Research students in the Institute for the Environment can work towards an MPhil or PhD research degree, this involves an in-depth study of a specific subject area that extends the boundaries of current knowledge. On completion of your research programme you will submit a thesis which is a substantial written report of the research you have carried out. Submission of a thesis occurs after about one to two years for an MPhil degree and after about three years for a PhD degree for full-time students (students may also study part-time).

Entry Requirements

To embark on a research degree you normally need a good first degree in a subject relevant to your proposed research. However, we welcome applications from those with significant practical experience. You do not a need Masters degree but advanced training in a relevant area may speed up your progress. You will also need a good command of the English language - if English is not your first language then you will need an IELTS qualification. You will need to have an overall IELTS grade of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.0 in each of the subtests.

Choosing your topic

Choosing a research topic is usually an interactive process between you and us. You will probably have some idea of the general area that you would like to investigate. On the research pages you can find out about the research areas where we have particular interests, expertise and experience. We try and match you with a supervisor(s) that most closely matches your interests.

Supervision

All research students have a principal supervisor and an additional (second) supervisor. Typically you will have most contact with your principal supervisor with regular meetings on a one-to-one basis. You and your supervisor(s) discuss current research activities and plans for the future direction of your work. In addition to close working contact with your supervisor(s) you will receive formal training in research methods and participate in our research seminar programme with other research students and academic staff.

New Route PhD

From 2012 we will be offering the New Route PhD. More details will appear here soon but, in the meantime, please have a look at the central Brunel University pages on the New Route PhD or contact us.