PhD in Geography

Program Overview

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Geography

PhD

Award-winning researchers

Key facts

Start dates

June 2025 / September 2025 / January 2026 / June 2026 / September 2026

Application deadline

International and EU applicants apply 5 months before enrolment date. Applications received less than 5 months before cannot be guaranteed. UK applicants apply 4 months before enrolment date. Applications received less than 4 months before cannot be guaranteed.

Location

Headington

Course length

Full time: 1 - 3 years

Part time: 1 - 4 years

School(s)

School of Law and Social Sciences

Funding status

Self-funded

Overview

The study of Geography in the School of Law and Social Sciences takes place in an environment of cutting-edge research and innovation. Spanning the whole of geography from human to physical our innovative and influential research has received international recognition, and we are changing our understanding of geographical processes across the span of the discipline from long term climate patterns, human relationships with spaces and heritage and conservation.

We offer students close supervision from two supervisors who have research expertise in your research area and plentiful opportunities to present your work and participate in our research training and other research events.

Geography at Oxford Brookes comprises several collaborative research clusters supporting our doctoral students and encouraging wide participation both through our partnerships and our full programme of conferences, public events and lectures. Our research clusters are grouped together within the Centre for Environment and Society (CES).

Research expertise

We have research strengths across the whole of geography and have a strong pan-global focus. We strongly recommend that prior to submitting a full application you identify and make contact directly with a potential Director of Studies. Please look at our research group pages and individual staff profiles to help you identify the appropriate member of staff and to find out whether your proposed research focus is one that we can supervise.

Institutes and Centres

• Centre for Environment and Society (CES)

Groups

• Human Origins and Palaeo Environments (HOPE)
• Humans, Animals and Environment
• Space and Temporalities

Degree routes

All students enrol as probationer research students. During the first year you will formally register your research proposal for one of the below routes.

The degree for which you register will depend on your academic qualifications and research experience.

PhD

There are two routes toward obtaining a PhD.

MPhil/PhD route

By far the most popular and common is the MPhil/PhD route. This entails students initially registering for the degree of MPhil/PhD, before transferring to full PhD status, should sufficient progress have been made with their work. Transfer to full PhD status normally happens after 18 months for full time students and after roughly 24-26 months for part time students.

Thesis: 80,000 - 100,000 words. Length of study: minimum of three years full time and four years part time.

Entry requirement: the minimum entry requirement for the MPhil/PhD route is:

• a first-class or upper second-class UK honours degree
• a relevant master’s qualification
• or an equivalent qualification.

Applications from those holding qualifications other than the above will be considered on their merits and in relation to the nature and scope of the work proposed.

PhD Direct

The alternative route toward obtaining a PhD is known as a PhD Direct in which the student registers directly to study for a PhD. Accordingly, the student does not need to undergo a formal transfer assessment and the minimum period of study is shorter compared to the MPhil/PhD route.

Thesis: 80,000 - 100,000 words. Length of study: minimum of two years full time and three years part time. Entry requirement: This is the same as for the MPhil/PhD route, except that the student must demonstrate an exceptional level of preparedness and aptitude for PhD study, for instance in the form of an MPhil degree or an outstanding performance at Masters level in an area very closely aligned with the PhD.

Why Oxford Brookes University?

• Each research student in the Faculty will be allocated £700 (£350 for MA by Research students) towards the costs associated with specific research activities during the research programme.
• Close supervision from experts in your chosen research area, including joint supervision across departments for interdisciplinary projects.
• Plentiful opportunities to present your work. Depending on your chosen subject you may have the opportunity to attend:
  • research seminars with presentations from high profile external guest speakers
  • specialist seminars organised by individual research groups and clusters
  • methodology workshops.
• You will also be encouraged to submit publications to leading research journals.
• You may have the opportunity to develop your teaching, mentoring and demonstrating skills by undertaking paid teaching activities for up to six hours a week. You may also be required to attend the Associate Teachers course which is run by the University Oxford Centre for Academic Enhancement and Development.
• As a core part of the Faculty’s Doctoral Training Programme, the School offers also high quality research training and study facilities that can be accessed by both full-time and part-time students. PhD students can also apply for reader access to the Bodleian Library.
• All our research students also become part of the University’s Graduate College, which runs a comprehensive programme of training sessions and workshops.

After you graduate

Career prospects

We are passionate about fostering the careers of our researchers and ensure that they gain research skills training, leadership experience and teaching practice as part of the doctoral programmes we offer. Bespoke careers advice is also embedded into our programme as we think this is a key element of your personal and professional development during your time with us.

With a PhD in Geography, you will be highly valued by employers in public, private and non-government sectors for a range of skills including numeracy, literacy, communication, problem-solving, research methods and being able to engage a comparative perspective. Our PhD students have moved on to jobs in the NGO sector, the civil service, academia and the private sector.

How to apply

Entry requirements

Please see the specific entry requirement details in the degree routes section above.

If you choose to study full-time you must be able to devote a minimum of 35 hours per week over a 44-week year to your research. You should not undertake more than 20 hours per week paid employment or other commitments (including a maximum of six hours per week teaching, demonstrating, or other paid work directly related to your research training).

If you choose to study part-time you must be able to devote a minimum of 15 hours per week over a 44-week year to the programme of research.

You must also meet our residence requirements.

English language requirements

Applicants whose main language is not English must meet the Faculty’s English language requirements. The minimum IELTS score required for entry to the research degree programme is 6.5–7 overall.

In addition, we require a minimum of 6.5 in each component of the test. We do not accept IELTS certificates that are over two years old.

English requirements for visas

If you need a student visa to enter the UK you will need to meet the UK Visas and Immigration minimum language requirements as well as the University's requirements. Find out more about English language requirements.

Application process

It is essential that you first check whether your specific research interests can be adequately supervised before submitting a full application. To do this please email the Research Administrator your provisional research proposal. This should be 1500–2000 words in length and should include a title and a summary of the proposed subject area.

There is no specific format for research proposals but the following areas are usually covered:

• introduction
• evidence of background reading and knowledge/previous experience of research area
• details of research methods proposed to carry out the project
• the aims of the research project and any proposed hypotheses/outcomes
• literature review
• how your research project will make an original and independent contribution to knowledge.

If your area of research can potentially be supervised you will be encouraged to submit a full application via our online application system.

The Research Administrator will acknowledge receipt of your application by email. We strive to make a decision within one month of receiving your application. Please note, however, decisions may take longer during busier periods of the academic year.

Supporting documents

Please read through the list of supporting documentation that must be uploaded along with your application or emailed separately.

Tuition fees

2025 / 26

Home (UK) full time

£5,106

Home (UK) part time

£2,553

International full time

£17,750

International part time

£8,875

Fees quoted are for the first year only. If you are studying a course that lasts longer than one year, your fees will increase each year.

For International fees the following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support.

Home fees are set by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and are released approximately five months before the start of each academic year.

Funding your studies

Financial support and scholarships

Featured funding opportunities available for this course.

Postgraduate doctoral loans for home students

All financial support and scholarships

View all funding opportunities for this course

Compulsory costs

Additional costs

• Continuation fee The continuation fee, where it is payable is compulsory, but not applicable to Masters by research or PhD by Published Work, detailed as follows:
  • All MPhil/PhD full-time students are required to pay the full-time fee for three complete academic years before they are eligible to pay the continuation fee;
  • All MPhil/PhD part-time students are required to pay the part-time fee for six complete academic years before they are eligible to pay the continuation fee.
  • All PhD Direct full-time students are required to pay the full-time fee for two complete academic years before they are eligible to pay the continuation fee;
  • All PhD Direct part-time students are required to pay the part-time fee for three complete academic years before they are eligible to pay the continuation fee.

| £1455

Optional costs

Additional costs

• It’s your responsibility to cover print / binding costs where coursework submission is required. Please note that a lot of the coursework is now submitted online. | From £30
• You may choose to purchase books to support your studies. Many books on our reading lists are available via the Library, or can be purchased secondhand. | £20-60 per book
• Accommodation fees in Brookes Letting (most do not include bills) | £94-265 per week
• Accommodation fees in university halls (bills included, excluding laundry costs) | £122-180 per week
• Graduation costs include tickets, gowning and photography. Gowns are not compulsory but typically students do hire robes, starting at £41. | Typically £0-200
• Students are responsible for their own travel to and from university for classes. For the 2025/26 academic year, the University is introducing an alternative subsidised travel offer for all students with further information on our Travel webpages. | From £10
• Resubmission fees If following viva, examiners recommend that a student is required to revise and resubmit their thesis for re-examination, they must pay the resubmission fee for the duration of that period. | £1455