
Overview
- Degree awarded
- PhD/MPhil
- Duration
- 3-4 years PhD, 1-2 years MPhil
- Entry requirements
-
We require applicants to hold, or be about to obtain, an Upper Second class Honours degree (or overseas equivalent) in a related subject area for entry to a PhD programme. A Lower Second class Honours degree may be considered if applicants also hold a Master's degree with a Merit classification.
- How to apply
- See full guidance on how to choose a project and submit an application on our website . You should then complete the online application form to apply for this programme. Ensure you include all required supporting documents at the time of submission, or this may delay the processing of your application.
Applications must be submitted online well in advance of your anticipated start date (6 weeks for Home, 12 weeks for overseas including EU). We cannot accept late applications without prior agreement via the Doctoral Academy.
Application deadlines
Home applicants:
September entry - apply by 15 July
January entry - apply by 15 November
April entry - apply by 15 February
Overseas (including EU nationals) applicants:
September entry - apply by 1 st week of June
January entry - apply by 1 st week of October
April entry - apply by 1 st week of January
Programme options
Full-time | Part-time | Full-time distance learning | Part-time distance learning | |
---|---|---|---|---|
PhD | Y | Y | N | N |
MPhil | Y | Y | N | N |
Programme overview
- Learn from some of Europe's leading researchers while undertaking your own project.
- Access some of the best research facilities in the world at both the University and in hospitals around Greater Manchester.
- Undergo training in transferable skills critical to developing early-stage researchers and professionals through the Doctoral Academy's training programme.
- Conduct research at a university ranked 6th in the UK (QS World University Rankings 2020).
Open days
Fees
For entry in the academic year beginning September 2021, the tuition fees are as follows:
-
PhD (full-time)
UK students (per annum): Standard TBC, Low £9,000, Medium £16,000, High £21,000
International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £24,500, Low £25,500, Medium £32,500, High £37,500 -
PhD (part-time)
UK students (per annum): Standard TBC, Low £4,500, Medium £8,000, High £10,500
International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £12,250, Low £12,750?, Medium £16,250, High £18,750?
Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.
Contact details
- School/Faculty
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
- Contact name
- Admissions
- Telephone
- +44 (0)161 275 5608
- admissions.doctoralacademy@manchester.ac.uk
- Website
- https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/study/research/
- School/Faculty
-
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
Programmes in related subject areas
Use the links below to view lists of programmes in related subject areas.
Entry requirements
Academic entry qualification overview
English language
If your IELTS or TOEFL expires before the start of your programme, you will need to take another official English test before we can issue you with a CAS for your visa application. This is a requirement of UKVI.
We require a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 overall or TOEFL (iBT) 90.
Each component of the English test should meet the minimum requirement of IELTS 5.5 in all components or 22 in TOEFL (iBT). For the writing component in IELTS we expect that you have achieved a minimum of 6.0.
For more information about English language tests see English language requirements .
Please contact us at admissions.doctoralacademy@manchester.ac.uk for further information.
English language test validity
Other international entry requirements
Application and selection
How to apply
Applications must be submitted online well in advance of your anticipated start date (6 weeks for Home, 12 weeks for overseas including EU). We cannot accept late applications without prior agreement via the Doctoral Academy.
Application deadlines
Home applicants:
September entry - apply by 15 July
January entry - apply by 15 November
April entry - apply by 15 February
Overseas (including EU nationals) applicants:
September entry - apply by 1 st week of June
January entry - apply by 1 st week of October
April entry - apply by 1 st week of January
Advice to applicants
In addition to the formal online application, candidates should send all supporting documents (CV, transcripts, certificates, confirmation of funding, English language ability (if applicable), references and a personal statement).
About the personal statement
We recommend that your personal statement summarises:
- any research experience and your interests;
- your motivation for postgraduate research study;
- why you want to do a postgraduate research degree in Manchester;
- your career development to date;
- your future career plans;
- other supporting information: recent publications if any or other research training and experience.
If you have completed a research project during your undergraduate/master's study, please give a short description of the work you undertook, including the following details:
- the research problem
- your key findings
- techniques acquired and skills learned.
This information is especially important for applicants from overseas, so we can fully assess your practical background and experience alongside your academic qualifications. Failure to include this information may delay the processing of your application.
See further guidance on how to choose a project and submit an application on our website .
Interview requirements
Disclosure and Barring Service check
Programme details
Programme description
Our PhD/MPhil Musculoskeletal programme enables you to undertake a research project that will improve understanding of Musculoskeletal.
Research in the Centre for Musculoskeletal Research (CfMR) is undertaken by established groups and independent researchers investigating genetic and epidemiological aspects of musculoskeletal conditions.
These include:
- rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
- osteoarthritis (OA)
- psoriatic arthritis (PsA)
- juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)
- systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
- myositis and scleroderma (Sc).
We have a strong track record of training students, and all of our senior staff have a hands-on approach to supervision.
We have a comprehensive programme of training and mentorship directed at all levels of career development. For postgraduate research students, we provide in-house training in generic lab skills, biostatistics and epidemiology.
Postgraduate research students are encouraged to take part in patient/public engagement and involvement activities (PPE/I) to discuss their research with members of the general public and patients.
Examples of research in genetics and genomics include the following.
- Identification and characterisation of genetic variants that influence susceptibility to rheumatological conditions including RA, JIA and PsA.
- Identification and characterisation of genetic and epigenetic variants that influence treatment response to methotrexate and/or biological therapy in rheumatological conditions including RA, JIA and PsA.
- Identification and characterisation of genetic/genomic variants that influence severity of rheumatological conditions. Investigating the function of genetic variants to refine the associated regions, and highlight likely causal variants, in loci with large, genetically intractable associations.
- Identifying key pathways involved in inflammation to identify novel targets to develop new drugs.
- Using stratified medicine and systems biology approaches to develop predictive and pharmacodynamics markers of treatment response.
- Characterising regulatory elements and causal mechanisms by which genetic variation contributes to phenotype.
- Applying gene expression profiling to predict treatment response in patients with RA.
Examples of research programmes in epidemiology include the following.
- Undertaking longitudinal observational studies, case control studies and intervention studies.
- Investigating the co-morbidities associated with inflammatory musculoskeletal disorders and their impact on quality of life and mortality.
- Investigating environmental and genetic risk factor for developing RA, JIA and PsA.
- Hosting national databases and monitoring drug safety (i.e. pharmacoepidemiology) in RA, JIA and SLE.
- Using of big data (eg CPRD) to address relevant epidemiological questions.
- Intervention studies of devices and the development of new models of outcome in osteoarthritis.
- Investigating and predicting long-term outcomes in patients with JIA and RA including pain, quality of life, and worker-productivity loss.
- Investigating the pathophysiology, epidemiology, measurement and treatment of systemic sclerosis and primary Raynaud's phenomenon.
- Using e-health data to investigate changes in disease activity over time.
- Investigating adherence to treatment in patients with RA.
Special features
All of our postgraduate research students attend the Doctoral Academy Training Programme delivered by the Centre for Academic and Researcher Development (CARD).
The programme provides key transferable skills in areas such as commercial awareness, academic writing and public engagement. This training equips our postgraduates with the tools to progress beyond their research degree into influential positions within academia, industry and consultancy.
The emphasis is on enhancing skills critical to developing early-stage researchers and professionals, whether they relate to effective communication, disseminating research findings and project management skills.
See the training and development page for more information.
Teaching and learning
Applicants are specifically matched with a Primary Supervisor and individual project based on their research interests and background.
International applicants interested in this research area can also consider the our PhD programme with integrated teaching certificate .
This unique programme will enable you to gain a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning, whilst also carrying out independent research on your chosen project.
Scholarships and bursaries
Funded programmes and projects are promoted throughout the year. Funding is available through UK Research Councils, charities and industry. We also have other internal awards and scholarships for the most outstanding applicants from within the UK and overseas (including EU nationals).
For more information on available the types of funding we have available, please visit the funded programmes and funding opportunities pages.
What our students say
Facilities
Disability support
Careers
Career opportunities
Your postgraduate research degree will open up a range of career opportunities after you graduate. Find out more on the Careers page.