Conduct research at the cutting edge of the discipline, working alongside a team of specialist academic advisors. Our staff work in a wide range of fields, including ecology and evolution, marine biology, ecophysiology, developmental biology, animal behaviour, conservation biology and biological responses to global change. See our research group and staff pages for details.
| Duration | Full time: 3-4 years Part time: 4-6 years |
| Course type | Full-time, Part-time route available |
| Location | Plymouth |
This full time or part time doctoral programme is suitable for people who have a particular research question or topic in mind, and wish to explore this through independent study in order to produce an original contribution to the subject. If you aspire to a research career this is usually the most appropriate research degree to undertake.
Potential applicants should first identify a member of academic staff who may be a suitable supervisor, and contact them by email to discuss possible directions for a research proposal. The research proposal must be agreed by the supervisor before an application to study can be made. You must also ensure that appropriate funding is in place, to cover both fees, and the cost of the research.
You will be guided by a small team of academic experts, led by your main supervisor (Director of Studies). Even if you already have a masters degree, you will normally be registered as a ‘MPhil/PhD’ candidate and may apply to transfer to ‘PhD’ status around 10–22 months after registration, based on your progress to date.
You will be expected to fully engage with skills development and training and to present your research in a range of scholarly contexts, including seminars.
A PhD is assessed via submission of a written thesis and a viva voce (an oral examination).
For full details of what doing a PhD entails at the University of Plymouth, please visit our postgraduate research degrees pages.
Core modules
A relevant research skills module (following discussion with your supervisor), either
MAR513 Research Skills and Methods
or
BIO5131 Postgraduate Research Skills and Methods
Applicants are expected to have either a good 2:1 or first class honours undergraduate degree in an appropriate subject, and typically to have also completed a masters level qualification to a high standard (e.g. at 'merit' or 'distinction' level). If you do not have a masters level qualification, you may wish to consider an appropriate ResM such as ResM Biological Sciences or ResM Marine Sciences. Students who are making exceptional progress in a ResM programme may sometimes progress directly into our PhD programme without having to complete the masters, depending on the availability of funding.
Potential applicants for both ResM and PhD programmes should first identify a member of academic staff who may be a suitable supervisor, and contact them by email to discuss possible directions for a research proposal. The research proposal must be agreed by the supervisor before an application to study can be made. You must also ensure that appropriate funding is in place, to cover both fees, and the cost of the research.
If English is not your first language, you must have proficiency in written and spoken English (normally a minimum test score of 6.5 for IELTS, or equivalent). Given the nature of the programme, you’ll be expected to read and engage with complex theoretical texts and debates for which fluency in English is essential.
For more general guidelines and application requirements, please visit the research degrees applicants page.
Please visit tuition fees for postgraduate research for information about fees. We are in Band 2 for fees purposes. You must also discuss direct research costs with your potential supervisor before applying, as these will also need to be covered.
If you are a full time student, you will pay full time fees for three years. If you have not submitted your thesis by the end of this period, then you may pay for an optional one year writing up period.
If you are a part time student, you will pay part time fees for four years. If you have not submitted your thesis by the end of this period, then you may pay for an optional 'writing up' period of up to two years.
You are responsible for meeting all of the costs related to your own research project, beyond the resources available in the department.
Please visit our postgraduate research money matters page to find out more about issues related to fees, funding, loans and paying for your programme of study.
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Contact us
Doctoral College
Studentships
The Doctoral College is able to answer any questions you may have about applying for or undertaking a postgraduate research degree at the University of Plymouth: doctoralcollege@plymouth.ac.uk or +44 1752 587640.
The Doctoral College works with staff and students across the entire University to ensure that our diverse community of postgraduate and postdoctoral early career researchers is offered the best possible experience.
Find out more about becoming a research student and the University's Researcher Development Programme on the Doctoral College webpages.
Visit studentship opportunities to search for studentships currently available for this programme.
Our staff are world-leading experts who are passionate and committed to both their research and teaching. This expertise provides a stimulating environment in which to develop your career
Staff in the Biology subject area are affiliated with three Research institutes (Cognition Institute, Marine Institute and Sustainable Earth Institute), linking you to a network of people that will enhance your research experience, and will allow you to meet fellow research students from a wide range of disciplines.
