Postgraduate Research | Application

To register for a Postgraduate Research programme, a candidate must normally have obtained a primary degree classification equivalent to Lower Second Class Honours or above, from an approved University or an approved equivalent degree-awarding body, or have an approved equivalent professional qualification in an area cognate to the proposed research topic. See http://www.dcu.ie/registry/postgraduate/faq.shtml#q3

• PhD: Candidates holding an appropriate Masters degree obtained by research may apply for direct entry to the PhD register to conduct research in a cognate area.
• PhD-track: Candidates with a taught Masters degree in an appropriate discipline with first or second-class honours, and candidates with a primary degree in an appropriate discipline with first or second-class honours, grade one, may apply and be considered for entry to the PhD-track register with a view to proceeding towards a PhD. Such candidates will undergo a confirmation procedure, as outlined in the Academic Regulations, before being admitted to the PhD register.
• Master's by Research: Candidates holding a primary degree equivalent to a second-class honours, grade two, may apply for entry on the research Masters register. Students on the Masters register may apply for transfer to the PhD Register under the same conditions, and using the same procedure, as PhD-track candidates requesting confirmation on the PhD register.

English language requirements for non-native speakers of English

Non-native speakers of English will be required to provide evidence of their English language competency as part of their application. Further Details can be found at https://www.dcu.ie/registry/english.shtml

Before submitting your formal pre-application form for postgraduate research studies at DCU Institute of Education, please ensure that you have drafted a brief outline of your proposed area of interest/research project. Please note you must be able to: 

1. give your potential supervisor(s) an overview of your proposed project;
2. relate your research interest to their areas of expertise.

A priority for any applicant is to find an academic member of staff to be their research supervisor. 

Please consult the DCU Research Portal to find the details of potential academic supervisors and their research areas. Although you may consult numerous academic staff in investigating the opportunity to secure a research position at DCU, you must obtain permission from a potential supervisor before making a formal pre-application online.

Once you have identified a potential supervisor, please complete the Pre-application Form in the DCU Student Application Portal. 

At this stage, you will need to provide further details of the research proposal you wish to undertake, together with an outline of your academic qualifications and professional experience. 

Please ensure you are able to provide evidence of the academic qualifications and english language competency (if non-native English language speaker) outlined at Pre-application. Supporting documentation will be required at a later stage.

Consult your potential supervisor regarding any scholarship or stipend opportunities that they may be aware of, and discuss how the proposed research study could be funded (self-funding, funding from an external agency, scholarships, etc.). Further information regarding fees can be found at the DCU Fees Office.

DCU Institute of Education Programme Codes

• DCE10 PhD in Arts Education and Movement
• DCE12 Master by Research in Arts Education and Movement
• DCE14 PhD-track in Arts Education and Movement
• DCE16 PhD in Inclusive and Special Education
• DCE18 Master by Research  in Inclusive and Special Education
• DCE20 PhD-track  in Inclusive and Special Education
• DCE22 PhD in Human Development
• DCE24 Master by Research in Human Development
• DCE26 PhD-track in Human Development
• DCE28 PhD in Language, Literacy and Early Childhood Education
• DCE30 Master by Research in Language, Literacy and Early Childhood Education
• DCE32 PhD-track in Language, Literacy and Early Childhood Education
• DCE34 PhD in Policy and Professional Practice
• DCE36 Masters by Research in Policy and Professional Practice
• DCE38 PhD-track in Policy and Professional Practice
• DCE40 PhD in STEM Education, Innovation and Global Studies
• DCE42 Masters by Research STEM Education, Innovation and Global Studies
• DCE44 PhD-track in STEM Education, Innovation and Global Studies

The Faculty Research Admissions Panel in the DCU Institute of Education conducts a formal Research Proposal review, which takes place before an Application will be endorsed. At this stage, you will need to:

1. Work with your supervisor to refine the draft research proposal submitted at Pre-application.
2. Complete the FRAP Research Proposal Form and submit it to ioe-research-office@dcu.ie

Detailed guidelines on the format expected will be provided by the potential supervisor. Generally, your research proposal should be weighty/detailed enough to allow an informed decision to be made on the strength and scope of your proposed topic, the quality of the project plan, feasibility and relevance to school expertise. A research proposal should, at a very minimum, outline what you will be investigating (what), how you will approach the research project (how) and a justification for the study (why). As such, you should view your research proposal as a vital part of the application process.

2026/27 Deadlines for FRAP Submissions

If your proposal receives the support of the Faculty Research Admissions Panel, you will receive a FRAP Acceptance Letter inviting you to proceed to the next stage and make a formal Application through the DCU Student Application Portal.

What happens after FRAP approval?

Full Application: You will be invited to complete a full application in the DCU Student Application Portal and provide any required supporting documentation (e.g. degree certificate, transcripts, name and e-mail address of an academic reference).

Once you and your Supervisor receive the letter of acceptance from FRAP, you can return to the DCU Student Application Portal and complete the Application Form. Here is a step-by-step Guide to Making an Application.

At this stage, you will be asked to provide:

• evidence of your academic qualifications, e.g. degree certificate, transcripts 
• the name and e-mail of an academic reference

General information on making an application is available from the Registry website.

What happens after Application? 

Offer of Place: Successful applicants will receive a formal offer of a place on the programme. Applicants who are not selected for a place on the programme will be notified that their application has been unsuccessful.

Onboarding: Applicants who accept their offer will receive an email inviting them to complete onboarding, including the creation of their DCU Student Account and DCU Student Email Address.

Registration: Information on completing registration will be sent to your DCU Student Email Address. Please follow all instructions carefully, as you will not be fully registered on the programme until this process has been completed. Applicants and supervisors are responsible for monitoring progress through the application, onboarding and registration stages to ensure the process is completed successfully.