Biology

An MPhil/PhD is an advanced postgraduate research degree that requires original research and the submission of a substantial dissertation of 60,000 to 100,000 words. At Birkbeck, you are initially registered on an MPhil and you upgrade to a PhD after satisfactory progress in the first year or two. You need to find a suitable academic supervisor at Birkbeck, who can offer the requisite expertise to guide and support you through your research. Find out more about undertaking a research degree at Birkbeck.

As a PhD student in the Department of Biological Sciences, you will become part of a rich research environment at Birkbeck and University College London. The Department is also part of a multidisciplinary centre for world-class research, the Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology (ISMB), which seeks to integrate techniques from the chemical and physical sciences to provide insight into the molecular basis of biological processes.

In the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF), in a joint submission with UCL, Biological Sciences at Birkbeck were ranked 11th in the UK, with a research environment supporting world-leading and internationally excellent research. Our academic staff have many years of experience in teaching both part-time and full-time research students and offer internationally recognised expertise in the following key areas of research:

• Biology (organismal)
• Biophysics
• Cell biology
• Chemical biology
• Computational biology
• Microbiology
• Structural biology

• Birkbeck is one of the world’s leading research-intensive institutions. Our cutting-edge scholarship informs public policy, achieves scientific advances, supports the economy, promotes culture and the arts, and makes a positive difference to society.
• Birkbeck’s research excellence was confirmed in the most recent Research Excellence Framework, which placed Birkbeck 30th in the UK for research, with 73% of our research rated world-leading or internationally excellent.
• The Department of Biological Sciences has state-of-the-art laboratories equipped for protein crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy and tomography, confocal microscopy, biophysics, spectroscopy, molecular biology, synthetic and analytical chemistry and microbiology.
• The Department is part of the Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology (ISMB), a multidisciplinary centre for world-class research.
• Read about Birkbeck research helping to identify fundamental biological and physical structures and fight disease.

PhD students resident in England can apply for government loans of over £26,000 to cover the cost of tuition fees, maintenance and other study-related costs.

Flexible finance: pay your fees in monthly instalments at no extra cost. Enrol early to spread your costs and reduce your monthly payments.

Fees discounts: If you are a member of a union that is recognised by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), you may apply for a 10% discount off your tuition fees.

As part of the Institute for Structural and Molecular Biology (ISMB) the Department of Biological Sciences attracts funding for PhD studentships that ensure researchers of the highest standard can pursue their research with us. Each year we invite applications for fully funded PhD studentships provided by the BBSRC, MRC, Wellcome Trust and others. Please note that applicants for studentships must be able to satisfy specific eligibility requirements in relation to qualifications and residency. Information about funded PhD opportunities within the department is available on the Department of Biological Sciences website.

Find out more about other research funding opportunities at Birkbeck (including the School of Science).