doing a phd at ucl

• Search PhD Projects & Programmes
• PhDs by Subject
• PhDs by Institution
• Latest PhDs

University College London

One of the world’s leading universities, UCL is London’s top multidisciplinary research university with an international reputation for the quality of its research and teaching. Defining characteristics of a UCL education: An exceptional learning environment - UCL is rated joint-fifth in the QS World University Rankings - UCL has the best academic to student ratio in the UK (1:10) (The Guardian university league table 2015) - Nobel Prizes have been awarded to 29 people who are, or were, students or academics at UCL. - Based in Bloomsbury, central London, UCL is surrounded by the greatest concentration of libraries, museums, archives and professional bodies in Europe - UCL attracts top academics and students from 151 different countries, resulting in a vibrant and cosmopolitan academic community. A global leader in generating new knowledge - UCL is the top-rated university in the UK for research strength in the Research Excellence Framework 2014, by a measure of average research score multiplied by staff numbers submitted - Pioneering UCL research feeds directly into our graduate programmes, resulting in novel interdisciplinary programmes in emergent disciplines. Explore our 700 graduate programmes in our online prospectus - UCL’s research-based teaching methodology means that research is integrated into many of our degrees and students have the opportunity to make an original contribution to their field of study Advancing your career - UCL is the fourth highest rated university in Europe for employability (Global Employability University Ranking 2014) - UCL was awarded an Employer Review score of 99.4 out of 100 in the QS World University Rankings 2015 - The average starting salary for UCL Master’s graduates was £27,346 in 2013-14 (HESA 2013) A distinctive ethos - UCL was founded in 1826 to open up university education in England to those who had been excluded from it. In 1878, it became the first university in England to admit women students on equal terms with men - UCL’s ethos is strongly influenced by its spiritual founder Jeremy Bentham, the utilitarian philosopher, who famously said: "it is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of right and wrong” - This philosophy manifests itself today in UCL’s approach and commitment to tackling global problems and the importance it places on global citizenship - More locally, UCL is the only London university to be a Beacon of Public Engagement, working with partners to build closer involvement between universities, local communities and the wider public. What others say about UCL: “Complex problems require complex responses. The only institutions in our society that bring together a range of different actors from different disciplines are universities. And UCL is paramountly the absolute best place to go to look for this kind of multidisciplinary response to one of the greatest challenges facing the world.” Dr Richard Horton, Editor of 'The Lancet', on the UCL-Lancet Commission on Managing the Health Effects of Climate Change.

By Department/School/Faculty

FindAPhD. Copyright 2005-2024 All rights reserved.

Unknown    ( change )

Have you got time to answer some quick questions about PhD study?

Select your nearest city

You haven’t completed your profile yet. To get the most out of FindAPhD, finish your profile and receive these benefits:

• Monthly chance to win one of ten £10 Amazon vouchers ; winners will be notified every month.*
• The latest PhD projects delivered straight to your inbox
• Access to our £6,000 scholarship competition
• Weekly newsletter with funding opportunities, research proposal tips and much more
• Early access to our physical and virtual postgraduate study fairs

Or begin browsing FindAPhD.com

or begin browsing FindAPhD.com

*Offer only available for the duration of your active subscription, and subject to change. You MUST claim your prize within 72 hours, if not we will redraw.

Do you want hassle-free information and advice?

Create your FindAPhD account and sign up to our newsletter:

• Find out about funding opportunities and application tips
• Receive weekly advice, student stories and the latest PhD news
• Hear about our upcoming study fairs
• Save your favourite projects, track enquiries and get personalised subject updates

Create your account

Looking to list your PhD opportunities? Log in here .

UCL School of Management

University college london, phd in management.

Start date:  September 2024 Duration: 5 years (1 year MRes + 4 years PhD) Fees:  We offer fully funded scholarships to all admitted students Application deadline: 01 February 2024 (17:00 UK time). A late submission window closes on 05 April 2024 (17:00 UK time), although we encourage you to apply early as places are limited and applications are subject to close sooner if places are filled. Entry:  Minimum of a first class bachelor's degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline. International students, please note that UCL’s English language requirement for this programme is a ' Level 1 ' (IELTS and TOEFL are the preferred test, however others on the UCL recognised test list will be accepted if required) - further details regarding this can be found on the  UCL English Language Requirements  page.

PhD students pursue their studies in one of the Operations & Technology, Strategy & Entrepreneurship, Marketing & Analytics, and Organisations & Innovation groups. All four groups offer a unique education and research experience to a small number of highly motivated students, with the intent of preparing them for scholarly careers at the highest level.

PhD studies in Operations and Technology

Across the different research themes , there is a shared interest in management science, operations management and business technologies. Topics of interest include R&D management, innovation and new product development, service systems, supply chain management and healthcare operations. For candidates in this area, a degree in engineering (e.g. industrial, electrical, computer, mechanical etc), economics, mathematics, statistics or operational research is preferred. 

PhD studies in Strategy and Entrepreneurship

S&E faculty research  focuses on understanding what makes firms successful, how they cope with a complex and dynamic environment, and what leads to new business formation and growth. Doctoral training involves close collaboration between the doctoral student and faculty members on shared research interests, coursework at UCL and other institutions, and independent research. Doctoral students also benefit from the S&E group’s collaborative research community, a lively program of research speakers from other institutions, and links with researchers worldwide. Topics of interest include digitization, big data analytics, machine learning, information environment, platform ecosystems, new organisational forms, learning, innovation, competition, interorganisational relationships, corporate strategy, entrepreneurial strategy, entrepreneurship for development, social innovation. 

PhD studies in Marketing and Analytics

Topics of interest in this group include branding, retailing, advertising, pricing, product development, marketing channels, business marketing, marketing strategy and e-commerce. The researchers in this group use diverse quantitative methodologies that include big data analytics, regression analysis, choice models, field experiments and Bayesian econometrics.

PhD studies in Organisations and Innovation

O&I faculty research focuses on understanding individual and team outcomes within organisations. Group members engage with a variety of perspectives and approaches including network research, experiments and ethnographies. There is a shared interest in the topics of creativity, innovation, social networks and diversity. For applicants to the PhD programme, prior training in social science (e.g. social psychology, sociology or economics) is highly relevant. 

PhD studies in Financial Economics

Our MRes and PhD Programme in Financial Economics with UCL's Department of Economics now has more information about how to apply and what you can expect from the programme on a brand new programme page, please see the specific entry requirements and programme structure here . 

PhD Structure

• The programme typically consists of five years of full-time study, starting with one year of modules registered as MRes. These modules are typically advanced postgraduate modules to provide rigorous methodological training to prepare students for their PhD research. Along with the School’s modules, students typically take some of these from other UCL departments (e.g., Economics, Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology), the London Business School, Bayes Business School, and Imperial College Business School.
• In addition to methods modules, students also undertake a first-year research project under the tutoring and supervision of a faculty member later in the MRes year (Term 3 + Summer period).
• Progression from MRes to PhD is not automatic . Superior performance in taught modules and independent, original research is required for progression from MRes to PhD.
• Our highly selective and small-sized PhD programme ensures that each student receives personal attention and guidance from our faculty members throughout their doctoral study. The close mentorship process forms the foundations of a successful academic career. 
• We expect our PhD graduates to have as their goal an academic career as a faculty member in a top business school or engineering department of a world-class university
• PhD applications are reviewed once a completed application form has been submitted online . 

Students take a total of 180 credits in the MRes year. This is made up of the MRes Research Project:

• MSIN0135 - MRes Research Project: 8,000-10,000 words . 105 credits.

Students take 75 credits of taught modules, of which the following three are compulsory modules:

• MSIN0131 - Research Presentation and Critical Writing Skills . 15 credits
• MSIN0132 - Seminar in Organisation Theory . 15 credits
• MSIN0240 - Designing Management Research Projects.  15 credits

Finally, students choose elective modules (15 credits each) among those offered by the School of Management, other UCL Departments (e.g., Economics, Psychology), and partner universities in London.

Students can take additional (non-credit) modules at UCL and our partners schools in the remaining years to complement their learning, but there is no requirement to take modules after the MRes year.

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, and class discussion based on case studies and other activities. Student performance is assessed through simulations, presentations, coursework, group projects, class participation, and examinations. 

Students typically study 3 compulsory modules over Terms 1 and 2. Students will also typically study 2 optional modules which may take place in Terms 1, 2 or 3. Students will also undertake a substantial research project, which would usually be undertaken over Terms 2 and 3. 

Each taught module is delivered over 10 weeks, with 3 contact hours per week comprising lecture content and interactive components. 

In addition, students typically spend approximately 6-8 hours a week for each module on assessment and independent study to further develop the skills and knowledge covered in lectures and seminars. The total number of weekly hours will vary according to the weekly activities being undertaken.

Why choose us

What our students say:.

'The UCL School of Management PhD programme is designed to provide students with skills that lead to academic excellence. Candidates are part of a dynamic and vibrant group and benefit from the programme's flexibility, as they can choose from a wide range of disciplines. The frequent cooperation with world-leading faculty members enhances our knowledge and skills and ultimately leads to high-quality research output, laying the foundations for a subsequent successful academic career.' 

UCL School of Management has forged a reputation for world-leading research in management studies with 95% of the School’s research deemed to be world-leading or internationally excellent, the second highest percentage of any business school in the UK, according to the 2021 REF. 

Video Library

Applications

Applying for our mres/phd programme.

Entry requirements and admissions criteria:

We seek to recruit highly motivated, ambitious students with strong educational backgrounds. The ideal candidate will have a first-class Bachelor's degree from the UK or an overseas qualification of equivalent standard from a leading university. We encourage students from a wide variety of backgrounds (e.g, engineering, economics, business, mathematics/statistics, psychology, sociology, and anthropology, among others) to apply to our programme. Also, notice that a Master’s or graduate level degree is not required for admission, you can apply with only an undergraduate (e.g. bachelors) degree. 

In your personal statement you are expected to suggest one or more faculty members as potential supervisors. On the application form you may see that it states that it is preferred that you contact potential supervisors beforehand – you do not need to do so. In fact, applicants are discouraged from randomly contacting individual faculty members or potential supervisors when applying to our programme. All applications are first evaluated by a joint admissions committee, so contacting potential supervisors separately will not increase your chances.

All MRes/PhD applicants are normally expected to take either a GMAT test or GRE test (UCL's institution code is 3344, but also make sure you include a scanned copy of your test result on your online application), although the School has no minimum score requirements.  

We also require you to submit IELTS or TOEFL scores if English is not your first language. Our School requires a “Level 1” English qualification which corresponds to:

• IELTS: Overall grade of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each of the sub-tests.
• TOEFL: Score of 92, plus 24/30 in the reading and writing subtests and 20/30 in the listening and speaking subtests.  

Application Deadline

The application window closes 01 February 2024 (17:00 UK time) and a late submission window closes on 05 April 2024 (17:00 UK time). We advise those interested in the programme to apply before 01 February 2024, as those applying in the late submission window will only be considered if there are still places remaining.

Application Procedure

Apply via UCL Postgraduate Admissions System here . When starting the application, you must select the MRes option. In addition to filling out the online application form, please upload a copy of the following documents:

• Official Transcripts of Grades / Course marks
• A 2-3 page personal statement or research proposal* that clearly indicates: (i) which research group you are interested in (i.e., Organisations & Innovation, Strategy & Entrepreneurship, Marketing & Analytics or Operations & Technology, (ii) your research interests and preliminary research ideas, (iii) potential faculty member(s) you may want to work with (this is a suggested list, you don’t need to contact potential supervisors beforehand), and (iv) your motivation to do a PhD.
• Your  GRE / GMAT  score report**
• Your IELTS/TOEFL score report, if English is not your first language.

* While submission of a full research proposal is not required, you can send us one if you have already written it up.

** You can submit your application even if you don’t have a GRE/GMAT score —simply indicate when you plan to take the test.

Funding/Scholarships

We offer fully funded five year MRes/PhD scholarships in the UCL School of Management to all admitted students. The scholarship is open to all nationalities. It covers all tuition fees, and includes an annual stipend of £25,000, which is tax-free.

Additional costs 

This programme does not have any compulsory additional costs outside of purchasing books or stationery, printing, thesis binding or photocopying.  

Students may have the opportunity to participate in conferences in the UK and internationally. The UCL School of Management provides MRes/PhD students with an annual budget for conferences, which students will use to cover the travel, accommodation, food and other costs whilst at conferences, in line with UCL’s expenses policy. 

Apply today

For queries about the MRes/PhD Programme that are not addressed on our web pages, please contact [email protected] .

Register for More Information

Frequently Asked Questions about the UCL School of Management MRes/PhD Programme

Programme Information

Application process, admissions requirements, further information.

If you have any other questions regarding the programme that are not addressed on our web pages please email the programme team ( [email protected] )

UCL DOCTORAL SCHOOL

Research Student Log

Skills Development Programme

Research Integrity

'InfraSkin2' by Vasileios Chlorokostas, Bartlett School of Architecture

Welcome to the Doctoral School website

The Doctoral School is committed to ensuring that the quality of research training at UCL is at the highest international level. We aim to ensure that you as a research student or supervisor work in a high quality research training environment. UCL is proud to have been judged to be one of the leading research universities in the world. We aim to develop creative rigorous researchers for both academic and non-academic research careers across the world.

Through courses, inter-disciplinary programmes, and scholarships we encourage research students to look beyond the boundaries of their chosen discipline, as well as sharing and broadening knowledge across disciplines through societies and competitions. All of these activities are detailed on this website with links to all elements of the doctoral research training environment here at UCL.

News and Events

Useful links.

• UCL Research
• Graduate Applications
• Students' Union UCL
• Voluntary Services Unit
• Vitae Programme
• UCL Careers
• UCL Library Services
• Research IT Services (RITS)
• Cultural Consultation Service
• UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Blog
• UCL Brexit Hub

UCL School of Management

University college london, phd programme in financial economics.

Start date:  September 2024 Duration: 5 years (1 year MRes + 4 years PhD) Fees:  We offer fully-funded scholarships to all admitted students who have applied by the 31 January 2024 (see details below)  Application deadline:  31 January 2024, 17:00 UK time (late applications submited by the 05 April 2024 may still be considered, see details below) Entry:  Applicants must hold a distinction in a master’s degree in Economics or a closely related subject. Applicants must demonstrate a high level of analytical and quantitative skills (such as in mathematics and statistics), evidenced by strong performance in relevant modules taken on previous degree programmes and/or through relevant standardised test performance (such as GRE Quantitative of at least 160). International students, please note that UCL’s English language requirement for this programme is a ' Level 2 ' (IELTS and TOEFL are the preferred test, however others on the UCL recognised test list will be accepted if required) - further details regarding this can be found on the  UCL English Language Requirements  page.

The MRes and PhD in Financial Economics is a joint programme between the UCL Department of Economics and the UCL School of Management.

The MRes programme is the first year of the five-year integrated MRes/PhD programme in Financial Economics. The MRes programme will provide you with training in research methods together with an advanced understanding of financial economics, to enable you to conduct insightful and original PhD level research in financial economics. 

The MRes will firstly provide quantitative training in microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics, and finance. These will be taught in the context of cutting-edge research and relevant applications. Secondly, it will provide you with analytic frameworks and transferable skills that will allow you to identify relevant and promising research topics, present ideas in order to obtain feedback, and provide feedback yourself. 

The subsequent years (for students who progress from the MRes to MPhil) will focus on the skills you will need to run research projects to completion and to present completed research projects to various kinds of specialised audiences. Likewise, teaching skills will also be developed.

PhD Structure

• The MRes programme consists of taught modules (Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Econometrics. Real Analysis and Probability with Economic Application), a hybrid module (Financial Economics) with taught components and research based components, and a research project in the final part of the year. For the MRes project, you work under supervision to design and carry out a substantial piece of original research. This enables you to gain a deep understanding of the entire research process.
• Superior performance is required for automatic progression from MRes to MPhil. In particular, students should achieve an average mark of not less than 60% in the independent, original research components of the programme, and not less than 50% in the taught element.
• Our highly selective and small-sized PhD programme ensures that each student receives personal attention and guidance from our faculty members throughout their doctoral study. The close mentorship process forms the foundations of a successful academic career. At the same time, you will be part of both the School of Management PhD cohort and the Economics PhD cohort, with which you will share most of the taught modules.
• We expect our PhD graduates to have as their goal an academic career as a faculty member in a top business school or Economics department or in the research group of an international institution or a central bank.

Students take a total of 180 credits in the MRes year. This is made up of the MRes Research Project (MSIN0135) and 75 credits of compulsory taught modules. 

All modules in the MRes year are core modules, there are no optional modules. 

• ECON0107 - Macroeconomics, 15 credits  
• ECON0106 - Microeconomics, 15 credits  
• ECON0108 - Econometrics, 15 credits  
• ECON0118 - Real Analysis and Probability with Economic Applications, 15 credits
• MSIN0234 - Topics in Financial Economics, 30 credits  
• MSIN0135 - MRes Financial Economics Research Project, 105 credits  

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, and class discussion. Student performance is assessed through presentations, coursework, projects, and examinations. 

Students will study 4 compulsory taught modules. A typical taught module is taught over two terms (2 x 10 weeks) with 4 hours of contact hours per week (3 hours of lecture + 1 hour of review session). In addition, students spend approximately 6-8 hours a week for each module on assessment and independent study to further develop the skills and knowledge covered in lectures and seminars.  

Students will also undertake a substantial research project, which would usually start in Term 2 and be completed over the Summer. The total number of weekly hours will vary according to the weekly activities being undertaken.

Why choose us

What makes us different:.

Unlike many PhD Programmes in finance, our programme has a full anchor in economics and econometrics. Hence, we offer a unique world-class environment that combines the best of a leading business school, located in Canary Wharf, the heart of London’s modern financial district, and the tradition of economic research and teaching of the Department of Economics, which is located in Bloomsbury, London’s historical intellectual centre.

If you want to become an academic economist conducting research in finance, this programme is for you.  

UCL School of Management and the Department of Economics  

Founded in 2007, UCL School of Management has forged a reputation for world-leading research in management studies with 95% of the School’s research deemed to be world-leading or internationally excellent, the second highest percentage of any business school in the UK, according to the 2021 REF . The PhD programme is an integral part of our School’s active and ambitious research environment where students receive rigorous academic training and personalised research mentorship. 

The UCL Department of Economics has an outstanding international reputation in key areas of current research. The Department ranked top in the UK for research environment and outputs in the field of Economics and Econometrics in the 2021 REF . 

Our research programme offers a unique education and research experience with the intent of preparing you for scholarly careers at the highest level. Our highly selective and small-sized programme ensures that you receive personal attention and an opportunity for guidance from our world-leading scholars. The close mentorship process forms the foundations of a successful academic career. 

As a research student you will join a highly active research environment which involves frequent research seminars and visits by leading scholars worldwide, reading groups, brown bag seminars and panels in which PhD students and faculty members present and discuss their ongoing work. Such forums provide an excellent opportunity to receive critical constructive feedback on your research and to develop academic, generic and transferable skills.

Applications

Applying for our mres/phd programme.

Entry requirements and admissions criteria:

Applicants to the MRes+PhD programme must hold a distinction in a master’s degree in Economics or a closely related subject. Applicants must demonstrate a high level of analytical and quantitative skills (such as in mathematics and statistics), evidenced by strong performance in relevant modules taken on previous degree programmes and/or through relevant standardised test performance (such as GRE Quantitative of at least 160). Submitting a GRE test result is encouraged but not compulsory and is only one of the components used to assess the strength of applications. 

We only have a single intake in September. We accept applications throughout the year. Successful candidates who have submitted their MRes application by 31 January 2024 will receive a scholarship (full fee waiver plus a stipend). Successful candidates who have submitted their application after this date may receive a scholarship subject to availability, or will come with their own funding.

In your personal statement you are expected to suggest one or more faculty members as potential supervisors. On the application form you may see that it states that it is preferred that you contact potential supervisors beforehand. However, we strongly discourage applicants from contacting individual faculty members or potential supervisors when applying to our programme. All applications are first evaluated by a joint admissions committee, so contacting potential supervisors separately will not increase your chances.

We also require you to submit IELTS or TOEFL scores if English is not your first language. Our School requires a “Level 2” English language qualification which corresponds to:

IELTS: Overall grade of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each of the sub-tests.

TOEFL: Score of 96 overall, plus 24/30 in the reading and writing subtests and 22/30 in the listening and speaking subtests. 

Application Deadline

The application window closes 31 January 2024 (17:00 UK time) and a late submission window closes on 05 April 2024 (17:00 UK time). We advise those interested in the programme to apply before 31 January 2024, as those applying in the late submission window will only be considered if there are still places remaining.

Application Procedure

Apply via UCL Postgraduate Admissions System here . When starting the application, you must select the MRes Financial Economics option. In addition to filling out the online application form, please upload a copy of the following documents:

• Official Transcripts of Grades / Course marks
• A 1 page personal statement that clearly indicates: (i) your research interests and preliminary research ideas, (ii) potential faculty member(s) you may want to work with (this is a suggested list, you don’t need to contact potential supervisors beforehand), and (iii) your motivation to do a PhD.
• Your  GRE  score report, if you took the test.
• Your IELTS/TOEFL score report, if English is not your first language.

Funding/Scholarships

We offer fully funded five year scholarships to all admitted students who apply before the 31 January 2024. The scholarship is open to all nationalities. It covers all tuition fees, and includes an annual stipend of £25,000 which is tax-free. 

Successful candidates who have submitted their application after 31 January 2024 may receive a scholarship subject to availability or will come with their own funding.

Additional Costs

This programme does not have any compulsory additional costs outside of purchasing books or stationery, printing, thesis binding or photocopying.  Students may have the opportunity to participate in conferences in the UK and internationally. The UCL School of Management provides MRes/PhD students with an annual budget for conferences, which students will use to cover the travel, accommodation, food and other costs whilst at conferences, in line with UCL’s expenses policy. 

Further Information and Contact Details

The full-time MRes/PhD programme runs from September each academic year. Entrance is therefore every September. While we may accept applications until 05 April 2024 we encourage candidates to apply as early as possible. Our programme is very selective and we only admit a limited number of students, so applying before 31 January 2024 increases your chances.

How to Apply

For queries about the MRes/PhD Programme that are not addressed on our web pages, please contact [email protected] .

Video Library

Register for More Information

Frequently Asked Questions about the UCL School of Management MRes/PhD Programme

Programme Information

Application process, admissions requirements.

Students are required to possess a “Level 2” English language qualification if it is not their first language. This means: TOEFL: Score of 96, plus 24/30 in the reading and writing, and 22/30 in the listening and speaking subtests. IELTS: Overall grade of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each of the subtests.

Further Information

If you have any other questions regarding the programme that are not addressed on our web pages please email the programme team ( [email protected] )

Get the Reddit app

University College London (UCL). Founded in 1826, UCL was the first university established in London, as well as the first in England to be entirely secular, to admit students regardless of religion, and to admit women on equal terms. Today, it is ranked as a top 10 university in the world with over 50,000 students and a range of Nobel-winning academics & alumni.

PhD Study Question

I'm considering choosing UCL to study a PhD at, I had a question regarding the stipend.

The stipend is around £19,000. How well are people managing with this stipend?

By continuing, you agree to our User Agreement and acknowledge that you understand the Privacy Policy .

Enter the 6-digit code from your authenticator app

You’ve set up two-factor authentication for this account.

Enter a 6-digit backup code

Create your username and password.

Reddit is anonymous, so your username is what you’ll go by here. Choose wisely—because once you get a name, you can’t change it.

Reset your password

Enter your email address or username and we’ll send you a link to reset your password

Check your inbox

An email with a link to reset your password was sent to the email address associated with your account

Choose a Reddit account to continue

Ways To Give

• In Memory of Dr. Cetas
• Core Faculty
• Cardon Faculty
• College of Medicine Affiliates
• Community Partners
• Nurse Practitioners
• Neurosurgery Staff
• Program Description
• Clinical Sites
• Education Leadership
• Current Residents
• Residency Alumni
• Fellowship Leadership
• Current Fellows
• Alumni Fellows
• Arizona Comprehensive Epilepsy Program
• Arizona Neurovascular Program
• Functional & Sterosactic Neurosurgery Program
• General Neurosurgery Program
• Neurosurgical Pain Service
• Neuro-Critical Care
• Spinal Injury
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Radiosurgery Program
• Center for Sinonasal & Skull Base Tumors
• Spine Surgery Program

You are here

Kristin huntoon, phd, do.

Kristin Huntoon, PhD DO, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Arizona and at Southern Arizona VA Health Care System. She is a fellowship-trained brain and spine tumor neurosurgeon and studies these tumors in her research laboratory to develop new diagnostics and treatments for these devastating tumors. Dr. Huntoon is a grant-funded neurosurgeon-scientist with over 80 peer-reviewed journal articles and numerous book chapters. She additionally serves as Co-chair of several committees on the Tumor Section of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congress of Neurological Surgeons and is an editor for the Journal of Neurosurgery and World Neurosurgery among other scientific journals. 

• PhD, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, SUNY- Buffalo, 2008
• DO, New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, 2013
• The Ohio State University, Neurosurgery, 2013-2020
• MD Anderson Cancer Center, Fellowship, 2020-2023
• Emory University, Fellowship, 2023-2024

• BE Headquarters
• Open Positions
• Staff Directory
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Restricted Electives
• Concentrations
• Biomedical Engineering
• Toxicology and Environmental Health
• Career Resources
• Undergraduate Thesis
• PhD Course Requirements
• Advisor Selection
• Graduate FAQ
• Meet The Graduate Students

How Do I Apply?

• Application Assistance Program
• Masters Degree
• Graduate Life
• Biomechanics
• Biomolecular Design
• Cancer Biology
• Chemicals and Materials
• Computational Systems Biology
• Climate, Environment, and Toxicology
• Immunoengineering
• Instrumentation and Measurement
• Microbiome Engineering and Infectious Disease
• Neurobiology
• Plant and Agriculture
• Synthetic Biology
• Tissue Engineering
• Research Centers
• Named Lectureships
• Wishnok Prize
• Student Leadership
• BioMaker Space
• Communication and Data Labs
• Faculty Only
• Thesis Committee
• PhD Oral Exam
• PhD Dissertation Requirements

Applying to the Biological Engineering PhD program

Thank you for your interest in MIT BE – we want to receive your application! This page explains the application process and provides information specific to our program that you may use to strengthen your application. Our evaluation process begins with your electronic application folder and proceeds through an on-site interview.

We believe that our diverse, welcoming, and collaborative community fosters the most effective environment for training students to conduct world-class research. To maintain and further strengthen our culture, we depend on continuing to receive applications representing a broad range of academic and personal backgrounds. From 2019-2022, we invited applicants from 64 different undergraduate institutions holding and expecting bachelors degrees in many different disciplines to interview for admission. Of applicants invited to interview from 2019-2022, about 52% self-identified as female, and more than 18% self-identified as underrepresented minorities (as defined by MIT). Many students join the program immediately after completing their undergraduate studies, while others have already received advanced degrees or acquired post-baccalaureate professional experience.

The guidance below is intended to help prospective students understand the aspects of academic preparation and experience that poise applicants for success in our program and how to present this information effectively in their application materials. This guidance is not intended to describe any “ideal” application profile or minimum standards for admission (no quantitative standards exist). Every complete application received is reviewed holistically by BE faculty.

Application to MIT BE is competitive, with fewer than 10% of applicants receiving an offer to interview each year (we offer admission to the majority of interviewees). Applicants holding international undergraduate degrees may apply, and such applicants received about 3% of the interview offers made from 2019-2022. Interview offers are communicated asynchronously to applicants in January and February each year.

Evaluation of applications for PhD study in BE particularly focuses on:

• Evidence of strong academic preparation and demonstrated interest in both a quantitative discipline and a biological discipline
• Evidence of aptitude for and experience/accomplishment in scientific or engineering research
• Explanation of interest in pursuing a career that leverages PhD-level training in Biological Engineering under the guidance of MIT BE faculty advisors

Academic preparation. Success in the challenging coursework and research components of the MIT BE PhD program requires a strong academic background in both biology and quantitative engineering or science. While many successful applicants hold undergraduate engineering degrees and have completed substantial coursework in biology, there are many different ways to demonstrate the academic preparation needed. Applicants whose principal degree is quantitative, computational, engineering, or in the physical sciences can bolster their training in biology by taking core biology courses like biochemistry, genetics, and cell biology. Applicants whose principal degree is in a life science field can acquire quantitative training in courses beyond calculus, biostatistics, and programming/informatics such as differential equations, linear algebra, and advanced courses in probability, statistics, analysis, and computer science.

Understanding that every applicant’s personal and college experience is unique and that grading practices differ, BE has no minimum grade point average (GPA) requirement. We strongly consider the factors other than GPA described on this page in our admissions process. However, most applicants receiving an interview offer have a GPA in the A range (>3.6 on an A = 4.0 scale), and from 2019-2022 the median GPA of interviewees was 3.94. Many applicants with high GPAs do not receive interview invitations, and applicants with GPAs below the A range may be competitive for admission in our holistic evaluation process given other extraordinary aspects of their academic record, experiences, and achievements detailed in their application materials.

Applicant statement. This application component is a free-form opportunity to introduce yourself in writing to the admissions committee, explain your interest in Biological Engineering at MIT, and contextualize other application components including your academic record, research experience, and letters of recommendation. The admissions committee wants to hear why PhD-level training in Biological Engineering under the mentorship of MIT BE faculty is right for you, which research groups you may be interested in joining, how you have prepared to receive PhD training, and how this training may power your aspirations for the future. The MIT BE Communications Lab CommKit has additional content on writing statements of purpose . While not a particular focus of our evaluation, the statement is an opportunity to directly demonstrate your writing skills and attention to detail.

Letters of recommendation provide crucial evidence of research aptitude in successful applications. The most impactful support letters come from your faculty research supervisor(s) who know you well and have substantial experience advising PhD students. Support letters from other research supervisors, academic advisors, or course instructors may also be included. You can find general guidance (not specific to applications to study in the BE PhD program) on requesting letters of recommendation and on support letter content from the Biological Engineering Communication Lab.

To apply , go to the online application and create a user id and password. You do not need to complete the entire application in one sitting. You may begin the application, save it, and return to it at a later time using your user ID and password.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications ahead of the deadline and are responsible for ensuring that all admissions credentials are submitted on time. Your application will not be reviewed until all materials have been received. There is no separate application for financial support; all admitted applicants are offered a full support package.

The BE Department does not require the standardized Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test as part of our application process, but will consider scores if provided by the applicant.

To apply follow these steps.

1. Fill out the online application by 23:59, EST, December 15.

You will be providing the following information:

• Field(s) of interest
• Personal information/addresses
• International student data
• Three or more names and email addresses of letter writers
• Scanned copies of your College Transcripts
• For international students, scanned copies of your IELTS scores
• Academic preparation and research/work experience
• Applicant statement
• Credit card payment of $90 (Information on requesting a fee waiver is here )

2. Arrange for submission of the following (official reports only):

Scanned PDF transcripts and IELTS scores are considered unofficial documents but are sufficient for review purposes. Official documents are required before an admissions decision can be made. Please have any test scores electronically transmitted to MIT Admissions and mail official copies of your transcript(s) to:

MIT Department of Biological Engineering

77 Massachusetts Avenue, Bldg. 16-267

Cambridge, MA 02139

For international students:

IELTS scores should also be electronically sent directly to MIT.

• To register for a test, visit the IETLS website.
• IELTS does not require a code. Please write “Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology”. No address is required as scores are reported electronically.
• If you are an international student, you should take the IELTS test by November 15. The Department of Biological Engineering does not waive this requirement.

The IELTS is waived for applicants who are citizens of Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Nigeria, Singapore, or the United Kingdom, or for applicants who have or will earn a BS degree at a US university.

Canada actually needs more arts graduate students. We’ve just been doing it wrong

Loleen Berdahl is a professor of political studies at the University of Saskatchewan. Jonathan Malloy is a professor of political science at Carleton University. Lisa Young is a professor of political science at the University of Calgary. They are the authors of For the Public Good: Reimagining Arts Graduate Programs in Canadian Universities.

In its April budget, the federal government finally increased the stipends for federally funded graduate and postdoctoral researchers, giving them their first boost in 20 years. This is welcome, as PhDs can now be better funded during their studies. But money alone won’t solve the long-term problem of underemployed PhD graduates, especially in the social sciences and humanities, or, as they’re often called, “the arts.” In a perverse way, the new funding could even make things worse.

A 2021 study by the Council of Canadian Academies (CCA) documents that most arts PhDs want to be professors, but the jobs simply aren’t there. According to 2022 data from the University of Toronto , arguably the most prestigious university in the country, less than 60 per cent of its humanities and social-sciences PhDs since 2000 ended up working anywhere in postsecondary education; of those working in academia, many were working in administrative and part-time positions, rather than as tenured faculty. A 2022 study by the Canadian Historical Association found that only 10 per cent of Canada’s history PhD graduates since 2016 had found permanent academic jobs. The CCA also found that alternative career paths and destinations beyond academia “have not materialized” in the scope needed.

But Canada needs arts graduate education more than ever. The most difficult challenges of our time are human. Technology can lead to wonderful things, from life-saving vaccines to time-saving AI tools, but these also spur human fears and ethical challenges. The science behind climate change is irrefutable, yet responses to climate change are often inadequate because of human concerns and objections, whether they’re valid or not; the pursuit of racial diversity and Indigenous reconciliation is similarly hampered, and society has grown deeply polarized as Canadians agree on fewer and fewer things.

These challenges are often called “wicked problems” because they defy clear solutions and can’t be solved simply with more effort or money. But they might be solved with a human touch – which is what the arts disciplines are all about. Philosophy, history, sociology and other arts studies are devoted to exploring and unlocking human values and thinking, including how they often seem to defy logic, market forces or scientific facts. It’s why in French, they’re often termed sciences humaines.

We need these disciplines to advance our understanding of the human condition and contribute to solving the wicked problems of our time. Graduate-level arts education has the potential to marry societal challenges with advanced disciplinary training, including critical thinking, analysis and communication – work that is necessary for generating new perspectives and thinking that can capture people’s experiences and voices.

To tackle these social problems, we need the advanced thinking, analysis and innovative research found in arts graduate education. We need more arts graduate students – we’ve just been doing it wrong.

For decades, arts graduate education has primarily focused on producing more arts professors. While there’s been some effort in recent years to develop alternative career paths for arts graduate students, in most cases the curriculum still assumes academia is where students are headed, with anything else a lesser Plan B. And the underlying structures and funding frameworks of arts graduate programs are still built to turn out more academia-or-bust graduates. More students means more tuition-fee revenue and, typically, additional provincial funding dollars. More graduate students means more research activity, which is the crucial factor for improving a university’s prestige and its standing in international rankings. The reward structures of faculty careers remain geared toward research prowess: The more graduate research assistants and supervisions, the better, which in turn only incentivizes their students to seek academic careers of their own.

Any university that decides to discontinue its PhD program on the grounds that its students aren’t getting academic jobs will lose out; it will have less claim on resources, will drop in prestige internally and externally, and faculty will complain their research careers are falling behind. It would be more logical for programs to double down on what they are already doing by trying to boost their graduates’ chances in the academic job market.

Federalism makes this problem particularly acute. Provinces control universities and classroom education, but the federal government provides the vast majority of research funding. There’s often little connection. In the case of the recently increased doctoral scholarships, this means students can now better afford food and rent during their studies, thanks to Ottawa. But finding an academic job afterward depends on the provincial funding of universities, which is typically flat or declining.

System-level change would shift arts graduate degrees to a more deliberate model that focuses on Canada’s public-good needs, and is actually oriented around student skills and careers outside academia. There would still be a place for curiosity-based research – this is why students are applying for PhDs rather than MBAs in the first place – but the current system gives too little direction to students beyond academic career paths, and too often leads them down dead-end alleys and difficult work-force transitions.

What if universities offered a graduate degree in climate-change adaptation? In public opinion and deliberative democracy? An interdisciplinary doctorate in social sciences, targeted at mid-career individuals looking to upgrade their professional impact? There’s still value in traditional disciplinary degrees, but the focus should be on adapting them to what students actually need for career success, and what Canada needs to tackle its wicked problems.

Achieving this kind of change would require reforming underlying structures and funding. Arts departments need incentives for change that allows programs to experiment. Employers, who often lament that university graduates are lacking in the interpersonal soft skills that those in the arts can excel in, need to work with universities to co-ordinate efforts and create opportunities for arts graduate students.

Unfortunately, the cliché of the unemployed arts PhD isn’t going anywhere in the short term. But the reality is that, more than ever, Canada needs people to deeply explore the human condition and the wicked problems that it presents. That means there is a strong future for arts graduate education. Achieving it just requires change and imagination.

Editor’s note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that a 2021 study on the career aspirations of arts PhDs was conducted by the Canadian Council of Academies. It was conducted by the Council of Canadian Academies. This version has been updated.

Report an editorial error

Report a technical issue

Editorial code of conduct

Follow related authors and topics

• Career Development

Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following .

Interact with The Globe

UCL Researchers

Find Your Future

Want to gain work experience while studying for your PhD? This is one way of doing it.

By uczjvwa, on 20 July 2017

Hear what he had to say about managing the study/ work split and the skills he’s gained.

How did you move from a PhD to your current role?

I’m still in the process of moving as I’m currently finishing up my PhD. I was surprised by how welcoming the consultancy job market is towards PhD graduates and that they really admire the research skills and the analytical thinking.

What does an average working day look like?

It usually starts with an overall plan that gives me a good idea of what the goals are of today’s work and how I can organise the tasks of the day. These can include meetings with colleagues or checking on the outcome of yesterday’s work. In most cases the overall plan doesn’t work out and it’s is important to have the ability to be flexible and adapt. The job is not just sitting in front of a computer but includes a lot of collaborative thinking and collective activities, such as developing ideas through open discussions.

How does your PhD help you in your job?

My PhD in Food Policy is very practical and focuses on real world problems rather than abstract theoretical models. This is particularly relevant when you have to understand the scope of problems and the value chain on a process or product. The methods I use are very useful to understand how data has been collected and can be used in project. My PhD skills also include practice in having strong evaluating logic and drawing clear conclusions, which is transferrable to convincing clients about the research outcomes of the project.

What are the best things about your job?

The best thing is the variety and breadth of work. For example, today, you may be working on the South American window market, and next week it’s about a struggling chocolate factory in Italy. There are no limits and there is no set daily routine for projects. You learn so much every day, and it’s not just about the products, but also about the culture of certain markets and countries. In this sense, the work stays interesting and never gets boring.

What are the downsides?

As mentioned earlier, you need to be flexible and you need to be able to adapt to the needs of the project and team. This can also include days where you can’t just leave after 6 or 7pm, and that’s something I was totally aware of. So far, from my experience, there are times where you have to stay late to get the project done which is not always ideal.

What tips would you give researchers wanting to move into the same, or similar, role?

If you want to go towards consultancy, it is important you can demonstrate that you have some degree of relevant experience. In my case, employees were keen on my practical research and communication skills, as well as my analytical approach to problems, but less about the number of articles I have published or the number of conferences I have been to.

Instead of working for many months on one publication, I use my time constructively and may split my time by working on a short term project role at a consultancy.

Ceyhun obtained his Master’s degree in Human Geography at Eberhard Karls University Tubingen in Germany and is now undertaking his PHD in Food Policy at London City University. Through this he looks at governance and policy structures for methods of boosting food sustainability policy.

You can also have a read at his PhD page for more details: http://www.city.ac.uk/arts-social-sciences/sociology/centre-for-food-policy/phd-students/ceyhun-gungor

Freshminds is an award winning boutique recruitment consultancy, placing top talent across different levels of experience into a range of strategic and commercial roles, either on a permanent, or a freelance and interim project basis.

Our specialised Research Projects team works on an advisory and consultative structure, helping to connect leading businesses or small boutiques with top candidates on a short-term basis to find business solutions. Projects can range from 1 day, to 6 months across a variety of industry sectors.    

Interested to find out how Freshminds can help? Visit www.freshminds.co.uk to find out more, or get in touch with Emilie at [email protected]     

Filed under Uncategorized

Tags: Careers case study

Leave a Reply

Name (required)

Mail (will not be published) (required)

Want to contribute?

Recent posts.

• What’s Academia like in the US? – Dr Nelson Y. Dzade
• Who wants to hear about working at WHO?
• Life as an academic in Germany
• Panel discussion
• Science Policy
• Uncategorized
• Your Experiences
• November 2021
• October 2021
• September 2021
• August 2021
• February 2021
• January 2021
• December 2020
• November 2020
• October 2020
• February 2020
• January 2020
• December 2019
• November 2019
• October 2019
• August 2019
• February 2019
• December 2018
• November 2018
• October 2018
• September 2018
• August 2018
• January 2018
• December 2017
• November 2017
• October 2017
• September 2017
• August 2017
• February 2017
• January 2017
• December 2016
• November 2016
• October 2016
• September 2016
• August 2016
• February 2016
• January 2016
• December 2015
• November 2015
• October 2015
• September 2015
• August 2015
• February 2015
• January 2015
• December 2014
• November 2014
• October 2014
• September 2014
• August 2014
• February 2014
• January 2014
• November 2013
• October 2013
• February 2012

Postgraduate Jobs from JobOnline

Jobs.ac.uk – london roles, manchester postgraduate careers blog, university of salford careers blog for post graduates, qm researchers careers blog, kings college london graduate school blog, ucl researchers tags.

• Accurate at the time of publication

UCL Faculty of Life Sciences

• Faculty Intranet
• Innovation and enterprise

First Wellcome Optical Biology PhD Student Retreat in Lisbon

19 August 2024

16-19 June 2024

University college london - instituto gulbenkian de ciência - champalimaud centre for the unknown.

Our Wellcome Optical Biology PhD student Retreat kicked off with a keynote speech from Prof. Rita Fior, who discussed current progress in using "Zebrafish Avatars for Personalized Medicine" which aims to bring bench-side cancer drug screening results to cancer patients in a mere 10 days. Prof. Michael Orger gave an intriguing talk on "Imaging Structure and Function in the Larval Zebrafish Brain" focusing on in-house imaging setup across multiple scales, leveraging the optical accessibility of zebrafish. Prof. Ricardo Henriques focused on cutting-edge super-resolution microscopy and shared with us recent efforts to develop tools for microscopy imaging which ended with an amazing roundtable discussion on the “randomness” and reproducibility of data produced with deep learning-based methods.

Followed by the keynote talks, the group leaders of imaging facilities talked to us about the imaging setups available on campus, how their staff is uniquely positioned to help researchers both within Portrugal and through collaboration as part of the “EuroImaging” Group. We also had tours of imaging centres and the campuses led by local students. All keynote speakers from both institutes joined us for the roundtable sessions, coffee breaks, and lunches, meaning that most of us were able to interact and connect with the speakers directly to talk about research and their career in science.

On the afternoons of the Retreat, we had amazing poster sessions in the tropical gardens of Champalimaud surrounded by greenery and student “blitz talks” in IGC. Both posters and student talks covered a huge range of topics from population genetics and mechanochemical signaling of wound healing, from retinal development to acousto-optic lens based imaging system. All of us appreciated the chance to practice our presentation skills in a friendly environment and discuss our research with other students alike.

Related News