Could you please describe yourself in a few sentences?
I was born in Germany but moved to the Netherlands at an early age and grew up in The Hague. There I visited the British School in the Netherlands and subsequently came to the UK to pursue my studies in Economics at Lancaster University in 1998. After finishing my undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD level studies at Lancaster in 2006 I found my first job with the University of Westminster and have been here ever since. In September 2013 I took over leadership of our PhD programme at the Westminster Business School. In this role I am responsible for application matters, admissions processes and the progressions and well-being of our current MPhil/PhD cohort.
What is your area of academic interest and which courses are you involved in?
I was trained as a labour economist and my primary areas of academic interest are education economics and applied Econometrics. I am involved in the MSc/MA in International Economic Policy and Analysis where I teach Labour Economics. In addition, I teach Labour Economics at the undergraduate level. Both these modules are very applied and have a strong focus on examining the latest academic debate within the context of a real life policy environment.
Can you please take us through the PhD admissions process?
Long and complex. Much of the admissions process is unseen by applicants and it can take a significant amount of time before applicants receive feedback. However, in short: applications go the research admissions office via UKPASS. There all documentation is collated and forwarded to the relevant faculties where each PhD Director will pick the applications and examine them. If the application is good it will be passed to departmental research leaders who further evaluate the application. If they deem the application has merit a supervisory team is sought whose research expertise is suitable for supervising the relevant application. The supervisors further examine the application and if they agree an interview takes place with the applicant. During the interview the applicant’s the research proposal is discussed in further detail. Moreover, the applicant’s technical competence and general research skills may also be tested. After the interview a recommendation is passed to the graduate school who then approve the application and make a formal offer.
What are the certain routes into PhD?
The most traditional route is via undergraduate and postgraduate study. In many cases further study at MPhil/PhD level is directly related to previous study and often a previous Masters dissertation will act as a template for any submitted research proposal. However, other routes also exist. Those with excellent undergraduate studies may sometimes directly proceed to study at PhD level. Alternatively, significant work experience related to the field of study may also compensate for the absence of postgraduate study. Finally, those who are already active in the academic (or research) community and have made important contributions to science may want to think about applying for a PhD by published works. Here, the PhD was based on work already completed such as academic articles or published books.
What makes a good research proposal?
Attention to detail and a lot of work! The research proposal is the most important component of any PhD application and in general high quality applications will show clear evidence of careful preparation and engagement with academic debate. Some guidelines can be found on our website, but in my experience good PhD proposals will always need the following: 1) clearly defined aims and objectives 2) a thorough understanding of the most recent academic literature 3) shows an understanding of relevant academic theory 4) include a clearly defined research methodology 5) have a well defined data collection strategy 6) present a risk analysis 7) have a well written bibliography 8) be written in clear academic English.
Common mistakes are generally not engaging with the academic literature, a poor methods section and not using a relevant (Harvard) reference system.
I would personally recommend that all prospective applicants spend at least one month thinking about their proposal and possibly seeking academic advice from any previous dissertation supervisors or academic lecturers.
What are the entry requirements for a research degree at Westminster Business School?
At minimum, applicants need a 2.1 at undergraduate level. That equates to a GPA of 3.3/4 for those with US based degrees. If your undergraduate degree is non-UK/US based please use an appropriate conversion table. Postgraduate degrees are generally expected but not mandatory. 60%+ at postgraduate level is generally considered acceptable, but there may be some margin below that depending on individual circumstances. We may also need evidence of English language proficiency (IELTS 6.5 with no band less than 6).
However, we also require that applicants submit exact mark transcripts and we do pay particular attention how an applicant’s mark are distributed and in what subjects they are. For example, Master’s level dissertations are usually a good indicator of an applicant’s ability to pursue independent research and marks higher than 60% are generally preferred there.
How much will it cost to study a research degree?
Currently our fees are £12,000 per annum for those with full-time programs. That is a substantial amount and it is important that all applicants think very carefully about their financial situation before commencing with their applicant. We do not offer any scholarships and we do not allow overseas applicants to work full-time (either in the UK or abroad) during their studies. For those from the UK/EU, part-time study mode is possible at £4,750 per annum. This study mode allows applicants to continue working, although here applicants need to think very carefully if they are willing to study for 8+ years.
If you were asked to give one piece of advice to students who are considering going into PhD what would that be?
Don’t rush your application, examine our website, look through our staff-profiles and show passion and engagement in your proposal. We receive a lot of applications and you have to “sell yourself” as best as you can!
How do you relax out of work? What are your interests/leisure activities?
I escape London and travel around Europe. My favourite places are Germany, Greece, Belgium and the Netherlands.
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