Geography, Environment and Development Studies MPhil/PhD
| Program start date | Application deadline |
| 2025-10-01 | - |
| 2026-01-01 | - |
| 2026-04-01 | - |
Program Overview
Introduction to the Geography, Environment and Development Studies MPhil/PhD Program
The Geography, Environment and Development Studies MPhil/PhD program at Birkbeck is designed to train students to conduct research of the highest academic standard and make an original contribution to the subject. The program aims to respond to the needs and interests of students seeking an academic career or other professional employment, as well as those who wish to pursue a line of intellectual enquiry for its own sake.
Course Overview
Our doctoral program involves working closely with a small group of staff on an independent research project. This means that we are only able to accept students whose proposed research project lies within the areas of expertise of our staff. PhD researchers can specialize in geography, geographical information science, environmental studies, development studies, international childhood studies, or community, youth and voluntary sector studies.
Research Areas
The program offers supervision in the following research areas:
- Community, youth and voluntary sector studies
- Development studies
- Geography
- Geographical information science
- International childhood studies
Community, Youth and Voluntary Sector Studies
We offer supervision in theoretical perspectives and understandings of community theory and practice and youth and voluntary sector studies. Staff in this research area have established excellent links with professional organizations in their fields and also have international links with academic institutions in the USA and South Africa, working collaboratively on issues concerning religion and race in public life.
Development Studies
We offer supervision in theoretical and empirical research on practices and experiences of development. Our research areas include ageing, childhood, gender and development, migration, NGOs and political activism, regional specialization in Latin America and South Asia, rights, social policy, urban and rural poverty, and visual culture and development.
Geography
Research study in geography can take a wide variety of forms across the social and physical sciences dependent on topic, but the common thread is the distinctive perspective, often interdisciplinary, that a geographical approach to research offers. Key research interests are: cities and socio-spatial inequality, coastal geomorphology and coastal policy, food security and climate change, flooding and flood insurance, impact of environmental change on nature and agriculture, long-term river behaviour and climate change, remote sensing, renewable energy, and social and urban geography.
Geographical Information Science
At Birkbeck, we pride ourselves in offering one of the longest-running GISc programs. The Birkbeck GISc academic team works in a broad range of areas of geographic information knowledge, including spatial analytical methods, cartography and visualization, remote sensing and geocomputation, and their research activities are at the forefront of GIS development.
International Childhood Studies
We offer supervision in theoretical and empirical research on practices and experiences of childhood. Our research areas include cultures of childhood, visual culture and representation of childhood, the governance of childhood, childhood and social identities, and histories of childhood.
Key Information
The program is available in both full-time and part-time study modes, with the following key information:
- Duration: 4 years full-time, 7 years part-time
- Style of study: On campus
- Status: Fully Approved
- Awarding body: University of London
- Attendance: Regular meetings with your supervisor(s)
Entry Requirements
To be eligible for the program, applicants must have:
- A good first degree in a relevant discipline
- English language requirements: IELTS Academic Test score of 7.0, with not less than 6.5 in each of the sub-tests
Fees
The tuition fees for the program are as follows:
- Part-time home students: £2,656 per year
- Full-time home students: £5,006 per year
- Part-time international students: £7,870 per year
- Full-time international students: £15,570 per year
Our Research Culture
Our students benefit not only from the advisory insight of specialist academics in geography but also from a wider culture of support and advice from staff and other research students. We see our research students as a central part of our community, who play a key role in the vitality of the wider research process.
How to Apply
To apply for the program, follow these steps:
- Check that you meet the entry requirements, including English language requirements.
- Find a potential supervisor for your MPhil/PhD research.
- Contact the academic member of staff for an informal discussion about your research interests.
- Draft a research proposal.
- Apply directly to Birkbeck using the online application link.
Finding a Supervisor
A critical factor when applying for postgraduate study in geography, environment and development studies is the correlation between the applicant's intellectual and research interests and those of one or more potential supervisors. Find out more about the research interests of our academic staff in the following areas:
- Community, youth and voluntary sector studies
- Development studies
- Geographic information science
- Geography
- International childhood studies