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Biological Sciences (PhD)

2022-23 (also available for 2023-24, 2024-25)

This course is eligible for Doctoral loan funding. Find out more.

Start date

3 July 2023

Duration

The maximum duration for a full-time PhD is 3 years (36 months) or part-time is 6 years (72 months) with an optional submission pending (writing up period) of 12 months.

Sometimes it may be possible to mix periods of both full-time and part-time study.

If studying on a part-time basis, you must establish close links with the University and spend normally not less than an average of 10 working days per year in the university, excluding participation in activities associated with enrolment, re-registration and progression monitoring. You are also expected to dedicate 17.5 hours per week to the research.

Application deadlines

For July 2023

24 April 2023 for Home, International and Scholarship students. The July 2023 intake is for full-time PhD students only.

About the research degree

A PhD is the highest academic award for which a student can be registered.This programme allows you to explore and pursue a research project built around a substantial piece of work, which has to show evidence of original contribution to knowledge.

A full-time PhD is a three year full-time programme of research and culminates in the production of a large-scale piece of written work in the form of a research thesis that should not normally exceed 80,000 words.

Completing a PhD can give you a great sense of personal achievement and help you develop a high level of transferable skills which will be useful in your subsequent career, as well as contributing to the development of knowledge in your chosen field.

You are expected to work to an approved programme of work including appropriate programmes of postgraduate study (which may be drawn from parts of existing postgraduate courses, final year degree programmes, conferences, seminars, masterclasses, guided reading or a combination of study methods).

You will be appointed a main supervisor who will normally be part of a supervisory team, comprising up to three members to advise and support you on your project.

Entry requirements

The normal level of attainment required for entry is:

  • a Master's degree from a UK University or equivalent, in a discipline appropriate to the proposed programme to be followed, or
  • an upper second class honours degree (2:1) from a UK university in a discipline appropriate to that of the proposed programme to be followed, or
  • appropriate research or professional experience at postgraduate level, which has resulted in published work, written reports or other appropriate evidence of accomplishment.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.5 overall with no element lower than 6.0, or equivalent will be considered acceptable. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our Where are you from information pages.

Why choose Huddersfield?


There are many reasons to choose the University of Huddersfield and here are just five of them:

  1. We were named University of the Year by Times Higher Education in 2013.
  2. Huddersfield is the only University where 100% of permanent teaching staff are Fellows of the Higher Education Authority.
  3. Our courses have been accredited by 41 professional bodies.
  4. 94.6% of our postgraduate students go on to work and/or further study within six months of graduating.
  5. We have world-leading applied research groups in Biomedical Sciences, Engineering and Physical Sciences, Social Sciences and Arts and Humanities.

What can I research?

There are several research topics available for this degree. See below examples of research areas including an outline of the topics, the supervisor, funding information and eligibility criteria:

Outline

An Investigation into Stereopsis and the Significance of Crossed vs Uncrossed Disparity

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of between £3-£15,000 per annum are required depending on the nature of the project.

Deadline

Home/EU – for September- June 30th, for January-October 31st and Overseas for September- May 31st, for January- September 30th

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

Using human disorders of keratinisation as a model, the role of differential gene expression for the function of the epidermis will be studied. Rare skin diseases are genetically and pathophysiologically heterogeneous; disturbed keratinisation based on altered keratinocyte differentiation is a major mechanism of these disorders. Using the example of autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis, we want to study these mechanisms to understand the role of differential gene expression in the etiology of skin diseases and reveal signalling pathways involved. Keratinocytes will be analysed in primary and organotypic cell culture and their alterations characterised. Transient and permanent gene knockdown will be used to generate skin disease models, expression levels of candidate genes, especially genes involved in the epidermal lipid metabolism, will be monitored, and gene expression profiles investigated.

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of £5000 per annum are required for the MSc by Research and £8000 per annum for the PhD

Deadline

Home/EU – for September- June 30th, for January-October 31st and Overseas for September- May 31st, for January- September 30th

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

Transposable elements (TEs) are genetic parasites that drive their own replication within their host’s genome. Their replication results in genomic conflict with their hosts – with elements attempting to proliferate in the genome, while hosts attempt to suppress this increase. To date TEs have mainly been studied in the multicellular animals, plants and fungi, however a small number of studies in unicellular eukaryotes indicate that TEs evolve under different evolutionary pressures in single celled organisms. This project aims to uncover evolutionary traits in TEs from unicellular eukaryotes. There will be a focus of the horizontal transfer of TEs between species, as well as the role of codon choice in the translation of TE proteins.

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of between £3-£15,000 per annum are required depending on the nature of the project.

Deadline

Our standard University deadlines apply. Please see our Deadlines for Applications page to find out more

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

Our understanding of eukaryotic cell biology and metabolism has predominantly been informed by studies on mammalian, yeast, and plant cells. Yet, protists by far and away account for the majority of evolutionary diversity in eukaryotes. During the last 15 years as a consequence of whole genome sequencing, surprisingly rich variations in central metabolism, metabolic compartmentalisation and organelle biogenesis have been glimpsed within protists, and thus within eukaryotes generally. Using molecular genetics, biochemical, structural biology and/or computational approaches projects studying the evolutionary cell biology of organellar metabolism in trypanosomatids and other evolutionarily divergent protists are available.

Funding

There is currently no studentship or scholarship available to support this project. Enquiries from eligible self-funding or sponsored students are welcome. In addition to the tuition fee, a bench fee of £8000 per annum will also be required.

Deadline

Home/EU -June 30th/October 31st and Overseas May 31st/September 30th

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

A wide range of whole genome sequences are available for a number of bacteria from unique environments. This project will investigate these genomes with a specific focus on their carbohydrate biochemistry, ability to form biofilms and cellular mechanisms used to survive in extreme environments.

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of £3,000 per annum are required.

Deadline

Home/EU -June 30th/October 31st and Overseas May 31st/September 30th

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

The research in my lab is aimed at understanding normal development, metabolic physiology and aging-related diseases at molecular, cellular and physiological level. My lab is particularly interested on how glycosylation of membrane proteins regulates cell signalling in 1) neural development and regeneration and 2) metabolic physiology related to obesity, diabetes, chronic kidney disease and aging-related disorders. To this end we apply molecular and developmental genetic approaches in the nematode C. elegans in vivo and C. elegans models for human diseases (such as neuroendocrine disorders, osteo- and chondrodysplasia syndromes, metabolic disorders).

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of £8,000 per annum are required.

Deadline

Home/EU -June 30th/October 31st and Overseas May 31st/September 30th

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

Klotho/beta-Klotho (KLB) are transmembrane proteins that act as co-receptors for endocrine fibroblast growth factors (FGF19, -21 and -23) to activate their cognate FGF receptors (FGFRs). Klotho was originally identified as ageing-related gene when disruption of Klotho gene in mice led to phenotypes resembling ageing and shortened life-span1. We have previously shown that the function of Klotho/KLB in ageing is evolutionarily conserved in the nematode C. elegans2, which has two Klotho/KLB orthologs. C. elegans also has evolutionarily conserved insulin signalling and the role of insulin signalling in longevity and the effects of glucose on shortening lifespan were first discovered in C. elegans3. These effects are mediated via the forkhead box O (FOXO) transcription factor DAF-163. The long-lived C. elegans mutants in insulin signalling remain healthy and mobile after wild type worms look old, suggesting that the mutations not only prolong lifespan but also enhance healthspan of the aged. Aim and hypothesis The aim of this project is to understand at molecular level the cellular changes that are regulated by insulin signalling and Klotho in longevity. Specifically we will identify the FOXO/DAF-16 target genes up- or down regulated in long-lived C. elegans mutants.

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of between £3-£15,000 per annum are required depending on the nature of the project.

Deadline

Home/EU – for September- June 30th, for January-October 31st and Overseas for September- May 31st, for January- September 30th

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

The project will explore the evolution and polymorphic variation of molybdoflavoenzymes, aldehyde oxidase and xanthine dehydrogenase involved in drug and xenobiotic metabolism in diverse species using genetically engineered cell lines / organisms, bioinformatics, structural biology and enzyme kinetics.

Funding

There is currently no funding for this project and we encourage interested self-funding students to apply. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of £8,000 per annum are required.

Deadline

Home/EU -June 30th/October 31st and Overseas May 31st/September 30th

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

The project will explore the evolution and polymorphic variation of vitamin K epoxide reductases involved in coagulation, bone development and protection against oxidative stress in diverse species using genetically engineered cell lines and organisms, bioinformatics, structural biology and enzyme kinetics.

Funding

There is currently no funding for this project and we encourage interested self-funding students to apply. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of £8,000 per annum are required.

Deadline

Home/EU -June 30th/October 31st and Overseas May 31st/September 30th

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

Alkaliphilic microorganisms occupy a unique environmental niche where the pH is often >pH 9.0. In order to survive and thrive in these environments these microorganisms have developed a range of unique biochemical processes. This project will isolate undescribed organisms from a range of alkaline environments and characterise biochemical and environmental capabilities of these organisms.

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of £xx per annum are required.

Deadline

Home/EU -June 30th/October 31st and Overseas May 31st/September 30th

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

Members of the Tumour Necrosis Factor Receptor (TNFR) family regulate epithelial cell growth / proliferation as well as cell death and autophagy pathways. Our previous work has demonstrated for the first time how members of the TNFR family, such as CD40, regulate growth versus apoptosis in normal, malignant and ‘para-malignant’ cells with defined genetic alternations. Understanding the precise mechanisms underlying the actions of these receptors will allow the design of novel, tumour-specific anticancer therapies.

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of £12,500 per annum are required.

Deadline

Home/EU -June 30th/October 31st and Overseas May 31st/September 30th

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

Microbiology has an impact on a range of processes that impact the safe disposal of radioactive wastes. We have a long running interest in the degradation of cellulose based radioactive wastes at high pH and the fate of gases such as methane, hydrogen and carbon dioxide.

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of £5,000 per annum are required.

Deadline

Home/EU -June 30th/October 31st and Overseas May 31st/September 30th

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

The choanoflagellates are a group of unicellular eukaryotes known to be the closest relative of animals. Gene sequences from RNA-Seq transcriptome data are over-turning our views on how different groups of choanoflagellate species are related to each other. Through comparative genomics we can also gain a better understanding on the evolution of important traits such as multicellularity, protein translation, RNAi and virus-like genetic parasites. This project aims to generate robust and reliable evolutionary trees to test current ideas on choanoflagellate evolution. The use of reliable trees will allow a more accurate reconstruction of trait evolution in choanoflagellates and in the last common ancestor of choanoflagellates and animals.

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of between £3-£15,000 per annum are required depending on the nature of the project.

Deadline

Our standard University deadlines apply. Please see our Deadlines for Applications page to find out more

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

Rodents from the genus Apodemus are the most common mammals of the Paleoarctic region. They occupy environments as different as Spain and Siberia, contribute to spread of human diseases like Lyme disease and tick-borne encephalitis; some apparently separate species, A. flavicolis and A. sylvaticus, live in sympatry in the forests and fields of the European Plains. Apodemus are a rich target for evolutionary studies on hybridisation, host–pathogen interactions and adaptations. However, they are very underdeveloped in terms of their genomic and genetic resources. For example, most of the published work use short fragments of mtDNA and around 10 microsatellites to study phylogeogaphic relationships between populations of Apodemus in Europe and Asia. Thanks to several collaborations with researchers in UK and Europe, we have developed whole-genome sets of SNP markers to study Apodemus phylogeography and metabolic biology. We have also recently developed a RAD-seq pull-down protocol to facilitate extraction of a common set of loci from samples with degraded DNA.

In this project, we will use this newly developed protocol to access DNA from an extensive collection of local Apodemus samples from Białowieża forest in Poland, dating back to the second World War, to recover spatial and temporal patterns of genetic diversity of the Apodemus population across 50+ years of observations. This unique time-travel approach will provide an unprecedented insight into evolutionary forces shaping a wild rodent population in one of the last few primeval ecosystems in Europe.

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of between £3-£15,000 per annum are required depending on the nature of the project.

Deadline

Our standard University deadlines apply. Please see our Deadlines for Applications page to find out more

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

Using human disorders of keratinisation as a model, the role of keratinocyte adhesion for the function of the epidermis will be studied. Rare genetic skin diseases are pathophysiologically heterogeneous; disturbed cell adhesion based on faulty protease pathways is major mechanism of these disorders. We want to study these mechanisms to understand the importance of proteases and protease inhibitors in the etiology of skin diseases and reveal signalling pathways involved in these processes. Keratinocytes will be analysed in primary and organotypic cell culture and their alterations characterised in particular disorders.

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of £5000 per annum are required for the MSc by Research and £8000 per annum for the PhD

Deadline

Home/EU – for September- June 30th, for January-October 31st and Overseas for September- May 31st, for January- September 30th

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

Outline The aim of the project is an efficient and targeted transport of functional proteins into the viable epidermis. Using the genetic skin disease congenital ichthyosis as an example, the applicability of specific gene expression systems will be studied. Congenital ichthyosis can be caused by deficiency of a range of enzymes, including transglutaminase 1 and epidermal lipoxygenases, which are involved in the final steps of lipid metabolism and keratinocyte differentiation in the skin. The efficacy of treatments with recombinant enzyme produced in different species, such as E. coli, insect or mammalian cells, will be assessed. Assays for the analysis of enzyme activity have to be developed. In vitro disease models have to be established using 3D full-skin models, and cell lines, primary keratinocytes and skin models will be treated and characterised regarding protein uptake and activity, subcellular localisation, biological availability, and adverse effects.

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of £9,000 per annum are required for this project.

Deadline

Home/EU – for September- June 30th, for January-October 31st and Overseas for September- May 31st, for January- September 30th

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

The molecular control of skin development and the switch from cell proliferation to differentiation are not well understood. A key regulator in this process is the transcription factor p63. We want to study the expression of TP63 in differentiating human epidermal keratinocytes and identify the role of different isoforms over time. We will then focus on the isoform TAp63 and terminal differentiation because disturbed epidermal barrier function is involved in several diseases including rare skin diseases such as congenital ichthyoses and common complex diseases such as atopic dermatitis. We will use RNA-seq and qRT-PCR to identify differential gene expression and generate various cell models with transient and permanent gene knockdown. Full-skin models will be generated to study changes in epidermal morphology, gene expression, cell adhesion, and skin barrier function. Genome editing with CRISPR/Cas9 will be used to obtain knockout cells and specific mutants. Results will describe a regulatory network that is critical for skin development and homeostasis.

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of between £3-£15,000 per annum are required depending on the nature of the project.

Deadline

Home/EU – for September- June 30th, for January-October 31st and Overseas for September- May 31st, for January- September 30th

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

Lyme disease and Relapsing Fever are vector-borne diseases resulting from infection by bacteria of the Borrelia genus. Borrelia burgdorferi, an obligate parasite, has evolved complex immune-evasion strategies to survive extended periods of time in the mammalian host. The aim of this project is to improve our understanding of this unusual pathogen by studying a range of bacterial surface proteins and how they interact with a range of molecules in human blood.

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of £6,000 per annum are required.

Deadline

Home/EU -June 30th/October 31st and Overseas May 31st/September 30th

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

Impairment of the epidermal barrier function is a pathophysiological feature of several genetic skin diseases. Recent work has demonstrated that the barrier is compromised because of lack of long chain ceramides in cases of congenital ichthyosis. Here we want to study therapies for patients with a deficiency of ceramide synthase 3 which is located in the membrane of epidermal keratinocytes. Genome editing with CRISPR/Cas9 will be used to modify and correct CERS3, the gene for human ceramide synthase 3. The subcellular localisation of the enzyme will be assessed and the function is studied by characterising functional domains and enzyme activity, its activation and downregulation and potential binding partners. Using 3D full-skin models in vitro. The role of ceramide synthase activity in normal and pathological epidermal differentiation will be determined with a focus on the permeability barrier function and its restoration.

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of £9,000 per annum are required for this project.

Deadline

Home/EU – for September- June 30th, for January-October 31st and Overseas for September- May 31st, for January- September 30th

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

It is well established that aging is a progressive deterioration of an organism’s cellular structures and homeostatic mechanisms, with an increasing decline with age in an organism’s ability to correctly perform normal cellular functions. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage arising from respiration-associated reactive oxygen species or inaccurate mtDNA replication and repair is linked with normal and premature aging, and other age-associated degenerative disorders affecting healthspan.

Little is known of how mitochondria repair the damage to their DNA, and in particular, the roles of lesion bypassing DNA polymerases, several of which may be targeted to the mitochondria. Some DNA polymerases may exhibit either protective or mutagenic effects on mtDNA, suggesting their deregulation could influence not only cancer development, but mitochondrial aging and hence normal life- and healthspan.

We will study these DNA polymerases to assess how they influence mtDNA integrity in human cells using in vivo and in vitro approaches, and also if they influence organismal lifespan with the Caenorhabditis elegans worm model system. The project brings together UK and international laboratories in the fields of genome integrity, metabolism, C. elegans and oxidative DNA repair.

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of between £3-£15,000 per annum are required depending on the nature of the project.

Deadline

Home/EU – for September- June 30th, for January-October 31st and Overseas for September- May 31st, for January- September 30th

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

The normal function of the epithelial cells that line the intestinal mucosa is dependent on their close interaction with the vast and complex micro-flora that resides in the intestine. Most in vitro research in this area has concentrated on the effects of individual bacterial species grown as platonic cultures. This project will investigate the role of biofilms which is more representative of conditions found in the native intestine.

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of £15.000 per annum are required.

Deadline

Home/EU -June 30th/October 31st and Overseas May 31st/September 30th

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

Outer membrane vesicles which are actively secreted from the outer membrane of Gram negative bacteria could have an important role in mediating the host’s response to a range of bacteria. This project will use a variety of in vitro cell models to help understand the cellular processes which drive these potentially pathogenic responses.

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of £15,000 per annum are required.

Deadline

Home/EU -June 30th/October 31st and Overseas May 31st/September 30th

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

The principle substrate for energy transfer in mammalian cells is ATP, although other nucleotide phosphates play vital roles in specific processes. Some bacteria are capable of using alternative sources of energy such as long chain polyphosphates, and some can use both ATP and polyphosphate as phosphoryl-donors. Certain mammalian cell types contain significant amounts of polyphosphate concentrated in to specific organelles but its role or purpose in these sites is not known. The proposed PhD project is aimed at investigation of these polyphosphates to attempt to establish whether they have a metabolic function or activity, how they are synthesized and how they are bound in particular organelles. The project will use a variety of cell biological and molecular techniques as required, including high resolution NMR to study the metabolism of known polyphosphate substrates.

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of £6,000 per annum are required.

Deadline

Home/EU -June 30th/October 31st and Overseas May 31st/September 30th

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

The aim of the project is an efficient and targeted transport of functional proteins into the viable epidermis using innovative drug delivery systems. Using congenital ichthyosis as an example, options for topical treatment of skin diseases will be studied. Suitable cellular model systems including reconstituted skin have to be developed. Skin models will be assessed for the therapeutic outcome by analysing protein uptake, cell interactions, cellular localisation, biological availability, and the fate of the substituted protein in differentiating keratinocytes and skin.

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of between £3-£15,000 per annum are required depending on the nature of the project.

Deadline

Home/EU – for September- June 30th, for January-October 31st and Overseas for September- May 31st, for January- September 30th

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

We have previously shown how specific genetic alterations implicated in cancer (over-expression of human telomerase, inactivation of p53 and p16 tumour suppressors, constitutive activation of receptor tyrosine kinases, RTKs, abrogation of cell adhesion by functional inactivation of E-cadherin) alter epithelial cell life-span, growth, cell:cell adhesion and responses to death signals. Unravelling the influence of these changes in epithelial cell behaviour at the molecular level, and studying the role of cancer-driving signalling pathways such as those triggered by RTKs, Wnt/beta-catenin and p63 family proteins, will a) help us improve our understanding of the process of carcinogenesis, b) allow better disease prognosis and c) permit the design of tailored, patient-specific therapies.

Funding

Prospective students who have secured government sponsorships/scholarships are welcome to apply as are self-funded applicants. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of £12,500 per annum are required.

Deadline

Home/EU -June 30th/October 31st and Overseas May 31st/September 30th

Supervisors

How to apply

Outline

A main theme of our research is to understand the precise cell signalling mechanisms that dictate epithelial cell behaviour and fate, ranging from cell proliferation / growth, molecular and functional specialisation (cytodifferentiation), to induction of cell death (e.g. apoptosis). Our aim is to understand how these processes are inappropriately regulated in pathological conditions / disease. More specifically, our skin-related research involves using physiologically relevant biological models to explore, at the cellular and molecular level, the underlying mechanisms of a) defective wound healing and b) chemotherapy-induced alopecia. This will permit the improvement of existing medical devices to a) improve wound healing in the clinic, and b) reduce chemotherapy induced hair loss, one of the most distressing side effects of cancer chemotherapy), as well as the design of novel technologies with the aim to provide improved relevant therapeutic intervention strategies. For these projects we have major industrial collaborations with a) VeritaCell (http://veritacell.com/) and b) Paxman (http://paxman-coolers.com).

Funding

Prospective students who have secured government sponsorships/scholarships are welcome to apply as are self-funding applicants. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of £12,500 per annum are required.

Deadline

Home/EU -June 30th/October 31st and Overseas May 31st/September 30th

Supervisors

How to apply

To find out more about the research we conduct, take a look at our Research, Innovation and Skills webpages, where you will find information on each research area. To find out about our staff visit ‘Our experts’ which features profiles of all our academic staff. Browse our listed funded opportunities.

You should enter the project title and supervisor in the online application form.

No research proposal is necessary for your application.

Student support

At the University of Huddersfield, you'll find support networks and services to help you get ahead in your studies and social life. Whether you study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, you'll soon discover that you're never far away from our dedicated staff and resources to help you to navigate through your personal student journey. Find out more about all our support services.

Researcher Environment

Our postgraduate researchers contribute to our thriving research [culture] community at Huddersfield, in return, we provide an experience that enhances your potential and inspires you to think big and become a globally competitive researcher.

Join our community of like-minded people who are passionate about research and gain access to world-leading facilities, advanced research skills training, and expert career advice.

Reduced inequalities

  • We recently ranked 6 out of 796 global institutions for reduced inequalities in the Times Higher Impact ratings – this recognises our research on social inequalities, policies on discrimination and commitment to recruitment staff and students from underrepresented groups.**

World-leading

  • We are in the top 50 UK universities for research power, and nearly two-thirds of our research environment is classified as world-leading and internationally excellent.***

As a researcher, you’ll gain access to our Researcher Skills Development Programme through The Graduate School, to help broaden your knowledge and access tools and skills to improve your employability. The programme is mapped against Vitae’s Researcher Development Framework (RDF), you’ll benefit from Vitae’s career support as well as our own programme. We also have a team dedicated to improving the academic English needed for research by our international PGRs.

Our training is delivered in a variety of ways to take advantage of online platforms as well as face-to-face workshops and courses. You can access a range of bespoke training opportunities and in-person events that are tailored to each stage of your journey;

  • Sessions on PhD thesis writing, publications and journals, post-doctoral opportunities, poster and conference presentations, networking, and international travel opportunities

  • opportunity to work and study abroad via the Turing Scheme through The Graduate School

  • Externally accredited training programme with Advance HE (HEA) and CMI

  • Online research training support accessed through a dedicated researcher module in Brightspace, the University’s Virtual Learning Environment

  • We also hold a series of PGR focussed events such as 3 Minute Thesis PGR led research conference informal events throughout the year.

**THE Impact Rankings 2022

*** REF2021

Important information

We will always try to deliver your course as described on this web page. However, sometimes we may have to make changes as set out below.

When you are offered a place on a research degree, your offer will include confirmation of your supervisory team, and the topic you will be researching.

Whilst the University will use reasonable efforts to ensure your supervisory team remains the same, sometimes it may be necessary to make changes to your team for reasons outside the University’s control, for example if your supervisor leaves the University, or suffers from long term illness. Where this is the case, we will discuss these difficulties with you and seek to either put in place a new supervisory team, or help you to transfer to another research facility, in accordance with our Student Protection Plan.

Changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, for example the University being unable to access its buildings due to fire, flood or pandemic, or the University no longer being able to provide specialist equipment. Where this is the case, we will discuss these issues with you and agree any necessary changes.

Your research project is likely to evolve as you work on it and these minor changes are a natural and expected part of your study. However, we may need to make more significant changes to your topic of research during the course of your studies, either because your area of interest has changed, or because for reasons outside the University’s control we can no longer support your research. If this is the case, we will discuss any changes in topic with you and agree these in writing. If you are an international student, changing topics may affect your visa or ATAS clearance and if this is the case we will discuss this with you before any changes are agreed.

When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by the University’s Terms and Conditions and a framework of regulations, policies and procedures, which form the basis of your agreement with us. It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to abide by them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan, where you will also find links to the full text of each of the regulations, policies and procedures referred to.

The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.