PhD/MPhil by Research
"The Department of Geography offers a stimulating and friendly research environment. The academic and personal support I received from my supervisors and other staff was fantastic. There are opportunities both within the department and across the University for students to learn the skills necessary to complete their PhD and become well rounded, employable individuals."
Sophie Hadfield-Hill
Why conduct research in Geography?
Geographic knowledge and skills help make sense of the complex and dynamic world that we inhabit in the 21st Century. Geography helps to explain the formation of places and landscapes, the interactions between environment and people and the many interconnections between economies, societies and cultures. Increasingly, we have to be able to think spatially using maps, images and other sources of data. We have to be able to formulate questions, collect, process and analyse data. We have to make sense of trends, patterns and anomalies and effectively communicate this to politicians, scientists, and the public. The training you will gain from a Leicester research degree will enable you to benefit from this range of much sought-after skills. Geography is a valuable and rewarding career move.
Geography is also relevant for personal and social development including self motivation and interpersonal skills, confidence building, project design and implementation, critical analysis and debate. As a Leicester Geography research postgraduate you will develop practical and academic skills, communication skills (written and oral) and a sophisticated spatial awareness.
Research Topics
Please take a look at research topics offered by the department under the following:
If you are interested in studying for a PhD in one of these research areas, please make informal enquiries via geogPhD@le.ac.uk
The Department offers a supportive and vibrant research environment in which to conduct postgraduate doctoral research. The Department is able to offer expert supervision and associated support and training in a diverse range of innovative and cutting edge research themes which span physical and human geography and associated disciplines. For a list of current PhD students and their research interests view our staff page.
The Department offers research degrees at PhD and MPhil level, all of which can be taken on either a full-time or part-time basis. To help you develop ideas for research, please see the research themes listed above. Applicants can also propose their own research topics.
Entry Requirements
"All the members of staff in the Department of Geography contribute towards providing a friendly learning environment for all the research students. In addition, the Department is well resourced in terms of computer facilities, laboratories and a wide range of equipment. I am really looking forward to pursuing further research links with staff in the Department in the immediate future."
Sultan Al Kahtani
For research degrees, applicants should generally hold, or expect to hold, a minimum of an upper second-class honours degree, or its equivalent. Anyone not meeting these requirements, or who holds non-standard qualifications, should, in the first instance, contact the department. Mature students who do not possess the normal qualifications but who have relevant industrial or academic experience are strongly encouraged to apply.
English Language Requirements
If you have not previously been taught in English or are not a native English speaker:
- English language requirements are IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 6.0 in all four categories), TOEFL 575 (paper), 250 (computer-based), or 90 (internet-based) or equivalent.
For preparatory courses contact the English Language Teaching Unit. A pass in course D satisfies the English language requirements for taught courses.
Next step: Request a prospectus
