Program Overview

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Overview

A PhD is the highest academic award for which a student can be registered. This programme allows you to explore and pursue a research project built around a substantial piece of work, which has to show evidence of original contribution to knowledge.

Completing a PhD can give you a great sense of personal achievement and help you develop a high level of transferable skills which will be useful in your subsequent career, as well as contributing to the development of knowledge in your chosen field.

Our research degrees are available as full-time, part-time and some are offered distance learning.

You are expected to work to an approved programme of work including appropriate programmes of postgraduate study (which may be drawn from parts of existing postgraduate courses, final year degree programmes, conferences, seminars, masterclasses, guided reading or a combination of study methods).

This programme of research culminates in the production of a large-scale piece of written work in the form of a research thesis that should not normally exceed 80,000 words.

You will be appointed a main supervisor who will normally be part of a supervisory team, comprising of up to three members to advise and support you on your project.

Key Information

Entry requirements

The normal level of attainment required for entry is:

• a Master's degree from a UK University or equivalent, normally with a classification of merit or distinction, in a discipline appropriate to the proposed programme to be followed, or
• an upper second class honours degree (2:1 or above) from a UK university in a discipline appropriate to that of the proposed programme to be followed, or
• appropriate research or professional experience at postgraduate level, which has resulted in published work, written reports or other appropriate evidence of accomplishment.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.5 overall with no element lower than 6.0, or equivalent.

Start dates

1 October 2025 12 January 2026 20 April 2026

Application deadlines

For September 2025

• 13 June 2025 for International and Scholarship Students
• 04 July 2025 for Home Students For October 2025
• 13 June 2025 for International and Scholarship Students
• 04 July 2025 for Home Students For January 2026
• 17 October 2025 for International and Scholarship Students
• 14 November 2025 for Home Students For April 2026
• 23 January 2026 for International and Scholarship Students
• 20 February 2026 for Home Students

Duration

The maximum duration for a PhD is 3 years (36 months) full-time or 6 years (72 months) part-time with an optional submission pending (writing-up) period of 12 months.

Sometimes it may be possible to mix periods of both full-time and part-time study.

If studying on a part-time basis, you must establish close links with the University and spend normally not less than an average of 10 working days per year in the university, excluding participation in activities associated with enrolment, re-registration and progression monitoring. You are also expected to dedicate 17.5 hours per week to the research.

What can I research?

There are several research topics available for this degree. See below examples of research areas including an outline of the topics, the supervisor, funding information and eligibility criteria:

Electrochemical Detection of Pesticides

Outline

At present, around two million tonnes of pesticides are used per year on a global basis. Pesticides are considered a contributor to global food security because several pesticides cause long-term negative effects on human health and the environment. Several pesticides are known to be carcinogenic and/or mutagenic, affecting the respiratory system, bone, and nervous systems. Monitoring the presence of pesticide residues in food, water and soil is paramount to ensure the safety of consumers, especially in developing countries. Conventional analytical techniques (HPLC, GC, AAS) are expensive, bulky, time-consuming and require pre-treatment.

This project will involve the development of a highly sensitive, cost-effective, fast, reliable, and easy-to-use electrochemical sensor. The project will include fabricating, characterising, and optimising sensors capable of detecting pesticides without or with minimal pre-treatment.

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of approximately £7000 per annum are required for this project.

Deadline

Our standard University deadlines apply.

Supervisors

• Dr Sandra Hernandez aldave

Forensic Biology

Outline

Research topics that could be covered under this strand include bodily fluid identification, DNA, entomology, bloodstain pattern analysis, textile damage analysis.

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of between £3-£15,000 per annum are required depending on the nature of the project.

Deadline

Our standard University deadlines apply.

Supervisors

• Dr Esta Bostock

Forensic Biology/Forensic Chemistry Cross discipline

Outline

Research topics that could be covered under this strand include bodily fluid identification, DNA, entomology, bloodstain pattern analysis, textile damage analysis, toxicology, explosives, accelerants, paints, VOCs of forensic importance, tool marks and other impressions.

Collaboration projects are available between (bio/bio or chem/chem) e.g., Bloodstain patterns on textile surfaces or Individual disciplines (bio/chem) e.g., Entomotoxicology.

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of between £3-£15,000 per annum are required depending on the nature of the project.

Deadline

Our standard University deadlines apply.

Supervisors

• Dr Katie Addinall
• Dr Gareth Parkes
• Dr Esta Bostock
• Dr Gage Ashton

Forensic Chemistry

Outline

Research topics that could be covered under this strand include toxicology, explosives, accelerants, paints, VOCs of forensic importance, tool marks and other impressions.

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of between £3-£15,000 per annum are required depending on the nature of the project.

Deadline

Our standard University deadlines apply.

Supervisors

• Dr Katie Addinall
• Dr Gareth Parkes
• Dr Gage Ashton

Forensic Toxicology: Investigation and prediction of superwarfarin metabolites

Outline

Superwarfarins such as brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difenacoum, difethialone and flocoumafen are a class of compounds like the anticoagulant drug warfarin that are used as pesticides worldwide. Unfortunately poisoning of humans and non-target animals by these compounds is an escalating problem in many countries since the 1970s and resulted in >16,000 accidental poisonings per year in the United States. Such poisoning is usually accidental but may also be malicious, suicidal, or homicidal and is associated with coagulopathy and death. In addition, reports of intentional use of superwarfarins in civilian and military scenarios raises the spectre of larger incidents or mass casualties. It is therefore essential to identify the metabolites generated from these superwarfarins from a forensic toxicology perspective. The aim of this project is to identify and predict superwarfarin metabolites using in vitro incubations with genetically engineered systems, high pressure liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry and computer modelling.

Funding

Self-funding applicants are welcome. In addition to tuition fees, bench fees of between £3-£15,000 per annum are required depending on the nature of the project.

Deadline

Our standard University deadlines apply.

Supervisors

• Dr Douglas Clarke

Teaching and Assessment

As a minimum you can expect to meet with your supervisors at least once a month (once every two months for part-time students). In practice you may meet with your supervisors more frequently. This time should include at least an hour of one-to-one supervision with each student.

Self-directed study is to be agreed in liaison with you and your supervisor. Self-directed study and supervision time should equate to 35 hours per week (for full-time research degrees).

Teaching A research degree has no compulsory taught element, the study period is for 52 weeks a year with a 35-day annual leave allowance. You are expected to study for at least 35 hours a week for full-time study.

Variation for Professional doctorates - For professional doctorates there is a taught element, and you are required to attend and pass a core programme in research methods in the first 16 Months of study. Progression at the end of Module 4 will be dependent upon attendance and successful completion of these modules.

Feedback Feedback, normally written, is provided on all assessments following submission. Submission and feedback dates will be provided to you upon enrolment.

Progression You may progress to the next stage of your course or research degree, subject to meeting University assessment criteria and professional, statutory, or regulatory body guidelines.

Fees and Finance

Tuition fees - full-time

In 2025/26 the full-time tuition fee for UK postgraduate researchers will be £5,050.

Tuition fees will cover the cost of your study at the University.

Please note that tuition fees for subsequent years of study may rise in line with inflation (RPI-X).

Tuition fees - part-time

In 2025/26 the part-time tuition fee for UK postgraduate researchers will be £2,525.

Tuition fees will cover the cost of your study at the University.

Please note that tuition fees for subsequent years of study may rise in line with inflation (RPI-X).

Important information

We will always try to deliver your course as described on this web page. However, sometimes we may have to make changes as set out below.

Whilst the University will use reasonable efforts to ensure your supervisory team remains the same, sometimes it may be necessary to make changes to your team for reasons outside the University’s control, for example if your supervisor leaves the University, or suffers from long term illness. Where this is the case, we will discuss these difficulties with you and seek to either put in place a new supervisory team, or help you to transfer to another research facility, in accordance with our Student Protection Plan.

Changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, for example pandemics, other disasters (such as fire, flood or war) or changes made by the government. Where this is the case, we will discuss these issues with you and agree any necessary changes.

Your research project is likely to evolve as you work on it and these minor changes are a natural and expected part of your study. However, we may need to make more significant changes to your topic of research during the course of your studies, either because your area of interest has changed, or because we can no longer support your research for reasons outside the University’s control. If this is the case, we will discuss any changes in topic with you and agree these in writing. If you are an international student, changing topics may affect your visa or ATAS clearance and if this is the case we will discuss this with you before any changes are made.