Overview

As a research postgraduate in the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics you will be supported by a team of experts in your chosen field. You will also have the opportunity to develop and enhance your skill set through appropriate research training.

To help you identify a topic and potential supervisor, we encourage you to find out more about our staff specialisms and read about the PhD projects undertaken by some of our recent postgraduate students. A list of example statistical projects currently offered is also available.

As a PhD student you will be supported by team supervision. You will also go through a research training analysis to identify any skills that you need to develop.

Attendance is flexible and agreed between you and your supervisors depending on the requirements of your research project. You are expected to undertake 40 hours of work per week, with an annual holiday entitlement of 35 days (including statutory and bank holidays).

Research areas

We have broad research interests covering applied and medical statistics, and a lively seminar programme.

Our work breaks down into the following research groups:

• Bayesian statistics
• Biostatistics
• Statistical bioinformatics and stochastic systems biology

Research funding

We undertake projects funded by the Research Councils, major trusts, government departments and the EU. Since 2008, members of the School have been named on over £16m of research awards. Many of these awards were for large interdisciplinary projects, in which the School played a vital role, including: 

• a £5.5m Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council grant to explore the potential of microorganisms to provide clean water
• a £1.5m European Commission project to study eukaryotic genomic origins, parasites, and the essential nature of mitochondria
• a £2.1m Medical Research Council funded project on ways to advance health and wellbeing in later life

In total, £3.5m of funding was attributed to the School.