The introduction of the Thesis with Publications submission model is one of a number of projects belonging to the Programme Management Framework theme of the Education and Skills Strategy. The Programme Management Framework aims to establish programme design rules, programme ‘building blocks’ and risk-based, streamlined quality assurance processes to enable agile development and enhancement of programmes. 

One of the key commitments of Education and Skills Strategy, as part of Strategy 2030, is to educate global citizens through a transformative student experience and develop graduates who are sought after by employers. The Thesis with Publications option provides research students with the choice and flexibility to include work in their submission that they have published during their registration on their current research degree programme. It will enhance their skill set and employability prospects by allowing them to acquire and develop skills in academic writing, peer review and response to critique during doctoral study and in preparation for assessment. The Thesis with Publications option has the added benefit of allowing students to include work in their submission that they have published without having to rewrite it to the traditional thesis format.

Hear what students who took part in the Thesis with Publications pilot said:

“This scheme will enable me to publish my papers sooner, which will be beneficial for applying to post-doctoral positions after I hand in my thesis. This could really benefit my career. The scheme will be more efficient than the traditional method of completing a PhD, as I won't need to write two versions of each paper.”

- PhD student, School of Psychology

“By choosing this option, I can expedite the distribution of my results and establish myself as a budding scholar with a verifiable record of scholarly work. The incorporation of publications is consistent with the collaborative and interdisciplinary character of my research, cultivating relationships within the academic community and augmenting the programme's overall efficacy.”

- PhD student, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences

“Thesis with Publications will allow me to devote more to time completing a third peer-reviewed publication that can also then be included in my thesis, rather than having to spend a significant amount of time re-working already written and reviewed work into thesis chapters.”

- PhD student, School of Mathematics and Physics

“Sharing my research through peer-reviewed journals not only secures feedback from fellow experts, ensuring the quality of my research, but also disseminates my findings to a wider audience.”

- PhD student, School of Nursing and Midwifery

“I plan to create an audit tool and therefore will require a few publications to justify the creation of the tool. This option will therefore benefit my final submission, by allowing me to integrate the publications I will have produced.”

- PhD student, School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work

Thesis with Publications Cover Page Template (Download) 

Student User Guide - Notice of Intention to Submit

School User Guide - Notice of Intention to Submit and External Examiner Nominations