,000 – $45,000 per academic year. PhD programs in USA differ from that in the UK and Europe in that students must first take taught classes, coursework and exams before starting their research project.

Why Do a PhD in USA?

The United States has long had some of the most distinguished universities and advanced PhD programmes in the world. Combined with curriculum flexibility, rigorous teaching methods, vast funding opportunities, breathtaking campuses and significant career prospects, it’s no wonder that it is one of the most sought-after study destinations for research students.

In addition to comprehensive training standards, here are a few other reasons why a student may choose to undertake their PhD in the United States:

• Longer learning timeframes – A PhD in the US lasts longer than a PhD in the UK or Europe. This allows students to more confidently transition from undergraduate to postgraduate studies; more commonly referred to as ‘graduate studies’ in the US. This gives you the opportunity to learn more about your subject, research methods and academic writing in general before starting your research project.
• World-class universities – It’s no secret that some of the most well-known higher education institutions that continue to dominate global rankings are based in the United States. Although many factors go into determining whether a position is right for you, a PhD at a high-ranking American university will undeniably have many benefits, from excellent learning standards to access to innovative equipment and deep expertise.
• International network – The US has long been a popular choice among PhD students around the world. As such, the US hosts a diverse and multicultural learning environment in which many research students will quickly feel at home.
• Opportunities – With over 4,000 universities in the US, we can safely say you will have plenty of opportunities to find the ideal combination of project, supervisor and university that works for you.

Universities in USA

Universities in the United States can be divided into two types: public universities and private universities.

Public universities are financed by the state in which they are based. Because of this, public universities charge less for students from within the state and more for students from outside the state, including international students.

Private universities are not financed by their state, but by private donors, research funds and tuition fees. For this reason, private universities generally charge higher tuition fees than public universities and require all students to pay the same amount, regardless of whether they come from out-of-state or abroad.

According to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2021 , eight of the top ten universities in the world are located in the United States. These are:

Method of Study

The main difference between a PhD in the US and a PhD in Europe lies in the program structure. Whereas a European PhD essentially consists of a single phase lasting three to four years , an American PhD consists of three different phases, each with its own time frame.

• Phase One – The first phase lasts approximately two years and focuses on building a basic foundation for the doctoral student. This phase consists largely of taught components such as lectures, tutorials and laboratory sessions, in which the student learns more about theoretical concepts and research methods within their discipline.
• Phase Two – The second phase can be considered an assessment phase, which runs both periodically alongside and at the end of the first phase. Here, students complete coursework and take exams on the basis of the material they have covered of which they must pass in order to proceed to the third phase.
• Phase Three – The third phase lasts approximately three years and resembles the European PhD structure. During this period, the student undertakes an independent research project, including forming a research design, conducting experiments, writing a thesis (more commonly referred to in the USA as a dissertation) and sitting a viva exam.

Teaching Requirements

Besides structure, a key difference between a PhD program in the US and in Europe is the focus on teaching requirements. In the US, doctoral students are expected to lecture, lead tutorials, host laboratory sessions, mark coursework and provide office hours for undergraduate students. Although students studying in European will likely contribute to these at some point during their study, this would normally be on a voluntary basis and involve less time commitment.

Research Flexibility

Another difference is project flexibility. In Europe, students typically apply to a PhD project predetermined by a supervisor, and although there may be some scope to adapt the project, depending on the funding provider , it will usually be limited to how the project is carried out rather than what it is about. In the US, however, a student applies to become a doctoral candidate within a department rather than applying for a particular research project. This is because students are expected to decide on their thesis topic (also commonly referred to as a dissertation research topic) near the end of their first phase after they have developed a better understanding of their subject and know where their interests lie. Therefore, research students in the US generally have more flexibility and influence in the direction of their research than students in the United Kingdom or Europe.

PhD Admission Requirements in USA

PhD admission into US universities can be highly competitive, both because of the limited number of positions and the large number of annual applicants.

The eligibility requirements for a doctoral program in the USA can generally be divided into four sections:

• Grade Point Average (GPA) – in the US, a scoring system known as Grade Point Average is used to measure academic ability. A student’s GPA is calculated as a weighted score of the subjects they study during their undergraduate degree; an equivalent score is calculated by universities for international applicants. Although universities rarely set minimum GPA requirements for doctoral study, it’s worth being aware that a GPA of 3.0 is equivalent to a UK second class honours (2:1); the typical entry requirement for UK universities.
• Graduate Records Exam (GRE) – most universities will require you to take a series of examinations known as Graduate Records Exams, which are used to determine your suitability for graduate study. GREs will assess your analytical, reasoning and critical thinking skills as well as your depth of your subject.
• Student aptitude – in addition to academic ability, US universities also look for characteristics of a strong researcher. These include traits such as engaging in the subject in your own time, e.g. by attending talks and conferences, demonstrating a high degree of independence and enthusiasm, and a general passion for your subject.
• English Language Proficiency – international students whose first language is not English must sit language exams such as IELTS or TOELF to demonstrate their English language proficiency.

International students will also require a F1 student visa in order to study in the US, however, you would typically apply for this after you have secured a place into a doctorate program.

How to Apply for PhD in USA

When applying for a PhD position at a graduate school, the application process will differ between universities, however, they will all typically ask for the following:

• Academic CV – a short document summarising your educational background and current level of experience .
• Personal statement – a document which outlines why you believe you are suitable for PhD study and your passion for the subject.
• Academic transcripts – a complete breakdown of the modules and their respective marks you have taken as part of your previous/current degree.
• GRE scores – a transcript of your Graduate Records Exam results.
• Research statement – a condensed version of a research proposal outlining your general research interests, if required.
• Recommendation letters – references from several academic referees who endorse your qualities as a person, your abilities as a student and your potential as a doctoral researcher.

Application Deadlines and Fees

Since PhD programs in the United States have taught components, they commence at the same time as all other taught degrees, and therefore share the same application deadlines and start dates. This corresponds to an application period that typically begins in August and ends in February. Admission decisions are typically made in April, with successful students starting in August/September.

When you apply to a graduate school, you will be expected to pay a fee for each doctorate application to cover the school’s administrative costs for processing your application. The fee varies from university to university, but typically ranges from $50 to $100 .

Funding your PhD in USA

It’s very common for a PhD student to receive financial aid in the form of a PhD scholarship; in fact, this will be the case for the vast majority of students in the US.

PhD funding can be ‘fully funded’ covering the student’s graduate program tuition fees, accommodation and living costs, or ‘partially funded’ covering the student’s tuition fee only in part or full.

Besides funding, a graduate student can take on an assistantship, such as a graduate teaching assistant or research assistant, in which they take on a part-time salaried position at the university alongside their studies.

Due to the international and collaborate nature of American universities, there are also a number of international scholarships available, such as the Fulbright Scholarship and the AAUW International Fellowship .

PhD Duration in USA

In the US, a PhD takes approximately 5 – 6 years to complete if studying full-time, and 8 – 10 years if studying part-time.

If you already have a Master’s degree, your first phase can be shortened by one year at the discretion of the university.

Cost of a PhD in USA

The cost of a PhD program in the US can vary considerably depending on the type of university, i.e. whether it’s a public or private university, the doctoral course, i.e. whether it’s in a STEM subject such as computer science, engineering or a non-STEM subject, and whether you are a home or international student.

In general, however, the typical annual tuition fee for a PhD in the US is between $12,000 and $45,000 per academic year.

As with any doctoral degree, additional costs may include travel for collaborations, bench fees, accommodation and living expenses.

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This degree is suitable for professionals that already performed research or published research materials related to their professional activities. Student can submit previously published or completed research materials for the PhD degree consideration. If we would not accept research materials, you always can re-shape your research work into regular PhD Dissertation format. Award of PhD degree on the basis of submitted research materials has the same program costs as the award of PhD degree by using other educational approaches.

Comparing to other places, we have no any artificial delays. Process can be relatively fast and straightforward. Our examining committee may grant the degree upon examination and approval of the submitted materials, as long as your work has relevance to your previous educational degrees and represents original materials offering scientific or public interest.

Just to name a few options: submitted materials can be published book(s) or book chapters, articles published in journals or in other media publications (other published or unpublished work). We have no requirement for actual publication.

We will be guiding student if additional work would be required for the completion of the selected program. Size of published materials must be approximately the same in number of pages, as required for the Dissertation preparation. We always are working with student and if for some reason(s) we cannot accept published work, we will recommend student other options to complete his/her Dissertation and degree program. Instead of using published work, student with the same success can receive PhD degree by preparing Dissertation (see other pages describing PhD degree options).  

This degree program has simplified process; we only will be evaluating already existing academic research work. Completion of additional study courses can be requested.

If you would prefer to have stronger academic record with additional studies/research courses, in such case, we would recommend other PhD/Doctoral programs offered in our University.

If we will be unable to accept academic/research work, student is not losing any paid fees. We will transfer student to our other PhD program, where student would be able to re-shape already existing academic work into regular Dissertation project and can add (if necessary) a few additional study/research courses.

It is not “how many articles”, but how much relevant content you can present. A general approach that is not intended to be strictly accurate for every situation, would tell that it is about 250 pages of materials written by a single author addressing the same matter in all articles (not a collection of different unrelated articles). In other words, submitted written materials must resemble Dissertation and Dissertation is always one subject project (one research objective).

We have low educational costs  

Administrative costs for this program include all educational costs - application, former credentials evaluation, educational work evaluation and processing, documents preparation, graduation fee. For the current lowest  costs, please go to "Costs of Education" .

English language is not required  

We are not requiring from our students perfect knowledge of English language. In addition to English language, we are accepting academic and other educational work in many commonly used languages.

The best feature of our programs

Student will have an option to complete educational work (to present published/unpublished materials) in own native language (we will provide details for students accepted into program).  

Dual Doctoral Degrees (Two Doctoral degrees for low costs)

With our lowest educational costs for graduate / postgraduate education, there is no need to limit yourself just with one Doctoral degree, consider possibility of getting two Doctoral degrees in the related subjects or the related professions (15% discount for your second program).

Dual degrees are representing programs that are offering two degrees, for example, two Doctoral degrees (with significant reduction in costs. Upon graduation, you will have two degrees and two diplomas (and other related documents).  

Languages that are acceptable for all our Master's, Doctoral, PhD and other programs

In addition to English language, we are accepting published work,  Dissertations and other educational work in many commonly used languages, such as Spanish, French, German, Russian, Arabic, other Western and Eastern European languages, and numerous other languages.

You need to communicate with us in English language (even if your English is not perfect), but all your educational work can be submitted in your native language. Our guidance will be in English language. If student’s English is not too advanced, student always may use free online electronic translators to translate our letters to student and student’s letters addressed to us.

See the table below for the list of all languages that we may accept as a language for student’s studies.

General information about Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is a doctoral degree that places more attention to the research and development of a new knowledge and other theoretical applications.

Each student successfully graduating from any PhD program receives Diploma and Transcript. 

Program Details

Admission deadlines – we have no admission deadlines, you can start and graduate at any time.

Application Fee included in total cost (no application fee at present time).

Prior learning assessment/evaluation of your credits from other institutions included in total cost.

Dissertation pre-evaluation included in total cost.

Dissertation evaluation included in total cost. 

Graduation fee included in total cost.

We are not measuring PhD program in number of years, but we are measuring it according to the completion of our requirements (and in some cases, it can be relatively fast).

When student satisfies all the requirements of the program (including the level of academic studies) and upon final approval and acceptance of all academic work, the Doctor of Philosophy Degree is awarded. Graduation Diploma (PHD award certificate), Transcript and other related documents will be issued and forwarded to the graduate.  

To initiate the enrollment, please submit your application with all educational documents and a simple letter of intent describing areas of your expertise, professional experience, your plans and the area of science that you are interested to address in your Dissertation. Please be advised that there are always complicated areas of science where we would not be able to offer this degree. We would review your letter of intent and will answer if our University can accept your application for the Doctor of Philosophy Program.

The following is the list of disciplines that student may select for studies and research to achieve desired degree. This is not all-inclusive list of programs/courses and you may request program according to your needs, desire, experience and knowledge.

This list only gives some basic ideas about possible subjects of studies; however, we potentially can offer hundreds of other programs.

Please let us know if you do not see on this page something that you would like to study or to perform research. Most likely, we will be able to accommodate your request because we are offering custom-made programs adjusted to individual requests. Feel free to request studies in the area that is compatible with your existing level of knowledge and experience.

Feel free to request additional subjects in the area of your knowledge

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The PhD by Publication is an accelerated, part-time PhD award intended for those who have carried out extensive research over a significant period of time and have a number of publications arising from this work which have already been published in high-quality journals.

This should not be confused with the standard PhD (3-4 years full-time).

If you have any questions about the PhD by Publication degree which are not answered on this page, please email us  or call us .

What should the word length of the submitted publications be?

Where written publications are being submitted as evidence in the application for admission to the PhD by Publication, the total word length of publications when combined with the critical analysis (15,000 words) should be broadly comparable to that of a submission for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, which is typically between 80,000 and 100,000 words. The quality of the journals within which publications have been published will be assessed as part of the application procedure.

Can only standard academic publications be considered?

As well as standard academic or creative publications, for Schools in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, ‘published work’ may include performance, exhibition, installation, media of various kinds as defined in the University’s Award Regulations, provided that it is made available in an appropriate digital or other recorded format.

How is the PhD by Publication assessed?

As well as submitting the published work, candidates for the PhD by Publication need to prepare a critical analysis of around 15,000 words and to undertake an oral examination (viva) on the critical analysis and the published work. The University provides supervisory support for this.

Can it be done in every subject?

UEA currently offer the PhD by Publication within all Schools and Institutes, except for the following:

• The School of Education and Lifelong Learning only accept PhD by Publication applications from current members of UEA staff subject also to further conditions listed on the Course Catalogue  page, in the Entry Requirements section.
• The School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing is not currently accepting any PhD by Publication applications.

How long does it take?

The period of study is six months part-time (0.5FTE), extendable at the discretion of the School or Institute to a maximum of twelve months part-time study.

Who is the PhD by Publication suitable for?

The PhD by Publication may be appropriate for you if:

You have been carrying out research over a long period of time (at least seven years)

This work is already published in high-quality journals (or equivalent as above), forms a coherent programme of research and represents a significant contribution to understanding

You want to seek academic recognition for this work by a doctoral award.

What are the academic requirements of the programme?

The minimum University academic requirement for a PhD by Publication degree is the same as that required for a PhD: you need the equivalent of a 2:1 in a UK Bachelor’s degree or a Master’s degree in a relevant field of study. However, depending on which School you are studying in, some may set a higher or more specific entry requirement. If English is not your first language, you may also be asked to provide evidence of proficiency in English language. This will be listed as a condition on your offer letter.

What should I do if I want to apply?

To apply for a PhD by Publication degree, we advise that you take a look at the research areas UEA offers  and then contact at least one potential academic supervisor you would be interested in working with, stating your interest. At this point it would be a good idea to read up on your potential supervisor’s research papers that are related to your interests. You will then be able to fill in an application form which needs to contain your formal research proposal. Take a look at our guidance on how to write a research degree proposal .

PhD by Prior Publication Double PhD by Prior Publication

Phd by prior publication or existing published.

PhD by Publication's Candidates

The Conversation

Debora Wenger receives first PhD by Prior Publication from Kingston University

University of Chester’s first PhD by publication Candidate

Research Gate

Alexander macmillan (engineer) (university of cambridge, uk), mary ellen o'connell (university of cambridge, uk), christopher catherwood (university of east anglia, uk), josephine balmer (university of east anglia, uk), graham joyce (nottingham trent university, uk), wendy mcmurdo (university of westminster, uk), phd by journal publication (isi-q1, q2, q3, q4)*, thesis format.

List of Universities that offers the PhD by Prior Publication or Existing Published

Advan-kt Multiversity, USA Northumbria University UK Westminster University UK Kingston University UK Machanster Metropolitan University UK Massey University New Zealand Griffith University Australia University of Bristol UK University of Stirling UK Aberystwyth University UK University of New England UK Charles Sturt University Australia University of Portsmouth UK Glasgow Caledonian University UK University of Bradford UK Deakin University Australia

Unimap Malaysia University of Gibraltar Spain London School of Economics UK Liverpool John Moores University UK University of New York Prague University of East Anglia UK Maynooth University, Ireland University of Manchester UK City University of London UK Victoria University Australia RMIT University Australia Monash University Australia University of Tasmania Australia Dublin City University Ireland Wolverhampton University UK University of New South Wales Australia

University of Reading UK University of Exeter UK University College London UK University College Cork, Ireland Royal Holloway University UK Middlesex University London Waikato University New Zealand Queensland University of Technology Australia Oxford Brookes University UK James Cook University Australia University of Sydney Australia University of South Australia Western Sydney University Australia University of New Castle Australia Flinders University Australia Bongor University UK

Students are encouraged to apply directly to their favourite brand(university) for the PhD by Publication but before that, please read Advan-kt's view on doctoral studies.

Does a continent matter in a PhD by Prior Publication ?

Which PhD type is regarded as most difficult ?

Does ISI Web of Science play crucial role in a PhD by Prior Publication as compared to universities ?

Anyone aware about Ph.D. by publication?

International Conference on PhD by Prior Publication

Date: 7th Aug 2023, Vanue: Online Conference, Time: 10 AM (GMT+8.00)

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Comparison of scientometric achievements at PhD and scientific output ten years later for 4,790 academic researchers

Gyöngyi munkácsy.

1 Department of Bioinformatics and 2nd Dept. of Pediatrics, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary

2 TTK Lendület Cancer Biomarker Research Group, Institute of Enzymology, Budapest, Hungary

Péter Herman

Balázs győrffy, associated data.

All relevant data are within the paper and its Supporting Information files.

Introduction

PhD is the highest awarded degree offered by universities in different disciplines. Owners of a PhD can teach at universities, start independent research and receive a higher salary while further building a scientific career. We examined whether the publication output before the PhD degree has a correlation with subsequent research activities.

We downloaded publication and citation data from the Hungarian Scientific Bibliography for Hungarian researchers who obtained PhD between the ages of 24 and 45. The researchers were grouped into eleven scientific sections. We examined the number of Q1 publications published in the previous 5 years, the H-index, the total number of citations for the last complete year, and the biological age of the researcher. Each parameter was computed for the year at which the PhD was obtained and ten years later. Pre-PhD publications (and citations for these) were excluded when assessing post-PhD track records. Spearman rank correlation and Kruskal-Wallis test were computed.

We analyzed all together 4,790 researchers. We obtained a positive correlation between the number of Q1 publications before and after PhD (corr. coeff. = 0.21–0.54, p<0.01 in all sections), between the H-index before and after PhD (corr. coeff. = 0.32–0.56, p<0.01 in all sections), and between the citations received before and after PhD (corr. coeff. = 0.34–0.51, p<0.01 in all sections). All three metrics measured ten years after the PhD were negatively correlated with the age of the researcher at the time of obtaining the PhD (number of publications corr. coeff. = -0.09–0.22, p<0.05; H-index corr. coeff. = -0.09–0.29, p<0.08; number of citations corr. coeff. = -0.14–0.30, p<0.01). Among all disciplines, Philosophy and History and Engineering sciences show the strongest correlation between pre- and post-PhD output. When running multiple regression analysis for all three metrics as dependent variables and the number of articles, the H-index, the number of citations in the year of the PhD, the calendar year of PhD, and the gender of the researcher as independent variables, the number of articles and the H-index in the year of PhD reached the strongest positive correlations while gender had a negative correlation.

Conclusions

We independently evaluated pre- and post-PhD publication performance. In connection with age, the discipline-specific reference values of scientometric parameters at the time of obtaining the PhD can help to select candidates for postdoctoral grants and positions.

Doctor Philosophiae (PhD) is the highest globally recognized academic qualification available in any field of research. A PhD degree can only be awarded by a university once the applicant has completed a wide-ranging and novel research project. The holder of a PhD degree can teach at universities, start independent scientific research, and also receives a higher salary as better paid positions are reserved to those with a PhD degree. For example, in Hungary only the two most basic academic (assistant lecturer) and scientific (assistant research fellow) positions can be filled by those without a PhD degree. Notably, the effect of education on wages was also sizeable in an Italian study [ 1 ], and over-education even had a negative impact [ 2 ]. The number of PhD graduates grows rapidly in all continents of the world–in some countries like China by 5% a year [ 3 ].

Commonly, the PhD student is assisted by a supervisor and the training requires 3–6 years of full-time investment. As cornerstones, completing the studying requirements, passing the doctoral examination, and the successful defense of the PhD dissertation is needed to obtain the degree. The so-called doctoral dissertation proves that the researcher can independently solve a scientific task, with which it broadens our knowledge with new, previously undiscovered results in the field [ 4 ]. The significance of the work made by PhD fellows is supported by the fact that about one third of research publications comes from a doctoral student in universities [ 5 ].

The exact conditions for obtaining the degree vary from country to country. In the UK, a PhD is awarded as part of a three-year course including specific and general subjects. Students’ dissertations are reviewed by external reviewers and an oral defense is delivered to show the candidates’ proficiency. In Australia, training with a scholarship lasts for 3–4 years [ 6 ] and publications accepted before the application can also form the basis of the doctoral thesis in certain disciplines [ 7 ]. Oral presentation for defending the dissertation is not mandatory. The United States has the longest PhD program with 4–11 years for graduates depending on subject areas. In Germany, most doctoral candidates work as employees in universities and training decisions are left to supervisors and doctoral students [ 8 ]. In Hungary, a two-year study period ending with a final exam is extended by a three-year research period, and the defense of the doctoral dissertation finishes the training.

A number of indicators are available to measure the quality and quantity of scientific output. Available bibliometric indicators include among others the total number of publications, the cumulative impact factor of all publications, the total number of citations, the number of articles with at least one citation, the number of highly cited articles, the average number of citations per article, the number of citations per year, and the H-index [ 9 – 11 ]. Derived bibliometric indicators have also been developed to measure researcher productivity [ 12 ]. There are no international standards for the publication requirements for obtaining a PhD [ 13 ]. The minimal requirements are mostly determined by the program, the lead tutors, and by the university. In Australia, 2–5 first or co-authored articles are required to get PhD degree [ 7 ]. There is no regulation in the United States and in Canada, although publication is strongly recommended before obtaining a PhD [ 13 ]. Peer-reviewed publication is not required in Germany. In Hungary, a discipline-specific number of publications with or without an impact factor threshold are needed to apply for a degree [ 14 ].

The scientific outcome of a doctoral training is determined by several factors in addition to the personal abilities of the doctoral student: the doctoral program, relevance, novelty, working environment, access to other experts, feasibility, and supervision [ 15 ]. The theoretical conditions of a good doctoral dissertation are also established [ 16 ]. Generally, a PhD is said to be strong in case the number of publications of the candidate is high, the total impact factor of these articles is high, and the doctoral student fulfills the training conditions in a shorter time.

To what extent does PhD training influence postdoctoral publication performance? Here, we aimed to correlate independently calculated pre- and post- PhD scientific output for a large cohort of Hungarian researchers spanning all scientific disciplines. In addition to different publication metrics we also aimed to include the age of the doctoral student to determine which features have the highest influence on a researcher’s subsequent career.

Database construction

Publication and citation data were downloaded from the Hungarian Scientific Bibliography ( www.mtmt.hu ). MTMT includes self-reported data, which is then validated at the time when one submits his or her PhD thesis. In this, we included doctors of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (HAS), members of HAS, recipients of the Momentum grant (an ERC-grant like national scheme), researchers who have submitted Hungarian Scientific Research Fund (OTKA) applications since 2006, and researchers with university affiliation who have obtained a PhD. Unique MTMT identification numbers were used to distinguish researchers with the same name. The age of researchers as well as the age at obtaining the PhD degree was obtained from the doktori.hu public database.

Scientific sections

HAS classifies researchers into eleven scientific sections, which are as follows: I. Language and Literature, II. Philosophy and History, III. Mathematics, IV. Agriculture, V. Medicine, VI. Engineering, VII. Chemistry, VIII. Biology, IX. Economics and Law, X. Earth sciences, and XI. Physics. Researchers can select the most relevant section based on their area of research. For researchers without a selected scientific section the designation was made based on the topics of the last five publications.

Indicators of scientific output

We computed three indicators to measure scientific performance, the selection of these was based on our previous study [ 11 ] and availability (e.g. we had to exclude journal impact factors as these are not available for all publications). These include the number of scientific publications , the H-index , and the number of citations for all previous publications in the given calendar year.

The number of all scientific publications is based on the total number of articles published in Q1-ranked journals in the last five years as a first, last, or corresponding author. By excluding Q2, Q3, and Q4-rated articles we guaranteed that only high-quality publications are included in the database. This number reflects the contemporary scientific activity of the researcher. Q-ranking was based on the Scimago Journal Rank database ( https://www.scimagojr.com/ ).

The H-index of a researcher is n if he/she has published n articles, each of which has been cited at least n times while there are no other articles with more than n citations. The number of citations includes both dependent and independent citations. This value is an indicator of an individual’s performance over his/her entire academic career and is a measure independent of the impact of journals. We have computed two different H-index values: the H-index at PhD includes all publications up to the year of the PhD award. The H-index ten years after PhD includes only publications published after the PhD award . The aim of this differentiation was to exclude the direct effects of publications before the PhD on subsequent H-index values ( Fig 1 ).

The total number of independent citations to all previously accepted scientific articles in a given calendar year. Independent means that there is no overlap in the author list of the cited and the citing documents. This value is an indicator of the impact of the researcher’s former scientific activity in the present. By excluding dependent citations, it can be guaranteed that this parameter will give an objective evaluation of the researcher impact. In the same way as for the H-index, to exclude the effect of pre-PhD papers, the independent citation count was derived by using only citation received for papers published after the year of the PhD.

Statistical analysis

The age of the researcher and all three parameters achieved in the year of the PhD (the number of articles published in the previous 5 years, H-index and number of independent citations) were compared with those values obtained ten years after the PhD. Continuous variables were compared by calculating Spearman correlation coefficients. Differences between sections were calculated using Kruskall-Wallis test. The p-value cutoff was set at p = 0.05.

The initial database contained 7,118 researchers. Those researchers were deleted where the year of obtaining the PhD was unknown, who obtained the PhD over the age of 45 or under the age of 24. We also excluded those who obtained their degree within 10 years because we could not perform the analysis with these data. Degrees obtained over the age of 45 were excluded as these more likely refer to a former candidate degree and not to a PhD degree. Values under the age of 24 were most likely date errors in the database. The final database contains 4,790 researchers. The screening process is summarized in Fig 2 .

The 4,790 researchers were arranged to one of eleven scientific sections of HAS, in particular, 342 researchers to Language and Literature, 457 researchers to Philosophy and History, 238 to Mathematics, 429 to Agriculture, 702 to Medicine, 360 to Engineering, 467 to Chemistry, 719 to Biology, 489 to Economics and Law, 242 to Earth sciences, and 345 to Physics. The average age of all researchers was 59.8 years, with a median of 58 years.

Features of researchers in the year of obtaining their PhD per section

The average age of researchers at the year of obtaining the PhD degree was 33.8 years. There was a significant difference between scientific sections in this parameter (Kruskall-Wallis p value<1E-16). Youngest mean age at obtaining the PhD was shown in Mathematics, Physics and Biology sections (31.4, 31.7 and 32.8 years, respectively). Researchers in Language and Literature, Medicine, Economics and Law sections had the oldest average age (35.3, 35.1 and 35.1 years, respectively) (see Fig 3A and all the values in S1 Table ).

Average age at obtaining the PhD degree (A), number of publications in the previous five years (B), H-index (C), and yearly independent citations (D) at the year of obtaining the PhD in each scientific section. Mean and 95% CI are shown. See detailed data in S1 Table .

There was a significant difference between sections in the average number of peer reviewed publications in the five years preceding the PhD (Kruskall-Wallis p value<1E-16) ( Fig 3B and all the values in S1 Table ). The average number of publications varied between 0.01 and 1.0. Researchers in Language and Literature, Economics and Law, and Philosophy and History sections had the lowest average values (0.01, 0.05 and 0.1, respectively). The highest average number of publications was found in Physics, Medicine and in Biology sections (1.00, 0.80 and 0.78, respectively). The average number of publications when including all researchers was 0.48.

Mean H-index at the year of obtaining the PhD degree in each section is presented in Fig 3C . Average values varied between 0.87 and 3.72. Researchers in Language and Literature, Economics and Law, Philosophy and History sections had the lowest average H-index values (0.87, 0.96 and 1.20 respectively). Highest average H-indices were found for researchers in Physics, Medicine and in Biology sections (3.72, 3.32 and 3.31, respectively). Average H-index at the year of obtaining the degree was 2.23 for all researchers.

Finally, the number of independent citations in the year of PhD varied between 0.83 and 13.22, and differed significantly between sections (Kruskall-Wallis p value<1E-16) ( Fig 3D and all the values in S1 Table ). Lowest average yearly citations were found for researchers in Language and Literature, Economics and Law and Engineering sections (0.83, 1.37 and 1.74, respectively). Researchers in Physics, Biology and Medicine sections showed the highest values for the average number of yearly citations (13.22, 11.86 and 11.56, respectively).

Total number of articles between 5–10 years after obtaining the PhD

Correlation between the number of articles accepted before obtaining the PhD and the number of articles accepted between 5–10 years after the PhD was the strongest in Mathematics, Philosophy and History, and Engineering sections (Spearman corr. coeff. = 0.54, 0.48, and 0.44, respectively, p<0.01). Weakest correlation was found in Language and Literature, Medicine, and Economics and Law sections (corr. coeff. = 0.21, 0.23, and 0.26, respectively, p<0.01). Positive correlation was found between all three scientific parameters in the year of PhD and this parameter, in each section. Table 1 shows Spearman correlation coefficients between the number of manuscripts 5–10 years after the PhD and the scientific parameters at the year of obtaining the PhD per section.

Correlation between the number of publications ten years after obtaining the PhD and scientometric parameters and age in the year of the PhD.

H-index at ten years after obtaining the PhD

Positive correlation was found between the H-index at the year of obtaining PhD and at ten years later in all sections. H-index of researchers in Philosophy and History, Engineering, and Mathematics—Agriculture sections in a tie showed the strongest correlation (Spearman corr. coeff. = 0.56, 0.52, 0.51, and 0.51, respectively, p<0.01). Weakest correlation was found in Biology, Medicine and Physics sections (corr. coeff. = 0.32, 0.39 and 0.40, respectively, p<0.01). We found positive correlation between the number of accepted manuscripts prior to PhD and value of H-index at 10 years after PhD– except in Language and Literature section (corr. coeff. = 0.05, p = 0.18). The number of independent citations in the year of PhD and value of H-index ten years after PhD had strong positive correlation in all sections. Table 2 shows Spearman correlation coefficients of the H-index values ten years after PhD and the other scientific parameters at the year of obtaining the PhD per section.

Correlation between H-index ten years after obtaining the PhD degree and scientometric parameters and age in the year of the PhD.

The number of independent citations in the tenth year after obtaining the PhD

Positive correlation was found between the yearly number of independent citations in the year of obtaining the PhD degree and ten years later in all sections. Researchers in Philosophy and History, Mathematics and Engineering sections showed the strongest correlation (Spearman corr. coeff. = 0.51, 0.49, and 0.47, respectively, p<0.01). Lowest correlation was found in Biology, Physics, and Language and Literature sections (corr. coeff. = 0.34, 0.36, and 0.38, respectively, p<0.01). We found positive correlation in all sections except of Language and Literature between the number of publication prior to PhD and the yearly number of independent citations ten years after PhD . Also, positive correlation was found between the H-index at the year of PhD and the number of independent citations in the tenth year after PhD in all sections. Table 3 shows Spearman correlation coefficients for the number of independent citations in the tenth year after PhD and the other scientific parameters at the year of obtaining the PhD per section.

Correlation between the number of citations in the tenth year after obtaining the PhD and scientometric parameters and age in the year of the PhD

The age of researchers at the year of obtaining the PhD and later scientific output

We found negative correlation between the age of researchers at the time of PhD and the number of publications at 5–10 years after PhD in all sections ( Table 1 ). Researchers in Biology, Earth sciences and Engineering sections showed the strongest correlations (Spearman corr. coeff. = -0.23, -0.22, and -0.21, respectively, p<0.01). Weakest correlation was found in Economics and Law (corr. coeff. = -0.09, p = 0.02), Agriculture (corr. coeff. = -0.10, p = 0.02), Physics (corr. coeff. = -0.13, p = 0.01), and Philosophy and History sections (corr. coeff. = -0.13, p<0.01). We found negative correlation between the researcher’s age at the time of obtaining the PhD and H-index ten years after the PhD in all sections–the significance was only marginal in Mathematics ( Table 2 ). Negative correlation was found between the age of researcher at the time of obtaining the PhD and the number of independent citations in the tenth year after PhD in all sections ( Table 3 ).

Gender specific differences

We were able to determine the gender for all researchers and compared the number of publications, the H-index, and the yearly independent citation count values reached by male (n = 3,689) and female (n = 1,101) researchers. At the time of obtaining the PhD, female students had higher mean publication count (Mann-Whitney p = 1E-07). There were no significant differences in the mean citation count and in the H-index values. Similarly, there were no significant differences between male and female researchers ten years after PhD in the three investigated scientometric parameters.

Multiple regression

In a separate analysis we performed multiple regression by simultaneously including the number of articles, the H-index, the number of citations in the year of the PhD, as well as age, the calendar year of PhD, and the gender of the researcher for all included scientists. Dependent variables were the number of articles, the H-index, and the number of citations ten years after obtaining the PhD. In this analysis, citation in the year of PhD had no significant correlation with the number of articles (p = 0.15) and the H-index (p = 0.63). Female gender was associated with lower H-index (p<1E-50), citation count (p = 1.1E-06), and number of articles (p = 1.2E-13) ten years after PhD. The most significant positive correlations for all three dependent variables were observed for the number of articles (p = 4.4E-32 for number of articles ten years after PhD, p = 2.4E-48 for the H-index ten years after PhD, and p = 9.4E-42 for the citation count ten years after PhD) and for H-index in the year of PhD (p = 9.2E-32 for number of articles ten years after PhD, p = 1E-50 for the H-index ten years after PhD, and p = 2.6E-13 for the citation count ten years after PhD). Age and the year of PhD had minimal effects with small correlation coefficients in most settings. The detailed results for each setting including the equation values are provided in S2 Table .

Publishing during PhD training has an impact on later careers, reputation, and collaborations [ 17 ]. Here, we partially reproduced the results of Horta and Santos, but by accounting for different scientific disciplines and assessing the effects for each disciplinary area. Thus, our results not only build on and validate the previous results [ 17 ] but also significantly extend the knowledge in this field.

Early career publications are seen as a requirement to enter an academic career [ 18 ]. Along with the excellent educational and professional activity, writing strong articles is an essential condition for promotion in a scientific career [ 19 ]. However, the question remains whether scientific publication output during the PhD adequately reflects future academic performance independently of the research environment [ 6 ]? Although Horta and Santos partially responded to this question, here we performed a more in-depth analysis including different scientific disciplines. We scrutinized Hungarian researchers whether the scientific performance before the PhD influences postdoctoral scientific output. We examined three bibliometric parameters in the year of obtaining the PhD and ten years later: the number of first, last- or corresponding authored manuscripts accepted in Q1-ranked journals, the H-index, and the total number of independent citations received by the researcher in the given year. In almost all settings each of the metrics measured at the time of obtaining the PhD was positively correlated with the values measured 10 years after the PhD award. These observations are in line with our previous study analyzing publication performance of Momentum grant holders before and after grant award [ 9 ] and reinforces the validity of the Matthew effect in this setting as well.

When looking on different scientific field-specific variances, we observed the weakest correlations in Medicine, Biology, and Physics sections for all three parameters compared to other sections. Most probably, the daily routine work of physicians in patient treatment often discourages publication activity [ 20 ]. On the other hand, bibliometric indicators achieved at the year of obtaining PhD are outstanding in Medicine, as confirmed by previous other studies as well [ 21 ]. Of all scientific sections, Mathematics, Engineering, and Philosophy and History had the highest correlations between pre- and post-PhD scientific output for all three investigated indicators. These observations can be partly explained by the fact that the highest salaries for PhD holders are available in engineering, business and science fields in the United States and in Hungary which can increase compliance and engagement during PhD studies.

We obtained a strong negative correlation between age at obtaining a PhD and subsequent scientific output in all disciplines. Younger age at PhD results in significantly better postdoctoral publications with higher impact. Our results are little bit astonishing, as we have evaluated pre-PhD and postdoctoral publications completely independently. Thus, the scientometric parameters ten years after PhD only reflect the H-index, citation, and publication count of publications printed after finishing the PhD studies. Because of this separation, those who obtain a PhD at a younger age had no advantage in terms of additional years to collect citations to increase their H-index over those who acquired their PhD later.

Publication metrics are not the only indicators of the performance of an individual, but also of an institution [ 22 ], and can be used to pave the way for access to external funding sources. Therefore, a main goal of universities worldwide is to maximize research output. Different tactics can be executed to intensify publication activity: writing courses, writing support groups, and writing coaches can significantly increase the number of publications of the research participants according to a study summarizing 17 studies [ 23 ]. Reviews also help to grasp available methods for scientific writing [ 24 ]. Other options include the continuous mentoring even after the competition of the PhD [ 25 ]. Overall, the requirement to publish is a constant high pressure for employees working in academic institutions [ 26 ].

Here, we did not examine personal factors such as periods of motherhood, in which case publication activity may be paused for years. The reason for this is the lack of available data regarding maternity leaves for PhD students. Although executed in a different country, a study involving 8,544 researchers from the United States found no effect of personal circumstances including marriage, number of children, and care for aging parents on publication productivity [ 27 ]. More important factors seemed to be academic rank, salary, commitment to research, and desire for recognition, which we could not examine due to the lack of available data. The availability of funding resources can also influence publication efficiency. Reputation and experience of the supervisor [ 6 ] or of the group leader [ 28 ] also impacts the productivity of a researcher. The country-specificity of these effects should be evaluated in a future study.

We have to note a few limitations of our study. In the analysis we did not have any explanatory variable for the PhD training itself. In other words, one does not know how the PhD was trained by the supervisors, if there was co-supervision or not, if one was included in a large or small research group, if one had access to resources to do research, etc. Second, one may publish during the PhD even if the training was not focused on publication. Sometimes it all depends on the earlier training of the students, and the ability of the students. In addition, we included only Hungarian researchers. The reason for this is the utilization of the MTMT database, which only comprises data for Hungarian researchers. A main advantage of MTMT is the differentiation between dependent and independent citations. Other repositories (like Google Scholar or Scopus) either do not have this information or there is no open access. Finally, we included only Q1 articles as our focus was on research excellence and not on research quantity. One might note that lower ranked publications might still have value as scientific results. We have to note however that the majority of all publications of the investigated researchers were published in a Q1 ranked journal.

In the future, a similar study with additional data can bring more light into this field. For example, the association between time to degree, available funding, and accomplished publications during the PhD may be relevant in order to understand how funding can influence the ability to publish or not during the PhD. Conversely, funding during the PhD can affect the research performance later on.

In summary, a major novelty of our analysis is the independent analysis of pre-PhD and post-PhD scientometric parameters. Therefore, in our analysis pre-PhD publications do not directly influence the number of post-PhD citation counts and H-index. Our results are most relevant to early stage pre-PhD researchers and emphasize the importance of building a publication track record. We show that a PhD obtained at a younger age is an outstanding advantage in the later scientific career prognosticating not only more abundant publications but also higher impact of these as measured by citation counts. Post-PhD research output shows a strong correlation to the number of publications and their impact during PhD studies in all scientific disciplines. Our results emphasize the need for pre-doctoral training programs having an emphasis on regular publications. The listed scientific discipline-specific values of scientometric parameters at the time of obtaining the PhD can help to select the most suitable applicants for postdoctoral grants and positions.

Supporting information

Mean, standard deviation, and 95% CI for the age, number of publications in the previous five years, H-index, and yearly independent citations in each scientific section at the year of obtaining the PhD (A), and ten years after obtaining the PhD (B).

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the support of ELIXIR Hungary ( www.elixir-hungary.org ).

Funding Statement

The research was financed by the 2018-2.1.17-TET-KR-00001 and 2018-1.3.1-VKE-2018-00032 grants and by the Higher Education Institutional Excellence Programme (2020-4.1.1.-TKP2020) of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology in Hungary, within the framework of the Bionic thematic program of the Semmelweis University.

Data Availability

PhD by Research

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Study Options: Full/Part Time

Start Date: Oct '24

Level: Research: Level 8

Course Length: FT 3 to 5 Years/ PT 4 to 8 Years

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Invest in your future with the university of gibraltar. join our vibrant, ambitious and growing research community. choose to study your phd at our university and benefit from a personalised study experience. profit from our unique geographical location, our facilities and our established connections with experienced supervisors locally and abroad. get ready to take your next steps into academia., meet the students, judith glynn.

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“University of Gibraltar seemed perfectly situated to offer me that expansion of my worldview, with the intimate support of a small team and the excitement of building something together.”

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“The research outcomes of my project in Gibraltar has the potential to influence global wildlife-conservation debates in other locations and nature reserves experiencing similar unique human-wildlife conflicts.”

“my scholarship has allowed me to work with the gibraltar national museum, and has created a lot of additional opportunities, including being able to take part in the gibraltar history lecture series.”, “the main focus of my research is to improve the scientific basis for the management of western mediterranean wetlands in drylands, specifically looking at the role of carbon within the wetlands.”.

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Read about phd student keith madeira as he uses gis to gauge the efficacy of the built defences around gibraltar. with the aims of creating a model which fires virtual cannon and, using cartographically correct maps of gibraltar throughout its history., meet your phd supervisors, what we can provide, as a university of gibraltar researcher, you will be provided with a range of facilities and support structures to assist you in your research studies. these include:, your primary and secondary supervisors; locally and internationally-based:, use of the university of gibraltar premises, with access to relevant associate campuses; including the gibraltar botanic gardens, the gibraltar national museum and the gibraltar garrison library; the gibraltar health authority and various business partners;, access to specialist equipment where applicable;, taught courses to complement and support main research themes;, a collegiate atmosphere within which to undertake your research, research hubs.

Come and join our vibrant, ambitious and growing research community.

Choose to study your PhD at University of Gibraltar and immediately benefit from a bespoke and immersive experience. Profit from our unique geographical location, our new dedicated facilities and our established connections with experienced supervisors locally and abroad. Get ready to take your next steps into academia.

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Send us an email, send a member of our research team an email to find out more about our phd programme., call us to chat with a member of our research team., +350 200 71000 ext.826 or ext.805, entry requirements.

Our degrees are available to those who want to pursue their studies through conventional research. The doctoral programme is normally open to anyone who:

• Holds a recognised Master’s degree; or
• Has a good honours degree and research or professional experience at postgraduate level
• All applicants will be expected to submit a research proposal alongside their application. Please find a guide below.

We suggest that you email the research office at  [email protected]  to discuss your project prior to submitting a research proposal.

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An overall IELTS test result of 6.5, including a minimum of 6.0 in all sub-tests. Equivalent awards will be considered (e.g. Pearson’s Test of English, Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English, Duolingo English Test, City & Guilds International ESOL 8984, or the TOEFL- IBT test of English proficiency). If you do not meet our entry requirements, you can still apply as we will consider your application. Please click below for more info.

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The university is delighted to have achieved global accreditation from the quality assurance agency for higher education (qaa) , the uk’s independent quality body and a global leader in quality assurance for higher education..

“In achieving QAA’s global accreditation, the University has displayed its compatibility with international best practice.”

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Note: Above fees are applicable to the 2023/2024 Academic year and are payable per annum. Fees are subject to indexation. Additional bench/lab fees may be applicable in some cases. Please enquire for further details.

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The University of Gibraltar hosts or directly offers a limited number of scholarship programmes to support your studies. These scholarships are highly competitive; they are available to support undergraduate, Master’s degree and PhD programmes and are made available to students based on certain criteria.

Any questions? Please contact the research office at [email protected] . You can also contact the Research Programme Coordinator on +350 200 71000. Ext. 826.

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