Civil and Environmental Engineering PhD

What you will study

On this programme, your research will address the need for safe and sustainable environments in which we can all live and work. Your research can be about anything covered by one of our four research centres, or within the wider research interests of the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences.

You’ll be assigned two supervisors who will guide you through your PhD and meet with you at least once a month. Your supervisors will be responsible for your progress, professional development and personal welfare. They’ll also be able to support you with preparing your work for publication and for research seminar presentations.

You’ll normally spend the first few months of your studies exploring the existing literature within your area of interest and establishing the research question you’ll address. After your first year, you’ll take a confirmation exam, and produce a report setting out your research objectives and what you’ve done so far, as well as a plan for how you’ll complete your final thesis. Your final assessment will be on your written thesis, and by a viva examination with both internal and external examiners.

As a research student, you’ll be able to attend our regular research seminars, where you can find out more about what your fellow researchers are working on and try your hand at presenting. We encourage our research students to interact with all our research staff throughout their programmes.

Assessment

Your final assessment will be based on the presentation of your research in a written thesis, which will be discussed in a viva examination with at least two examiners.

You have the option of preparing your thesis as a monograph (one large volume in chapter form) or in publication format (including chapters written for publication), subject to the approval of your supervisors.

Location

This course is based at Stag Hill campus. Stag Hill is the University's main campus and where the majority of our courses are taught. 

IELTS Academic: 6.5 or above (or equivalent) with 6.0 in each individual category.

These are the English language qualifications and levels that we can accept. 

If you do not currently meet the level required for your programme, we offer intensive pre-sessional English language courses, designed to take you to the level of English ability and skill required for your studies here.