Research Degrees

A full table of research areas is set out here

A research degree gives you the opportunity to determine your own field of study. Your supervisor will help formulate your research topic and ensure you are making proper progress towards completing your research on time. Research projects are, almost by definition, unique. Therefore it is not easy to provide a meaningful description of a typical research project. However, certain common features apply to all.

"I treat my research like a full-time job; though sometimes experiments take over ten hours. I often have to come in at weekends to look after the cell cultures we use for experiments."

Surita Dalal - PhD in Biomedical Sciences

The first year of a full-time PhD is spent on an initial registration for MPhil. The year may well be taken up with a review of the existing literature in your proposed area, and the closer definition of your research proposal, combined with formal training in research skills in the Graduate School, and the formulation of the methodology to be used case.

If you make good progress in your first year your Department can apply for your registration to be transferred from MPhil to PhD. If you opt nevertheless to submit for an MPhil, then your remaining work should be accomplished in the following year.

The second year of your PhD programme may well be taken up with actual data collection. Towards the end of the year it should be possible to attempt an initial analysis of your results.

In the third year you may conduct detailed collation and analysis of your results, and organise them into a useful form. These results have then to be organised into a logical and persuasive thesis. Following submission, your thesis will be read by two examiners, one from within the University, and one from outside the University. Your supervisor will also already have read your thesis, and may be consulted by the examiners. The examiners will then require you to attend in person for an oral examination, at which they will expect you to answer questions on your thesis.

Links with the industry

Distinguished industrialists and professionals hold honorary appointments in many of our departments, contributing to course and seminars. Departments also organise short courses, conferences and symposia for industry, the professions and individuals from outside the University.

Modes of Research

It may be possible (with the Department's agreement) to combine two or more of these modes (listed in order of popularity):

Full-time internal (most popular method of study)
You will work alongside other students and staff in your Department, and be expected to complete your research for PhD within three or four years.

Part-time internal
This mode is most suitable if you have a full-time job in a related area. You should live close enough to Bradford to maintain contact with your supervisor, and perhaps participate in research training. The minimum period for completion is four years, though this minimum is often exceeded.

Part-time external
This is suitable for students based overseas. You will need to visit Bradford at least once a year in order to have extensive discussions with your supervisor.

Full-time external
This may suit people such as academics employed in institutions outside the UK. You should be able to commit an average of about 40 hours per week to your research, and be in a position to make regular use of library, computing or necessary equipment resources. You will need to meet your supervisor regularly and make at least one visit each year to Bradford to discuss the progress of your research with your supervisor during a visit of two weeks or perhaps a month.