masters and phd combined programs uk

Imperial College London Imperial College London

Integrated PhD

Mr Gary Kass, Natural England, gives a talk to SSCP DTP students during the Sustainability module

Studentships

Funding for our CDTs and DTPs is provided by Research Councils so eligibility criteria apply for the studentships that they offer. This is outlined on the UK Research and Innovation website . They may also consider self-funding applicants for non-funded projects.

A new model of Doctoral training

Integrated PhDs provide a new model of postgraduate training. They retain the depth, rigour and focus of a conventional PhD while also providing a broader training experience.

While the specific training routes may vary, they typically consist of a one-year Master's course (MSc or MRes) which leads straight into a three-year PhD.

This new style of doctoral training is available within our Research Council-funded Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) and Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs).

CDTs and DTPs

Our CDTs and DTPs recruit cohorts of students from a broad spectrum of disciplines, creating vibrant multi-disciplinary communities.

The diversity of students recruited to these centres reflects the breadth of research which they cover.

As well as benefitting from a variety of training opportunities and cohort-building activities, students studying within these centres may also have access to a supervisor and facilities at a partner institution.

Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs)

We offer the following DTPs:

Science and Solutions for a Changing Planet , funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and hosted by the Grantham Institute – Climate Change and the Environment.
Medical Research Council Studentships – Imperial College Medical Research Council Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) , funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC)
Photonics , available through several EPSRC-funded Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs) in which Photonics research group members are involved.

Imperial is also a partner in London Interdisciplinary Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (LISS) , funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs)

Imperial currently hosts the following Centres for Doctoral Training. Explore the centres that interest you to find out more about their training programme and available studentships.

Advanced Characterisation of Materials
Artificial Intelligence for Healthcare – UKRI Centre for Doctoral Training
BioDesign Engineering
Chemical Biology - Innovation for the Life Sciences
Modern Statistics and Statistical Machine Learning
Next Generation Synthesis and Reaction Technology
Nuclear Energy Futures

Integrated Masters with PhD – Explained
Types of Doctorates

An Integrated Masters with a PhD (iPhD) is a four-year postgraduate level programme that combines a one-year Masters course with a three-year PhD course. They allow students to familiarise themselves with their chosen topic, research methods and academic writing techniques before embarking on their own independent research project. An Integrated Masters with a PhD is particularly popular with international students and students who initially lack specialised knowledge or research skills.

Introduction

An Integrated Masters with PhD, also commonly referred to as either just an Integrated Masters degree or an Integrated PhD, offers a relatively new way to undertake postgraduate training. They maintain the depth and focus of a conventional PhD but offer a more comprehensive doctoral training experience.

Due to their growing popularity, both the number of universities offering these newer forms of PhD and the number of students applying to them has steadily increased.

This page describes what Integrated Masters with PhDs are, who they are for, their advantages and disadvantages, how they differ from conventional PhDs and how they are structured in terms of programme, eligibility and costs. This page is for you if you are considering applying for an integrated course, or simply want to know more about them.

What is an Integrated PhD?

An Integrated PhD is a four-year postgraduate programme. They involve undertaking a one-year Masters degree (MRes or MSc) in your first year, followed by a three-year PhD programme in your second to fourth year. Although the courses run back-to-back, a student can only progress to the second year if they show satisfactory performance in their first year. The one-year Masters and the three-year PhD are considered separately in terms of qualifications; therefore, a student who completes an Integrated PhD will receive both a Masters degree (MRes or MSc) and a PhD as opposed to a single postgraduate qualification.

The aim of an Integrated PhD is to provide a structured approach to doctoral studies, combining advanced PhD research with formal teaching in relevant subjects, research methods and communication skills.

As Integrated PhDs are relatively new compared to more regular doctoral pathways such as stand-alone or MPhil-upgraded PhDs, some professors informally refer to them as ‘New Route PhDs’.

Difference Between Integrated PhD and Regular PhD

The most significant difference between an Integrated PhD and a regular PhD is the addition of the one-year Masters degree at the beginning of the programme. This results in an Integrated PhD typically lasting four years, as opposed to the three years as with regular PhDs.

Integrated PhDs are structured in such a way that they provide students with a broader range of foundational skills than a regular PhD. The first year introduces you to a combination of taught elements, practical experience and advanced research skills. In a regular PhD this mode of teaching is missing as it is assumed you already have this level of knowledge.

The last significant difference between the two types of doctoral programmes is the ‘group’ aspect associated with the Integrated version. Since the Masters programme also includes other students enrolled in Integrated PhDs, you will have a small cohort with whom you will work closely alongside during your studies.

Who are Integrated PhDs suitable for?

Integrated PhDs can be an effective pathway for any student, but they stand out in two situations:

Scenario 1: International Students

The Higher Education system differs across countries , although not by a large amount, enough to where an unfamiliar student may struggle, especially when working independently. An Integrated PhD allows you to adapt to the UK education system by offering a more guided and hands-on approach to your learning and research process before you embark on your three-year research project.

It also has visa benefits. If an international student seeking a Masters degree in the UK already knows they want to follow it up with a PhD, enrolling in an Integrated PhD will save them from having to leave the country and re-apply for a visa after completing their initial postgraduate degree.

Scenario 2: Lack of undergraduate research experience or a relevant Masters degree

An Integrated PhD is useful for students who have academic abilities but lack the necessary background to be considered for a standard-route PhD. This usually occurs under one of three scenarios:

The applicant is currently an undergraduate student or only holds a Bachelor’s degree,
The student has a Masters degree, but in a subject only loosely related to the discipline they wish to pursue at doctoral level,
The student has a relevant Masters degree, but the programme lacked a research focus, leaving the student with underdeveloped research skills.

Advantages and Disadvantages of an Integrated PhD

The advantages of an Integrated PhD are strongly linked to the international and inexperienced students they cater for. They offer students an effective means of gaining more confidence, knowledge and research skills in their field before starting a doctorate, and also provide visa benefits to international students who will be undertaking prior postgraduate study.

Integrated PhDs also enable students the possibility of receiving funding for the Masters phase of their programme, as will be explained in more detail in the ‘Funding Opportunities’ section.

Integrated doctorates have no obvious disadvantages, but are generally not suitable for those who already have a Masters degree or well-developed research skills in their chosen field. For these students, the additional costs and duration of an Integrated PhD can be avoided by opting for a traditional PhD for which they will already be suited for.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

The programme of study is naturally divided into two parts, the first for your Masters studies and the second for your PhD studies.

Your Masters studies will usually be divided into 180 module credits, half of which will focus on taught components and the other half on research components.

The modules will be tailored to your course, but they will include a variation of:

Taught modules:

Subject-specific module – You choose one or two modules from a predefined list of topics within your subject area. Your selection should reflect the research area you want your PhD to focus on.
English and Communication – Academic language and communication skills will be taught to prepare you for the ‘writing-up’ phase of your doctorate. A common misconception is that this module is similar to the English language requirement tests required to apply to a iPhD. In reality, the module will focus on learning how to critically evaluate research sources, write abstracts, literature reviews and conclusions, communicate in lab-based environments and present to audiences.
Research Techniques – You’ll receive in-depth training to familiarise you with the different research methods and analytical techniques available to modern researchers.
Research Proposal Development – You’ll work with your intended PhD supervisor to prepare a research proposal for your three-year PhD research project.

Research Modules:

You will carry out one or two small laboratory research projects under supervision for practical experience.

Integrated PhD in UK - Lectures and Lab Work

If you complete these modules with satisfactory performance, you will be awarded a Masters degree and will be considered for the following three-year PhD programme.

Each university has its own process for making this consideration, but most invite you to an interview with the supervisor you wish to conduct research with. The interview is used to confirm that you have acquired the specialised knowledge and research skills expected at masters level, and beyond that of someone capable of completing doctoral study.

If your interview goes well, you will be enrolled in your PhD programme. From this point on, your path will be the same as a regular PhD student. During your doctoral phase, you will conduct independent research and laboratory work for two years, followed by a final year of writing up and formally submitting your findings as a thesis. Your thesis, expertise and research competence will be assessed in an oral examination known as a viva. Upon successful completion of your viva, you will be officially awarded a PhD, and your studies will come to an end.

It should be noted that aside from the above, your university may offer optional modules which can equip you with a wide range of transferable skills.

Eligibility

Entry requirements for an integrated masters degree in the UK will vary from university to university, but the typical requirement is an Upper Second Class (2:1) honours Bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject. Equivalent international qualifications are also accepted.

If you are an international student and English is your second language, most universities will require proof of your English language proficiency through an exam certificate. It’s best to check directly with the universities which certificate types they accept, but the most common English language qualification requirement is an IELTS certificate, with a minimum overall score of 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in each category.

The typical annual tuition fee for an Integrated PhD in the UK is £4,712 per academic year for home/EU students (or £2,356 for part-time study) and £19,596 per academic year for international students (or £9,798 for part-time study).

As with all doctoral programmes, there are likely to be additional costs associated with your studies, such as bench fees for lab work, travel costs for collaborating and potential write-up fees for students who need more time to submit their thesis. You can get more information about these additional costs on our cost breakdown page .

Funding Opportunities

You can obtain funding for Integrated PhDs in the same way as for regular PhDs. Funding is usually provided by one of the seven UK Research Councils and research charity organisations such as the Wellcome Trust ; grants, scholarships and funded opportunities can be found directly in our searchable database .

Funding can either be partial (tuition fees only) or full (tuition fees and living costs). Most funding providers also cover the tuition fee for the Masters degree programme due to being integrated with the PhD, however, you should confirm this on a case-by-case basis.

As with regular PhD funding, the fully-funded opportunities are generally limited to home and EU students.

It’s also worth noting that PhD programmes which include an integrated Masters degree are eligible for a Doctoral Loan , even if you already have a postgraduate Masters degree from a previous university. Applications for Doctoral Loans must be made directly to Student Finance England and you must first be registered for a full doctoral degree. Due to application restrictions, you won’t be able to apply for a separate Postgraduate Masters Loan for the integrated Masters phase of your degree.

Availability

You can search for Integrated PhDs in three ways:

Our Search Page – Search for the term ‘Integrated’ in our comprehensive database of STEM PhDs .
University Search Pages – Universities advertise their Integrated PhDs on their postgraduate search pages. You can find them by searching the name of the university followed by “ search postgraduate courses ” directly in Google.
Funding Body Websites – Funding bodies which provide studentships for Integrated PhDs sometimes advertise the positions on their website. A list of the most common funding providers can be found here: PhD Studentships .

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Combined Masters and PhD Programs in the UK

Are there any combined master and PhD programs in the UK? My answer to this question is YES . Many universities in UK offer combined masters and PhD programs. You can apply to these programs after getting a bachelor degree. Most of them last for 4 years (one year for preparatory courses and the other three for research). Here are several top universities in UK providing this type of program as well as some tips for application. Once you have a clear idea of which program you’re interested in, start studying with Magoosh’s IELTS prep .

University of Oxford

University of Oxford provides combined Master of Science (MSc) and Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) programs such as Experimental Psychology (combined MSc and DPhil) and Neuroscience (combined MSc and DPhil). If you apply to these programs, you will be considered both for the MSc and the DPhil. After successfully completing the one-year MSc program, you can conduct your three-year research project leading to the DPhil degree. Check out the research degree lists to see whether your major has combined programs or not.

University College London

Lord Harris at en.wikipedia

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UCL has a variety of Doctor of Philosophy – PhD/Master of Philosophy – MPhil programs such as Chemistry MPhil/PhD and English MPhil/PhD. All students initially register for the MPhil programs. After one year of study, you can either graduate with the MPhil degree or upgrade to the PhD study. Usually, the decision depends on you and your professor. Check out the degree list to find out more information!

University of Leeds

Neil Turner

There are some combined programs at the University of Leeds as well. For example, the Business School provides MSc Research + PhD programs . You can choose an MSc Research in Management and Business or an MSc Research in Accounting and Finance as preparatory course for the following PhD study. Search for your course and find out more!

University of York

Arian Kriesch

The University of York also offers combined masters and PhD programs for those who want to apply to research coursework right after undergraduate study such as the 1+3 program in Economics . However, different departments have different types of degrees. Find your department first and then click the detailed description.

Tips for the Application

Select a specific field of study

Before applying to a combined master and PHD program, you need to choose your specific field of study based on your interest, education background and research experience. Pursuing a PHD degree is not an easy thing, so you need to have a passion for what you will learn and research. Besides, applying to these programs is harder than applying to a taught master degree. There are higher requirements on your knowledge and skills. Check out the detailed admission requirements to learn whether you are qualified or not.

Prepare in advance

Knowing the admission requirement, you should prepare everything in advance. Generally, you need a personal statement, a CV, a study plan, two letters of recommendation and a transcript. For those who are international students, you are also required to show a standardized English language score, such as a IELTS score or a TOFEL score.

Kuangyan creates IELTS blogs at Magoosh. She is passionate about language education and has a MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from New York University. Kuangyan has experience of teaching English both in China and in US. In her free time, she drinks mocha, does yoga, takes photos and travels to different places to explore the exciting world.

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11 responses to “Combined Masters and PhD Programs in the UK”

i need clear information about combined masters degree with phd in robotics

Our expertise is in test prep, not admissions advice, so I’m afraid I can’t help you much with this request! Part of the graduate school application process involves researching schools and finding one that fits your interest and student profile. I’m afraid that we don’t have any insight beyond what we already wrote in this blog post, but you can certainly use this as a starting point! Good luck!

Hi.. Would you please give me recommendation which universities that offer the combined master and phd program in political science or public policy or public administration? Very well thank you.

Our expertise is in test prep, not admissions advice, so I’m afraid I don’t have the information you are looking for! My best recommendation would be to start a general search for political science graduate degrees and then looking for more information on the website of different universities. Best of luck in your search!

This is Sultan. I am looking for combined master & phd programs in PA or PP in the UK. Have you found any yet? I would really appreciate it if you help me in this. This is my email: [email protected]

Thanks in advance!

Hi, I am already enrolled in masters at The University of Law london, can I apply from this university to oxford for PhD?

I recommend checking directly with the admissions department at Oxford, but generally, yes, once you have a Master’s degree you can apply for a PhD program. However, Oxford admissions will be your best resource overall.

Best of luck to you! 🙂

I want to know universities in the UK or USA which offer mastersPhDphd in psychology

Happy to help! Here is a list of the top graduate schools for psychology in the USA.

I hope this helps! Best of luck to you. 😀

Hi Can you help me for compained master anc phd in nursing

I suggest searching Google for these types of programs (for instance, the U.S. News and World Report has a list of the top nursing programs each year), unless you have a specific area/place where you know you want to study. If you do, then you can inquire with the universities there about what programs they may have for nursing.

I hope this helps a bit! Good luck! 🙂

The best combined Masters and PhD programs in UK

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Home to many iconic universities that are centuries old, UK is an attractive destination for higher education. The island nation has many notable colleges offering combined masters and PhD programs that can be taken up right after a Bachelor’s degree. So, what is a combined degree? And why must you consider it?

The policies that govern these degrees vary, and therefore there are multiple types of integrated masters and PhD programs. The most common one offered in the UK is the ‘four-year PhD’ or ‘1+3’ program. As the name implies, these degrees include a one-year master’s program followed by a three-year PhD. This type of program not only builds your subject knowledge, but also focuses mainly on acquiring the research skills required for your doctorate. In fact, the master’s program you might study here might be an M.Res. (Master of research) rather than a typical MA or MS.

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Integrated programs are gaining quite a lot of popularity since they are considered as a fast-forward method to get to a PhD. While a conventional PhD degree might take up to 10 years to complete, these combined degrees offer the same level of learning and experience in about half the time by using the master’s share of it as a kind of foundation course.

Here are some of the best integrated programs in the UK and the institutes offering them

University of Oxford

Combined Master of Science (MSc) and Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil)

Oxford is an outstandingly international university with over half of their graduate students coming in from outside the UK. With an aim to create independent leaders, Oxford courses are intensive and inspiring.

Integrated masters programs:

Course Fee: $35,000/year
Course Fee: $33,000/year
Course Fee: $30,000/year

Applications for admission in 2021-2022 open on September 1st and the deadline will be in Jan 2021. Applying on time will automatically allow you to be considered for over 60 standard scholarships that cover course fees and a grant for living costs. Other scholarships are awarded based on merit and/or potential like the commonwealth shared scholarship, and require an additional application.

Newcastle University

Newcastle is ranked among the world’s top 150 universities (QS World Rankings 2020) and has been awarded 5 QS stars for teaching excellence. Along with exceptional student life and career opportunities, this university offers a number of funding opportunities to international students through scholarships, charities and discounts.

Cost: $30,000/year
Cost: $22,000/year

The courses start in September and although there is no application closing date, applying 2 months or earlier is recommended. Students can build a portfolio of awards by applying for multiple grants like the Aga Khan Development Network and the Nora Henry Trust, along with a guaranteed extra 2% tuition fee discount.

University College London

UUCL is one of the oldest and most renowned institutes of the UK, boasting 34 Nobel prize laureates. It is ranked 10th in the world (QS 2021) and was rated the top university in the UK for research excellence, making it a perfect destination for pursuing a doctorate.

Cost: $32,000
Applications close on 30th July 2021
Multiple modes of learning available
Round 1 Application – 13th January 2021
Round 2 Application – 19th February 2021
Cost: $25,000
Cost: $31,000

University of Warwick

Warwick is a public research university and stands in the top 10 universities of the UK. Interesting fact, this is also the university with the highest-earning average in all of UK.

Integrated masters programs offered:

Cost: $34,000
Cost: $27,000
There are many funding routes available for students studying at Warwick like university-wide scholarships, graduate awards, international scholarships, and loans. Indian students can apply to the Chevening Scholarship, the commonwealth scholarship, and OFID scholarship which can grant students the tuition fee, health insurance, and a monthly allowance.

University of Cambridge

Cambridge has the most impressive catalogue of integrated courses with over 11 programs currently offered in contemporary fields of study like artificial intelligence, stem cell biology, material science, and sensor technologies.

Some of the Integrated masters programs available:

Cost: $38,000
Cost: $37,000

Although these are only a handful of universities, there are quite a few more in the UK that offer various integrated programs including Imperial College London, Brunel University, and Lancaster University that are known for programs like Economics, Management Sciences, and Statistics. This New Route PhD is an apt choice for individuals who are interested in specialized professional training and qualification. Studying from an extended degree program offers you exactly the skills and competencies you need, and you can develop these skills gradually in a logical order. Thus, making your transition from a Masters level to PhD level swift and smooth..

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Brunel integrated phd.

The Brunel Integrated PhD combines PhD research with a programme of structured research, professional and subject training. The programme typically takes 4 years (compared to 3 years for a non-integrated PhD programme). On successful completion, you will be awarded a PhD with an Integrated Postgraduate Diploma in Research in your chosen subject specialisation.

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Benefits of undertaking the Integrated PhD

You will benefit from this programme immensely if you want to:

receive a more much guided and hands-on supervision of your learning and research process, especially if you come from more traditional teaching cultures
increase your chances for a timely completion of your PhD programme in comparison to students taking traditional route PhD, cutting down the expenses associated with prolonged study
access to tailored, highly specialist research training not available as part of the support provided to traditional route PhD students
maximise your chances for a successful research analysis by applying practical assignments and training which are part of the integrated PhD directly to the research you do for your thesis
receive an official P ostgraduate Diploma in Research in addition to your PhD award to certify the completion of skills training which may be required by employers in some countries if you wish to pursue an academic career

The programme is suitable for all research students but especially for those from outside the UK who may need additional support to adapt to the UK educational system and those joining a PhD programme without a Masters degree or with a Masters degree which did not focus on developing research skills.

Contact our Enquiries team . Course Enquiries: +44 (0)1895 265599 (before you submit an application) Admissions Office: +44 (0)1895 265265 (after you submit an application)

Programme structure

The programme of taught modules runs in parallel to your research work during the first three years of study, with the fourth year providing time for you to focus on writing up your PhD thesis. The taught modules cover research and professional skills as well as providing discipline-specific content. The Brunel Integrated PhD aims to support an individual’s development as a research professional. It aims to produce researchers who are well prepared to embark on careers as academics or professional researchers. As well as the skills to conduct and disseminate high quality academic research, researchers will develop a range of broader (‘transferable’) skills to help ensure that their work has impact in the wider world.

Find out more

Advanced Manufacturing and Enterprise Engineering Integrated PhD
Business and Management Integrated PhD (Brunel Business School)
Chemical Engineering Integrated PhD
Civil Engineering Integrated PhD
Computer Science Integrated PhD
Design Integrated PhD
Economics Integrated PhD
Electronic and Electrical Engineering Integrated PhD
Health Sciences Integrated PhD
Information Systems and Computing Integrated PhD
Law Integrated PhD
Life Sciences Integrated PhD
Mathematical Sciences Integrated PhD
Mechanical and Aerospace Integrated PhD
Mechanical Engineering Integrated PhD

“The structure and high quality of the Integrated PhD programme has provided me with the opportunity to develop my research skills and to participate in advanced taught modules with experts and researchers in different research areas. Brunel University offered me a truly unique experience, combining the best education with an extensive programme of activities, a fantastic place for research and making friends”. Ali Tarhini is from Lebanon and has completed the Brunel Integrated PhD Programme in Information Systems and Computing.

Schools & departments

Economics PhD with Integrated Study

Awards: PhD with Integrated Study

Study modes: Full-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Economics

Introduction to Postgraduate Study

Join us for this online session on 26 June to learn more about postgraduate study at Edinburgh

Find out more and register

Research profile

Our PhD programme enables you to pursue your academic interests, and learn the latest methods in research, while providing you with thorough training in modern economics.

Research rankings

We have an impressive history of high rankings for our research.

In the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, 25% of our research was judged world-leading in its originality, significance and rigour. A further 45% was judged internationally excellent.

Academic staff profiles

There are 34 staff members and around 30 PhD students. Profiles of all our economics staff and students are available on the economics website:

Staff and students at the School of Economics

Programme structure

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses.

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Training and support

Academic support.

You will be supervised by two faculty members from the School, who will provide academic support and advice on the subject area, methodology and structure of your thesis.

What will I study?

The PhD programme is principally a research degree, but modern economics requires substantial training that exceeds the level of an MSc or other masters study.

In Year 1, you will take 120 credits of advanced research-oriented coursework, with the opportunity to take field courses at the frontier of areas relevant to your research.

Review and progression

Subject to passing an annual review at the end of Year 1, you will proceed to three further years of research, with the possibility of taking a fourth “writing-up” year.

As a postgraduate student at the School of Economics you will be immersed in a rich academic environment and supportive community of staff and students.

You with have all the practical facilities to ensure success in your chosen programme of learning or research.

Career opportunities

Employment opportunities.

While many of our PhD graduates choose to remain in academia as lecturers and researchers, some pursue careers in other sectors.

Recent PhD graduates have found employment as researchers and analysts with:

Behavioural Insights Team
Danmarks Nationalbank
Bank of England
other private and public organisations

Post-doctoral opportunities

Recent graduates have successfully attained post-doctoral positions at:

University of Oxford
King's College London
London School of Economics and Political Science
European University Institute

As well as faculty positions at:

Heriot-Watt University
Penn State University
University of St Andrews
Aarhus University
Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf

Practical careers support

Our PhD students benefit from the help of our Placement Director in looking for academic jobs.

As well as offering advice and running information sessions, the Placement Director organises practical preparation sessions tailored to the academic job market, such as practice interviews and job talks.

Entry requirements

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

A UK masters degree with distinction, or its international equivalent, in analytical economics. This degree should be equivalent to that offered by the Scottish Graduate Programme in Economics .

If you do not hold a masters, or if your masters is in another subject, you will not normally be admitted directly to the PhD.

Our programme is designed to enable you to pursue your academic interests, and learn the latest methods in research, while providing thorough training in modern economics. As important as your topic is the ability to match your topic with our supervision team. We will not admit a student, where we cannot provide the very best supervision. Therefore, you should think carefully about whether your topic matches our research interests.

During the application process, you will be asked to provide a research summary that briefly outlines your research interests and why you feel they fit with those of the School.

The criteria we will use to decide upon admission will include:

the quality and rigour of your training in core economics areas.

your performance at undergraduate and postgraduate level

our ability to offer supervision in your chosen area of research

the quality of your research summary and the strength of the match to the research priorities of the School

our assessment of any previous independent work (such as your masters dissertation or extended project)

In exceptional cases, we may consider prior independent research experience as a positive factor for admission.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

Entry requirements by country
English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in reading and listening, and 6.0 in all other components. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in reading and listening, and 20 in speaking and writing. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
C1 Advanced ( CAE ) / C2 Proficiency ( CPE ): total 185 with at least 176 in reading and listening, and 169 in speaking and writing.
Trinity ISE : ISE III with passes in all four components.
PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 62 in reading and listening, and 59 in each other component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS , TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE , in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

Fees and costs

Scholarships and funding, featured funding.

We offer funding for high quality applicants, although we would encourage you to try and obtained your own funding sources in the first instance.

School of Economics scholarships
University of Edinburgh Scholarship Search

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

Search for funding

Further information

Postgraduate Administrator
Phone: +44 (0)131 651 1795
Contact: [email protected]
School of Economics
30/31 Buccleuch Place
Central Campus
Programme: Economics
School: Economics
College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.

PhD with Integrated Study in Economics - 4 Years (Full-time)

Application deadlines.

We encourage you to apply at least one month prior to entry so that we have enough time to process your application. If you are also applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible.

How to apply

You must submit two references with your application.

See our supervisors and their areas of research:

Economics staff

Before applying for a PhD with us, please send us an enquiry email so we can assist you and give you the best advice.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

A combined postgraduate experience

Integrated PhD

A pathway into research training, about the programme.

Our Integrated PhD programme combines a one-year master's course with a three-year PhD research programme.

You can choose from over 90 master's courses across nine subject areas.

Benefits of our master's courses

Our taught master's courses in biological, medical and health sciences are strengthened by our highly rated research and significant links with the NHS and industry.

Researchers observe and write notes about a sample.

Research project

Your master's includes a research project, and will enhance your knowledge and skills before beginning specialist research in your chosen field.

A postgraduate researchers analysing data in the lab.

How long does it take?

You can study the Integrated PhD either full-time (4 years) or part-time (up to 8 years).

Our reputation

The University of Manchester is ranked 27th worldwide (QS Global World Rankings 2022) and is #1 for social and environmental impact (Times Higher Education). We have been the University of the Year for Graduate Employment (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020).

A postgraduate student outside of Whitworth Hall.

An international community

Join over 7,000 of our international postgraduate students for a unique and exceptional learning experience.

How it works

Your training pathway.

Our Integrated PhD gives you the opportunity to study for an MSc that will prepare you for a related PhD project.

You'll spend the first part of the programme studying on your chosen master's course in biology, medicine and health before moving into one of our PhD programmes, working on research in the same area as your MSc.

Your PhD will be undertaken at Manchester under the supervision of researchers working on a variety of exciting projects. You'll draw on the skills and knowledge you learned at MSc level to contribute to crucial research.

Example pathway: from MSc Precision Medicine to PhD research in omics

Integrated PhD students undertaking our MSc in Precision Medicine would be well-equipped to undertake the 'Predicting response to IL6 inhibition in patients with rheumatoid arthritis' PhD project.

You would be able to apply your master's learning in the principles of stratified medicine to address an important clinical question: whether we can use omics to better target the right drugs to the right patients.

Your MSc-level training in omics technologies, such as genomics and transcriptomics, would be directly applicable to this PhD project.

View all example MSc and PhD pathways

A researcher placing microcentrifuge tubes into a centrifuge.

Making an application

Apply for the integrated phd.

If you wish to be considered for the Integrated PhD programme and meet our eligibility criteria, you must complete an online application.

Application process for the Integrated PhD

Information on making an application can be found on the how to apply page.

You must make one separate application for this programme (select FBMH Integrated 1+3 Programme on the online application form). If you select the incorrect programme, your application cannot be considered.

Before applying, you should identify a supervisor for your PhD project. You can look at available projects on our database . Using the Research Explorer can also help identify potential supervisors and research areas.

We recommend you make direct contact with potential supervisors to discuss your application before applying, indicating you are interested in the Integrated PhD programme. Supervisors may also be able to suggest a relevant master's course to compliment your research interests.

You should review the master's courses on offer and ensure you meet the entry requirements before making an application for the Integrated PhD. Please note that some postgraduate taught courses are not included in the Integrated PhD. Please get in touch to see if the master's course you are interested in is included in this PhD programme.

On the online application form, you will need to include the name of your preferred supervisor/provisional project title. If you are unable to identify a supervisor, please contact the Admissions team for advice by emailing [email protected] .

Your supporting statement should be a maximum of 1,000 words summarising your motivation for the Integrated PhD, outlining any research experience and your career ambitions. You should also indicate which of our master's courses you would like to be considered for.

Other application information

Please refer to the individual MSc or MRes course page for details of application deadlines.

Eligibility

Applicants must have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second UK honours degree or the equivalent qualification gained outside the UK in a related subject area.

A Lower Second honours degree may be considered if applicants also hold a master's degree with a Merit classification, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK.

Please refer to the individual MSc or MRes course page for detailed entry requirements.

As part of the selection process for the programme, you will be required to attend a short interview.

Have any questions? Get in touch.

Applications.

For queries regarding the application process, the projects on offer or your eligibility, please contact the Doctoral Academy.

Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)161 275 5608

You may wish to contact supervisors directly about projects. You can find the name of the supervisor on each project, and their contact details in the University's online directory

University of Manchester intercalation queries should be sent to Professor Sue Atley and the intercalation team.

Alternatively, use our A–Z index

Attend an open day

PhD/MPhil Psychology / Overview

Year of entry: 2024

View full page

We require applicants to hold, or be about to obtain, an Upper Second class Honours degree, or the equivalent qualification gained outside the UK, in a related subject area for entry to a PhD programme. A Lower Second class Honours degree may be considered if applicants also hold a Master's degree with a Merit classification.

Full entry requirements

For potential projects please get in touch with the division Senior Tutor to discuss.

See full guidance on how to choose a project and submit an application on our website . You should then complete the online admissions application form to apply for this programme. Ensure you include all required supporting documents at the time of submission, or this may delay the processing of your application.

Application deadline

You must submit your application for a postgraduate research programme before the relevant deadline to be considered. You will not be able to apply after these deadlines have passed.

January entry: 15 October (of the year prior entry)
April entry: 15 January (year of entry)
September entry: 15 June (year of entry)

Programme options

Programme overview.

Learn from some of Europe's leading researchers while undertaking your own project.
Access some of the best research facilities in the world at both the University and in hospitals around Greater Manchester.
Undergo training in transferable skills critical to developing early-stage researchers and professionals through the Doctoral Academy's training programme.
Conduct research at a university ranked 6th in the UK (QS World University Rankings 2023).

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows:

PhD (full-time) UK students (per annum): Standard £4,786, Low £11,000, Medium £17,500, High £23,000 International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £27,000, Low £28,500, Medium £34,500, High £40,500
PhD (part-time) UK students (per annum): Standard £2393, Low £5,500, Medium £8,750, High £11,500 International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £13,500, Low £14,250, Medium £17,250, High £20,250
PhD (full-time distance learning) UK students (per annum): Standard £4,786, Low £11,000, Medium £17,500, High £23,000 International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £27,000, Low £28,500, Medium £34,500, High £40,500
PhD (part-time distance learning) UK students (per annum): Standard £2393, Low £5,500, Medium £8,750, High £11,500 International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £13,500, Low £14,250, Medium £17,250, High £20,250

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

Contact details

Programmes in related subject areas.

Use the links below to view lists of programmes in related subject areas.

Regulated by the Office for Students

The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website .

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website .

Masters and Phd Programmes

Research degrees, masters and phd employability, postgraduate degrees.

We offer three full-time and part-time Masters courses. We aim to recruit PhD students for a range of identified topic areas.

Great Reasons to Study Psychology with Us

Our researchers have strengths across a range of areas such as cognitive and social neuroscience, perception and action, developmental science, attachment and relationships, developmental psychopathology, psycholinguistics and language disorders, mental health, intergroup relations and social cognition.

Research excellence in the School is underpinned by outstanding facilities for research and teaching, including state-of-the-art virtual reality, electroencephalography, transcranial magnetic stimulation, functional near-infrared spectroscopy, motion tracking, eye tracking and computing and observation laboratories. We also host a 3T magnetic resonance imaging scanner in the UEA Wellcome-Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre.

Whether you are completing a Masters course or a PhD, we give you great opportunities to learn more to help your future after studies. For Masters students this includes a dedicated placement module and for research students this includes research support groups.

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Contact us Careers

Study Combined Masters with PhD Integrated Programs Abroad in USA, UK, Canada, Germany & Europe

Combined MS & PhD Programs

Integrated Masters and PhD Combined Programs in USA, UK, Canada, Germany, Europe If doctorate level research is your ultimate ambition in life, pursuing it jointly is a great idea. It seems beneficial in many ways, however it is not always easy to apply for these courses as they demand exceptional excellence and high academic performance throughout.

Schedule a FREE online consultation with study abroad expert

Integrated MS/PhD is a bit complicated and varies from one University to another. 1. Some universities don't let you apply to PhD program with a Bachelor's. You have to apply to MS and state in application that you wish to continue to PhD subsequently 2. Few schools let you apply for PhD post Bachelor’s but will only if they find an extra-ordinary intellectual potential in you or else you will be re-directed to a MS program 3. Few universities offer MS-PhD joint degrees extending to 5 or 6 years and even offer fellowships to these integrated program students. 4. Recently, many programs have been added to this category. One has to be very sure before getting into an integrated program because once you become a part of it you will not get another chance to divert your field of work or change subjects.

Top Countries for MS and PhD Combined Programs

EUROPEAN NATIONS

Pursuing integrated MS and PhD needs meticulous planning in every aspect. As you need to consider various factors like your research inclination, ongoing project and research work at the department you need to apply to, initiating contact with professors who could be your project guide, exchange of information and research ideas, assessment of your skills and mapping your research goals with the ongoing project work.

Our expert counsellors who have years of experience and have worked with several Integrated PhD aspirants on their applications and admission process efficiently ensure a successful Integrated PhD admission. KNOW MORE ABOUT OUR DEDICATED ASSISTANCE PLAN FOR PHD

If you have any concerns about your overseas education goal talk to our study abroad experts for free. BOOK A FREE ONLINE COUNSELING SESSION NOW

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PhD Data Science

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Entry requirements

Fees and funding.

What's next?

Our PhD Data Science is an advanced research degree within our School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science and we have staff members available to act as supervisors across a number of areas within data science. Possible areas of research include: artificial intelligence, classification/supervised learning, clustering/unsupervised learning, data science education, deep learning, industry 4.0, information retrieval, mathematical foundations of data science, multidimensional scaling, optimisation, and statistical learning. If you're interested in doing a data science research degree at Essex get in touch with our School to discuss potential research areas.

Our staff are strongly committed to excellence in research and excellence in education. Our School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science and our School and Computer Science and Electronic Engineering (CSEE) have introduced undergraduates and postgraduate courses in data science since 2014.

The University of Essex is a leading institution worldwide on Data Science Education. DMS has strong track record on Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) with data-driven industries, for example: Profusion, Mondaq, MSXI and Ocado. DMS has two research groups: Data Science and Mathematics.

Our School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science is genuinely innovative and student-focused. Our research groups are working on a broad range of collaborative areas tackling real-world issues. Here are a few examples:

You can start this course in either October, January or April, part-time or full-time.

Our degree is jointly delivered by our School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science and our School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering.
Our data science courses benefit from the Institute of Analytics and Data Science (IADS), the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) and the UK Data Archive, all based at the University of Essex.
Our School is ranked 31st for research power in the Research Excellence Framework 2021.

Our expert staff

Our School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science has an international reputation in all areas of mathematical sciences including; statistical learning, artificial intelligence, classification/supervised learning, clustering/unsupervised learning, data science education, actuarial science, mathematical statistics, operational research, applied mathematics, pure mathematics, and mathematics education.

We encourage PhD students to meet with their supervisor regularly. While undertaking your research within our School, joint supervision across other Essex departments and schools is possible.

Your PhD should lead to publications in academic journals. Our PhD students have had papers accepted and published in journals such as: Advances in Data Analysis and Classification ; BMC Bioinformatics ; Ecology ; Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical ; Mathematical Modelling of Natural Phenomena ; and The North American Journal of Economics and Finance .

Specialist facilities

The School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science is based in the University's state-of-the-art STEM Centre. Research students have a dedicated work space and PCs, with access to software such as MATLAB, Gap, SageMath, Python and R.

All University of Essex research students have access to our innovative and unique scheme, Proficio. Postgraduate research students are automatically enrolled on Proficio, which provides a variety of training courses, and a fund of up to £2,500 per student for conference attendance and relevant external training courses.

Your future

Many of our former PhD students have gone on to work as academics in prominent institutions across the world, such as the University of Bristol, University of Cambridge, University of Nottingham and many other international universities. Some have also remained at the University of Essex, working as postdoctoral research fellows, research impact officers, or lecturers.

Other graduates have joined organisations like the Met Office, the Ministry of Defence, and companies based in the City of London. There is a high demand for data science experts in all sectors of the economy, so our graduates are sought after in the UK and abroad.

“The journey of a PhD student is just like a roller coaster, so make sure you take the time to celebrate the wins and reflect on the losses. My PhD involves examining the process of skeletal muscle activation/deactivation by developing novel mathematical methods to extract dynamic information from image data. The most enjoyable aspect of my work is the flexibility it gives me as an individual and being able to deepen my understanding in the field of Bayesian statistics, which I find particularly interesting. In the future I plan to work in the industry as a Data Scientist, on various projects related either to macroeconomics or finance.” Madalina Mihailescu, PhD Data Science student

UK entry requirements

You will need a good honours degree and a Masters degree in a relevant subject. A well-developed research proposal is also essential.

You may be required to attend an interview/Skype interview for acceptance, and acceptance is subject to research expertise in the department.

International & EU entry requirements

We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants studying in the EU and other countries. Get in touch with any questions you may have about the qualifications we accept. Remember to tell us about the qualifications you have already completed or are currently taking.

Sorry, the entry requirements for the country that you have selected are not available here. Please select your country page where you'll find this information.

English language requirements

Course structure.

A research degree gives you the chance to investigate an area or topic in real depth, and develop transferable research skills. During your time in the School you have opportunities to attend conferences, publish papers, and give talks at departmental research seminars. You may also attend some university modules, and will meet with your supervisor typically on a weekly basis.

Within our School, our PhD students are usually encouraged to take our taught module, Research Methods, in the first year of study, so you are well equipped with the necessary skills to undertake effective research. You may also attend some other modules on an informal basis.

All our students wishing to study for a PhD enrol on a combined MPhil/PhD pathway. In your second year of study, depending on progress, a decision is made by our School on whether to proceed with either an MPhil or a PhD.

Our full-time research students have a supervisory board to review their progress every six months (or annually if studying part-time). Typically, the board involves your supervisor and one other academic. The recommendations of this are considered by our Departmental Research Students' Progress Board, which will make decisions on your registration status.

If you progress well, you should be confirmed as a PhD student in the first term of your second year of study.

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We'll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website and in line with your contract with us. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, we'll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.

Components are the blocks of study that make up your course. A component may have a set module which you must study, or a number of modules from which you can choose.

Each component has a status and carries a certain number of credits towards your qualification.

The modules that are available for you to choose for each component will depend on several factors, including which modules you have chosen for other components, which modules you have completed in previous years of your course, and which term the module is taught in.

Modules are the individual units of study for your course. Each module has its own set of learning outcomes and assessment criteria and also carries a certain number of credits.

In most cases you will study one module per component, but in some cases you may need to study more than one module. For example, a 30-credit component may comprise of either one 30-credit module, or two 15-credit modules, depending on the options available.

Modules may be taught at different times of the year and by a different department or school to the one your course is primarily based in. You can find this information from the module code . For example, the module code HR100-4-FY means:

COMPONENT 01: COMPULSORY

This module is for PhD students who are completing the research portions of their theses.

View Mathematics - Research on our Module Directory

A PhD (with a minimum period of three years) typically involves wide reading round the subject area in your first year, then gradually developing original results over your second and third years, before writing them up in a coherent fashion. The resulting thesis is expected to make a significant contribution to knowledge.

Your PhD is awarded after your successful defence of your thesis in an oral examination (viva), in which you are interviewed about your research by two examiners, at least one of whom is from outside Essex.

Home/UK fee

£4,712 per year

International fee

£17,900 per year

Fees will increase for each academic year of study.

Masters fees and funding information

Research (e.g. PhD) fees and funding information

What's next

We hold Open Days for all our applicants throughout the year. Our Colchester Campus events are a great way to find out more about studying at Essex, and give you the chance to:

tour our campus and accommodation
find out answers to your questions about our courses, graduate employability, student support and more
talk to our Fees and Funding team about scholarship opportunities
meet our students and staff

If the dates of our organised events aren’t suitable for you, feel free to get in touch by emailing [email protected] and we’ll arrange an individual campus tour for you.

2024 Open Days (Colchester Campus)

Saturday 15 June 2024 - June Open Day
Saturday 21 September 2024 - September Open Day
Saturday 26 October 2024 - October Open Day

You can apply for this postgraduate course online . Before you apply, please check our information about necessary documents that we'll ask you to provide as part of your application.

We encourage you to make a preliminary enquiry directly to a potential supervisor or the Graduate Administrator within your chosen Department or School. We encourage the consideration of a brief research proposal prior to the submission of a full application.

We aim to respond to applications within four weeks. If we are able to offer you a place, you will be contacted via email.

For information on our deadline to apply for this course, please see our ‘ how to apply ' information.

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Visit Colchester Campus

Set within 200 acres of award-winning parkland - Wivenhoe Park and located two miles from the historic city centre of Colchester – England's oldest recorded development. Our Colchester Campus is also easily reached from London and Stansted Airport in under one hour.

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Virtual tours

If you live too far away to come to Essex (or have a busy lifestyle), no problem. Our 360 degree virtual tour allows you to explore the Colchester Campus from the comfort of your home. Check out our accommodation options, facilities and social spaces.

Exhibitions

Our staff travel the world to speak to people about the courses on offer at Essex. Take a look at our list of exhibition dates to see if we’ll be near you in the future.

At Essex we pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive student community. We offer a wide range of support to individuals and groups of student members who may have specific requirements, interests or responsibilities.

The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include, but are not limited to: strikes, other industrial action, staff illness, severe weather, fire, civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack (whether declared or not), natural disaster, restrictions imposed by government or public authorities, epidemic or pandemic disease, failure of public utilities or transport systems or the withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications . The University would inform and engage with you if your course was to be discontinued, and would provide you with options, where appropriate, in line with our Compensation and Refund Policy.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.

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Medical Physics and Bioengineering MPhil/PhD

London, Bloomsbury

This degree is focused on a multi-disciplinary subject at the interface of physics, engineering, life sciences and computer science. The PhD programme involves 3-4 years (more for part-time students) of original research supervised by a senior member of the department.

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) in 2021 rated the department’s research, as part of UCL Engineering, as 97% "world-leading"(4*) or "internationally excellent" (3*) and UCL was the second-rated university in the UK for research strength.

UK tuition fees (2024/25)

Overseas tuition fees (2024/25), programme starts, applications accepted.

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class UK Bachelor’s degree in Physics, Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, or another closely related discipline, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Knowledge and expertise gained in the workplace may also be considered, where appropriate.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2 Overall score of 7.0 and a minimum of 6.5 in each component.

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

If you are intending to apply for a time-limited visa to complete your UCL studies (e.g., Student visa, Skilled worker visa, PBS dependant visa etc.) you may be required to obtain ATAS clearance . This will be confirmed to you if you obtain an offer of a place. Please note that ATAS processing times can take up to six months, so we recommend you consider these timelines when submitting your application to UCL.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website .

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

PhD projects will be strongly multi-disciplinary, bridging the gap between engineering, clinical sciences and industry. Over 100 non-clinical and clinical scientists across UCL will partner to co-supervise a new type of individual, ready to transform healthcare and build the future UK industry in this area.

Who this course is for

What this course will give you

With a Postgraduate Research degree, you will become part of a Department of leading researchers and work towards becoming an expert in your chosen field. Postgraduate study within UCL Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering offers the chance to develop important skills and acquire new knowledge through involvement with a team of scientists or engineers working in a world-leading research group. Following a Postgraduate Research degree, our students have entered a number of varied careers. Many choose to continue in academic research with a postdoctoral post, enter the NHS or private healthcare sector, or apply their skills in industry.

The foundation of your career

Postgraduate study within the department offers the chance to develop important skills and acquire new knowledge through involvement with a team of scientists or engineers working in a world-leading research group. Graduates complete their studies having gained new scientific or engineering skills applied to solving problems at the leading edge of human endeavour. Skills associated with project management, effective communication and teamwork are also refined in this high-quality working environment.

Employability

As a multi-disciplinary subject at the interface of physics, engineering, life sciences and computer science, our postgraduate students have a diverse range of options upon graduation. Many choose to continue in academia through the subsequent award of a PhD studentship or a postdoctoral research post. Another common career route is employment in industry where newly-acquired skills are applied to science and engineering projects within multi-national medical device companies, or alternatively, within small-scale start-up enterprises. A substantial number of graduates also enter the NHS or private healthcare sector to work as a clinical scientist or engineer upon completion of further clinical training.

Supervision and mentorship are available from scientists and engineers who have collaborated nationally and internationally across clinical, industrial and academic sectors. This provides natural opportunities to work in collaboration with a variety of external partners and showcase output at international conferences, private industry events and clinical centres to audiences of potential employers. Moreover, the department holds close working relationships with a number of charitable, research council and international organisations, for example, in new projects involving radiotherapy and infant optical brain imaging in Africa.

Teaching and learning

Our PhD programme involves 3–4 years of original research supervised by a senior member of the department. At any one time, the department has around 60–80 PhD students from a variety of disciplines

A dissertation of up to 100,000 words for a PhD, or up to 60,000 words for an MPhil, is completed as a part of this programme.

Contact hours depend on the type of project and the stage you are at in your PhD. At the start of an experimental, lab-based project, you might spend most of your time working with your supervisor or other researchers. At other times, you might spend most of your time reading or writing and be more self-directed. As a rule, it’s common for students to meet with their supervisor on a weekly basis. You should treat a full-time PhD as you’d treat a full-time job and aim to spend 40 hours a week or so working on your PhD. Sometimes you may need to spend more than this (for example if you’re travelling to a conference, using equipment that has limited availability or have an urgent deadline), but this would be a reasonable average.

Research areas and structure

Biomedical optics
Biomedical Ultrasound
Computing, digital image processing
Continence and skin technology
Functional electrical stimulation
Implanted devices
Laser and endoscopic surgery
Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy
Medical imaging including 3D graphics
Neurophysiology including electrical impedance tomography
Physiological sensing
Radiation physics

Research environment

UCL's Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering is one of the largest medical physics departments in the UK. We have exceptionally close links with major teaching hospitals, as well as excellent academic research. We offer BSc, MSc, and PhD degrees in Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering.

Our academic research rating is a top level 5, which means that we have an internationally leading reputation in medical physics and biomedical engineering research. Ours is a joint department with Medical Physics in the UCLH NHS Trust, and so our staff work side-by-side with hospital physicists, clinical doctors and other health professionals. This close liaison with clinical colleagues in this exciting field enriches our research and teaching. We develop new technologies and methods for diagnosing, treating and managing medical conditions and diseases. A PhD at UCL Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering will allow you to pursue original research and make a distinct and significant contribution to your field. We are committed to the quality and relevance of the research supervision we offer and as an MPhil/PhD candidate you could work with academics. Furthermore, as a research student, you will be an integral part of our collaborative and thriving research community. Student-run ‘work in progress’ forums and an end-of-first-year PhD workshop will give you the opportunity to present and discuss your research and academic colleagues. Tailored skills seminars will provide you with a supportive research environment and the critical skills necessary to undertake your research. To foster your academic development, we also offer additional department funds, which can assist you with the costs of conferences and other research activities.

The length of registration for the full-time research degree programmes is 3 to 4 years.

You are required to register initially for the MPhil degree with the expectation of transfer to PhD after successful completion of an upgrade viva 12 - 18 months after initial registration.

Upon successful completion of your approved period of registration, you may register as a completing research student (CRS) while you write up your thesis.

Within three months of joining the programme, you are expected to agree with your principal supervisor the basic structure of your research project, an appropriate research method and a realistic plan of work. You will produce and submit a detailed outline of your proposed research to both your supervisors for their comments and feedback. We hold a PhD workshop at the end of your first year, which provides you with an opportunity to present your research before an audience of UCL Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering Academic staff and fellow PhD students.

In your second year you will be expected to upgrade from an MPhil to a PhD. To successfully upgrade to a PhD, you are required to submit a piece of writing (this is usually based on one chapter from your thesis and a chapter plan for the remainder). You are also required to present and answer questions about this work to a panel consisting of your subsidiary supervisor and another member of the faculty who acts as an independent assessor.

The length of registration for the research degree programmes is 5 to 6 years for the part-time route.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk . Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team .

Fees and funding

Fees for this course.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees .

Additional costs

There are no additional costs associated with this programme.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs .

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website .

Deadlines and start dates are usually dictated by funding arrangements so check with the department or academic unit to see if you need to consider these in your application preparation. In all cases the applicant should identify and contact potential supervisors with a brief research proposal before making your application. For more information see our How to apply page: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/medical-physics-biomedical-engineering/study/postgraduate-research/mphilphd-medical-physics-and-biomedical-engineering/applying-doctoral

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2024-2025

Got questions get in touch.

Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering

[email protected]

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Study Postgraduate

Phd/mphil in intellectual and developmental disabilities (2024 entry).

Students walking outside the Social Sciences building at the University of Warwick.

Course code

30 September 2024

3-4 years full-time; up to 7 years part-time

Qualification

CIDD Link opens in a new window

University of Warwick

Find out more about our PhD/MPhil in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

Explore intellectual disabilities and autism in depth on Warwick's MPhil/PhD in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. The Centre for Research in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (CIDD) is an internationally recognised research centre specialising in intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism across the lifespan.

Course overview

Students carry out a PhD by research only. There are no taught course components.

Teaching and learning

The department has several small PhD work spaces that students can access.

General entry requirements

Minimum requirements.

2.1 Upper Second Class honours undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a related subject.

English language requirements

You can find out more about our English language requirements Link opens in a new window . This course requires the following:

IELTS overall score of 7.0, minimum component scores of two at 6.0/6.5 and the rest at 7.0 or above.

International qualifications

We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications.

For more information, please visit the international entry requirements page Link opens in a new window .

Additional requirements

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.

Our research

We are interested in hearing from people who are thinking of pursuing a PhD in areas of CIDD’s expertise:

Intellectual and developmental disabilities (including autism) across the lifespan
Assessment and diagnosis in intellectual and developmental disabilities
Families, family adjustment, siblings of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities and sibling relationships
Mental health in children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (including autism)
Forensic mental health in adults with intellectual disabilities and/or autism
Developmental psychology with children and adults with intellectual disabilities and/or autism
School attendance in children and young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Early intervention in intellectual and developmental disabilities
Early development of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (including autism)
Transition to adulthood for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Parenting skills and interventions in families of children and adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Psychological and educational therapies and interventions for children, adolescents, adults and families of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (including autism)
Training of education, health and social care staff who work with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities

If you are interested in doing a PhD with us, you can look for and contact potential supervisors using our CIDD Staff Directory .

Students are encouraged to contact K dot Gray dot 1 at warwick dot ac dot uk to discuss their interest in applying to study at CIDD prior to submitting an application.

You can also see our general University guidance about finding a supervisor .

Find a supervisor

We are interested in hearing from people who are thinking of pursuing a PhD in areas of CIDD’s expertise in intellectual disability / autism:

Students are encouraged to contact K dot Gray dot 1 at warwick dot ac dot uk to discuss their interest in applying to study at CIDD prior to submitting an application.

You can also see our general University guidance about finding a supervisor. Link opens in a new window

Tuition fees

Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course at the start of the academic year, or at the start of your course, if later. Academic fees cover the cost of tuition, examinations and registration and some student amenities.

Find your research course fees

Fee Status Guidance

The University carries out an initial fee status assessment based on information provided in the application and according to the guidance published by UKCISA. Students are classified as either Home or Overseas Fee status and this can determine the tuition fee and eligibility of certain scholarships and financial support.

If you receive an offer, your fee status will be stated with the tuition fee information. If you believe your fee status has been incorrectly classified you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire (follow the instructions in your offer) and provide the required documentation for this to be reassessed.

The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) provides guidance to UK universities on fees status criteria, you can find the latest guidance on the impact of Brexit on fees and student support on the UKCISA website .

Additional course costs

Please contact your academic department for information about department specific costs, which should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below, such as:

Core text books
Printer credits
Dissertation binding
Robe hire for your degree ceremony

Scholarships and bursaries

Scholarships and financial support

Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.

Living costs

Find out more about the cost of living as a postgraduate student at the University of Warwick.

Centre for Research in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (CIDD)

CIDD is an internationally recognised research centre with an applied research focus on intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism.

We emphasise combined methods research undertaken in multi-disciplinary teams, secondary analysis approaches, and intervention evaluation designs including randomised controlled trials.

Find out more by visiting our website. Link opens in a new window

How to apply

The application process for courses that start in September and October 2024 will open on 2 October 2023.

For research courses that start in September and October 2024 the application deadline for students who require a visa to study in the UK is 2 August 2024. This should allow sufficient time to complete the admissions process and to obtain a visa to study in the UK.

How to apply for a postgraduate research course

After you’ve applied

Find out how we process your application.

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See Warwick’s postgraduate admissions policy.

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Postgraduate fairs.

Throughout the year we attend exhibitions and fairs online and in-person around the UK. These events give you the chance to explore our range of postgraduate courses, and find out what it’s like studying at Warwick. You’ll also be able to speak directly with our student recruitment team, who will be able to help answer your questions.

Join a live chat with our staff and students, who are here to answer your questions and help you learn more about postgraduate life at Warwick. You can join our general drop-in sessions or talk to your prospective department and student services.

Departmental events

Some academic departments hold events for specific postgraduate programmes, these are fantastic opportunities to learn more about Warwick and your chosen department and course.

See our online departmental events

Warwick Talk and Tours

A Warwick talk and tour lasts around two hours and consists of an overview presentation from one of our Recruitment Officers covering the key features, facilities and activities that make Warwick a leading institution. The talk is followed by a campus tour which is the perfect way to view campus, with a current student guiding you around the key areas on campus.

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Learn more about Postgraduate study at the University of Warwick.

We may have revised the information on this page since publication. See the edits we have made and content history .

Why Warwick

Discover why Warwick is one of the best universities in the UK and renowned globally.

9th in the UK (The Guardian University Guide 2024) Link opens in a new window

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About the information on this page

This information is applicable for 2024 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our terms and conditions to find out more.

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PsyD vs PhD

List of Combined Master’s and PsyD Programs

Earning a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree is an important educational step in becoming licensed to practice psychology. But for many people, just getting their Psy.D. won’t provide them with the specific training they want to practice in certain niche areas. And some PsyD programs include an M.A. or M.S. within the Psy.D. program by design, which many other students may prefer for academic reasons.

The good news for both groups is that there are several options for programs that combine master’s and other advanced degrees with Psy.D. training. Let’s take a look at these programs and important information students should know about each one.

Widener University — MBA/PsyD, MEd/PsyD, MCJ/PsyD

Chester, Pennsylvania

Widener University has by far the most extensive options for students who want to pair Psy.D. education with training in another area. Not only does the school offer several degree pairings, but it also includes multiple focus areas that allow students to tailor their education specific to their career goals.

Here’s a look at what’s offered at Widener:

MBA/Psy.D.: Two possible tracks are offered that pair a Master of Business Administration with a Psy.D. One is a general MBA/Psy.D. path, while the other combines a Psy.D. and an MBA in healthcare management
MEd/Psy.D.: The combination Psy.D.-Master of Education has a programmatic focus on human sexuality education , preparing the graduate for a career as an educator, therapist or sexual health professional.
MCJ/Psy.D.: Pairing a Master of Criminal Justice degree with a Psy.D. can help prepare graduates for psychology jobs within legal settings.

University of St. Thomas, MA/PsyD

Minneapolis, Minnesota

The Psy.D. track at the University of St. Thomas includes an option for students who want to first complete a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology before earning direct admission to the school’s counseling psychology Psy.D.

Prospective students to the St. Thomas Psy.D. must have a master’s degree in counseling psychology before applying.

Loyola University (Maryland), MS/PsyD

Chicago, Illinois

Loyola University (Maryland) includes a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology that students earn midway through their second academic year in the Psy.D. program. Students who already have master’s degrees may be able to shorten their Psy.D. track at Loyola, but not all courses will transfer, so applicants need to do their due diligence.

John F. Kennedy University, MA/PsyD

Pleasant Hill, California

A unique dual degree focus on sports psychology is one of the primary offerings at John F. Kennedy University. The school’s Master of Arts in Sport Psychology leads into a clinical Psy.D., allowing graduates to work in clinical settings with athletes. The degree is also offered in a hybrid format, further distinguishing it from the pack.

Appalachian State University, MA/PsyD

Boone, North Carolina

Appalachian State gives students a chance to earn a Master of Arts in Psychology en route to their Psy.D., and applicants who already have a master’s degree may be able to shorten the time it takes to earn their Psy.D. degree .

Joint PhD Programs

Another option for those who want to seek professional licensure in psychology is to pursue a Ph.D., or Doctor of Philosophy. This is a more traditional, academic-oriented degree, but for students hoping to complete a dual degree program, pairing another type of education with a Ph.D. may be more common since Ph.D. programs overall are more common than Psy.D. tracks.

Here’s a look at a few of the options out there for dual Ph.D. in psychology programs:

Drexel University: JD/PhD in Law & Psychology
University of Arizona: JD/PhD in Psychology
University of Nebraska: JD/PhD, Law-Psychology
University of Pennsylvania: JD/PhD in Psychology
University of Chicago: Joint PhD in Psychology and Business
NOVA Southeastern University: MBA/PhD in Psychology

Earning a doctoral degree in psychology, whether a Psy.D. or Ph.D., is a huge commitment of time and energy. So if there’s a specific area in which you want to practice, it may pay to invest just a bit more time and energy (and probably money) into making sure that the degree you earn will give you the tools you need to succeed in a niche career. Dual-degree programs can be an important resource that goes way beyond just choosing a few electives.

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Postgraduate research degrees
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Funded PhD programmes 2024 UK
TECHNE (AHRC) studentships

Funded PhD research programmes 2024 UK

The University of Brighton regularly invites applicants for fully-funded PhD studentships across all its disciplines.

These allow motivated, high-calibre applicants for research degrees to join our thriving academic community and contribute to our rich and innovative research environment.

Our deadline has passed for the October 2024 start for funded PhDs, but there will be further announcements shortly. Meanwhile, please visit our PhD funding advice pages .

Visit our PhD disciplinary programme lists

What UK PhD studentships are available ?

Our academics at the University of Brighton regularly develop research projects in which they can offer outstanding support and which they are committed to developing and growing.

The studentships available will be given to candidates who best fulfil the promise outlined by these academic departments.

These funded PhD opportunities are generally open to home and international students.

Please enable targeting cookies in order to view this video content on our website, or you can watch the video on YouTube .

Can you be a researcher? Professor Bhavik Patel reassures applicants of all backgrounds that they can study for a PhD and aim for a research career.

How do I apply for a PhD studentship?

The application for our schemes will usually involve:

submitting a full application through the university's PhD application portal, accessible from the PhD funded projects webpages . You will upload your research proposal as part of this process.
The submission must include two letters of reference, academic qualifications, a proposed project approach, a personal statement and your CV (resumé).
Please note, deadline for 2024 start on the most recent funding scheme was 29 February 2024 16:00 (UCT/GMT).
Shortlisted applicants are likely to be invited for interview.

Details of application for fully funded PhD studentships

To apply for your studentship at the University of Brighton, you should first review the specific projects or project areas that our academics are offering to support.

All eligible applications for the funded PhD will be reviewed, with shortlisted candidates entered for final decisions on the allocations of funding, which will rest with the university's central Doctoral College.

Scientists in laboratory with microscope

What does PhD funding include?

The funding for the PhD usually cover the full fee and a stipend at the UKRI rate plus an allowance of £1,500 per year for researcher training for three years (or part-time equivalent).

Successful candidates benefit from expert supervisory teams, a programme of postgraduate researcher development workshops and membership of specialist, interdisciplinary research centres and groups. There will be introductions to a network of relevant researchers, careers advice and opportunities for interaction within and beyond the university. Through this, our PhD students have the best start possible towards ambitious careers that make use of their research degrees.

The University of Brighton fosters research careers and will provide doctoral training, attentive and expert supervision and access to world-class laboratories and equipment.

We are renowned as a leading applied university, with pioneer academics in disciplines from sport science to design history and applied science research that translates efficiently to the global challenge of worldwide health and wellbeing. Our strategy of 'practical wisdom' leads to real-world partnerships and beneficiaries across all disciplines while the development of community-university partnership practices have placed us among the best universities for many aspects of co-produced research and innovation.

We pride ourselves on the ways we work in partnership with those outside higher education, across the European Union and internationally. Through our research collaborations we work with a wide range of universities, both internationally and with universities in the UK. We are also founding members of two UKRI Doctoral Training Partnerships which, this year, are dealt with outside our University of Brighton studentship offer. We learn constantly from our involvement in these, and our rich resources are offered across all doctoral research programmes.

Recently the University of Brighton celebrated its performance in the Research Excellence Framework (REF2021) and the Knowledge and Exchange Framework (KEF2023). Over 87 per cent of our submitted impact case studies in REF2021 were rated as having 'outstanding' or 'very considerable' impact beyond academia. We are dedicated to developing this quality work with new students. Read more about the review of our research and knowledge exchange performance in REF2021 . Also, read more about our KEF2023 results, which placed Brighton in the top tier for economic and social benefits .

How will you build a relationship with your supervisor? Professor Annebella Pollen and Dr Tom Ainsworth are among those offering advice. This film was made by the University of Brighton for UKRI and also features academics from other institutions.

How do I increase my chances of getting a PhD studentship?

You must be able to show your suitability for a UK research degree if you wish to apply for fully-funded studentships.

This includes evidence either of a relevant and successful academic background or equivalent relevant professional/expert background in the applied subject area. Applicants from overseas will also have to fulfil any English language and visa requirements.

This will be true for studentships in the UK across most of the UK universities. It is usual for applicants either to have completed (or be about to complete) a masters degree, have an exceptional undergraduate record and references, or demonstrate the equivalent scholarly potential.

Supervisory staff and research students at the University of Brighton consider how important diverse thinking and inclusive practice are to their doctoral studies.

Can I get PhD funding at the University of Brighton?

We have a long-standing annual programme of funded PhD opportunities across all our disciplines, including several rooted in research council (UKRI) partnerships.

The initiatives allow postgraduate study for UK-based students as well as study in the UK for international students (depending on the PhD programme).

We are also keen to encourage students who might be able to self-fund their doctoral studies. Studying part-time, for example, is likely to prove more affordable and more easily balanced with professional life than you'd imagine.

We are dedicated to providing a welcoming and supportive atmosphere and structure for your studies. Show us your own qualities and your suitability for these programmes. We look forward to receiving your application. Good luck!

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Study Masters & PhD Combined Programs in USA, UK, Canada, Europe, Germany

Can i do masters and phd together in uk.

By Grad-Dreams

Combined masters and phd programs in usa, uk, canada & europe - integrated ms-phd programs abroad.

Research based doctoral programs at various reputed universities in the world play a critical role in the development of human resources in five broad fields (around 41 fields in total) as follows:

Arts and Humanities, Biological Sciences, Engineering, Physical Sciences and Mathematics, Social and Behavioral Sciences.

2024 Best Online Masters PhD Combined Programs

Masters and PhD combined programs are designed to help you study two different majors.

These dual degree programs typically combine complementary courses from the two different majors so you can equip yourself with broad but targeted expertise.

Editorial Listing ShortCode:

If you’re after a career with complex professional demands, dual masters and PhD online programs may be an intriguing option.

Universities Offering Online Masters and Doctorate Dual Degree Programs

Methodology: The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and offer degree programs online or in a hybrid format.

Fairleigh Dickinson University

Fairleigh Dickinson University offers a dual degree program for students interested in obtaining both a master’s and a doctorate in a field.

Applicants must meet the admissions requirements for the second degree program while maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Students may choose to study Business Administration, Public Administration, Health Science, Psychology, Public Health, or Pharmacy and Health Science.

Fairleigh Dickinson University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

George Mason University

George Mason University offers a dual degree program for those interested in receiving a Juris Doctorate and a Master of Business Administration.

The program can usually be completed in 3 years when studying full-time or 4 years when studying part-time. Applicants must submit GMAT or GRE scores and 2 letters of recommendation and may be required to complete an interview when applying.

George Mason University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Mercer University

Mercer University offers a Doctor of Pharmacy and a Master of Science in Health Outcomes dual degree program. Applicants must submit a statement of purpose and a resume to apply.

Students in the program are given academic advice from the program director and a graduate advisor to help guide them through their thesis or capstone project. A GPA of 2.75 in the Doctor of Pharmacy courses and 3.0 in Health Outcomes must be maintained to graduate.

Mercer University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

National University

National University offers a dual degree for those interested in obtaining both a Master of Arts in Sport Psychology and a Doctor of Clinical Psychology. The program offers both full-time and part-time options and allows students to take the courses for the master’s degree online.

Applicants can apply year round and may have the GRE score requirements waived depending on their GPA. A team of advisors is available to help applicants through each step of the admissions process.

National University is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.

New York University

New York University offers a number of dual degree programs for students interested in obtaining either two master’s degrees or a doctorate and a master’s degree.

Applicants must submit additional test scores when applying. Those interested in getting a doctorate and a master’s may get a Juris Doctorate and Master of Business Administration or a Doctor of Dental Surgery and Master of Business Administration.

New York University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Nova Southeastern University

Nova Southeastern University’s College of Health Care Science offers a dual degree program for those interested in obtaining Master and Doctor of Health Science degrees.

The program can typically be completed within 7 years. Both programs require students to have a bachelor’s degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, GRE scores, and prior health care experience.

NSU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Rutgers University

Rutgers University offers a dual degree program for those interested in a Master and a PhD in Social Work. The program can usually be completed in 4 years.

Those interested in the program may apply directly to the program or after their first year of study in the Master of Social Work program. Official transcripts, GRE scores, 2 personal statements, and 3 letters of reference must be submitted when applying.

Rutgers is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Texas Tech University

Texas Tech University’s School of Law offers a number of dual degree programs. Students may receive a Juris Doctorate with a master’s degree in a variety of business, science, engineering, sports management, or government fields.

Applicants interested in a dual degree program may contact the law faculty advisor to learn more about their program of interest.

Texas Tech University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

University of St Thomas

The University of St. Thomas School of Law offers a dual degree program for those interested in receiving a Juris Doctor and a Master of Business Administration.

The program can typically be completed in 4 years, but students may also choose to take the program part-time or online. Applicants must submit LSAT scores, their undergraduate GPA, letters of recommendation, and a personal statement.

The University of St. Thomas is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Widener University

Widener University offers a dual degree program for a Master in Criminal Justice and a Doctor of Psychology.

The program can typically be completed in 5 years and offers a clinical experience through practicum training, field placements, and internships. Applicants must have an undergraduate degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher to be eligible. Though having a major in psychology may help with admittance, it is not required.

Widener University is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

Online Masters and PhD Combined Programs

Just as some universities offer students the opportunity to earn a bachelors and masters at the same time , there are some doctoral programs that allow you to get a masters as you complete your doctorate. The masters degree serves as a gateway, or an optional exit point, on the longer path to completing the doctoral degree.

In this article, we’ll talk mostly about blended or dual degree programs. These types of programs allow students to work toward simultaneously earning a masters and doctoral degree in two different but complementary majors, such as business and medicine or business and law.

Here are some advantages of combined masters and PhD programs:

Combine complementary courses from two distinct graduate degree majors
Allow you to earn two degrees within a reasonable time frame
Help prepare you for a specific professional niche

The following are some disadvantages of combined masters and PhD programs:

Can take longer to complete than a masters degree program alone
Can include very different specialty courses designed for distinct majors
Might involve coordinating a study plan with two independent departments

Most dual masters and doctorate degree programs online are designed to help you earn the two degrees in a reasonable time frame.

Common Masters and Doctorate Combined Programs

Many combined degree programs culminate in a professional doctorate and are designed to equip students to work in complex professional settings. A professional doctorate tends to emphasize more practical skills for the workplace.

MBA / Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

In this dual program, you’ll learn business administration fundamentals while you gain expertise in a range of concepts, practices, and regulatory standards related to nursing.

This combination can help position you for senior management roles or for positions on HR teams with large hospitals or managed care networks.

MBA / Doctor of Medicine (MD)

This graduate degree combination can qualify you to practice medicine while also providing you with lots of business administration skills.

Professionals with these qualifications might work in governance roles at a hospital, help design and manage innovative managed healthcare business models, or work in the development and sale of medical technologies.

MBA / Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Dual masters and PsyD programs combining a specialization in industrial and organizational psychology with a masters degree in business administration can open doors to a range of senior management opportunities in large organizations.

Alternately, professionals might specialize in psychotherapy and use their clinical qualifications and business savvy to manage or develop psychotherapy service networks. They may also fill executive leadership roles with mental health service providers.

MBA / Juris Doctor (JD)

Students in this dual degree program often specialize in business law, accessing and blending course offerings from both MBA and JD graduate programs.

This combined program can create an advanced business law degree pathway for future jobs in the business sector or in private law firms.

Master of Public Policy (MPP) / Juris Doctor (JD)

Legal hurdles and legislative complexities can make or break public policy initiatives. A dual MPP and JD program can be a strategic way to develop expertise doing legal analysis work with regard to developing or improving public policy.

With this double-edged expertise, you might pursue any number of roles in public interest law, legislative work, or public policy analysis and advocacy.

Master of Science (MS) / Medical Doctor (MD)

With preparation in an MS and MD combined degree program, you can equip yourself to practice medicine while also learning specialized science research skills.

Depending on your areas of specialization, you might be positioned to work in medical research and development or with organizations engaged in testing, evaluating, monitoring, or regulating new medical practices or products.

Master of Public Health (MPH) / Medical Doctor (MD)

In this blended degree program, you can access a range of graduate courses in the field of public health as you train to become a medical doctor.

If you have an interest in specializing in infectious diseases, preventive medicine, epidemiological research, or public health policy and advocacy roles, this combined degree program can give you advanced training.

Master’s and PhD Admissions Requirements

Admissions requirements will vary by school and program, but most dual masters and PhD programs online require criteria similar to these:

Bachelor’s degree
Satisfactory college GPA
GRE or GMAT scores (if required)
LSAT or MCAT scores (for JD and MD programs, when required)
Letters of recommendation

Depending on the major, graduate degree programs may also require the completion of specified prerequisites in math or science as well as other academic or professional requirements.

Accreditation

It can be beneficial to stick with fully accredited schools and programs. If you anticipate pursuing careers in fields that involve professional licensing, accreditation may be a precondition for licensing. Fields that typically require licensing include law, medicine, psychology, nursing, education, and public health.

Accreditation can also be a precondition for some forms of financial aid. Organizations such as the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) have more information about accreditation and finding accredited schools.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

Masters PhD Combined Programs Financial Aid

Many graduate students rely on financial aid for help with tuition and other upfront costs. If you plan to apply for need-based aid, you can start by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) .

Common forms of aid include state and federal education grants. If you’re eligible, you can also apply for any number of need-based or merit-based scholarships. Some employers also offer tuition assistance programs.

Many financial aid offers also include student loans. Terms of loan offers and other awards can vary, so it’s helpful to review all financial aid offers carefully.

Can You Get Your Masters and PhD at the Same Time?

Yes, in most programs you’ll pursue your masters and doctorate together, taking courses that are part of an already blended curriculum or enrolling in courses that straddle two departments.

If you’re in the type of program where you’re pursuing just one major, you’ll typically fulfill your masters requirements first as a qualifying step for proceeding with the PhD requirements.

When you’re pursuing two complementary majors in a dual degree program, you’ll generally be working toward both degrees at the same time.

Can You Leave a PhD Program with a Masters?

You can leave a PhD program with a masters if you fulfill the required academic and administrative steps for doing so. These requirements can vary by school and program.

Some single-track PhD programs make earning a masters degree programmatic for their PhD candidates, usually awarding the masters after comprehensive qualifying exams. In dual programs, your masters and PhD courses can belong to complementary but distinct academic disciplines, which may complicate matters.

In these cases, you may want to talk to an academic advisor about options that would allow you to exit the doctoral track while still earning a masters in the other major.

Do You Need a Masters to Get a PhD?

There are many PhD programs that do not require any prior master’s degree for admissions.

If you’ve already earned a bachelor’s degree, you may find options to enroll in online master degree, PhD, or dual degree programs . Admissions requirements can vary by school and by major in some cases. Some PhD programs offer you the opportunity to earn a masters along the way.

Does Your PhD Have to Be the Same as Your Masters?

If you are applying to a PhD program after earning a masters, your masters does not typically have to be in the same academic discipline. Requirements can vary, though, by school and program.

What will matter are the more general admissions requirements or prerequisites. You may have more admissions hurdles to overcome if you don’t have the right prerequisite training before you apply, regardless of what kind of masters degree you have.

Holding a masters degree, even if it’s in another discipline, may still help you demonstrate that you’re a motivated and capable PhD candidate. There are also many joint masters and PhD programs that combine separate but complementary disciplines.

What Can You Do with a Joint Master and PhD Degree?

Receiving training from dual graduate programs can give you a strong foundation for senior research, management, or leadership positions. There is a vast range of career paths you can take, depending on your specializations and degree combinations.

For example, graduates who pair a masters in public health or science with an MD may pursue positions as epidemiologists or medical scientists respectively. Those interested in business law may want to combine their JD with a Master of Business Administration, making them more marketable for prospective future clients or firms.

Getting a PhD can also qualify you for jobs in postsecondary teaching and research. You may join a PhD in your desired field with a masters in education or teaching to boost your credentials.

Professional doctorates are often designed for professionals who want to enhance their practical skills and advance in their field. They may even pursue top executive roles.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Combined Masters-PhD Degree Online?

It’s common for a dual program to take 4 to 6 years to complete. Time to completion can vary significantly by program, especially when it comes to dissertations, other capstone projects, or supervised field work requirements.

All that said, many of today’s combined masters and doctoral programs online have highly targeted course programs to help you finish more quickly. Some dual masters and doctorate online programs are designed to help you complete most or all of your requirements in as little as 3 to 4 years if you study full-time, year-round.

Is a Masters and PhD Dual Degree Worth It?

Yes, a masters and PhD dual degree is worth it for many students. A dual degree program can help equip you with credentials for jobs that require complex management, consulting, or leadership roles.

When considering a dual program option, you may want to plan backwards. In other words, you might ask yourself if the careers that most interest you require specialized knowledge across two different domains.

Some examples include business law or healthcare management. Business law straddles business and law, and a career in healthcare management benefits from knowledge of both business administration and healthcare practices and services.

Dual degree programs can be especially beneficial if your sights are set on careers requiring combined skills.

Getting Your Masters / PhD Combined Degree Online

Dual degree programs allow you to get creative when it comes to choosing the right kind of masters and PhD combination for your individual career interests and goals.

Regionally accredited schools and programs offer a range of dual degree programs online. Their creative curriculum design options are tailored to today’s complex professional landscape.

You may even try designing your own ideal graduate degree program for the niche you want. There’s a chance that program is already out there and just waiting for you to find it!

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Integrated PhD
A new model of Doctoral training. Integrated PhDs provide a new model of postgraduate training. They retain the depth, rigour and focus of a conventional PhD while also providing a broader training experience. While the specific training routes may vary, they typically consist of a one-year Master's course (MSc or MRes) which leads straight ...
Integrated Masters with PhD
An Integrated Masters with a PhD (iPhD) is a four-year postgraduate level programme that combines a one-year Masters course with a three-year PhD course. They allow students to familiarise themselves with their chosen topic, research methods and academic writing techniques before embarking on their own independent research project.
Integrated PhD Programmes in the UK
The cost of an integrated PhD in the UK is similar to the cost of a standard PhD. Most universities charge around £4,500 per year for UK students. Fees for international students range between £17,890-28,000. Most universities charge the same amount each year for integrated PhDs, but some divide fees into a postgraduate taught rate for your ...
Combined Masters and PhD Programs in the UK
Arian Kriesch. The University of York also offers combined masters and PhD programs for those who want to apply to research coursework right after undergraduate study such as the 1+3 program in Economics.However, different departments have different types of degrees. Find your department first and then click the detailed description.
Your Complete Guide to What an Integrated Masters Degree Is
But Masters degrees are also sometimes combined with PhDs. Strictly speaking, these aren't integrated Masters so much as PhD programmes that incorporate a Masters as a kind of 'foundation' year. It's worth quickly describing them though. The most common kind of combined Masters and PhD is a 'four-year PhD' or '1+3' programme. As ...
The best combined Masters and PhD programs in UK
Warwick is a public research university and stands in the top 10 universities of the UK. Interesting fact, this is also the university with the highest-earning average in all of UK. Integrated masters programs offered: Economics (MRes + PhD) Cost: $34,000. Mathematics of Systems (MSc leading to PhD) Cost: $27,000.
Brunel Integrated PhD
The Brunel Integrated PhD combines PhD research with a programme of structured research, professional and subject training. The programme typically takes 4 years (compared to 3 years for a non-integrated PhD programme). On successful completion, you will be awarded a PhD with an Integrated Postgraduate Diploma in Research in your chosen subject ...
Integrated PhDs at the University of Essex
Become a game-changing researcher. At Essex we offer a range of Integrated PhDs. These are postgraduate courses which enable you to spend a year studying at Masters level before beginning a PhD where you will focus on a specific area of research. We offer a wide range of Integrated PhDs across the social sciences, arts and humanities, and ...
Economics PhD with Integrated Study
The PhD programme is principally a research degree, but modern economics requires substantial training that exceeds the level of an MSc or other masters study. In Year 1, you will take 120 credits of advanced research-oriented coursework, with the opportunity to take field courses at the frontier of areas relevant to your research.
Integrated PhD
Example pathway: from MSc Precision Medicine to PhD research in omics. Integrated PhD students undertaking our MSc in Precision Medicine would be well-equipped to undertake the 'Predicting response to IL6 inhibition in patients with rheumatoid arthritis' PhD project.. You would be able to apply your master's learning in the principles of stratified medicine to address an important clinical ...
PhD/MPhil Psychology (2024 entry)
Conduct research at a university ranked 6th in the UK (QS World University Rankings 2023). Open days. Attending an open day is a great way to find out what undertaking postgraduate research at Manchester is like. ... PhD (part-time) UK students (per annum): Standard £2393, Low £5,500, Medium £8,750, High £11,500
Law MPhil/PhD
UCL Laws has one of the most selective MPhil/PhD programmes in the UK, and produces graduates of internationally recognised quality. Ranked the top UK Law institution for research quality in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (2021), UCL Laws attracts leading figures in the field to our extensive programme of events, informing debate on critical legal issues.
Joint Masters and PhD Programs
Dual masters and PhD programs allow you to seamlessly earn a masters degree then a PhD. Referred to as dual degrees, joint degrees, or masters and PhD combined degrees, grad schools with these practical programs provide a formal plan of study for completing two degrees at the same time. Explore this list of a dozen partner grad schools with ...
Masters and PhD Programmes
Whether you are completing a Masters course or a PhD, we give you great opportunities to learn more to help your future after studies. For Masters students this includes a dedicated placement module and for research students this includes research support groups. 96% of our research submitted for assessment was recognised as 'world-leading' or ...
Study Combined Masters with PhD Integrated Programs Abroad in USA, UK
Combined MS & PhD Programs. By Whizstorm 2018-05-04. Europe. MS and ME and Masters. Integrated Masters and PhD Combined Programs in USA, UK, Canada, Germany, Europe. If doctorate level research is your ultimate ambition in life, pursuing it jointly is a great idea. It seems beneficial in many ways, however it is not always easy to apply for ...
PhD Data Science
The details. Course: Data Science. Start date: April 2024. Study mode: Full-time. Maximum duration: 4 years. Location: Colchester Campus. Based in: Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science (School of) Our PhD Data Science is an advanced research degree within our School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science and we have staff ...
Medical Physics and Bioengineering MPhil/PhD
This degree is focused on a multi-disciplinary subject at the interface of physics, engineering, life sciences and computer science. The PhD programme involves 3-4 years (more for part-time students) of original research supervised by a senior member of the department. The Research Excellence Framework (REF) in 2021 rated the department's research, as part of UCL Engineering,
PhD/MPhil in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (2024 entry)
PhD/MPhil in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (2024 entry) Course code. TBC. Start date. 30 September 2024. Duration. 3-4 years full-time; up to 7 years. part-time.
List of Combined Master's and PsyD Programs
Here's a look at a few of the options out there for dual Ph.D. in psychology programs: Drexel University: JD/PhD in Law & Psychology. University of Arizona: JD/PhD in Psychology. University of Nebraska: JD/PhD, Law-Psychology. University of Pennsylvania: JD/PhD in Psychology.
Funded PhD research programmes 2024 UK
The funding for the PhD usually cover the full fee and a stipend at the UKRI rate plus an allowance of £1,500 per year for researcher training for three years (or part-time equivalent). Successful candidates benefit from expert supervisory teams, a programme of postgraduate researcher development workshops and membership of specialist ...
Study Masters & PhD Combined Programs in USA, UK, Canada, Europe, Germany
Combined Masters and PhD Programs in USA, UK, Canada & Europe - Integrated MS-PHD programs abroad. Research based doctoral programs at various reputed universities in the world play a critical role in the development of human resources in five broad fields (around 41 fields in total) as follows: Arts and Humanities, Biological Sciences ...
2024 Best Online Masters PhD Combined Programs
Rutgers University. Rutgers University offers a dual degree program for those interested in a Master and a PhD in Social Work. The program can usually be completed in 4 years. Those interested in the program may apply directly to the program or after their first year of study in the Master of Social Work program.

Imperial College London Imperial College London

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