Undertaking a research degree is an intense and personally rewarding experience. A full-time doctoral student has three years to complete a full draft of their thesis and then a further one year for writing up (known as a 3 plus 1 degree). The department offers a dynamic and collegiate atmosphere to support research students in all dimensions of their work – from developing the individual thought process, to information-sharing on archives or conferences, to refining presentation skills, to building social and professional networks. Research degrees are generally undertaken by individuals who aim to become professionals in the field of art history and/or archaeology, whether as academics who carry out research and teach in universities or as curators or educators in museums, libraries or archives, or in any number of other related areas such as academic publishing or even the commercial art world. Embarking on a research degree is not just about the qualification but also about developing as a person and a professional so as to be able to contribute to the multitude of discourses in, and perhaps also far beyond, the discipline.