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Sustainable Construction MPhil/PhD

London, Bloomsbury

UK students International students

Study mode

UK tuition fees (2024/25)

£6,035

£3,015

Overseas tuition fees (2024/25)

£28,100

£14,050

Duration

3 calendar years

5 calendar years

Programme starts

September 2024

Applications accepted

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

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

Enterprise and Project Management

These are management and organisation studies comprising areas such as strategic management, innovation, project management, leadership and organisational behaviour. The School has a tradition of carrying out management and organisation research in the built environment, including project-based firms, construction projects, complex and mega projects, infrastructure, governance, quantity surveying, building information modelling, digital transformation, supply chain, social networks, project-based networks, organisational, social and consumer psychology, sustainability, and professionalism.

Economics and Finance of the Built Environment

This area of research includes construction economics, infrastructure economics and finance, real estate economics and finance, real estate development, housing, climate change economics, development economics, public economics, economic history, behavioural economics, big data.

Who this course is for

We welcome PhD and MPhil proposals from outstanding applicants related to the above research topics. The research degrees of PhD and MPhil are awarded for the most advanced level of study available at UCL. The aim is to make an original contribution to knowledge leading to the enhancement of academia and practice. Academic record and research interest are key criteria for candidate acceptance.

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

What this course will give you

In REF 2021, 91% of research in The Bartlett was deemed ‘World Leading’ and ‘Internationally Excellent’ and it was number one for Research Power in the built environment. Within the national results, The Bartlett accounts for the largest submission to the discipline across the UK; 725 examples of interdisciplinary and collaborative research from 332 colleagues were submitted and all of the 12 case studies submitted by The Bartlett were deemed to be internationally excellent and world leading.

We recruit students who are highly motivated and qualified, willing to push the boundaries of knowledge and effect real- world change. We are proud of the diversity of our research programmes, both in terms of student backgrounds and research projects.

We recruit students who are highly motivated and qualified, willing to push the boundaries of knowledge and effect real-world change. We are proud of the diversity of our research programmes, both in terms of student backgrounds and research projects.

Find out how your research could have an impact

The foundation of your career

The programme is intended to supply graduate PhD students with expertise in areas including economics and finance of the built environment, management of project enterprises and project-based networks.

Employability

Many of our PhD students have secured academic positions in top universities and jobs as leading practitioners in major organisations of the private and public sector.

Networking

We provide a number of networking opportunities for our students, including social events, lectures, collaborative projects and visits, team-building and student-led conferences.

Teaching and learning

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 undertake the Upgrade assessment within 18 months of registration (30 months for part-time students).

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) involves supervised research normally undertaken over a period of four years full-time (including 1-year Completing Research Status) or seven years part-time (including 2-year Completing Research Status). 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.

Flexible learning and self directed study are in the direction of our students with support from staff and academics.

Research areas and structure

Research environment

The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction is a centre for interdisciplinary research in infrastructure economics, infrastructure finance and management, construction economics, urban and housing economics, real estate finance, and project management including innovation, learning, risk management, leadership, marketing, financing, project-based enterprises. We are part of the Bartlett, UCL's Faculty of the Built Environment, the top institution in its field in the UK (REF 2021) for 'research power'.

We are proud with the diversity of our programme, both in terms of interdisciplinary research domains and student background. Our PhD students usually conduct research in the following areas:

Enterprise and Project Management

These are management and organisation studies comprising areas such as strategic management, innovation, project management, leadership and organisational behaviour. The School has a tradition of carrying out management and organisation research in the built environment (project-based firms, construction projects, complex and mega projects, infrastructure, governance, quantity surveying, building information modelling, digital transformation, supply chain, social networks, project-based networks, organisational, social and consumer psychology, sustainability, and professionalism).

Economics and Finance of the Built Environment

The programme emphasises close staff-student collaboration in research and offers a variety of research seminars and training activities that are intended to equip you with advanced research skills and competences. It is intended that you will take part in research events and meetings with academics and practitioners and contribute to a thriving academic community. If you are funded by the School, usually you will contribute to teaching and related duties for approximately 25% of your time. Academics and students typically interact to stimulate ideas, and develop and hone conceptual understanding and analysis, with the aim of generating original contributions to knowledge.

The length of registration for the research degree programmes is normally 3 years for full-time and 5 years for part-time. You will normally register initially for the MPhil degree with the expectation of transfer to PhD after successful completion of an 'upgrade' assessment, typically at the end of your first year and no later than eighteen months from registration (full-time).

During your first year your supervisor may advise you to attend specific skills training courses offered by UCL. In addition, the School normally offers its PhD students an Induction event, two PhD study days and regular seminars in our key research areas.

By the end of the second year, it is expected that you will have written at least half of your thesis. You are usually required to attend conferences, submit conference articles and organise PhD events.

In the third year you are normally required to analyse your key findings and form conclusions about them to write up your thesis.

The PhD programme is expected to be completed within three years for full-time students, and over five years for part-time students. Upon successful completion of your approved period of registration you may be permitted to register with Completing Research Status (CRS) while you write up your thesis (one year full-time or two years part-time registration).

Primarily, you are expected to conduct independent research, with guidance and supervision. The programme places emphasis on a close one-to-one working relationship between you and your supervisor. Your supervisor may suggest that you enrol in, or audit, an additional taught module. Taught models do not form part of your MPhil/PhD programme and so are not formally assessed.

Accessibility

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

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students

Fee description	Full-time	Part-time
Tuition fees (2024/25)	£6,035	£3,015
Tuition fees (2024/25)	£28,100	£14,050

Additional costs

There is no application fee for this programme.

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

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

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 master's studies. Please see the Bartlett Promise PhD Scholarship pages for more information on eligibility criteria, selection process and FAQs.

Any additional funding available from The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction 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

Next steps

Candidates apply online (not via email) with a personal statement and a full research proposal showing academic rigour. Further documents needed for the online application include a CV, two references of which at least one should be academic, academic transcripts provided in English and in electronic format, proof of English language proficiency and an application fee.

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.