How to apply
Applicants should be aware that the School of Environment & Development admits new research students in September only.
Admission to PhD or MPhil within the School of Environment & Development is highly competitive. In reaching a decision on applications discipline coordinators review a number of criteria, including, the academic standing of a candidate, the relevance and strength of their research proposal and the availability of two appropriate supervisors.
The majority of available PhD or MPhil places are allocated before the end of May. As such the School recommends that applicants submit a completed application by no later than January of each year if they wish to be considered for entry in September of the same year.
Entry Requirements
Applicants to PhD or MPhil programmes in SED are expected to have a First or Upper Second Class degree (or its international equivalent), and a relevant postgraduate qualification (generally a Masters degree) with an average grade of 65% (or its international equivalent) and 65% in the dissertation.
For applicants whose first language is not English, evidence of English language proficiency must be supplied, we welcome the following proficiency tests:
- IELTS Test score of 7.0 or more overall, with a minimum writing score of 7, and 6 in the other subsections; or
- TOEFL Test (Internet based) score of 100 or more overall, with a score of 25 in the written section, and a minimum of 22 in listening, 22 in Reading and 22 in Speaking; or
- Pearson Test of English (PTE) with grade 66-73 overall and a minimum writing score of 66.
What to include
Your completed application should include the following documents:
- A completed application form
- Minimum of one reference – preferably academic
- Copy of degree certificate for completed Bachelor degree
- Copy of degree transcript for completed Bachelor degree
- Copy of degree certificate for completed postgraduate qualifications
- Copy of degree transcript for postgraduate qualification
- Research proposal
Your application can not be considered until all your documents are received.
Writing your Research proposal
Applications should be accompanied by an outline of your proposed research topic. It is difficult to make precise rules about the form this should take, but in general it should include a statement on the present state of knowledge in the field. Make clear the question(s) you are asking and suggest briefly the methodology that you propose to adopt. You might also want to consider what form you expect the results to take.
Ideally a research proposal should cover and be structured around the following:
- Thesis Title
- Focus - how the proposed research relates to previous research/literature in this field (with references); main questions or hypotheses to be addressed; justification of these as worthy of investigation
- Method - overview of the proposed research methodology; sources and types of data and methods of collection; methods of analysis
- Stages - main stages in the conduct of the proposed research with time allocation
- Personal statement - a brief comment on why you are in a strong position to research this particular topic, e.g. you have worked in the agency that you are to study, you have written a paper on the topic to be studied, etc
Please note that it is possible to change the focus of a thesis at a later stage, but it is essential that there is a firm indication of the direction of your research interests before an offer can be considered.
Research degree projects should also be sufficiently limited in scope to be capable of being tackled within a reasonable time. While extensions are possible, you should plan to complete in the duration of full-time study specified. An appropriate and manageable subject is a prerequisite to successful research: the scope of your research area must, therefore, be defined as precisely as possible, in no more than 1000 words.
Providing clear details of your research area or group within the research proposal will make it easier for us to identify suitable opportunities for you. If possible check the website for relevant research groups and find a potential supervisor and include this in section 6 of the application form 'proposed programme of study', although guarantees cannot be made, we will do our best to match your research area to the most suitable supervisor within the field.
Apply using the On-line application form you will find instructions and help throughout the form, if you have any problems please contact us.
What happens next?
Once submitted you will receive acknowledgement that your application has been received, you will be then contacted by our admissions team to inform you that your application is in process. We aim to process decisions on PhD/MPhil applications within 4 working weeks from the receipt of a complete application and we will keep you updated throughout the process.
Important information for international applicants to The University of Manchester under the new Points-Based System.
The UKBA has introduced a new Points Based System (PBS) for immigration.
Further details of the new Points-Based System can be found on the University’s website.
All new International students within the discipline of Physical Geography for Postgraduate Research programmes, who need an Entry Clearance Visa to enter the UK, may be required to apply for an ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) certificate.
Further information can be found on the Foreign & Commonwealth office’s website including the ATAS application form.
- Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) at Foreign & Commonwealth office.
Please note that applicants do not need to apply for an ATAS certificate until after they have received an offer from the School.