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Engineering Research Degrees - PhD

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An engineering PhD can be a pathway to a career in a wide range of related jobs, including in management roles – or in the academic world. If you’re already in such a role, the PhD is a major piece of personal development, developing new knowledge and building skills for your next career step. Your engineering PhD study builds on our expertise and professional and industry networks....

  • Level Postgraduate Research
  • Study mode Full Time/Part Time/Distance Learning

This course is:

Open to International Students

Overview

An engineering PhD can be a pathway to a career in a wide range of related jobs, including in management roles – or in the academic world. If you’re already in such a role, the PhD is a major piece of personal development, developing new knowledge and building skills for your next career step. Your engineering PhD study builds on our expertise and professional and industry networks.

We cover the major aspects of mechanical and electronic engineering and civil engineering. We are interested in interdisciplinary research building links to areas including the built environment, computing, health, law and others.

This course is open to International students.

What's covered in this course?

A PhD enables you to follow a programme of self-directed, independent study, supported by experienced supervisors who are themselves experts in their area. We may use industry experts to support some projects, and others may be run in full collaboration with an industry partner.

The Postgraduate Certificate in Research Practice prepares you for study at this level, as most find it a very different experience from previous taught courses.  Topic-specific training and support is identified and provided by your supervision team and other experts as necessary.

Although you will be developing as an independent researcher, you will be supported both by your supervisors and the wider research community in the School, Faculty and University. There are regular opportunities for you to present and share your work with other research students and staff.

Why Choose Us?

  • Expert staff supervisors, keen to help their students succeed
  • Excellent links with industry, both to support your research and your career progression
  • Research grounded in traditional areas of engineering but also keen to build cross-discipline links to shape future materials, technologies and products
  • Encouragement and support for you to publish your work
  • Opportunities to support and teach other students, including bringing your new research into their education

A range of specialist labs/workshops, software, facilities and working environments tailored to specific project needs

OPEN DAY

Join us for an on-campus Open Day where you'll be able to learn about this course in detail, chat to students, explore our campus and tour accommodation.

Next Event: 24 November 2024

Book now

Research Interests

Our engineering staff work collaboratively with business, industrial and academic partners to develop ‘real world’ applied solutions across a range of themes. Currently we are engaged on research projects developing a new generation of robust sensors, inclusive autonomous transport systems, autonomous robotics and drones, and sensor sensor networks (IOT).

Staff are also actively engaged in the development of advanced manufacturing systems to deliver lightweight vehicles, cost effective metal forming processes and sustainable systems. A key aspect of this work is its connection to industry and business which is also addressed by our logistics and supply chain team.

Current interests

We welcome enquiries relating to mechanical, electronic and civil engineering.  Current research degrees in Mechanical and Electronic Engineering are focused on, Automotive Engineering including autonomous vehicles and drones, Sensors including IOT (Internet Of Things), Manufacturing including sustainability and logistics and supply chain management.

We find it most effective to work with inquirers to focus their research ideas before a formal application is made.  You can contact either individual staff or the School's Director of Research Degrees, Professor Peter Larkham.

Areas of research in which staff are currently active include:

  • Nano-fluids and heat transfer
  • Earthquake engineering
  • Sensors and remote health monitoring
  • Fluid and structure mechanics
  • Multiphysics fluid structure interaction (FSI)
  • Numerical modelling such as Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
  • Non-linear control of fluid flow
  • Knowledge-based engineering
  • Wind engineering
  • Microfluidics
  • Nano-medicine
  • Urban drainage systems
  • Hydrological performance
  • Fibre reinforced composites
  • Polymer science
  • Product life cycle assessment

Fees & How to Apply

Please select your student status to view fees and apply
  • UK Student
  • International Student

UK students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: PhD

Starting: Feb 2025

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Full Time
  • 3-4 years
  • £4,786 in 2024/25
  • Part Time
  • 4-7 years
  • £2,393 in 2024/25
  • Distance Learning
  • 4-7 Years
  • £2,991 in 2024/25

Award: PhD

Starting: May 2025

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Full Time
  • 3-4 years
  • £4,786 in 2024/25
  • Part Time
  • 4-7 years
  • £2,393 in 2024/25
  • Distance Learning
  • 4-7 Years
  • £2,991 in 2024/25

International students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students.

Award: PhD

Starting: Feb 2025

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Full Time
  • 3-4 years
  • £14,675 in 2024/25
  • Part Time
  • 4-7 years
  • £7,338 in 2024/25
  • Distance Learning
  • 4-7 Years
  • £9,180 in 2024/25

Award: PhD

Starting: May 2025

  • Mode
  • Duration
  • Fees
  • Full Time
  • 3-4 years
  • £14,675 in 2024/25
  • Part Time
  • 4-7 years
  • £7,338 in 2024/25
  • Distance Learning
  • 4-7 Years
  • £9,180 in 2024/25

If you’re unable to use our online application form for any reason, please email Research.Admissions@bcu.ac.uk.

Access to computer equipment 

You will require use of a laptop, and most students do prefer to have their own. However, you can borrow a laptop from the university or use one of our shared computer rooms. 

Printing 

You will receive £5 print credit in each year of your course, available after enrolment. 

Access to Microsoft Office 365 

Every student at the University can download a free copy of Microsoft Office 365 to use whilst at university and for 18 months after graduation. 

Key software 

You will be able to download SPSS and Nvivo to your home computer to support with your studies and research. 

Excess printing (optional) 

Once you have spent your £5 credit, additional printing on campus costs from 5p per sheet. 

Research costs (optional) 

Due individualised nature of doctoral research, the costs associated with completion of your PhD will vary. You will need to budget for necessary equipment, books, printing and travel for conferences and/or fieldwork.  

Accommodation and living costs (optional)

The cost of accommodation and other living costs are not included within your course fees. More information on the cost of accommodation can be found in our accommodation pages.

You must complete a research proposal and upload this as part of your application. Please note that we will not be able to process your application without having received your research proposal.

Entry Requirements

To apply for our engineering PhD research degree you should have, or expect to be awarded, a Masters degree in a relevant subject area from a British or overseas university.

Exceptional candidates without a Masters degree, but holding a first class or upper second class Bachelors degree in a relevant subject area, may be considered.

We also welcome enquiries from potential PhD researchers with appropriate levels of professional experience.

We find it most effective to work with inquirers to focus their research ideas before a formal application is made.  You can contact either individual staff or the Faculty’s Director of Research Degrees, Professor Peter Larkham (peter.larkham@bcu.ac.uk)

Alternatively please send us an initial PhD enquiry containing your brief PhD research proposal (1000-2000 words), and/or any questions or queries you may have.

We will review your initial enquiry to ensure that your research proposal compliments one of our PhD research interests and if so we will ask you to make a full application.  We are unable to progress any proposals that do not have a clear and close link to our interests.

Course in Depth

Why study a PhD?

Are you keen to contribute innovative ideas to your field? Looking to solve problems, discover something new, and make a difference to society?

We have a vibrant research community here at Birmingham City University, with many talented postgraduate researchers developing and exchanging knowledge across their fields.

Conducting a PhD will allow you to develop cutting-edge research in your area of interest, with the support of your research supervisor and fellow research community.

The PhD Journey

Full-time students are expected to complete within 3-4 years, whilst part-time students may take 4-7 years. In your first year (two years for PT students) you will spend time reviewing the field, refining your research proposal and projected plan, and developing key topic-specific research skills. You will be supported in this through attendance at the Postgraduate Certificate in Research Practice, which runs for the first semester of your studies.

Your progress is reviewed every 6 months, with alternating ‘light-touch’ written reviews with your supervisors and annual reviews involving a written paper, presentation and interview with an independent panel of experienced supervisors.

Your second year (years 3 and 4 for PT students) is likely to be spent undertaking in-depth research (data collection and analysis) in your chosen area, with the third year (years 5-6 for PT students) involving writing up your results and presenting them in a suitable format (usually a written thesis of some 80,000 words).

Once you have submitted your thesis the examiners usually need 6-8 weeks to read it before the viva (oral) examination, after which there is likely to be a period for corrections / rewriting before successful completion and award of your PhD.

Throughout your studies we aim to develop your research skills, and support you in presenting your work through publication and conferences. We expect your participation in the range of research-related activities within the Faculty, contributing to building our research community. You many get opportunities to teach and support other students. We also encourage you to think of your career path and development in the longer term, as well as the first post-PhD job.

Modes of Study

Our PhD programmes are offered full-time or part-time. These modes of study ensure that we can create a PhD research plan around your lifestyle needs, even if you are in full-time employment or overseas.

Full-time PhD Research: three to four years

As a full-time PhD research student we expect you to spend much of your time using facilities on campus and contributing to our research culture.  You may spend periods of time away from campus collecting data (‘fieldwork’ on site or using libraries and other facilities). You will usually spend at least 37 hours per week engaged in research.

You will be expected to complete your research and submit your work for examination within 36-43 months.

Part-time PhD Research: four to seven years

You would choose part-time PhD research if you opt to study while in employment or if full-time study is impractical.

You will be encouraged to use the campus facilities and attend research events when you can and may often work from home.  Electronic contact with supervisors is possible but face-to-face contact has great benefits.

You will be expected to complete your research and submit your work for examination within 48-72 months.

How the PhD is assessed

Your progress is reviewed every 6 months, with alternating ‘light-touch’ written reviews with your supervisors and annual reviews involving a written paper, presentation and interview with an independent panel of experienced supervisors.  The annual reviews will assess whether you continue with your PhD studies, or whether lack of progress means that you should transfer to an MPhil, or withdraw from your study.

Once you have submitted your thesis the examiners usually need 6-8 weeks to read it before the viva (oral) examination. The viva commonly lasts between 1 and 3 hours and questions can be wide-ranging about your research, how it fits into your discipline, and its contribution to knowledge and impact.  The examiners’ recommendation is based on a combination of the thesis and viva performance.

Following the viva there is likely to be a period for corrections / rewriting before successful completion and award of your PhD.

Employability

The PhD is a well-established and valued academic qualification within the sector and is highly likely to enhance career prospects. For those wanting to follow a career in teaching and researching in Higher Education, a PhD is highly desirable.

After the PhD

From the very start of your PhD journey we encourage you to think about what happens after you graduate: how the PhD will contribute to your career plan from identifying and getting your first job to beyond.  We use the VITAE research career development framework to help you plan for your future.

Industry links

We have close links to a wide range of organisations in engineering-related industries.  PhD students have benefited from these links in, for example, PhD funding (for example a project with the Diamond Light Source, the UK’s national synchrotron science facility at Harwell, Oxfordshire) and access to key individuals and data (work on aero engine design and materials with Rolls Royce). In motor vehicle related projects we work with companies ranging from JLR to Morgan Cars. We are working on autonomous vehicles with companies including Westfield Sportscars, Heathrow Enterprises, Fusion Processing, Creative Example and Conigital.

International

Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.

The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.

Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:

Facilities & Staff

Engineering bays
Engineering-facilities
Engineering-facilities
Engineering-Workshop-Facilities

Our Facilities

The Department of Engineering provides the perfect setting for practical work with modern-day teaching and learning facilities. We pride ourselves on equipping our students with the skill set that they need not only working on industry standard equipment, but having industrial links, which set them up perfectly for a career in engineering.

We are currently undertaking a £400 million investment programme in our facilities, including a major expansion of our City Centre Campus. As part of this, our facilities in Millennium Point have undergone a £6.5 million investment to include a new maker area, engineering labs and equipment.

We have invested in industry-standard facilities to support the practice-based elements of our Engineering courses and give students as much practical learning as possible, to prepare for industry placements and job opportunities after graduation. Students have access to our facilities during classes, and can book out of class sessions with our specialist technicians. 

We are a partner of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Institute of Technology (GBSIoT) and have secured £1.1 million of government funding for investment in brand-new equipment and facilities. Funding of £808,000 from the Department for Education has supported our development of an Electric Vehicle (EV) Test Rig, an Additive Manufacturing Machine (3D printer) and a material testing-split zone furnace.

The IoT has enabled procurement of new technologies for material testing, electronics prototyping and production and 3D scanning to compliment computer aided design for manufacture

Engineering facilities

Our staff

Professor Peter Larkham

Professor of Planning

Peter Larkham is Professor of Planning at the University’s College of the Built Environment. He teaches planning-related issues such as conservation and urban design on the College’s BSc and MSc courses and leads its Postgraduate Certificate in Research Practice.

More about Peter