Course summary

We are committed to tackling current and future scientific challenges, and our current research priorities, facilities and infrastructure put us in a strong position to achieve this. Of course, we also need enthusiastic and enterprising young research workers who are eager to learn, determined to succeed, and committed to carrying out research to the highest standards of excellence. Currently, there are over 100 postgraduate students and postdoctoral research fellows carrying out research across a broad range of chemical disciplines. Please consult our research website and decide the area of Chemistry in which you want to work, and with which member(s) of staff. You can then approach staff members directly, or contact the School Admissions Tutor, who will be happy to provide advice about the admissions process and help put you in touch with members of staff who have similar research interests to your own. Why study for A Chemistry PhD at Birmingham?

• Over the last four years, expenditure of over £2 million has allowed the School of Chemistry to purchase new instrumentation and refurbish and redevelop its facilities for research and teaching. This has been accompanied by the creation of several new staff positions. This increased research strength has been recognised by the research councils, who have given substantial support for research in the School in the last few years. With the facilities and opportunities available to our researchers, we can make real contributions to tackling the scientific challenges that face chemists today.

• You will provided with an Induction Programme, which generally occurs within the first week of Semester 1. The Induction Programme considers aspects such as the School Structure, Key Personnel, and Safety Matters, and is supplemented by a number of generic and subject specific Training Programmes.

• You will also receive training in thesis writing through the requirement to submit two reports (a literature review and end of year one research review) in their first year of registration. These reports are reviewed by two assessors, and feedback is provided. During subsequent years, you may gain experience with paper writing through submission of research for publication.

• The School also organises an Annual Postgraduate Research Conference in July, at which all PG students attend. Students in their second year of registration produce a poster for this conference, while third year students are required to give an oral presentation. You will be actively encouraged to present your work at National and International conferences, and evidence for the success of our procedures in presentation training is provided by numerous best student talk/poster prize winners at such conferences.