Research Degree Opportunities
The quality of your experience as a graduate student is critical for your development and future career. To want to study in the Faculty you need to know that:
· Your research interests match to the supervisory expertise on offer; and
· The facilities, training, research environment and supervision provided match to your needs.
These pages outline the key areas you need to consider: supervision, facilities, the application process and the costs and availability of funding. If, after reading them, you need any further advice, or if you wish to pursue an application, please go to the further information page which provides full contact details.
The Unit houses 29 graduate research students (2010-11).
Staff and students come from clinical and non-clinical backgrounds and work in diverse fields which include:
- Social and Biological Psychiatry
- Genetics
- Clinical Anthropology
- Epidemiology
- Clinical trials
- Statistical Analysis of Large Databases
The Unit's disciplines consist of the following three main area's:
The Unit has an excellent record of winning fellowship awards for postgraduate study, with grants from the Medical Research Council (MRC), Wellcome Trust and Department of Health.
Supervision
All research students are assigned:
- A primary supervisor, whose area of expertise is closely aligned with the student’s chosen research topic and who is responsible for directing their research training, and
- A subsidiary supervisor, who is there to help assess progress, provide continuity of supervision and additional expertise;
- A broader supervisory panel where appropriate, where research is cross-disciplinary or requires different critical skills – such as high level statistics expertise or health economics.
Supervisors do not necessarily need to come from the same Unit and can even be drawn from different institutions.
Further Support/Facilities
Having a base and access to peer and supervisory support are critical to your success. Every student is provided with full computing facilities and support and storage space within the department. The Unit Graduate Tutor is also available to lend a sympathetic ear and additional support.
Programme Structure: why research at UCL?
You will be provided with a range of courses to develop appropriate research and personal skills for your future career. Within your course of study you will:
- Attend courses selected from the Graduate School Skills Development Programme, which provides generic (presentations, teaching, personal development, theses writing) and specific (qualitative and quantitative research methods, specific statistical processes and packages) skills training;
- Attend modules from appropriate MSc programmes if required;
- Attend local Seminar Programmes, which provide a supportive environment in which to develop theories and hypotheses and present draft papers;
- Prepare and present a poster in the annual Divisional Poster Competition;
- Have the opportunity to attend Cumberland Lodge, a weekend residential training conference, held in July of each year;
- Be encouraged to present at national and, if appropriate, international conferences;
- Be given the opportunity to gain teaching experience.
The multi-disciplinary and multi-faculty structure of UCL provides a rich and broad environment in which to train, with access to numerous seminar and open lecture programmes across the Institution: the only limiting factor for you is time.
Outside the Unit, UCL provides a full network of support services, including the Health Centre, Counselling Service, Careers Service, International Office, Advisors to Women Students and the Dean of Students. Details of these can be found at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate-study/
This page includes a list of approved primary and subsidiary supervisors. Please click a supervisors name to view further information regarding their background and contact details.
Primary supervisors:
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The main sources of funding for UK/EU applicants are studentships from the:
- Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
- Medical Research Council (MRC)
- Wellcome Trust
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)
- Cancer Research UK (CRUK)
Please check the information for prospective graduate students on the UCL web site for a full listing of funding possibilities. Another source of funding information can be found FindaPhD.com.
In each case it is the responsibility of the Institution to apply for the studentships. All Research Council studentships received are advertised on our Departmental site under Vacancies,with past topics and adverts available for viewing under past vacancies. Individual members of staff may sometimes be able to support students with the help of research funds obtained, but this depends on the suitability of your own research interests and the current funding available.
Overseas students are eligible to apply to a number of sources of funding, including The British Council, Commonwealth Scholarships and WHO Scholarships. In the majority of instances you must apply direct to the funding organisation and it is vital to make early enquiries (up to a year in advance).
There are three relevant research funding schemes:
Applications need to be submitted to the department by midday 1st March, 2011. Contact Dr David Osborn. Late applications will not be considered. Students applying for these schemes must also complete a UCL applications for admission form in advance of submitting the scholarship application.
Please note that there is only one combined application procedure and application form for all three of these schemes, and applicants should submit only ONE application. Applicants will then be considered for any of the three awards for which they are eligible.
In all cases, the minimum level of academic achievement would be a First or Upper Second-class Honours degree, or a first degree supported by a Masters.
Please check the information for prospective graduate students on the UCL web site for a full listing of funding possibilities. Another source of funding information can be found FindaPhD.com.
Fees
See UCL
Fees and Costs section for further information on fees 2011-2012.
The Unit's Graduate Tutor (Dr David Osborn) would be pleased to receive your email. You should include: details of your research interests, with an outline of your research questions and hypotheses; and a curriculum vitae, including a full account of your education and relevant practical work/experience.
A
prospective supervisor or a Graduate Tutor may then invite you to visit the
department, to telephone and have further informal discussion, or to complete
the UCL application form. At this stage it is essential for both potential
supervisor and student to ascertain that a suitable subject area can be
identified and that you are sufficiently interested, motivated and able to
produce a doctoral thesis in three years. The interaction between student and
supervisor can often be a crucial ingredient for the success of any research.
Further info:
Dr David Osborn
Senior Lecturer & Consultant Psychiatrist
UCL Mental Health Sciences Unit
Royal Free Campus
UCL Medical School
Rowland Hill Street
London NW3 2PF
Tel (1): +44 (0) 20 7472 6177 (direct)
Tel (2): +44 (0) 20 3317 6301 (NHS secretary)
Email: d.osborn@ucl.ac.uk
"The UCL research degree in Cultural Psychiatry provided an stimulating environment for my learning and career development as a researcher. Across the College, one has access to a range of specialist areas in mental health and social sciences, excellent research facilities and outstanding supervisory and pastoral support. In my time at UCL I was provided several important learning opportunities that complemented my doctoral research including involvement in international teaching and research initiatives. The UCL Graduate School provided useful courses in a range of soft skills as well as support to attend relevant conference" - Sumeet Jain
Page last modified on 05 feb 11 12:19
