The Faculty of Health & Life Sciences has a lively research culture and embraces innovative and interdisciplinary research ideas. At the same time, it ensures that all its research students are provided with the supervision, materials, equipment, expertise and complimentary training to ensure that they can achieve their full potential.
Applying
Research proposals are carefully selected and matched to staff and research centres. The faculty allocates funding for several bursaries for Postgraduate Research Degrees every year.
Click here to see the current bursary vacancies in the Faculty.
These positions, as well as other Faculty vacancies, are also advertised on the UWE vacancies webpage or the jobs.ac.uk webpage, as and when they arise.
Other PhD or MPhil students are self-funded or funded by sponsorship from a collaborating employer. Many research students work externally, but all have an on-campus supervisor or team of supervisors with relevant scientific expertise as well as expertise in the processes involved in completing a research degree (eg writing a thesis).
Entry requirments
The standard university entry requirements for MPhil and PhD are a first or good second class honours degree, and a degree of proficiency in the English language. These are, however, subject to negotiation, and the university also offers the opportunity to begin study towards a PostGraduate Research Diploma, which can later be developed into a higher level research degree if the potential is recognised.
Assessment
For both MPhil and PhD awards, the student must complete a thesis, and defend it by oral examination. For the award of PhD the thesis should present a significant, independent and original contribution to knowledge, arrived at through a successful programme of research.
For MPhil, candidates are required to critically investigate and evaluate a topic, and demonstrate sound understanding of relevant research methods. An MPhil will usually take 2 years to complete, whilst a PhD is expected to take up to 3 years (full time).