Overview

You will be supported within an active interdisciplinary research environment, working on a project in collaboration with your supervisor leading to a formal postgraduate qualification.

Key facts

The Geological Sciences programme at University of Plymouth is suitable for people who have a particular research question or topic in mind, and wish to explore this through independent study in order to produce an original contribution to the subject.

If you aspire to a research career this is the most appropriate research degree to undertake.

Programme Structure

Curriculum:

You will be guided by a small supervisory team of academic experts under the direction of a Director of Studies.

You will be expected to fully engage with skills development and training and to present your research in a range of scholarly contexts.

Your PhD will be assessed via submission of either a written thesis (up to 80,000 words), or one that combines critical writing with artistic, creative and/or professional practice, and a viva voce(an oral examination).

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 24 months
Part-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-10-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-05-15 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2026-07-15 00:00:00 , National
Starting 2027-01-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-08-15 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2026-10-15 00:00:00 , National
Starting 2027-04-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-11-15 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2027-01-15 00:00:00 , National

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

120

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

90

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

65

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

6.5

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Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Plymouth, United Kingdom

Disciplines

Geology View 19 other PhDs in Geology in United Kingdom

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Academic requirements

GPA

Upper Second Class

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

120

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

90

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

65

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

Applicants are expected to have either a good 2:1 or first class honours undergraduate degree in an appropriate subject, and typically to have also completed a masters level qualification to a high standard (e.g. at 'merit' or 'distinction' level). If you do not have a masters level qualification, you may wish to consider.

Students who are making exceptional progress in a ResM programme may sometimes progress directly into our PhD programme without having to complete the masters, depending on the availability of funding.

If English is not your first language, you must have proficiency in written and spoken English (normally a minimum test score of 6.5 for IELTS, or equivalent). Given the nature of the programme, you’ll be expected to read and engage with complex theoretical texts and debates for which fluency in English is essential.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

19315 GBP / year

≈ 19315 GBP / year
Domestic Applies to you

Applies to you

Citizens or residents

5238 GBP / year

≈ 5238 GBP / year

Additional Details

Part-time:

National: £2,619 per year
International: £9,655 per year

Living costs

Plymouth

United Kingdom

731 - 1387 GBP / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Geological Sciences.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Key facts

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic Applies to you

Additional Details

Living costs

Plymouth

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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