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Institute for Global Prosperity MPhil/PhD

London, Bloomsbury

When you join the Global Prosperity MPhil/PhD, you become a member of an exceptional group of students from across a range of fields: from business, technology and entrepreneurship, to policy, law and environment, all of whom carry out interdisciplinary research that transcends current economic and social models.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£6,215
£3,105
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£29,800
£14,900
Duration
3 calendar years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
October 2025
February 2026
May 2026
Applications accepted
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis but should be submitted at least three months prior to your preferred start date.
Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class UK Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard, in a relevant subject, is essential. Exceptionally: where applicants have other suitable research or professional experience, they may be admitted without a Master's degree; or where applicants have a lower second-class UK Honours Bachelor's degree (2:2) (or equivalent) they must possess a relevant Master's degree to be admitted. We expect any successful application to include a sufficiently strong and convincing proposal, and those holding a Master's degree are typically well prepared to provide one. Relevant work experience is highly desirable.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 1

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

The world urgently needs research that examines and addresses the root causes of today's toughest global challenges, including (but not limited to) those that relate to inequality, social exclusion, dislocation and ecological unsustainability. The MPhil/PhD in Global Prosperity empowers students to carry out ambitious interdisciplinary research that can advance global prosperity from innovative angles.

Read about what it takes to become a UCL graduate research student

What this course will give you

At the UCL Institute for Global Prosperity, you will be a full member of a research community of shared values. You will have the opportunity to develop your original interdisciplinary work while linking it to our exciting research areas.

We will encourage you to collaborate with peers, colleagues from other disciplines and with various citizen participants and stakeholder organisations. We will also invite you to leverage our extensive network of internal and external partners.

In the latest national research assessment (REF 2021), our Faculty was number one for Research Power in the built environment, with 91% of research deemed ‘World Leading’ and ‘Internationally Excellent’. Most of our research is undertaken in partnership with government and industry, grounding our work and create real-world impact.

Find out how your research could have an impact

The foundation of your career

MPhil/PhD students at the Institute for Global Prosperity tend to be highly employable due to the unique mix of abilities they cultivate during their studies, from in-depth research skills to communication and leadership abilities. At the same time, a considerable portion of our students seek independent career options rather than employment in a conventional sense.

Employability

Our MPhil/PhD students are in an excellent position to develop innovative research careers within academia, take on important roles in key industries or sectors (e.g. policy, technology, law, environment) or launch their own entrepreneurial and/or civil society initiatives. Students will receive ongoing support from the IGP community of peers well beyond the point of graduation, further energising their career-building efforts.

Networking

The Institute for Global Prosperity continuously organises valuable networking opportunities with diverse peers as well as leaders from academia, government, industry and civil society. There is a strong focus on creating settings that allow for direct face-to-face communications and high-value networking. The Institute for Global Prosperity boasts a rich network of collaborators from all areas of society and students are invited to draw on this network in the course of their research as well as in career-related activities.

Teaching and learning

Students are allocated a supervisor who will work with them regularly throughout their studies. Students will have access to the wider research network that IGP operates not only across UCL, but in other parts of the world, including Lebanon and East Africa. 

In the first year of the course, students will attend classes for the taught modules of the MSc Global Prosperity programme, as well as weekly seminars that are chaired by the Director of the IGP, Professor Henrietta Moore. 

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) consists of a piece of supervised research, normally undertaken over a period of three years full-time. Assessment is by means of a thesis, which should demonstrate your capacity to pursue original research based upon a good understanding of the research techniques and concepts appropriate to the discipline. 

Initially, you will be registered for the MPhil degree. If you wish to proceed to a PhD, you will be required to pass an 'Upgrade' assessment. The purpose of the upgrade is to assess your progress and ability to complete your PhD programme to a good standard and in a reasonable time frame. It is expected that a full-time student will attempt upgrade within 18 months of registration. 

The IGP has a number of Prosperity Co-laboratories (PROCOLs) and other research initiatives that provide opportunities for engagement, learning and networking to our students. 

For further information, see our  Research page. 

The Institute for Global Prosperity also oversees Knowledge Networks, collaborative research and outreach networks with academics and practitioners that focus on themes related to prosperity. These include: 

  • Fast Forward 2030: a network of forward-thinking entrepreneurs developing ideas and approaches to business that will help us achieve the Sustainable Development Goals 
  • The Social Prosperity Network: a collaborative working group of people aiming to push forward and legitimise the idea of Universal Basic Services 
  • Financing Prosperity Network: a network that aims to promote alternatives to current debt economies 
  • The Social Science of Zoonotic Disease: a knowledge network that aims to comprehensively tackle the social, political, cultural and economic implications of zoonotic disease. 

See  our website for further details. 

You will be trained in specific cross-disciplinary skill-sets, also in applying principles of ‘impact-oriented research’ and of ‘co-production’ with academic, policy, NGOs and business partners outside of the institute in the design and execution of your research initiatives. A key goal for the programme is to prompt you to blend and synthesise different disciplinary tools to offer interdisciplinary analysis on pressing problems. Learning and contributing to the cross-disciplinary approach of the IGP, it is intended that you will progressively develop a career track and analytical edge over colleagues that undergo training in a single discipline or research centre. You will also be encouraged to take courses and undertake research with other departments across UCL, as relevant for your research. The Institute for Global Prosperity's PhD places great emphasis on a close one-to-one working relationship between you and your supervisor. 

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) consists of a piece of supervised research, normally undertaken over a period of three years full-time. Assessment is by means of a thesis, which should demonstrate your capacity to pursue original research based upon a good understanding of the research techniques and concepts appropriate to the discipline.

Initially, you will be registered for the MPhil degree. If you wish to proceed to a PhD, you will be required to pass an 'Upgrade' assessment. The purpose of the upgrade is to assess your progress and ability to complete your PhD programme to a good standard and in a reasonable time frame. It is expected that a full-time student will attempt upgrade within 18 months of registration.

A typical full-time PhD student is expected to spend an average of approximately 36.5 hours per week working on their PhD, although this will vary, with some periods of more intensive research.

Research areas and structure

The UCL Institute for Global Prosperity (IGP) currently carries out research in and across a number of areas that directly relate to achieving sustainable global prosperity in the 21st century. Our key current research themes include the following:

  • The RELIEF Centre
  • Rise Up: The case for, and benefits of, providing homes for key urban workers on London's rooftops
  • London Prosperity Board
  • Food Security, Water and Local Knowledge in Marakwet, Kenya
  • Ethiopia Control of Bovine Tuberculosis Strategies (ETHICOBOTS)
  • Gender and Adolescence
  • TRANS-MAKING: art / culture / economy to democratise society

For further information, see our Research page.

Knowledge Networks

The Institute for Global Prosperity also oversees Knowledge Networks, collaborative research and outreach networks with academics and practitioners that focus on themes related to prosperity. These include:

  • Fast Forward 2030: a network of forward-thinking entrepreneurs developing ideas and approaches to business that will help us achieve the Sustainable Development Goals
  • The Social Prosperity Network: a collaborative working group of people aiming to push forward and legitimise the idea of Universal Basic Services
  • Financing Prosperity Network: a network that aims to promote alternatives to current debt economies
  • The Social Science of Zoonotic Disease: a knowledge network that aims to comprehensively tackle the social, political, cultural and economic implications of zoonotic disease.

See our website for further details.

Research environment

You will be trained in specific cross-disciplinary skill-sets, also in applying principles of ‘impact-oriented research’ and of ‘co-production’ with academic, policy, NGOs and business partners outside of the institute in the design and execution of your research initiatives. A key goal for the programme is to prompt you to blend and synthesise different disciplinary tools to offer interdisciplinary analysis on pressing problems. Learning and contributing to the cross-disciplinary approach of the IGP, it is intended that you will progressively develop a career track and analytical edge over colleagues that undergo training in a single discipline or research centre. You will also be encouraged to take courses and undertake research with other departments across UCL, as relevant for your research. The Institute for Global Prosperity's PhD places great emphasis on a close one-to-one working relationship between you and your supervisor.  

The first year includes an introductory two-term taught programme which is compulsory for all students. You must attend the core modules from the MSc in Global Prosperity, which include the weekly Soundbites and Director's Seminars. Your supervisor will advise you on which additional courses to audit as necessary. Taught models do not form part of your MPhil/PhD programme and so are not formally assessed. At the end of your first year you will begin the upgrade process to move from the MPhil to the PhD programme. In the second and third years, you will undertake independent research, with supervision and guidance.

The exact structure of your course will vary depending on your individual circumstances, but a typical part-time student takes an introductory two-term taught programme in their first two years. This is compulsory for all students. You must attend the core modules from the Global Prosperity MSc, which include the weekly Soundbites and Director's Seminars. Your supervisor will advise you on which additional courses to audit as necessary. Taught models do not form part of your MPhil/PhD programme and so are not formally assessed. At the end of your first two years you will begin the upgrade process to move from the MPhil to the PhD programme. In the third, fourth and fifth years, you will undertake independent research, with supervision and guidance.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.


Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £6,215 £3,105
Tuition fees (2025/26) £29,800 £14,900

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

As a research student, your additional costs may include expenses such as books, conference attendance and field research, in the UK or overseas.

The Built Environment Faculty Office provides financial support to students through the Bartlett Student Conference Fund, Bartlett Doctoral Initiative Fund, Bartlett External Training Fund and Bartlett Extenuating Circumstances Fund. However, please note that these funds are limited and available through competition. 

UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

UCL offers a range of financial awards aimed at assisting both prospective and current students with their studies.

In our faculty, The Bartlett Promise Scholarship aims to enable students from backgrounds underrepresented in the built environment to pursue PhD studies. Please see the UK PhD scholarship pages for more information on eligibility criteria, selection process and FAQs.

Any additional funding available from the Institute for Global Prosperity and the Built Environment Faculty Office are advertised on the respective websites.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Bartlett Promise PhD Scholarship

Deadline: 16 May 2025
Value: Full fees, plus £21,237 maintenance (Normal duration of programme)
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: UK

UCL Research Opportunity Scholarship (ROS)

Deadline: 10 January 2025
Value: UK rate fees, a maintenance stipend, conference costs and professional development package (3 years)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: UK

Next steps

Prospective MPhil/PhD applicants are encouraged to send an informal research enquiry before applying. This should be sent directly to the academic you would like to supervise you. Please refer to the staff list on the department website and see UCL's Institutional Research Information Service (IRIS) for staff profiles. Please attach to your e-mail a referenced research proposal of around 1,000 to 2,000 words and your curriculum vitae (CV).

Further details on how to apply to an MPhil/PhD can be found on the UCL Graduate Admissions website.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2025-2026

Year of entry: 2024-2025

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Institute for Global Prosperity
Institute for Global Prosperity

bartlett.pgr-admissions@ucl.ac.uk

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