Overview

Why choose this programme

Our Department of Higher Education is one of the largest departments in the UK dedicated to multidisciplinary research solely in higher education, investigating academic identity and development, assessment and feedback, and learning and teaching in the disciplinary context.

We’ve secured research grants from a variety of funders, including the British Academy, the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), the Leverhulme Trust, the Staff and Educational Development Association (SEDA) and the Society for Research into Higher Education (SRHE).

In the Higher Education programme of the University of Surrey you’ll benefit from our vibrant research culture and you’ll work alongside leading academics who’re at the forefront of their respective fields, giving you access to expertise in a range of areas of higher education.

What you will study

Our PhD is research-based, so you’ll spend most of your time developing a research question, conducting original research, analysing your results and writing up your research findings, all under the guidance of your project supervisors. We’ll also give you tailored research methods training through online and face-to-face tutorials.

Current students are researching topics including:

Pedagogical content knowledge of English as a second or foreign language teachers: effects of teacher education and expertise.

Promoting English foreign language students’ willingness to communicate through teacher classroom behaviour and strategies in the Saudi context.

Re-imagining students’ becomings: new approaches to thinking and doing transition.

Role of self-perception in the reconstruction of teacher’s identity: exploring the impact on foreign trained English teachers in higher education institutions.

We’ll equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to shape professional practice and policy, allowing you to pursue highly a fulfilling career in academic, research and learning development positions within the higher education sector. Graduates also take up roles as researchers for government think-tanks, as well as policy research advisers.

Programme Structure

Research themes

Our research investigates:

Assessment and feedback, including external examiners practice and student engagement with feedback.

Educational transitions, including students and academic staff transitions and mobility, in national and international academic contexts.

Identities and values in education, including professional identity development of academic staff and students.

Language and literacy learning, including students' motivation in learning English Language.

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and disciplinary education, including girls’ participation in STEM subjects at the higher education level, and the teaching and learning of STEM and disciplinary subjects.

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months
Part-time
- 96 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2024-10-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2024-07-01 00:00:00
Starting 2025-01-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2024-10-13 00:00:00
Starting 2025-04-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2025-03-01 00:00:00
Starting 2025-07-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2025-04-19 00:00:00

Language

English

IELTS

7

Schedule an IELTS test!

PTE Academic

65

TOEFL^® IBT

95

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Delivered

On Campus

Disciplines

Higher Education View 7 other PhDs in Higher Education in United Kingdom

Academic requirements

GPA

Required

English requirements

IELTS

7

Schedule an IELTS test!

PTE Academic

65

TOEFL^® IBT

95

Interested in an IELTS preparation course? Get started here

Student insurance

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:

Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
Repatriation, if something happens to you or your family
Liability
Home contents and baggage
Accidents
Legal aid

We partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.

Get your student insurance now

Starting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.

Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at University of Surrey and/or in United Kingdom, please visit Student Insurance Portal.

Other requirements

General requirements

Applicants are expected to hold a good honours degree in an appropriate discipline.

IELTS Academic of 7.0 overall or above (or equivalent) with at least 6.0 in each individual category.

Tuition Fee

To always see correct tuition fees

International

18600 GBP/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 18600 GBP per year during 48 months.
National

4712 GBP/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 4712 GBP per year during 48 months.

Living costs for Guildford

660 - 1140 GBP /month

Living costs

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Higher Education.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

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