Faculty of Social Sciences
Department of Geography
Postgraduate Research in Geography
In addition to our highly successful undergraduate level courses, the Department of Geography has a strong postgraduate research programme. We supervise MPhil and PhD students in the same way as at other universities - on a face to face basis. We strongly encourage full-time registration for these degrees, although part-time registration is also available under certain circumstances.
Our research environment for postgraduate students
We have a lively postgraduate student community that forms an important part of our research culture. Students are regarded as valued members of the department, able to interact with research-active academic staff and post-doctoral fellows based on campus in Milton Keynes, as well as with other staff and students in the Social Science Faculty and its associated research centres. Students are expected to participate in the full range of on-campus research events ranging from relaxed forums where academics and students can discuss topics such as the practicalities of fieldwork and thesis writing, to more formal seminars given by invited external academics. Students can become members of the OpenSpace Research Centre which generates cutting-edge debates on the following broad themes:
- Culture, Space, Politics
- Materiality and the Challenge of the Non-human
- Environment, Politics and Justice
Besides conference attendance, the Department encourages postgraduates to organise events to build networks with students and academics from other departments and universities. For example, Praxis is an informal student-run conference that takes place once a year for students working in the Social Sciences, and is a space where theory meets practice, where students catch up, present and discuss research issues and share experiences.
Supervision
All postgruduate students are provided with two supervisors for the duration of their studies. Supervisors meet regularly with students, acting as academic advisors, providing guidance on research topics, on the skills needed to successfully complete a research degree, on planning research and on writing a thesis. They read and discuss students work, helping to develop ideas and to encourage critical and independent thinking.
Current PhD students
Staff represent a wide range of research interests and will consider supervising topics in many different areas. Please visit the current PhD students profiles for further information on our current PhD research.
Many students who have recently completed a PhD in the Department have gone on to further post-doctoral research or to permanent academic posts.