Built Environment

Award Award	Duration Duration	Start dates Start dates	Application Application
PhD PhD	Full-time: 3–4 years Part-time: 6–8 years Full-time: 3–4 years Part-time: 6–8 years	February and October February and October	January to April January to April

Built Environment research within the School of Engineering and Innovation is highly interdisciplinary, with academic backgrounds including architecture, design, engineering, planning and social science. We conduct high impact and innovative research into the design, construction and use of the built environment, with a strong focus on environmental and social sustainability and meeting the Sustainable Development Goals. Together we work on the multiple challenges facing the built environment today, to improve understanding, to research and develop solutions, and to assess the impacts of those solutions.

Our research is co-created with industry stakeholders and communities, and influences policy, professional institutions, and industry behaviour. We retain excellent links and successful collaborations with other academic colleagues within the OU, other UK institutions, and with prestigious universities and institutions across the world.

Masters degree (or equivalent) and evidence of capacity and enthusiasm for research. If you are not a UK citizen, you may need to prove your knowledge of English.

We welcome mature students, and we are open to applications for part-time and full-time study.

If you are interested in discussing the possibility of undertaking a PhD in any area related topics:

Check our individual research pages, interests and publications to see who might be the best fit for you, or get in touch with Professor Theo Zamenopoulos or Dr Katerina Alexiou if you are not sure. You will need to develop a research proposal, and to do some background reading around your topic. We will support you in finding funding where possible; please note that this can often take a year or more to arrange. Do read this blog post on thinking about doing a PhD.

UK fee UK fee	International fee International fee
Full-time: £5,006 per year Full-time: £5,006 per year	Full-time: £16,420 per year Full-time: £16,420 per year
Part-time: £2,503 per year Part-time: £2,503 per year	Part-time: £8,210 per year Part-time: £8,210 per year

Some of our research students are funded via the Open-Oxford-Cambridge AHRC Doctoral Training Partnership; others are self-funded.

For detailed information about fees and funding, visit Fees and studentships.

To see current funded studentship vacancies across all research areas, see Current studentships.

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