Postgraduate research degrees

PhD candidates normally register for an MPhil in the first instance and must pass a formal examination normally 9 to 12 months after registration before transferring onto a PhD programme. You will undertake a research project under the continued guidance of at least two supervisors, a minimum of two of whom must be based at City St George’s.

The minimum period of study for a PhD is two calendar years of full-time study or the equivalent in part time study. A PhD thesis should consist of an account of your own investigations, form a distinct contribution to the knowledge of the subject and afford evidence of originality by the discovery of new facts and/or by the exercise of independent critical power. You should normally have, or expect to obtain, at least a 2:1 Honours degree or MSc in an appropriate discipline before applying.

The MD(Res) programme is designed for practising clinicians with a medical qualification and who are registered with the General Medical Council.

It can be studied full time (minimum registration period – one year, plus an additional year for writing up) or part time (minimum registration period – two years plus an additional year for writing up) and students are normally expected to spend at least eight session a week on research).

Your appointed supervisors will guide you for the length of registration and your thesis should deal with any branch of medicine, surgery or medical or dental science.

The application process

If you are applying for a studentship, the relevant guidelines and forms will be provided as part of the application process for that studentship.

If you are applying for an individual project, you will be expected to approach potential supervisors to discuss this with them. If they agree to take you on, they will provide you with an application form. Please do not send speculative applications without an agreed supervisory team in place.

If you are unsure where to start in finding a supervisor, please contact our Senior Tutors for Research (see the ‘Find a supervisor and project’ section below).

Funding for fees (studentships and non-studentships)

All applications submitted to a UK higher education institution require a fee status assessment based on UK Government regulations. Applicants will be classified as either ‘Home’ or ‘Overseas’.

Further information on fee status regulations is available from the UKCISA website: Find your fee status.

Studentships normally pay tuition fees at the ‘Home student’ UKRI fee rate only.

Applicants classified as ‘Overseas’ will be required to cover the difference between the Home fee rate and the institutional Overseas fee rate from other funding sources. This is typically an annual cost of approximately £15,000–£20,000 for full-time students.

Studentship awardees are not normally permitted to use their stipend or research and training support budget to top up tuition fees.

If you are self-funding, you will be expected to provide evidence of your ability to cover the cost of fees as part of the application process.

Additional support

Each studentship award includes an annual allowance of up to £7,000 FTE for research training and support.

How to apply for a studentship (individual or multiple projects)

To apply for the PhD programme, follow these steps:

1. Find out whether the PhD programme is right for you.
2. Check the studentship funding information above.
3. Ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria below.
4. If multiple projects are available, select the one most closely aligned with your research interests.
5. Contact your potential supervisors to discuss your proposed project.
6. Prepare the mandatory application documents.
7. Read the research proposal guidance below, then:
   1. Complete the application form
   2. Complete the equal opportunities form
   3. Submit the documents and research proposal to stgeorgesphd@sgul.ac.uk.

For the most up-to-date application form, email stgeorgesphd@sgul.ac.uk.

If you are invited to interview, reference forms will be sent to you to pass to your referees for submission to stgeorgesphd@sgul.ac.uk.

Guidance for the research proposal

Applicants must submit a research proposal for their chosen project. This should expand on the advertised project abstract and provide sufficient detail for the selection panel to assess readiness for doctoral study and suitability for an award.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss their proposal with the proposed supervisory team throughout the application process.

Research proposals should be no more than three pages in length.

The research proposal should:

• Identify a specific research question or hypothesis
• Summarise relevant background literature (no more than five key references)
• Outline appropriate research methodologies
• Explain the potential broader impact of the research
• Describe relevant experience and skills, and areas for further development
• Identify potential methodological or professional challenges and how these may be addressed

Proposals must be presented in Arial or Times New Roman, with a minimum font size of 10 and margins of at least 1.5 cm.

All pages must be clearly labelled with the applicant’s name. Additional material should not be attached, as it will not be considered.

Eligibility for a Research Degree

Qualifications

Applicants must hold, or expect to obtain before September 2025, an undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject.

Ideally, applicants will hold a first-class or upper second-class (2:1) honours degree.

Applicants with a lower second-class (2:2) degree must clearly demonstrate relevant experience, skills, and suitability for doctoral study.

Some projects have additional requirements, which are detailed in individual project advertisements. Applicants may also contact supervisory teams directly with questions.

English language requirements

International applicants whose first language is not English should review the entry requirements page for full details.

Our Research Degree Programmes are part of the wider Doctoral College.

The Doctoral College supports a research culture of discovery and enterprise to ensure that your time at City St George's is positive and inspiring.

Working with our academic Schools and Departments our mission is to enhance the PGR experience and ensure the quality of our PhD programmes.

The Doctoral will run induction and training throughout your study.

To see a full list of department and centres visit the School of Health & Medical Sciences page.

Research at our Tooting campus is conducted within our Departments (see table below), each of which has academic staff responsible for postgraduate research students. They can offer you help and guidance in finding a suitable supervisor.

Information about research degree fees can be found in our salaries and fees 2025 to 2026 document (PDF).

The London Intercollegiate Doctoral Training Partnership (MRC LID) is a partnership between City St George’s, University of London (CSGUL) and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC).

MRC LID brings together two outstanding specialist schools to provide integrated skills training to develop a cohort of biomedical and public health scientists. The themes for studentship awards cover:

• global health
• health data science
• translational and implementation research
• infectious diseases.

Further details about entry criteria and the application process can be found on the MRC LID website.

A Postgraduate Doctoral Loan from the UK Governement could help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate doctoral course, such as a PhD.

Supervisory Team

• Led by Dr Kate Everett, Reader in Human Genetics, keverett@citystgeorges.ac.uk.
• Dr Saranne Weller, Reader in Higher Education Practice and Development, sweller@citystgeorges.ac.uk.

Title of project

Upskilling the Workforce: Genomic Medicine Education in Healthcare Professionals Training

Project details

Upskilling the specialist and wider workforce in genomic medicine is a critical priority for future healthcare practice. Funded through NHS England’s Genomics Education Programme’s, Genomics Pedagogic Scheme (GPedS), awarded to the School of Health and Medical Sciences, this PhD project will centre on the genomic education and workforce transformation requirements to meet rapidly changing workforce needs, addressing current and emerging skills gaps across healthcare professions. Outputs of the project will contribute evidence and theoretical insight to support the sustainable mainstreaming of genomics education across the workforce.

The successful candidate will develop the focus of the PhD, aligned with their interests and expertise, and informed by emerging needs in genomic medicine education. Working at the intersection of genomic medicine education, pedagogic research, and educational practice, the candidate will develop an advanced understanding of workforce capability requirements and critically evaluate existing and novel educational models. The PhD will generate original, transformative proposals with the potential to shape future workforce education policy and practice in genomic medicine.

To qualify for GPedS funding, candidates must work in the England's NHS Genomics Medicine Service.

Entry requirements

• A significant knowledge, understanding and experience of the genomic medicine service; the workforce, training and education landscape and the principles and practice of education (e.g. dedicated educator role or education leadership role in genomics education).
• A good honour’s degree (normally no less than a second-class honours degree from a UK University) and/or a qualification at FHEQ Level 7 such as a registrable qualification in Medicine or Master’s degree awarded by a UK University, or an equivalent qualification approved by City St George’s as of comparable standards awarded by recognised overseas universities / institutions in an appropriate subject for the desired programme of study.
• FHEQ Level 7 degree (masters, postgraduate diploma or postgraduate certificate) in tertiary level education (e.g. medical education, higher education, academic practice) or equivalent evidence of experience in education and education research (e.g. led large scale education projects/programmes, undertaken education research projects, published in peer reviewed education journals).
• Prospective candidates who are not a national of a majority English-speaking country as defined by the UK Government must meet any one or a combination of a score of 6.5 in IELTS or the award of an academic qualification equivalent to a UK degree from a majority English-speaking country.

Project key words

Genomics education, pedagogy research, education research, workforce development.

Funding

The studentship, funded by the University under the Genomics Pedagogy Scheme (GPedS), provides funding for three years full-time or part time and includes home tuition fees plus a tax-free stipend.

Application process

Applications should include a completed application form (please contact Dr Saranne Weller on sweller@citystgeorges.ac.uk for this form), a CV and a maximum 1000-word statement.

The statement can take the form of:

• Either, a proposal for a specific research topic for the PhD. Guidance on preparing a research proposal is available here.
• Or, an academically informed overview of the major challenges involved in genomics workforce education, demonstrating your capacity for critical analysis and doctoral-level inquiry, and outlining potential directions you might explore through PhD research.

Please send the completed applications to stgeorgesphd@sgul.ac.uk by no later than 5pm on Friday 26 June 2026.

An equal opportunities form should also be submitted as a separate document. References will be requested should you be successful in being offered the studentship.

Applications will undergo shortlisting and successful applicants will then be invited to interview between 20-31 July 2026.

The successful candidate will be given a verbal offer and once it has been accepted, will be sent a formal offer letter and, in due course, a registration pack with joining information.

Unsuccessful candidates will be contacted with their outcomes at the earliest opportunity and will be able to request feedback if required.

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