PhD programmes

Details on all our postgraduate programmes can be found on the Study site.

For more general postgraduate information please visit the Science Graduate School.

PhD

Our Mathematical Sciences PhD is for graduates who are aiming for a career in academic or industrial research. The PhD is a research degree that is assessed by submission of a thesis and externally examined.

Students coming to do a PhD are normally registered for a MPhil degree and then transferred to the PhD course after one year.

Postgraduate students are offered a variety of training courses and are encouraged to attend international scientific meetings. In addition to local courses, both subject specific and with a view to transferable skills, students can benefit from our cooperation with other institutions. The Mathematics Taught Course Centre is a collaboration between the mathematics departments at the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Imperial College London, Oxford, and Warwick, and offers graduate courses through multimedia technology. The Academy for PhD Training in Statistics is a collaboration between major UK statistics research groups and organises courses relevant to PhD students in statistics and applied probability.

In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, 60% of our research in Pure Mathematics and Statistics and 70% of our research in Applied Mathematics was rated Internationally Leading or Excellent, placing us well within the top 10 departments in the UK. Students will find a strong culture of collaboration and mutual support.

A variety of funding opportunities exists. Visit the Science Graduate School for more information.

In anticipation of a multi-institutional Doctoral Training Partnership being awarded to Bath and its partner institutions, applications are invited for 4 year interdisciplinary studentships in areas of World Class Bioscience and Food Security, including Mathematical Biology. Please see the full list of BBSRC SWDTP projects and the South West Doctoral Training Partnership information.

Integrated PhD

An alternative PhD study method, the Mathematical Sciences Integrated PhD, will provide each student with a personalised route through the programme designed in conjunction with the supervisor. The programme is suitable for students who wish to specialise in any of the areas of research in the department.

The Integrated PhD programme is designed to give the student an insight into a range of research activities, techniques and skills as well as to widen their knowledge both of the subject itself and the context within which the research will take place. The programme has five main aims.

• broaden and deepen knowledge at the boundaries of current research
• develop mathematical skills applicable to advanced scholarship and research
• enable and facilitate the development of critical awareness and analysis of current problems
• provide training in communication and presentational skills
• provide students with a programme of advanced study and original research at a level worthy of publication in a peer reviewed journal

During Year 1 the student will be registered on an MSc degree and study courses and complete a project following the regulations for the MSc in Mathematical Sciences. After satisfactory completion an MSc degree will be awarded and the student will be transferred to MPhil registration at the beginning of Year 2.