Postgraduate research  

Environmental Sciences PhD/MSc (Research)/MPhil (Research)

Our main research themes are: Life and its Interactions with Dynamic Environments, and Global Landscapes & Climate Change.

  • PhD: 3-4 years full-time; 6-8 years part-time; Thesis of Max 80,000 words
  • MSc (Research): 1-2 years full-time; 2-3 years part-time;
  • MPhil: 2-3 years full-time; 3-4 years part-time;

Research projects

Self funded PhD projects

Microbial degradation of glacial POPs

Anthropogenic stress cocktails within river sediments

Mineral-microbe transformations in carbon critical environments

Self funded MSc by Research projects

Holocene paleoclimate changes inferred from lipid biomarkers and geochemical analysis from Dubh Lochan, Scotland (Dr Bianca Cavazzin and Dr Antonio García-Alix)

Hydroclimate reconstruction from Llangorse Lake (South Wales) across the Loch Lomond Stadial (Dr Bianca Cavazzin and Charlotte Slaymark)

Characterising the headwaters of the Glen Luce catchment with a focus on the peatland extent around the Water of Luce and how this relates to the water quality data (Dr Ed Curley and Dr Bianca Cavazzin)

Comparing pH levels in watercourses in the upper Water of Fleet river catchment with geology, soil type and land use (Dr Bianca Cavazzin and Dr Ed Curley)

Microbial abundance and distribution within glaciofluvial sediments (Dr Karen Cameron)

Fugitive methane in Scotland: Plume mapping and isotopic characterisation using Cavity Ring-down Spectrometry (Dr Adrian Bass)

Energy-efficient alteration of natural algal products for use in biofuel technology (Dr Jaime L Toney)

Antiquity and erosion of a rock shore platform in Scotland (Dr Martin D Hurst)

Community monitoring of Scottish beaches vulnerable to erosion (Dr Martin D Hurst)

Ground motion measurements for Earth Science using precise Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) techniques (Dr Elizabeth Petrie)

Quantifying tropical river morphological change using satellite remote sensing (Dr Richard Williams)

Advancing sustainable forage-based livestock production systems in Colombia using multi-source remote sensing (Dr Brian Barrett)

Overview

Research themes

Life & its Interactions with Dynamic Environments

Understanding how critical thresholds in changing environments affect fundamental interactions with the atmosphere, biosphere and hydrosphere on land and in aqueous systems.

Global Landscapes & Climate Change

Understanding and modeling how Earth’s surface evolves spatially and temporally through interactions with the atmosphere, biosphere and hydrosphere to influence processes that sustain life.

Study options

  full-time
(years)
part-time
(years)
Phd 3-4 6-8
MSc (Res) 1-2 2-3
MPhil 2-3 3-4

Entry requirements

2.1 Honours degree or equivalent

Required documentation

Applicants should submit:

  • Transcripts/degree certificate 
  • Two references
  • A one-page research proposal
  • CV
  • Name of potential Supervisor

Research proposal

Candidates are required to provide a single page outline of the research subject proposed (approximately 1000 words). This need not be a final thesis proposal but should include:

  • a straightforward, descriptive, and informative title
  • the question that your research will address
  • an account of why this question is important and worth investigating
  • an assessment of how your own research will engage with recent study in the subject
  • a brief account of the methodology and approach you will take
  • a discussion of the primary sources that your research will draw upon, including printed books, manuscripts, archives, libraries, or museums
  • an indicative bibliography of secondary sources that you have already consulted and/or are planning to consult

English language requirements

Fees and funding

Fees

2025/26

  • UK: £5,005
  • International & EU: £31,800

Prices are based on the annual fee for full-time study. Fees for part-time study are half the full-time fee.

Irish nationals who are living in the Common Travel Area of the UK, EU nationals with settled or pre-settled status, and Internationals with Indefinite Leave to remain status can also qualify for home fee status.

Alumni discount

We offer a 20% discount to our alumni on all Postgraduate Research and full Postgraduate Taught Masters programmes. This includes University of Glasgow graduates and those who have completed Junior Year Abroad, Exchange programme or International Summer School with us. The discount is applied at registration for students who are not in receipt of another discount or scholarship funded by the University. No additional application is required.

Possible additional fees

  • Re-submission by a research student £540
  • Submission for a higher degree by published work £1,355
  • Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed £350
  • Submission by staff in receipt of staff scholarship £790

Depending on the nature of the research project, some students will be expected to pay a bench fee (also known as research support costs) to cover additional costs. The exact amount will be provided in the offer letter.

Funding

  • View a full list of our current scholarships

Support

The vibrancy of our research environment derives from our large body of postgraduate students.

We take an integrated approach to study at Glasgow, bringing together internationally leading expertise in physical and human geography, geology and geomatics.

Our postgraduate students benefit from many fieldwork opportunities, ranging from short day excursions close to Glasgow to longer residential field trips, which may involved overseas travel.

The School has close links with industry. We arrange many guest speakers and there are also informal opportunities to meet people from industry at open events. Projects may be carried out in conjunction with industry.

You will be part of a Graduate School which provides the highest level of support to its students.

The overall aim of our Graduate School is to provide a world-leading environment for students which is intellectually stimulating, encourages them to contribute to culture, society and the economy and enables them to become leaders in a global environment.

We have a diverse community of over 750 students from more than 50 countries who work in innovative and transformative disciplinary and interdisciplinary fields. An important part of our work is to bring our students together and to ensure they consider themselves an important part of the University’s academic community.

Being part of our Graduate School community will be of huge advantage to you in your studies and beyond and we offer students a number of benefits in addition to exceptional teaching and supervision, including:

  • A wide-ranging and responsive research student training programme which enables you to enhance your skills and successfully complete your studies.
  • Mobility scholarships of up to £4000 to enable you to undertake work in collaboration with an international partner.
  • A diverse programme of activities which will ensure you feel part of the wider-research community (including our biannual science slam event).
  • A residential trip for all new research students.
  • The opportunity to engage with industry-partners through training, placements and events.
  • Professionally accredited programmes.
  • Unique Masters programmes run in collaboration with other organisations.
  • State-of-the-art facilities including the James Watt Nanofabrication Centre and the Kelvin Nanocharacterisation Centre.
  • Highly-rated support for international students.

Over the last five years, we have helped over 600 students to complete their research studies and our students have gone on to take up prestigious posts in industries across the world.

Email: scieng-gradschool@glasgow.ac.uk

How to apply

Identify potential supervisors

Gather your documents

Apply now

Contact us