Overview

Programme overview

  • Top 10 Geography department in the UK (QS World Rankings by subject 2025)
  • Undertake research on a topic of your choice, supervised by an expert in that field.
  • Join a department with a 125-year history of geographical studies.
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Geography at The University of Manchester

A study experience that makes a difference

We place social responsibility at the heart of your learning which means you can take advantage of unique ways to make a difference while studying with us, through your programme or through extra-curricular activities.

  • Complete our Ethical Grand Challenges to learn how you can create a better world and become more socially responsible.
  • Work with an external organisation to tackle real-world sustainability problems through our University Living Lab.
  • Discover subjects that broaden your horizon with our interdisciplinary learning opportunities.

Explore how you'll make your mark

Every programme at Manchester contributes towards the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, so no matter what you're studying you'll be playing an active role in the protection of people and planet.

You will explore the following goals in your programme:

  • Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation

Open days

Our virtual week took place October 2024 – to find out about future sessions to explore postgraduate research opportunities across the university, please visit our study fairs and events page.

To stay up-to-date with future events and recorded sessions in the Faculty of Humanities, please join our postgraduate research email update list .

Contact details

School/Faculty
School of Environment, Education and Development
Contact name
Humanities Doctoral Academy Admissions
Telephone
+44(0)161 275 1200 OPTION 1
Email
Website
https://www.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/study/postgraduate-research/
School/Faculty overview
See: The School .

Programmes in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of programmes in related subject areas.

Entry requirements

Academic entry qualification overview

  • Bachelor's (Honours) degree at 2:1 or above (or overseas equivalent); and
  • Master's degree in a relevant subject - with an overall average of 60% or above, a minimum mark of 60% in your dissertation (or overseas equivalent)

English language

All applicants must provide evidence of English language proficiency:

  • IELTS test minimum score - 7.0 overall, 7.0 in writing, 6.0 in other sections.
  • TOEFL (internet based) test minimum score - 100 overall, 25 in all sections.
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE) UKVI/SELT or PTE Academic minimum score - 76 overall, 76 in writing, 70 in other sections.
  • To demonstrate that you have taken an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in a majority English speaking nation within the last 5 years.
  • Other tests may be considered.

English language test validity

Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the programme.

Other international entry requirements

We accept a range of qualifications from different countries. For these and general requirements including English language see entry requirements from your country.

Other entry requirements

The University requires you to reside within a commutable distance from Manchester during your time as a registered student, unless you are on approved fieldwork/a formal placement or are on a period of Submission pending. This is to ensure that you are able to meet attendance expectations and participate in wider research activities within your discipline area, School and/or Research Group. Should you be unable to do this at any point during your programme, a formal case must be made to the Doctoral Academy, together with the full support of your supervisor(s). The University reserves the right to reject such a request where it is considered that your residency could have a detrimental impact on the progression and engagement of your studies.

Fees and funding

Fees

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2026, the tuition fees are as follows:

  • PhD (full-time)
    UK students (per annum): £6,000
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £22,500
  • PhD (part-time)
    UK students (per annum): £3,000
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £11,250

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

Your fees will cover the cost of your study at the University, as well as charges for registration, tuition, supervision, examinations and graduation (excluding graduation robe hire).

Payment of tuition fees will also entitle you to membership of The University of Manchester library, the Students' Union and the Athletic Union.

Scholarships/sponsorships

There are a range of scholarships, studentships and awards to support both UK and overseas postgraduate researchers, details of which can be found via the links below.

To apply University of Manchester funding, you must indicate in your application the competitions for which you wish to be considered. The deadline for most internal competitions, including School of Environment, Education and Development studentships is 19 January 2026.

All external funding competitions have a specified deadline for submitting the funding application form and a separate (earlier) deadline for submitting the online programme application form, both of which will be stated in the funding competition details below.

You will need to be nominated by your proposed supervisor for a number of our scholarships. Therefore, we highly recommend you discuss these funding opportunities with your supervisor first, so they can advise on your suitability and ensure you meet nomination deadlines.

For more information about funding, visit our funding page or use our funding database to search for scholarships, studentships and awards you may be eligible for.

Application and selection

How to apply

Apply online (select PhD Geography, then PhD Physical Geography)

Please ensure you include all required supporting documents at the time of submission, as incomplete applications may not be considered.

Application Deadlines

For consideration in internal funding competitions, you must submit your completed application by 19 January 2026.

If you are applying for or have secured external funding (for example, from an employer or government) or are self-funding, you must submit your application before the below deadline to be considered. You will not be able to apply after this date has passed.

  • For September 2026 entry: 30 June 2026

Advice to applicants

Before you start your application, you must:

  1. Develop your own research proposal and project title.
  2. Find a supervisor by browsing our academics' profiles . We strongly encourage you to confirm that your chosen supervisor’s interests align with your proposed research and that they are willing to support your project.
  3. Consider how you plan on funding your research and discuss this with your supervisor.

When you submit your application, you must include each of the below required documents:

  • A 1,500 word  PhD research proposal. Times New Roman, Font 12 (exclusive of references). Please state the word count on page 1 of the document. If over length, the submission will be returned to you.
  • A copy of your Bachelor's academic transcript and certificate.
  • A copy of your Master's academic transcript and certificate. If your Master's degree is pending, please provide an interim transcript.
  • If you have completed more than one Bachelor's or Master's degree, please provide evidence for each. If your transcripts are in a language other than English, you must provide an official English translation. If your weighted average mark or GPA is not included on these documents, please also include an official document from your university verifying this information.
  • An up-to-date academic CV summarising your academic record, employment history, publications and highlighting experience demonstrating your research potential.
  • The names of two academic referees, including one from your most recent institution. Your referees will be contacted directly via the Referee Portal following the submission of your application form. You may wish to notify your referees to submit their references promptly, as this is part of the review process.
  • A certificate or evidence demonstrating your English language ability and proficiency. Applications can be considered without this evidence but any offer would be conditional on meeting minimum requirements.

Interview requirements

As part of the offer making process applicants will be required to undertake an interview assessment. This may be in the form of an in-person interview, or video call.

The interview is designed to assess your knowledge and understanding of the broad topic area, the viability of your proposed research and its intellectual contribution, alongside the fit of your project with the supervisory team. You also may be asked to identify and address any potential ethical considerations in relation to your proposed research, and discuss how best to progress your ideas in line with University of Manchester ethics guidance.

The interview panel will consist at minimum of your primary supervisor and an independent interviewer.

Deferrals

It is normally possible to defer your offer to a later entry point, with the approval of your supervisory team and Department Co-ordinator, and if applicable, funder. Please be aware that the University of Manchester permits applications to be deferred only once, for a maximum of two years. Your English Language evidence must be valid on the date of registration.

Re-applications

If you applied in the previous year and your application was not successful, you may apply again. Your application will be considered against the standard programme entry criteria for that year of entry.

In your new application, you should demonstrate how your application has improved. We may draw upon all information from your previous applications or any previous registrations at the University as a student when assessing your suitability for your chosen programme.

Programme details

Programme description

A PhD in Physical Geography will allow you to benefit from the supervision of world-leading academics that have very strong reputations for research quality.

The University of Manchester is one of the best places in the world to study physical geography, and our department has a global reputation for its research and teaching. Our world-class laboratory facilities underpin our research outputs.

Our physical geography staff members hold editorial positions with leading research publications, and routinely serve on various review panels of the UK Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC). There are two research groups specialising in physical geography:

The work of the Environmental Processes research group brings together expertise from a wide range of geographical sub-disciplines to tackle some of the most challenging research questions associated with environmental risk and response. Current areas of interest include: peatlands and ecological resilience, wildfires and biomass burning, and urban green infrastructure and nature-based solutions. Fundamental and applied research is supported by government departments and agencies (such as Defra, Natural England and the Environmental Agency), the European Union and the UK Research Councils (e.g. Natural Environment Research Council).

The Quaternary Environments and Geoarchaeology research group’s strength lasts in investigating human-environmental interactions and past climate dynamics and responses across and between the Earth’s five ‘spheres’. We drive forward novel methodological techniques in Quaternary science, such as pollen geochemistry and field-portable luminescence. Research is funded by various bodies, including the Leverhulme Trust, the Royal Society and the Royal Geographical Society, and draws upon our numerous productive international and national academic collaborations.

In addition, some of our physical geographers with interests in GIS and mapping are also part of the Mapping: Culture and Geographical Information Science research group, which lies in areas such as emergent technologies, data analysis, data visualisation and software development in a wide variety of application drawn across the discipline of geography.

Explore our research groups to find out more about the specialisms available at Manchester, and the academics who are keen to supervise in each area.

You can find out more about our academic staff and their research specialisms on our People page .

Recent PhD graduates have been appointed to positions at leading universities around the world, while others now work in government agencies and research institutes as well as environmental consultancy and conservation organisations.

Special features

Geography has been studied at Manchester for more than 125 years, and we're one of Europe's best-equipped universities for the subject.

We're also home to world-class academics and the Manchester Urban Institute (MUI) .

Our researchers are investigating the complexities of the world's physical landscape, past and present, to help create solutions to global environmental problems.

Research Physical Geography at Manchester and you'll benefit from worldwide fieldwork opportunities and strong industry links.

The School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED) is a unique interdisciplinary collaboration between the disciplines of Architecture, Education, Geography, International Development and Planning, Property and Environmental Management.

What unites us is a shared commitment to highlight and address the uneven relationships between societies, economies and the environment.

We want to understand better the world in which we live, and to offer solutions to the problems within it.

We acknowledge that a complex and interconnected world presents many challenges for analysts, but researchers in SEED are pioneering new evidence, measures, concepts and theories in order to address these challenges in practice.

SEED's world-leading research is rooted in everyday life but international in relevance and scope, addressing social, economic and environmental concerns across the globe.

Our PhD and professional doctorate research community, grouped around a range of dynamic centres and themes, is central to the SEED research agenda across all our disciplines.

Additional programme information

Humanities Doctoral Academy

Our Humanities Doctoral Academy combines the strengths of our four schools to bring expertise, knowledge, support and high-quality services for postgraduate researchers.

We are a community of academic leaders and postgraduate researchers across all levels in the Faculty of Humanities. The Doctoral Academy Hub houses our specialist professional service teams who support postgraduate researchers throughout the programme journey. This includes admissions, registration, student experience, progression, examination, and graduation. We collaborate closely with other University directorates including Manchester Doctoral College, Researcher Development team, and the corresponding Doctoral Academies in the Faculty of Science and Engineering and the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health. Together we provide the best experience and support for your studies and research.

EDI

Equality, diversity and inclusion is fundamental to the success of The University of Manchester, and is at the heart of all of our activities.

We know that diversity strengthens our research community, leading to enhanced research creativity, productivity and quality, and societal and economic impact.

We actively encourage applicants from diverse career paths and backgrounds and from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation and transgender status.

All appointments are made on merit.

The University of Manchester and our external partners are fully committed to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Teaching and learning

When you become a postgraduate researcher, you'll join a diverse and vibrant community of doctoral students from nearly 100 different countries, all studying within the Faculty of Humanities.

You'll be assigned to a specific research grouping that complements your research interests and have access to a variety of interdisciplinary research institutes.

Our working environments are often spacious and open plan, giving you plenty of opportunities to communicate with colleagues and staff within the School, and you will have your own desk space as well as access to our fantastic range of libraries on campus.

All our academic supervisors are research active and will support you to work on challenging research problems and develop rigorous, creative and original research.

You can expect to meet with your supervisor at least once a month to discuss progress on your project.

As a postgraduate researcher, you'll have access to a large and diverse community of internationally recognised academic experts offering an environment that will stimulate intellectual debate and development. We provide additional financial support for several activities related to your PhD, including:

  • presenting at international conferences;
  • attending workshops that provide relevant professional opportunities;
  • conducting fieldwork in the UK and overseas.

Important notice

The School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED) aim to run advertised fieldwork in the 26/27 academic year and we very much hope that students will be able to enjoy the fieldwork experience in the usual way. The ability of fieldwork to proceed, and whether any changes to proposed fieldwork might be necessary, will remain subject to the current global situation and factors such as the:

  • rules and guidance on travel and activities implemented and published by the UK and overseas governments;
  • outcome of any risk assessments conducted by the University;
  • educational value and student experience of the fieldwork, if significant changes to the proposed fieldwork would be necessary;
  • availability of appropriate insurance cover;
  • availability of appropriate travel and accommodation and any significant changes to their financial costs.

We will therefore assess on a regular basis the viability of any travel and fieldwork and communicate any decisions to our students at the earliest possible opportunity.

Any fieldwork that does go ahead will be subject to a rigorous risk assessment process and the implementation of any protective measures identified by the risk assessment to ensure the health and safety of all our students and staff.

If the fieldwork does not go ahead as planned, then the School's focus will be on seeking to offer a suitable alternative and ensure that the Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) of the programme are met.

REF 2021

In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF2021) Human Geography was assessed as part of The University of Manchester's 'Geography and Environmental Studies' submission.

92% of our research was judged to be in the highest two categories (4*) 'world-leading' or (3*) 'internationally excellent'.

Our research impact was also judged to be strong, with 100% judged to be (4*) 'world-leading' or (3*) 'internationally excellent'.

Find out more about our Geography research at Manchester.

What our students say

Discover what it's really like to conduct postgraduate research at The University of Manchester on our student spotlights page.

Find out more about what it's like to undertake a postgraduate research degree at Manchester on our Humanities PGR blog

Facilities

We are one of Europe's best-equipped universities for geography, with numerous laboratories.

These include the main teaching laboratory, microscopy laboratory, and sediments and project laboratories.

You can also learn professional skills such as coding and programming specialist, industry-standard software such as image processing, GIS, GPS and cartographic representation.

The University's Main Library is the largest university library system in the UK apart from the copyright libraries and has several different working spaces.

It is home to the University Map Collection, which comprises about 100,000 map sheets of every part of the world.

For more information, please see our Facilities website .

The University of Manchester Library

Manchester is home to one of the UK's five National Research Libraries - one of the best-resourced academic libraries in the UK and widely recognised as one of the world's greatest research libraries.

Find out more about libraries and study spaces for postgraduate research students at Manchester.

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service.

For more information, email  dass@manchester.ac.uk

Careers

Career opportunities

As a postgraduate researcher, you'll have access to a dedicated researcher development training to support your professional development throughout your PhD journey and beyond.

Our researcher development programme will enable you to become more aware of your developing researcher identity, equipping you with the skills you need during your PhD and prepare you to integrate into the researcher community.

At every stage of your career, you'll receive relevant, effective and comprehensive professional development opportunities.

methods@manchester , meanwhile, is an initiative that gives you the chance to learn from the very best in research methods expertise at Manchester and beyond.

Regular talks, workshops and other methods-related events are organised throughout the academic year, bringing in experts from across the University and externally.

Finally, taking a placement provides a great opportunity to engage in knowledge exchange and to develop professional networking opportunities for your future career development.

We have established Postgraduate Researcher Exchange programmes with a small number of institutions around the world, offering you the opportunity to visit another institution, access research resources and experience another academic culture as well as build professional networks.

Successful applicants will receive some funding towards travel expenses, accommodation, subsistence, education materials and/or other education-related costs for anything from two weeks to a three-month visit.

Recent PhD graduates have been appointed to positions at leading universities in Europe, North America and East Asia, while others now shape national and international policy agendas through their work in government agencies, research institutes and activist organisations.

For more information, see Careers and employability .

Careers support

The University has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate.

At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help boost your employability .

Regulated by the Office for Students

The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website.

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website.