phd education wolverhampton

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PhD Postgraduate research in Education

Entry requirements.

Applicants for a research degree shall normally hold either:

• a first or upper second class honours degree, or

• a master’s degree, or

• evidence of prior practice or learning that is accepted by the Dean of Research.

For an Applicant whose entry award was not delivered in English, or non-native speaker of English shall be required to demonstrate proficiency in English at least to the level of an IELTS score of 7.0 (no less than 6.5 in any component) or its equivalent.

Months of entry

Course content.

We offer supervision for PhD research in a range of areas such as special needs and inclusion, leadership and management, practitioner research, professional development, teaching and learning, early years. The team has experience of full time, part time, mature professionals and overseas students.

The Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing (FEHW) supports the research ambitions of over 240 doctoral students across Education, Health, Social Work and Social Care, Sport and Psychology. Our research community is diverse and dynamic. We work with local, regional and international students from across the world on a very diverse range of research fields.

PhD studies are typically conducted by completing a research thesis full-time or part-time. PhDs are theoretical research projects seeking to advance knowledge or understanding of a subject to inform further research, education and policy. They can cover a wide range of subjects – learn more by watching our research videos .

Department specialisms

Many of our research supervisors have internationally recognised expertise in a range of research methodologies and frequently work across subject areas so, for example, research supervision can take place around the intersections of Education and Health and Sport and Psychology.

Fees and funding

Financial support for research study:

Before applying, you should consider carefully how you will finance your studies for the duration of your programme, including tuition fees, research support fees and living costs.

Government loans (Home Fee Status):

Government loans are available for postgraduate research students of up to £27,265, to cover fees and living expenses. More information can be found at Doctoral-loans website.

Studying in the UK: Guidance for EU students

For 2021/22 new entrants, EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals will no longer be eligible for home fee status and financial support from Student Finance England.

Self-funded:

We are able to take payments in instalments, to spread out the cost of your studies, and it is possible to switch between full-time and part-time modes of study. For more information go to How to pay.

Postgraduate Research Loyalty Discount:

To students progressing from an undergraduate programme and/or a taught postgraduate programme to a postgraduate research programme, where both courses are University of Wolverhampton Awards.

There is no time limit on how long ago you completed your degree and/or Masters level qualification, as long as the new award is at a higher level.

For full terms and conditions please see: Loyalty Discount for Postgraduate Research Students

Research councils:

The UK Research and Innovation funds postgraduate study in all subject areas on a discretionary basis.

University Research Studentships:

The University offers a very limited number of research stipends, formerly known as bursaries, to research students. Stipends are designed to support specific projects as determined by the Research Institute rather than individual student-led projects. Funds are accessible from the relevant Research Institute or Centre - please contact them directly.

Other sources:

Dennis Turner Opportunity Fund.

You can find more information on the University’s Funding, cost, fee and support pages.

Qualification, course duration and attendance options

• Campus-based learning is available for this qualification
• Distance learning is available for this qualification

Course contact details

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• 12 March 2024

Bring PhD assessment into the twenty-first century

You have full access to this article via your institution.

Innovation in PhD education has not reached how doctoral degrees are assessed. Credit: Dan Dunkley/Science Photo Library

Research and teaching in today’s universities are unrecognizable compared with what they were in the early nineteenth century, when Germany and later France gave the world the modern research doctorate. And yet significant aspects of the process of acquiring and assessing a doctorate have remained remarkably constant. A minimum of three years of independent study mentored by a single individual culminates in the production of the doctoral thesis — often a magisterial, book-length piece of work that is assessed in an oral examination by a few senior academic researchers. In an age in which there is much research-informed innovation in teaching and learning, the assessment of the doctoral thesis represents a curious throwback that is seemingly impervious to meaningful reform.

But reform is needed. Some doctoral candidates perceive the current assessment system to lack transparency, and examiners report concerns of falling standards ( G. Houston A Study of the PhD Examination: Process, Attributes and Outcomes . PhD thesis, Oxford Univ.; 2018 ). Making the qualification more structured would help — and, equally importantly, would bring the assessment of PhD education in line with education across the board. PhD candidates with experience of modern assessment methods will become better researchers, wherever they work. Indeed, most will not be working in universities: the majority of PhD holders find employment outside academia.

Collection: Career resources for PhD students

It’s not that PhD training is completely stuck in the nineteenth century. Today’s doctoral candidates can choose from a range of pathways. Professional doctorates, often used in engineering, are jointly supervised by an employer and an academic, and are aimed at solving industry-based problems. Another innovation is PhD by publication, in which, instead of a final thesis on one or more research questions, the criterion for an award is a minimum number of papers published or accepted for publication. In some countries, doctoral students are increasingly being trained in cohorts, with the aim of providing a less isolating experience than that offered by the conventional supervisor–student relationship. PhD candidates are also encouraged to acquire transferable skills — for example, in data analysis, public engagement, project management or business, economics and finance. The value of such training would be even greater if these skills were to be formally assessed alongside a dissertation rather than seen as optional.

And yet, most PhDs are still assessed after the production of a final dissertation, according to a format that, at its core, has not changed for at least half a century, as speakers and delegates noted at an event in London last month on PhD assessment, organized by the Society for Research in Higher Educatio n. Innovations in assessment that are common at other levels of education are struggling to find their way into the conventional doctoral programme.

Take the concept of learning objectives. Intended to aid consistency, fairness and transparency, learning objectives are a summary of what a student is expected to know and how they will be assessed, and are given at the start of a course of study. Part of the ambition is also to help tutors to keep track of their students’ learning and take remedial action before it is too late.

PhD training is no longer fit for purpose — it needs reform now

Formative assessment is another practice that has yet to find its way into PhD assessment consistently. Here, a tutor evaluates a student’s progress at the mid-point of a course and gives feedback or guidance on what students need to do to improve ahead of their final, or summative, assessment. It is not that these methods are absent from modern PhDs; a conscientious supervisor will not leave candidates to sink or swim until the last day. But at many institutions, such approaches are not required of PhD supervisors.

Part of the difficulty is that PhD training is carried out in research departments by people who do not need to have teaching qualifications or awareness of innovations based on education research. Supervisors shouldn’t just be experts in their field, they should also know how best to convey that subject knowledge — along with knowledge of research methods — to their students.

It is probably not possible for universities to require all doctoral supervisors to have teaching qualifications. But there are smaller changes that can be made. At a minimum, doctoral supervisors should take the time to engage with the research that exists in the field of PhD education, and how it can apply to their interactions with students.

There can be no one-size-fits-all solution to improving how a PhD is assessed, because different subjects often have bespoke needs and practices ( P. Denicolo Qual. Assur. Educ. 11 , 84–91; 2003 ). But supervisors and representatives of individual subject communities must continue to discuss what is most appropriate for their disciplines.

All things considered, there is benefit to adopting a more structured approach to PhD assessment. It is high time that PhD education caught up with changes that are now mainstream at most other levels of education. That must start with a closer partnership between education researchers, PhD supervisors and organizers of doctoral-training programmes in universities. This partnership will benefit everyone — PhD supervisors and doctoral students coming into the research workforce, whether in universities or elsewhere.

Education and training in research has entered many secondary schools, along with undergraduate teaching, which is a good thing. In the spirit of mutual learning, research doctoral supervisors, too, will benefit by going back to school.

Nature 627 , 244 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-00718-0

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PGCE Secondary Education: Psychology

University of wolverhampton, different course options.

• Key information

Course Summary

Tuition fees, entry requirements, university information, similar courses at this uni, key information data source : idp connect, qualification type.

PGCE - Postgraduate Certificate of Education

Subject areas

Teaching (General) Educational Psychology Flexible Learning Design Secondary Schools (General) Teaching In Secondary Schools

Course type

Why choose this course?

Psychology is an exciting secondary school curriculum subject. It covers topics such as cognitive psychology, social psychology, bio-psychology, developmental psychology, psychopathology, psychological approaches, applied psychology, issues and debates in psychology, research methods, and statistics. As a trainee you will learn how to teach Psychology to pupils in the 14-19 age range within the secondary age phase, with additional experience in the 11-14 age range and primary enhancements. You will learn how to develop skills, knowledge and understanding for teaching psychology through a combination of university-led and school-led training.

Our Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in Secondary Education provides a high standard of training for anyone preparing to take up a teaching post in the secondary school sector. The course complies with the statutory guidance from the Department for Education for Initial Teacher Training courses.

The PGCE in Secondary Education is specifically designed to ensure that those who are successful will attain with 60 credits at master’s level and be recommended for the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) - the professional award required by all those who wish to teach in a maintained school.

Potential Career Paths

The PGCE in Secondary Education leads to recommendation for QTS, and enables you to take up a qualified teaching post in a secondary school.

In secondary schools you could be considered for a Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR), which may comprise of any of the following:

Leading a particular subject as head of department, faculty, or curriculum

Leading the achievement of a particular age group as head of year or key stage coordinator

Leading a particular area such as special education needs or pastoral care (i.e. personal guidance)

Later, you could progress to a senior leadership position such as a deputy or assistant head and head teacher - at which point you will have overall responsibility for the leadership and management of a school and the education its students receive.

UK fees Course fees for UK students

For this course (per year)

International fees Course fees for EU and international students

To hold a first degree of a United Kingdom higher education institution or equivalent qualification. For example Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of science (BSc) etc. or similar . They are sometimes known as 'undergraduate' or 'first' degrees. To have achieved a standard equivalent to a grade 4 (previously Grade C) in the GCSE examinations in English and Mathematics. We do not accept GCSE Short Courses, GCSE English Literature, GCSE Equivalent Tests from other institutions or organisations, Key Skills Level 2 or Functional Skills Level 2.

The University of Wolverhampton is a fantastic place for postgraduate study, putting students firmly first, and encouraging them to “Be who you want to be.” To discover what that means for each student, the university provides the guidance, facilities and expertise needed, including: High-quality education and training World-leading research (REF2021) Excellent student support Opportunities for social mobility (Higher Education... more

PGCE Secondary Education: Physical Education

Full time | 1 year | 02-SEP-24

PGCE Secondary Education: English

Pgce secondary education: physics, pgce secondary education: design and technology, pgce secondary education: chemistry.

Department of Education

University | A to Z | Departments

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PhD in Education

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Programme Leader:   Dr Sally Hancock

The PhD in Education is available to be studied in 3 modes: part-time, full-time, and  distance learning

In order to apply for a PhD place, we ask that you first submit an application form.  We cannot accept a CV or any other documentation in place of a formal application.  When you apply for a PhD place, you must submit a research proposal about 1,500 words in length. Apply now for the PhD in Education

The PhD in Education is designed to enhance specialised knowledge through academic study and research.

The programme aims to enable students to gain a solid grounding in research methodology, and to successfully carry out a substantial piece of academic research.

We are interested in hearing from students doing projects in the following broad research areas:  http://www.york.ac.uk/education/postgraduate/research-topics/

Our PhD research students in recent years have come both from the United Kingdom and from many overseas countries. Many of our overseas students have chosen to conduct studies which involve collecting fieldwork data in their home country. Proposals to conduct a study which involves collecting fieldwork data overseas are welcomed.

Entry requirements

Applicants are expected to have a good honours degree or a master's degree (MA, MSc or MEd) in a relevant discipline although candidates with other evidence of ability to succeed at PhD level will also be considered.

If English is not your first language, we do expect you to be able to demonstrate a high level of proficiency.  The minimum requirement for PhD in Education is IELTS 7.0 withno less than 6.5 in Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking.  For further information please see  English language requirements .

As part of the application process, you will be invited for interview (face-to-face or via Skype). 

You must submit a research proposal ; we are unable to consider your application without one. 

Information on the application procedure can be found at the  University postgraduate pages .

Apply now for the PhD in Education

Apply now for the PhD in Education (Distance Learning)

Applying for a PhD How do I apply for a PhD? Scholarships and funding Tuition fees and expenses York Graduate Loyalty Discount UK government postgraduate loan scheme

Further information Our Research Centres York Graduate Research School Staff research interests Meet our PhD students Educational Research Group  (ERG) Writing Centre

Department of Education University of York , Heslington , York , YO10 5DD , UK Tel: work +44 (0)1904 323460 | [email protected]

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Education MPhil PhD

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Studying for a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) with the UEL School of Education and Communities will push you to the limit - and you'll be supported all the way by our world-class academic staff.

Research at the School of Education and Communities is innovative and responsive to the diverse educational needs of communities: in our own east London community, the rest of the UK, and internationally.

Our main research interests are: early childhood policy and practice, learning and teaching, language and diversity, work-based learning, teacher education, race and community, education equality issues, comparative education, professional education, social work knowledge and practice and Technology Enhanced Active Learning (TEAL).

Find out more

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• September 2024

PhD via MPhil

Entry Requirements

Applicants for a PhD via MPhil normally have either a first class or upper second class honours degree from a UK Higher Education Institution, or an overseas qualification rated as equivalent. To apply for a PhD course, you should have an MPhil, or MRes qualification or an overseas qualification rated as equivalent.  

Work experience

If you have relevant research or work experience, but no degree, you can still be considered for admission. You will need to discuss your experience with the relevant School, and provide the names of two academic referees familiar with your academic work.  

Split-site study

If you are applying for a research course from outside the UK, you may be able to apply for split-site study arrangements, where you carry out part or all of your research outside the UK. To find out more about split-site study, contact the Graduate School on +44 (0) 20 8223 3333 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) or Live chat: Click the live chat icon in the bottom right of the screen.  

Language requirements

If English is not your first language, you will have to satisfy our English language requirements for postgraduate research study. The minimum requirement for a research degree is an IELTS Academic English score of 7.0 overall (minimum of 6.5 in all components). This should normally have been gained within the past two years.

MPhil PhD Education

• Home Applicant
• 5740 Per year
• 2870 Per year
• International Applicant
• 15340 Per year
• 7670 Per year
• 6020 Per year
• 3010 Per year
• 16100 Per year
• 8050 Per year

Fees, funding and additional costs

EU, EEA and Swiss Nationals starting a course from September 2021, will no longer be eligible for Home fees. However, such nationals benefitting from Settled Status or Citizens' Rights may become eligible for Home fees as and when the UK Government confirms any new fee regulations.  Further information can be found at UKCISA .

Tuition fees are subject to annual change. Fees for future years will be published in due course.

Home students

Postgraduate loans scheme.

£10,280 to fund your Masters Programme under the Postgraduate Loans (PGL) scheme

Postgraduate Loans (PGL)

The Postgraduate Loan (PGL) provide non means-tested loans of up to £10,906 to taught and research masters students.  It will be paid to students as a contribution towards tuition fees, living costs and other course costs. Applications are made directly through  Student Finance England  

Eligibility

Whether you qualify depends on: •    if you've studied on a postgraduate course before •    your course •    your age •    your nationality or residency status

Full eligibility can be found   on the Government's Postgraduate Loan webpage .

Please take a look at the  Postgraduate Loans  for an overview of the new funding.

Postgraduate Scholarship

Apply for a 50 per cent discount on your tuition fees! You can get a 50 per cent discount on course fees through a UEL Postgraduate Scholarship. The scholarship is open to full-time and part-time UK and EU students of taught postgraduate courses. *Exclusions apply.

Find out more about full eligibility criteria and how to apply .

Terms and conditions apply.

Our scholarships and bursaries can help you

How we can help you

Did you know that with a postgraduate qualification you can expect to earn more than someone who only holds an undergraduate degree?

If you want to build new skills, change career paths, or further your career prospects, a postgraduate degree can help you. Our range of scholarships and bursaries will make financing your education that much easier. Below is some of the funding available to support you in your studies:

• Alumni Discount   - up to 15% fee waiver *exclusions apply. Please see  Alumni Discount page  for information.
• Early Payment Discount  - 5% fee waiver
• Asylum Seekers scholarship   - 100% fee waiver
• Civic Engagement - £1,000
• Hardship Bursary - up to £2,000
• Sport Scholarships   - Up to £6,000

How to pay your fees

There are a number of ways you can pay your fees to UEL

• Online payment facilities
• By telephone
• In person at our Docklands or Stratford campus
• Bank transfer

Full information on making payments can be found  on our Finance page

If you wish to discuss payments to the University, please contact our Income Team on 020 8223 2974 or you can email  [email protected]

Ideas for funding your postgraduate study

Below are some ideas on how to fund your postgraduate study:

•     Apply for a   Postgraduate Loan  
•     Take advantage of   UEL scholarships and bursaries
•     Ask your employer to sponsor your study
•     Study part-time so you can work at the same time (applicable to courses that have a part-time mode)
•     Look at  UK Research and Innovation funding options

The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) are here to help you navigate your finances while you're a student at the University of East London. We can give you advice, information and guidance on government and university funds so that you receive your full funding entitlement. Live chat: Click the live chat icon in the bottom left of the screen Phone: 020 8223 4444

International students

Living costs for international students.

As part of the Tier 4 student visa requirements, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) estimate that you will need £1,265* per month to cover your living costs. It includes expenses for accommodation, food and drink, travel within London, text books, entertainment, clothing, toiletries and laundry. Most Tier 4 students are required to show they have sufficient funds to cover the first nine months of the course before they start - a total of £11,385 - in addition to the tuition fees. You can find more information about the specific requirements of the Tier 4 student visa . The amount that you will spend can vary depending on your lifestyle. The UKCISA International Student Calculator can help you plan and manage your money.

* Please note the Immigration Rules are subject to change and this figure is likely to be increased by UKVI year on year. Please therefore check our ISA page for more information at the time of preparing your visa application.

How to pay your fees - international students

Deposits and paying by instalments International students are required to pay a  deposit  prior to being issued a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). Your remaining balance will be paid in five monthly instalments over your first term. The first of these instalments must be paid when completing your enrolment on arrival at UEL. Please follow the payment instructions on our make a payment page . After the required payment has been made, you will be asked to complete the online International Student Reply Form to confirm your acceptance of our offer and of our terms of admittance and fees policy.

Our International team at UEL are available for advice and guidance on studying in London, fees, scholarships and visa requirements. Email:  [email protected]

Additional costs

Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, IT equipment and other support services. Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees. 

Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. You may prefer to, or be required to, buy your own copy of key textbooks.

Computer equipment

There are open-access networked computers available across the University, plus laptops available to loan. You may find it useful to have your own PC, laptop or tablet which you can use around campus and in halls of residences.

Free WiFi is available on each of our campuses.

In the majority of cases, coursework can be submitted online. There may be instances when you will be required to submit work in a printed format. Printing and photocopying costs are not included in your tuition fees.

Travel costs are not included but we do have a free intersite bus service which links the campuses and halls of residence.

For this course, you will be:

• involved in processes of making, as a means of exploration, experimentation, and understanding your practice, by using a diverse range of media and materials
• required to purchase your own copy of books, for required reading
• required to produce physical artefacts for assessment 
• able to participate in optional study visits and/or field trips

However, over and above this you may incur extra costs associated with your studies, which you will need to plan for. 

In order to help you budget, the information below indicates what activities and materials are not covered by your tuition fees:

• personal laptops and other personal devices 
• personal copies of books 
• optional study visits and field trips (and any associated visa costs)
• printing costs
• your own chosen materials and equipment
• costs of participating in external events, exhibitions, performances etc.

The costs vary every year and with every student, according to the intentions for the type of work they wish to do. Attainment at assessment is not dependent upon the costs of materials chosen.

Learn about applying

Important information about your application, uk full-time starting sept.

How to Apply Apply directly to UEL by clicking on the apply button. For further information read our  Guide to Applying . When to Apply Places on many courses are limited and allocated on a first come first served basis. We advise you to apply as early as possible to give yourself the best chance of receiving an offer. Advice and guidance Our  Information, Advice and Guidance team  provide impartial advice on courses, entry requirements, pre-entry and access programmes in person and via the telephone. +44 (0)20 8223 4354 Already applied? You can track the progress of your application by contacting our Applicant Engagement team on +44 (0)20 8223 3333 (Monday - Friday, 9am -5pm). Read our  guide to applying  for further information. Need help? Contact our Applicant Engagement team (Monday - Friday, 9am-5pm) +44 (0)20 8223 3333

UK Part-time starting Sept

How to Apply Apply directly to UEL by clicking on the apply button. For further information read our  Guide to Applying . When to Apply Places on many courses are limited and allocated on a first come first served basis. We advise you to apply as early as possible to give yourself the best chance of receiving an offer. Advice and guidance Our  Information, Advice and Guidance team  provide impartial advice on courses, entry requirements, pre-entry and access programmes in person and via the telephone. +44 (0)20 8223 4354 Already applied? You can track the progress of your application by contacting our Applicant Engagement team on +44 (0)20 8223 3333 (Monday - Friday, 9am -5pm). Read our  guide to applying  for further information. Need help? Contact our applicant engagement team (Monday - Friday, 9am-5pm) +44 (0)20 8223 3333

International Full-time starting Sept

Submitting your application please read and consider the entry and visa requirements for this course before you submit your application. for more information please visit our  international student advice pages .  .

How to Apply We accept direct applications for international students. The easiest way to apply is directly to UEL by clicking on the red apply button. Please be sure to  watch our videos  on the application process.

When to Apply Please ensure that you refer to the international admissions deadline . We advise you to apply as early as possible to give yourself the best chance of receiving an offer.

International students who reside overseas Please ensure that you have read and considered the entry requirements for this course before you submit your application. Our enquiries team can provide advice if you are unsure if you are qualified for entry or have any other questions. Please be sure to read about the  Tier 4 visa requirements .

Advice and guidance Our  Information, Advice and Guidance team  provide impartial advice on courses, entry requirements, pre-entry and access programmes in person and via the telephone.

+44 (0)20 8223 4354 Need help? Contact our applicant engagement team (Monday - Friday, 9am-5pm)

+44 (0)20 8223 3333

About our foundation years

Our Foundation Year courses are perfect for you if you... 

• are returning to education after a long time, or you don't have the qualifications for direct entry into our degree programmes
• are thinking of re-training and would like an introduction to the area
• are an international student wanting an additional year to adapt to the UK academic system
• are still evaluating which degree pathway at UEL is the right one for you

Please note: Foundation years can only be studied full time. However you can transfer to part-time delivery once you have completed your foundation year. Please apply to the full-time option if you wish to study in this way.

What makes this course different

92% of overall research

recognised as world-leading, internationally excellent or internationally recognised (REF 2021).

Opportunity to be published

All our doctoral students in education are given the opportunity to be published in our bi-annual periodical, Research in Teacher Education.  This publication offers a forum for informed debate and discussion on all aspects of teacher education.  The periodical seeks to stimulate, provoke and extend discussion and debate with all professionals involved in the professional development of teachers. ‌

100% student satisfaction (PRES 2021) with our courses and teaching

Overall student satisfaction has been over 90% across our postgraduate courses as reflected across two national postgraduate surveys (PRES 2021 & PTES 2021) showcasing the excellent academics and value in doctoral studies at UEL.

Course modules

Independent research.

PhD candidates will be undertaking their own research in communication with their supervisor.

NOTE: Modules are subject to change. For those studying part time courses the modules may vary.

Your future career

Explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our  Career Coach portal .

How we support your career ambitions

We offer dedicated careers support, further opportunities to thrive, such as volunteering and industry networking. our courses are created in collaboration with employers and industry to ensure they accurately reflect the real-life practices of your future career and provide you with the essential skills needed. You can focus on building interpersonal skills through group work and benefit from our investment in the latest cutting edge technologies and facilities.

Career Zone

Our dedicated and award-winning team provide you with careers and employability resources, including:

• Online jobs board for internships, placements, graduate opportunities, flexible part-time work.
• Mentoring programmes for insight with industry experts 
• 1-2-1 career coaching services 
• Careers workshops and employer events 
• Learning pathways to gain new skills and industry insight

Mental Wealth programme

Our Professional Fitness and Mental Wealth programme which issues you with a Careers Passport to track the skills you’ve mastered. Some of these are externally validated by corporations like Amazon and Microsoft.

We are careers first

Our teaching methods and geographical location put us right up top

• Enterprise and entrepreneurship support 
• We are ranked 6th for graduate start-ups 
• Networking and visits to leading organisations 
• Support in starting a new business, freelancing and self-employment 
• London on our doorstep

What you'll learn

UEL offers two main research degrees: the Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). 

The most popular course is the PhD via MPhil. A PhD is an original and distinct contribution to the knowledge of the field of study. It is often essential for those wishing to follow an academic or research career in industry or commerce. PhD research can be carried out in all subject areas.

All Postgraduate Research students are supervised by at least two research-active staff. Your supervisors will support your programme of research through regular meetings and reviews.

The PhD via MPhil course normally takes a minimum of 36 months (full-time) 60 months (part-time) to complete. Students enrolled in full-time mode of study will transfer from the MPhil to a PhD usually at the two year stage or equivalent for part-time study.

The Masters of Philosophy (MPhil) is a Master's level research degree programme which takes a minimum of 24 months (full-time) 48 months (part-time) to complete.

A PhD direct is aimed at postgraduate students who already have an MPhil (Masters of Philosophy) or MRes (Masters by Research) qualification, and takes a minimum of 36 months (full-time) 60 months (part-time) to complete.

• PhD via Publication

The publication route to a PhD is mainly intended for UEL postgraduate students or staff, based on their published academic output. Each application is considered separately on its own merits.

How you'll learn

Research proposals give us a better understanding of the area you want to study for an MPhil, PhD via MPhil or PhD Direct course.

You don't have to follow a predetermined structure when writing your proposal, but it's a good idea to include a title that describes the aims and scope of your research and information on how your ideas fit in with the research interests of UEL.

Other important elements include relevant academic literature, how your research will advance knowledge in this area and a possible methodology. You should also include a timescale for your research.

To find out more about how to write your research proposal, see our  research proposal guidance.

View a list of previous students' thesis topics.

Explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our  Career Coach Portal .

How you will be assessed

At the end of your PhD, you will be required to submit an 80,000-word thesis, summarising your research. You will then have to undergo an oral examination (a viva) on your thesis.

At the end of your MPhil, you will be required to submit a 40,000 word thesis which outlines your research findings. You will then have to undergo an oral examination (a viva) on your thesis.

Campus and facilities

Our campus and the surrounding area.

Our historic Stratford campus is located one of the best-connected areas of London: close to Stratford's thriving town centre, the 2012 Olympic Park, and just 15 minutes from London's West End.   Stratford’s facilities include a state-of-the-art library and learning centre, the majestic great hall and specialist laboratories and computing services. The School of Education and Communities, and Centre for Clinical Education in Podiatry, Physiotherapy and Sports Science are housed in new buildings. There is also a campus restaurant and bookshop, and a Students' Union café-bar.   Westfield Stratford City - Europe's largest indoor shopping mall - is just one of Stratford's attractions, alongside many other shops, cafés, bars and restaurants. There are two multiscreen cinemas, a theatre, an arts centre and much more.

Who teaches this course

This course is delivered by the School of Education and Communities.

The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers. Full details of the academics will be provided in the student handbook and module guides.

Related courses

This course is taught in an interdisciplinary way.

MA Leadership In Education

This course will enable you to develop your leadership skills and ability to lead change to meet the needs of staff and students in education.

MSc Digital Education

This course will teach you the latest ground-breaking research and practices in educational technology and instructional design to help you reshape the future of learning and teaching.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS Modal

Terms of Admittance to the University of East London

The Terms of Admittance govern your contractual relationship with University of East London ("UEL"). A contract between you, the Student, and us, UEL, is entered into once you accept an offer of a place on a programme at UEL and this contract is subject to consumer protection legislation. You are entitled to cancel this contract within 14 days of enrolment onto your programme.

1) Student enrolment

Enrolment at UEL is the process whereby you officially become a UEL student. The enrolment process requires you to:

• Ensure that we are holding correct personal details for you
• Agree to abide by our regulations and policies
• Pay your tuition fees/confirm who is paying your tuition fees

You are expected to enrol by the first day of your academic year (click on "Discover") which will be notified to you in your enrolment instructions. Failure to enrol by the deadline contained in our Fees Policy (for most students by the end of the second week of teaching) may lead to the cancellation of student status and all rights attached to that status, including attendance and use of UEL's facilities. If you do not complete the formal process of enrolment but, by your actions, are deemed to be undertaking activities compatible with the status of an enrolled student, UEL will formally enrol you and charge the relevant tuition fee. Such activities would include attendance in classes, use of online learning materials, submission of work and frequent use of a student ID card to gain access to university buildings and facilities. Late enrolment charges may be applied if you do not complete your enrolment by the relevant deadline.

2) Tuition fees

Your tuition fee is determined by:

• the programme you are studying;
• if you are studying full or part-time;
• whether you are a UK/EU or International student; and when you started your studies with us.

We will tell you the tuition fee that you are due to pay when we send you an offer as well as confirming any additional costs that will be incurred, such as bench fees or exceptional overseas study trips. Unregulated tuition fees (where the UK government has not set a maximum fee to be charged) are generally charged annually and may increase each year you are on the programme. Any annual increase will be limited to a maximum of 5% of the previous year's fee. Regulated tuition fees (where the UK government has set a maximum fee to be charged) may also be subject to an annual increase. Any annual increase will be in line with the increase determined by the UK government. You will be notified of any increases in tuition fees at re-enrolment onto the programme. Further information on tuition fees and payment options are contained in our Fees Policy .

3) Student ID Cards

To produce an ID card, we need a recent photograph of you that is not obscured and is a true likeness. We will either ask you to send us/upload a photograph in advance of enrolment or take one of you at the point of enrolment. The photograph will be held on our student records system for identification purposes by administrative, academic and security/reception staff. By accepting these Terms of Admittance you are confirming that you agree to your photograph being used in this way. If you object to your photograph being used in this way please contact the University Secretary via email at gov&[email protected] . You are required to provide proof of your identity at initial enrolment and prior to the issue of your UEL student ID card. This is usually a full and valid passport but instead of this you may bring two of the following:

• A (full or provisional) driving licence showing current address
• An international driving licence
• An original birth certificate (in English)
• A debit or credit card (one only)
• A benefit book or benefit award letter (dated within the last 3 months)
• An Armed Forces Identity card
• A police warrant card

You are required to carry and display your student ID card whilst on UEL premises and must keep it safe so that it is not misused by others.

4) Proof of qualifications

You are required to produce evidence of having satisfied the entry requirements for your programme. Such evidence must be in the form of the original certificates or certified notification of results from the examining body. All qualifications must be in English or supported by an official certified translation. If you fail to provide evidence of having satisfied the requirements for the programme you are liable to be withdrawn from the programme.

5) Non-academic entry requirements

You may need to demonstrate that you have met non-academic entry requirements prior to enrolment by providing additional information to UEL. For example, if you:-

• are under 18 years of age at the time of initial enrolment,
• are applying to a programme that requires health clearance for study as stated in the programme specification,
• have declared a relevant criminal conviction,
• will be studying a programme that involves contact with children and/or vulnerable adults or leads to membership of a professional body that deals with children and/or vulnerable adults.

You will not be permitted to enrol and any offer will be withdrawn if UEL deems that you are unsuitable for study following assessment of this additional information in line with published policies. These policies will be provided to you when the additional information is requested.

6) Criminal convictions

UEL has a responsibility to safeguard staff, students and the wider community. You are required to inform UEL of any relevant criminal conviction you have and provide further information relating to these as requested. This includes any relevant criminal convictions received whilst studying at UEL. UEL will assess all information received in line with published policies and may remove you from a programme if the conviction makes you unsuitable for study in UEL's opinion. Failure to declare a relevant criminal conviction or provide further information about you may result in expulsion from UEL.

7) Providing false information to UEL

If you are discovered to have falsified or misrepresented information presented to UEL at application, enrolment or during your studies, you may be expelled from UEL.

8) Continued enrolment and student status

You are expected to abide by all UEL policies and regulations, both those in force at the time of first and subsequent enrolment and as later revised and published from time to time. UEL reserves the right to make reasonable changes to its policies and regulations and any substantial amendments will be brought to your attention. You are also required to take personal responsibility for your studies; this includes undertaking all study in support of your programme as prescribed by UEL. Key policies include: Manual of General Regulations This describes the general regulatory framework of UEL and gives information about how UEL confers its degrees, diplomas and certificates. It includes important information about academic performance requirements for continued study. Engagement Attendance Policy This outlines UEL's expectations of students in relation to attendance on and engagement with taught programmes. These students are expected to attend all scheduled classes and engage fully with learning materials and resources provided to them - failure to do so may result in withdrawal from module(s) and/or the programme. Code of Practice for Postgraduate Research Degrees The purpose of this code is to provide a framework for the successful organisation and implementation of good practice in all matters relating to postgraduate research degrees at UEL. It aims to ensure that all students are effectively supported and supervised so that the full scope and potential of their research is realised; that their thesis is submitted within regulatory periods and that they complete their programme with a suitable and sufficient portfolio of research and employment-related skills and competencies. Health and Safety Policy This describes the structures and processes by which UEL protects the health and safety of its staff, students and visitors. It confirms that students will receive sufficient information, instruction and induction in relation to health and safety. All students should take reasonable care for their health and safety. They must abide by UEL’s rules and regulations and co-operate with supervisors to enable them to fulfil their obligations. Students must not interfere intentionally, or recklessly misuse anything provided for health and safety. UEL has consulted with its students and staff and has adopted a No Smoking Policy to safeguard the health and well-being of its community. Students are required to comply with this policy which restricts smoking to designated shelters and prohibits the use of electronic cigarettes within any UEL building or near building entrances. For further information on our Healthy Campus initiatives and support please visit the Health and Safety pages . Student Disciplinary Regulations and Procedures (incorporating the student code of conduct) This code is more than a list of things that we should and should not do: it reminds us that we should always consider how our behaviour affects others. The code applies:

• to all students;
• at all sites throughout our estate, and;
• when we represent UEL on business beyond our campus, both in real (face-to-face) and virtual environments.

And outlines expectations of students:

• verbal and physical behaviour should always be polite and respectful;
• behaviour should not impair the engagement, learning or participation of others;
• anti- social behaviour by individuals and groups will not be tolerated.

9) Changes to scheduled programmes

UEL will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the programme of study that you have accepted will conform to the programme specification published on our website and will ensure that the necessary resources required to enable you to meet the required learning outcomes and pass the relevant assessments are available. In order to ensure that our programmes are current and relevant, they are subject to regular review. From time to time, to ensure the maintenance of academic standards and/or compliance with professional body requirements, it may be necessary to amend a module or make adjustments to programme content. Major changes to programmes that in the reasonable opinion of UEL, will have a significant impact on students will involve consultation with students already enrolled on the programme when the changes are proposed. Once any changes are confirmed, UEL will notify all students and applicants of the changes. When UEL reasonably considers that the change may only impact one or more cohorts on the relevant programme, UEL may decide to only consult with the relevant cohort. In the event that we discontinue a programme, we will normally permit existing students to complete the programme within the typical duration of study. In these circumstances, UEL will use reasonable endeavours to continue the programme for existing students without making major changes. If this is not possible, we will support students in changing to another UEL programme on which a place is available, and for which the student is suitably qualified, or assist with transfer to another HEI to complete the programme elsewhere.

10) Changes to these terms

We may change these terms from time to time where, in UEL's opinion, it will assist in the proper delivery of any programme of study or in order to:- (a) Comply with any changes in relevant laws and regulatory requirements; (b) Implement legal advice, national guidance or good practice; (c) Provide for new or improved delivery of any programme of study; (d) Reflect market practice; (e) In our opinion make them clearer or more favourable to you; (f) Rectify any error or mistake; or (g) Incorporate existing arrangements or practice. No variation or amendment to these Terms of Admittance may be made without our prior written agreement. In the event that we agree to transfer you to an alternative programme of study, the transfer will be considered to be a variation to the Terms of Admittance, which shall otherwise remain in full force and existence. If we revise the Terms of Admittance, we will publish the amended Terms of Admittance by such means as we consider reasonably appropriate.;We will use reasonable endeavours to give you notice of any changes before they take effect.

11) Data Protection

UEL is committed to adhering to its obligations under the Data Protection Act 2018 and will act as a Data Controller when it processes your personal data. You can find our registration to the Data controller register on ico.org.uk . UEL processes your personal data fulfil its contractual and legal obligations to students. Personal data that we process about you includes:

• Your contact details and other information submitted during the application and enrolment processes;
• Details of courses, modules, timetables and room bookings, assessment marks and examinations related to your study;
• Financial and personal information collected for the purposes of administering fees and charges, loans, grants, scholarships and hardship funds;
• Photographs, and video recordings for the purpose of recording lectures, student assessment and examinations and for the purposes of university promotion that is in our legitimate interest but still fair to you;
• Information about your engagement with the University such as attendance data and use of electronic services such as Moodle, Civitas and YourTutor;
• Contact details for next of kin to be used in an emergency;
• Details of those with looked after status or those who have left the care system for the provision of support;
• Information related to the prevention and detection of crime and the safety and security of staff and students, including, but not limited to, CCTV recording and data relating to breaches of University regulations;

This is not an exhaustive list, for further information please refer to our fair processing notice pages on uel.ac.uk. In all of its data processing activities, UEL is committed to ensuring that the personal data it collects stores and uses will be processing in line with the data protection principles which can be summarised as:

• Being processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner;
• Collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes;
• Adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary;
• Accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date;
• Kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than is necessary;
• Processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal information;
• Be accountable for, and be able to demonstrate compliance with, the six principles above.

Student Responsibilities You must ensure that:

• All personal data provided to UEL is accurate and up-to-date. You must ensure that changes of address etc. are notified to the Student Hub.
• Students who use UEL's computing facilities may process personal data as part of their studies. If the processing of personal data takes place, students must take responsibility for that processing activity to ensure that it in line with the data protection principles above.
• Students who are undertaking research projects using personal data must ensure that:
• The research subject is informed of the nature of the research and is given a copy of UEL's Fair Processing Notice and this Data Protection Policy.

12) Legal basis for use of data

By agreeing to these Terms of Admittance and enrolling at UEL, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions of a contract for the use of your personal data relating to your enrolment, and if appropriate, registration and ongoing participation on a programme of study. Your personal or special category data will be collected, processed, published and used by UEL, its online learning and teaching services and/or its partners and agents in ways which support the effective management of UEL and your programme of study, to allow for the delivery of bursary schemes and to support improvements to student experience and progression, and are consistent with: The terms of the Data Protection Act 2018; Any notification submitted to the Information Commissioner in accordance with this legislation; and compliance with any other relevant legislation. You have fundamental rights associated with how organisations use your personal data. Further information on data protection and use of your personal data can be found in our Data Protection Policy and on uel.ac.uk.

13) Intellectual property

You are entitled to the intellectual property rights created during your time studying at UEL that would belong to you under the applicable law. There are some programmes where the assignment of certain types of intellectual property to UEL is appropriate. UEL will require the assignment to it of intellectual property rights relating to postgraduate research that is part of an ongoing research programme. Where the nature of the research programme means that some assignment of intellectual property rights to UEL is appropriate, we will take what steps that we can to ensure that your interests are protected. UEL will take reasonable endeavours to ensure:-

• the scope of the assignment is narrow, and is restricted to what is necessary, for example to protect UEL’s legitimate interests in the intellectual property created as party to a research programme;
• the application of the assignment is clearly defined, so that it is clear to you in which circumstances the assignment will apply;
• where the assignment of the intellectual property is appropriate in the circumstances, we will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the rights of the parties are evenly balanced (for example, your work being acknowledged in a publication and, where appropriate, subject to an appropriate revenue sharing scheme)
• where UEL claims ownership of intellectual property rights in relation to a taught programme of study, such treatment of those rights will be made clear in the published information relating to that programme.

14) How we communicate with you

UEL will communicate with you via a variety of channels, including postal letter, e-mail, SMS text message and online notices. To enable this, we request that you provide us with your e-mail address, postal address, and contact telephone number when you first enrol. Throughout your studies, it is important that you keep your contact details up to date. You can view and edit this information by logging into our student portal, UEL Direct at https://uel.ac.uk/Direct . We will create a UEL e-mail account for you after you enrol. Your e-mail address will be your student number, prefixed with a ‘u’ and followed by ‘@uel.ac.uk’ – e.g.: [email protected]. UEL will use this e-mail address to communicate with you and it is important that you regularly check and manage this mailbox for important updates and information. You can access your email account, plus information about our services, news and events by logging into our Intranet, intranet.uel.ac.uk. At the login screen, enter your email address (as above) and password. Your default UEL password will be your date of birth, formulated as DD-MMM-YY, e.g. 31-jan-84. Your UEL email account and associated UEL IT accounts will be deleted not more than 6 months after you graduate or withdraw from your programme of study (if earlier).  

15)University of East London Students' Union

The University of East London Students' Union (UELSU) represents students at UEL. By enrolling at UEL you are automatically granted membership of both UELSU and the National Union of Students (NUS). If you wish to opt out from this membership, please inform UELSU in writing at either [email protected]  or by writing to: Chief Executive, UELSU, University of East London, Docklands Campus, 4-6 University Way, London E16 2RD. UELSU provides a range of services and support to students and can provide advice and representation on any matter affecting the contract between you and UEL. For further information on this support, please visit www.uelunion.org

16) Students studying at partner institutions

If you are undertaking a programme of study at a partner institution you will need to generally abide by the above terms and also those of the partner institution. Further information and support in understanding these terms is available from the Academic Partnership Office -  [email protected] .

17) International students - additional responsibilities

All international students must also comply with UK Visa and Immigration requirements. All international students are required to hold a valid visa which permits study in the UK or hold a Tier 4 visa/have applied for a Tier 4 visa with a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies issued by UEL. Students who are being sponsored under a Tier 4 student visa must also understand and comply with the responsibilities of their student visa and co-operate with UEL in fulfilling our Tier 4 duties .

18) Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

UEL is committed to working together to build a learning community founded on equality of opportunity – a learning community which celebrates the rich diversity of our student and staff populations and one in which discriminatory behaviour is challenged and not tolerated within our community. Within the spirit of respecting difference, our equality and diversity policies promise fair treatment and equality of opportunity for all regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, disability or religion/belief (or lack of). In pursuing this aim, we want our community to value and to be at ease with its own diversity and to reflect the needs of the wider community within which we operate. For further information on this inclusive approach to education please visit our Student Policies page .

19) Complaints

We welcome feedback on our programmes and services and facilitate this in a variety of ways, including programme committees, module evaluation forms and surveys. However, if you are dissatisfied with a particular service or programme or the manner in which it has been delivered, you must let the person responsible for that service know as we will always try to resolve matters at the earliest opportunity via informal conciliation. If you are unsure who to approach, please e-mail The Hub who will be able to direct your concerns appropriately. If you remain dissatisfied with a service or programme, or the manner in which it is delivered, you should refer to our formal complaints procedure to have the matter formally addressed. In addition, once you have enrolled onto your programme, you will also have access to the Advice and Information Service offered by UELSU. This access is not available to students studying at partner institutions.

20) Cancellation

If you wish to cancel this contract within 14 days of enrolment onto your programme, you must do so in writing. Any fees that you have paid will be refunded – please see Fees Policy for further information on obtaining a refund.

21) Further guidance

If any of the information in these Terms of Admittance or related policies are unclear or if you have any questions, please contact The Hub for guidance on +44 (0) 208 223 4444 .

22) Right to advice

This is a consumer contract and you are able to obtain independent advice in relation to its terms and conditions from UELSU as well as your local Citizens Advice Bureau.  

23) General

Neither you nor UEL will be liable for failure to perform their obligations under these Terms of Admittance if such failure arises from unforeseeable events, circumstances or causes outside of that party's reasonable control. Examples of such events include, but are not limited to, war, terrorism, industrial disputes, natural disaster, fire and national emergencies. Only you and UEL are parties to these Terms of Admittance. No other person shall have any rights under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce any term of these Terms of Admittance. Failure or delay by you or UEL to exercise any right or remedy provided under this contract shall not constitute a waiver of that or any other right or remedy, nor shall it prevent or restrict the further exercise of that or any other right or remedy. No single or partial exercise of such right or remedy shall prevent or restrict the further exercise of that or any other right or remedy. These Terms of Admittance are governed by the law of England and Wales and you and UEL agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

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Counselor Education and Supervision - Ph.D.

• Program Coordinator: Cassie Storlie | [email protected] | 330-672-0693
• Chat with an Admissions Counselor

Apply Now Request Information Schedule a visit

Getting Started - What to Know Before You Apply

• To complete the CES PhD program, full-time students often take two years of coursework (including one online synchronous course each summer), two semesters of doctoral internship, and successfully complete their comprehensive exams prior to moving on to a Dissertation.
• Advanced Counseling Practicum and our two Supervision courses are completed on the Kent campus at the  Counseling Center in White Hall.
• A doctoral residency plan is established with co-advisors which includes one year of full-time study, that is, enrollment for a 12 month period including 21 semester hours (e.g., two semesters of 9hrs plus a summer of 3hrs) and additional professional development activities related to the five core areas of CES
• Applicants should have a master’s degree in counseling , preferably from a CACREP accredited program. Applicants without a master’s degree in counseling should consider our  EdS Program . Our application deadline for all materials is February 1st of each year for applicants to start the following Fall semester. 

Review Application Procedures Before Applying to Kent State University

• Read and Review the Doctoral Program handbook found here
• Contact the Doctoral Program Coordinator for an initial individual interview
• After the initial interview, obtain Writing Sample prompt from Doctoral Program Coordinator (available after September 1 each year)
• Complete all application materials (letters of recommendation, goal statement, etc.) through application portal
• Attend Doctoral Group Interview Day – Held in White Hall on the second Friday in February from 9am-12:30pm

Mission and Key Performance Indicators

The mission of the Counselor Education and Supervision (CES) doctoral program at Kent State University is to prepare research-informed, ethically sound, and culturally intentional counselor educators and supervisors who can effectively: conduct research and engage in scholarship; provide counseling supervision; facilitate learning; engage in leadership and advocacy; and deliver counseling services. Fulfilling this mission will ensure delivery of a high-quality doctoral education which meets the standards of the  Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) .

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are the student learning outcomes that the Counselor Education and Supervision program has developed to represent student knowledge and skills related to the program’s mission and objectives.

Key Performance Indicators for the Doctoral Program in Counselor Education and Supervision:

• KPI CES 1: Graduates will be able to understand and apply legal and ethical standards and multicultural competencies.
• KPI CES 2: Graduates will be able to conceptualize clients from multiple theoretical perspectives.
• KPI CES 3: Graduates will be able to understand and apply methods for evaluating counseling effectiveness.
• KPI CES 4: Graduates will be able to use theories of supervision in their clinical application.
• KPI CES 5: Graduates will be able to understand and apply evaluative, gatekeeping, and remediation practices in clinical supervision.
• KPI CES 6: Graduates will be able to understand and apply pedagogical and teaching methods in CES.
• KPI CES 7: Graduates will be able to understand and apply instructional and curriculum design, delivery, and evaluation methods of teaching.
• KPI CES 8: Graduates will be able to understand and apply research designs appropriate for quantitative and qualitative research questions.
• KPI CES 9: Graduates will be able to understand and apply best practices for professional writing.
• KPI CES 10: Graduates will be able to understand and apply leadership theory and skills in CES.
• KPI CES 11: Graduates will be able to understand and critically evaluate current issues in CES. 

Program Information

For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website . For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website .

Admission Requirements

• Master's degree from an accredited college or university
• Minimum 3.500 graduate GPA on a 4.000 point scale
• Official transcript(s)
• Résumé or vita
• Goal Statement
• Supplemental form
• Completion of the Questions Regarding Legal and Ethical Issues form
• Preliminary written exam
• Two letters of recommendation
• Interview (Individual and Group))
• Minimum 550 TOEFL PBT score
• Minimum 79 TOEFL IBT score
• Minimum 77 MELAB score
• Minimum 77 IELTS score
• Minimum 58 PTE score
• Minimum 110 Duolingo English score

Students are expected to have completed curricular experiences equivalent to CACREP entry-level standards and curricular requirements of a specific CACREP program area before beginning doctoral-level counselor education coursework. Any missing content can be completed before or in some cases (e.g., if minimal content is needed) concurrently with initial doctoral-level counselor education coursework.

Application Deadlines

• Priority deadline: February 1 Applications submitted by this deadline will receive the strongest consideration for admission .

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of ethical and legal considerations, and multicultural responsiveness, in counselor education and supervision.
• Demonstrate a specific focus on knowledge and skill/practice in the following areas: counselor supervision; teaching/pedagogy of counselor education; research and scholarship; advanced counseling theory and techniques; leadership and advocacy; and professional identity as a counselor.
• Assume the role of instructor with the ability to understand and apply: teaching methods; instructional and curriculum design; and evaluation methods of teaching.
• Provide high quality counseling supervision which enhances supervisees' ability to conceptualize clients from multiple theoretical perspectives; nurtures supervisees' counseling skills; evaluates the effectiveness of supervisees' counseling; uses multiple theories of supervision; and demonstrates knowledge and skills related to evaluative, gatekeeping and remediation practices of supervision.
• Conduct quantitative and qualitative research, along with understanding and applying the recommended practices for professional writing.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the principles and practices of counseling in a diverse and ever-changing society.
• Demonstrate a firm grasp of leadership theory, and provide leadership and advocacy to the counseling profession.
• Demonstrate an ability to critically evaluate current issues in the profession.

Program Requirements

Progression requirements, graduation requirements.

Before taking any field-based experiences, students must complete state and Federal background checks. See the program coordinator for more information.

Students will complete 3 credit hours of CES 88292 per semester for two consecutive semesters, for a total of 6 credit hours of internship.

Elective courses must be relevant to counselor education and supervision. Students must consult with and obtain approval from their advisors about registering for electives.

Upon admission to candidacy, each doctoral candidate must register for CES 80199 . It is expected that a doctoral candidate will continuously register for Dissertation I for a total of 30 credit hours, and thereafter CES 80299 , each semester until all requirements for the degree have been met. Students will be expected to be familiar with data entry and interpreting computer generated analysis.

Students who earn a C+ grade or lower in any course for the degree must repeat the course for a better grade. All prerequisites for courses must be completed with a minimum minimum B- grade.

• Minimum B- (or Satisfactory) grade in all courses
• After admission to the Ph.D. degree program, students plan a program of study with their respective faculty advisory committee. Please refer to the program doctoral handbook and graduate student handbook for more information about requirements for graduation.
• Successful completion of written and oral comprehensive exams is required before students can be registered for dissertation credit hours.
• Kent Campus

Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)

Additional Information & Resources

The intent of the comprehensive written and oral examination is to provide a more comprehensive evaluation of the student’s knowledge of Counselor Education and Supervision than can be completed in an individual course. The comprehensive written and oral examination is centered on the 5 core areas of CES. The comprehensive written and oral examination is to be taken at the completion of the student’s course work (CES 88292 Internship in CES may be incomplete at the time of the comprehensive examination); that is, all course work listed as part of the Prospectus & Residency Plan must be completed before the student is eligible to take the comprehensive written and oral examination EXCEPT ELECTIVES .

There are five core areas of the CES Doctoral Comprehensive Examinations which include:

• Supervision
• Leadership and Advocacy
• Research and Scholarship

The written comprehensive examination will be offered SIX times during the academic year (Fall semester: September 1, October 1, November 1 and Spring semester: February 1, March 1 and April 1).

In the CES Ph.D. program, students complete the written portion of the comprehensive examination in five weeks . At the student’s request, the two CES faculty co-advisors help prepare the student for the five areas to be covered on the written portion of the examination; note that it is the student’s responsibility to schedule a meeting(s) with co-advisors to assist with preparation.

Once the written portion of the examination has been completed, the Advisory Committee (CES co-advisors) may determine that the student 1) has successfully passed the written examination and is ready for the oral examination, or 2) determine that there is a deficiency, and that re-writing is necessary. The Advisory Committee (CES co-advisors) must indicate a satisfactory performance on the “written portion” of the examination before the student can schedule the “oral portion” of the examination.

Once a doctoral student receives the five questions for the CES written comprehensive exam, this is considered the first administration . Students have TWO opportunities to pass the written comprehensive exam per the EHHS Graduate Student Handbook. For further information on guidance to the comprehensive exams, refer to the CES Doctoral Handbook.

CES Doctoral Student Handbook

• Counselor Education and Supervision Doctoral Program Brochure & Student Handbook

CES Doctoral Plan of Study

• Ph.D. Prospectus

CES Doctoral Internship Manual

• Internship Manual

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries

• Counselor Educator and Supervisor
• Advanced Counselor
• Advanced Counseling Practitioner

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Part D: Regulations for the degree award of PhD by Published Work

These regulations should not be read in isolation..

Research students and supervisors are responsible for familiarising themselves with the University Ethics Policy, Code of Good Research Practice and other research policies, procedures and guidelines at:   www.wlv.ac.uk/researchpolicies

The PhD by Published Work

The PhD by Published Work route is intended primarily for mid-career research-active academic staff, who have not had the opportunity to undertake a research programme leading to a PhD. Submissions for this award will consist of coherent body of work which is of the same quality, rigour and volume as required of a standard PhD in the relevant field and which constitutes an original contribution to knowledge.

At the University of Wolverhampton this route is only available for academic staff of the University appointed to a full-time contract or occupying a substantive part-time post equivalent to at least 0.2 of a full-time contract.

Award Titles

1.1         The University of Wolverhampton may award the degree of PhD by Published Work where a student has made an independent and original contribution to new knowledge through the discovery of new facts, demonstrated an understanding of research methods appropriate to the chosen field and has presented and defended a thesis by oral examination to the satisfaction of the examiners.

1.2         The academic standards associated with the degree award of PhD by Publication shall be comparable with those of the degree award of Doctor of Philosophy.

Learning Outcomes and Peer Review

1.3         The University’s research degrees are awarded to students who have satisfied a team of specially appointed Examiners that both the thesis (including portfolio of creative / published work) and the oral defence of that thesis demonstrate that they have achieved the learning outcomes appropriate to the award sought, as specified in the QAA Framework for Higher Education Qualifications. Examiners are asked to confirm in their final report that students have met the learning outcomes for the award.

1.4         The learning outcomes expressly refer to peer-review and sole or lead authorship. The learning outcomes must all be demonstrated in the written commentary and/or peer reviewed original research-based published works.  

1.5         Published works that have not been peer reviewed cannot be submitted for a PhD by Published Work. An output shall be regarded as published work only if it is traceable through ordinary catalogues, tables of contents, critical reviews, abstracts or citation indices and if copies are or have been available to the general public including, for example, public exhibitions with published catalogues and public performances with published programmes. Reports provided exclusively for the public or private sector may not be submitted unless they have been published and are available generally. Proofs of works not yet accepted for publication shall not be submitted.

1.6         The published works submitted for examination will constitute a corpus of work that contributes a coherent body of knowledge rather than a series of disconnected research outputs.

Application

2.1         Initial registration for the PhD by Published Work is through the Research Proposal.

Period of Study

2.2         A PhD by Published work is studied part-time. The normal period of study for a PhD by Published Work shall be 12 months part-time from the date of approval of the Research Proposal. The maximum period over which a PhD by Published Work may be studied is 24 months part-time.

Academic Advisor

2.3         If the relevant Research Student Board approves an application, they will appoint at least one Academic Advisor who will be a serving member of the University. The role of the advisor(s) is to:

• provide general guidance and support to the student.
• comment on the appropriateness of the selected publications.
• provide advice to the student on the written commentary.
• offer advice on preparing for the oral examination.
• nominate the potential examiners.

Eligible Members of Staff

2.4         Eligible members of staff are defined for this purpose as academic staff of the University of Wolverhampton appointed to a full-time contract or occupying a substantive part-time post equivalent to at least 0.2 of a full-time contract.

2.5         Staff undertaking a PhD by Published Work must be in such employment at the time of approval of the Research proposal and at the time of submission of the PhD. They will have been in post for at least one year prior to submission of the Research Proposal.

3.1         A team of examiners will be convened to examine students at the appropriate time.

3.2         Three examiners, two external examiners and an internal examiner, must be appointed for each PhD by Published Work thesis presented for examination. 

3.3         All oral examinations will be Chaired by a representative of the University.  The Chair will be independent of the project, student, and academic advisor.  Their role is to ensure that the examination is conducted fairly and in accordance with the University’s regulations. 

3.4         Once the examining team has been appointed, neither the student nor the academic advisor shall have any contact with the examiners in relation to the thesis until the oral examination. 

General Regulations

4.1         All research students must present a written thesis, presented in English, in the format agreed by the University Research Committee, on the subject of their research, for examination by a team of examiners.

4.2         All research degrees must reach a standard of written English and academic communication appropriate for the topic and the level of award, and examiners will be asked to consider this element of the work.

4.3         The student will submit sufficient copies of the thesis in printed form to supply one for each examiner.  An identical digital version – in Word format - must be supplied for the viva Chair for reference. 

4.4         The thesis for a PhD by Published Work is comprised of:

• Published works, and
• Commentary and body of work.

Published Works

4.5         For the purpose of these regulations, ‘published work’ shall refer to journal papers, chapters, monographs, books, scholarly editions of a text, edited collections of essays or other materials, software, and creative work (which may be in any field including fine art, design, architecture, musical composition, dance or performance) or other original artefacts. The precise selection of work undertaken by the student will depend upon the discipline concerned.

4.6         The number of publications will depend on both the academic area and the type of publication included in the submission, but as a guide, the submission should comprise between three and ten publications.

4.7         Any submission for a PhD by Published Work will involve a coherent portfolio of published work, with appropriate currency. The publications submitted for the degree shall have been published within the last ten years and should demonstrate a continuing record of publication. This will be ensured as follows:

• At least 80% of the published works submitted must have been published within six years of the date of submission for examination. Where appropriate, a maximum of 20% of outputs may have appeared within 10 years prior to submission. (The 80% is calculated as the proportion of separately published outputs rather than as a proportion of total word count.)
• Publications included in the submission for a PhD by Publication should not have been used in the submission for another research degree

4.8         Where more than one chapter from a single edited book is included, there is a strong expectation that, taken together, these will comprise less than half of the published works submitted for examination.

4.9         Students must ensure they have all relevant copyright permissions before they submit their work for examination.

Commentary and body of work

4.10       The commentary will be presented in English. The published works will also be in English unless a specific exemption is sought from the University Research Committee at the time of submission of the Research Proposal. Permission to include publications in a language other than English will only be granted provided that the academic advisor has reading knowledge of the language of the publications and that the inclusion of such publications would not prejudice or limit the selection of appropriate examiners or Independent Chair.

4.11       The written commentary provides a context for the published work, a statement (or re-statement) of the argument / research questions (including theoretical and methodological underpinnings) that the published works together put forward.  This should explain how the findings from the collection of published works address the research question. The commentary should also state (or restate) the original contribution(s) to knowledge that the published works together advance.

Co-authored works

4.12       Where jointly authored works are to be submitted for the degree, the student shall submit (as appendices to the commentary) a formal statement for each applicable work endorsed by the co-authors clearly identifying the student’s intellectual ownership and contribution to each published work. The statement(s) shall quantify the student’s contribution to the formulation, execution, analysis and publication of the research.

4.13       In addition, the written commentary must clarify the student’s contribution and identify the basis for their claim to the intellectual content of any jointly authored works. Students should expect their individual contribution to multi-authored works to be a focus of the oral examination.

4.14       A guide to the word count can be found in the table below.

Editorial support on the thesis

4.15       When a research student submits their thesis, it must be solely their own work (except where the Regulations permit the inclusion of appropriately referenced collaborative research or work). The student must not appoint or employ a ‘ghost writer’ to write parts or all of their thesis, whether in draft or as a final version.

4.16       Editors, whether they are part of the supervisory team, informal mentors, family or friends or professional proof-readers or editors, need to be clear about the extent and nature of help they can offer to a student in their editing role. Supervisors also need to be clear about the role of ‘third party’ editors as well as their own editorial role.

4.17       A student may use ‘third party’ editorial assistance or proof-readers (paid or voluntary) from an outside source. However, this must be with the knowledge and support of the student’s academic advisor and must strictly follow the regulations.

4.18       A ‘third party’ editor cannot be used to:

• Change the text of the thesis to clarify and/or develop the ideas and arguments.
• Reduce the length of the thesis so it falls within the specified word limit.
• Correct information within the thesis
• Change ideas and arguments put forward within the thesis.
• Translate the thesis into English.

4.19       A ‘third party’ editor can be used to offer advice on:

• Spelling and punctuation
• Formatting and sorting of footnotes and endnotes for consistency and order.
• Ensuring the thesis follows the conventions of grammar and syntax in written English.
• Shortening long sentences and editing long paragraphs
• Changing passives and impersonal usages into actives, or vice versa, as may be appropriate.
• Improving the positioning of tables and illustrations and the clarity, grammar, spelling and punctuation of any text in or under tables and illustrations
• Ensuring consistency of page numbers, headers, and footers.

Submission of the final thesis

4.20       Following successful examination and the approval of any amendments, which the examiners require, the student will be required to submit a final electronic version (E-Thesis) to Registry Services to be loaded to the University institutional repository (WIRE). Once the e-thesis is deposited in WIRE, it is published online so it can be accessed by scholars and others anywhere in the world.

Restrictions on access to a thesis

  4.21       An application for confidentiality may be made to the Dean of Research on the following grounds:

• to enable a patent application to be lodged.
• the thesis contains politically sensitive material.
• the thesis contains sensitive material that relates to questions of national security.
• the thesis contains commercially sensitive information, the release of which might prejudice the commercial interests of any person including the author, the University, or an external company.
• placing the thesis in the public domain might endanger the physical or mental health or the safety of an individual.
• placing the thesis in the public domain would cause the author or third parties mentioned in the text to be open to legal challenge or racial, ethnic, political, or other persecution.

4.22       An application for restricted access must be made at the earliest opportunity and approval must be sought and granted no later than the time at which examination arrangements are approved. The normal maximum period of confidentiality is two years. Where a shorter period would be adequate, the University shall not automatically grant the full two years.

4.23       Where an application for confidentiality has been granted, the thesis will, immediately on completion of the programme of work, be retained by the University on restricted access and, for a time not exceeding the approved period, shall only be made available to those who were directly involved in the project.

4.24       A data only record will appear in WIRE (including author, title, keywords etc.) until the restricted access period has expired. The copies of the thesis submitted for examination shall remain the property of the University, but the copyright of the thesis shall be vested in the student.

5.1         The examination for a research degree shall have two stages: firstly, the submission and preliminary assessment of the thesis and secondly its defence by oral examination; the viva voce.

5.2         Students are required to attend the viva voce examination on the agreed date unless there are exceptional and unforeseen circumstances, which prevent attendance.

5.3         The viva voce examination should take place within 3 calendar months of the examiners receiving the thesis.

5.4         RASC shall ensure that all examinations are conducted, and the recommendations of the examiners are presented, wholly in accordance with the University’s regulations. In any instance where RASC is made aware of failure to comply with all the procedures of the examination process, it may declare the examination null and void and appoint new examiners.

5.5         RASC (or its Chair, acting on behalf of the sub-committee) shall make a decision on the reports and recommendation(s) of the examiners in respect of the student. The power to confer the degree shall rest with RASC, acting on behalf of Academic Board of the University of Wolverhampton.

Preliminary Report on the Thesis

5.6         Registry Services will send a copy of the thesis to each examiner together with the examiner’s Preliminary Report form, University Research Degrees Regulations, and the Notes of Guidance for Examiners. They will also respond to any questions the examiners have concerning the examination procedures.

5.7         Each examiner will read the thesis and provide an independent Preliminary Report on it to the University before any oral examination is held. In completing the Preliminary Report, each examiner shall consider whether the thesis provisionally satisfies the requirements of the degree and where possible shall make an appropriate provisional recommendation subject to the outcome of an oral examination.

5.8         All Preliminary Reports must be received by Registry Services at least 10 working days before the scheduled date of the viva.  The University may reschedule a viva where this is not the case.

5.9         Registry Services will ensure that the Chair has all Preliminary Reports to be distributed to the examination team on the day of the viva; but they will not be made available to the student.

The Oral Examination

5.10       Registry Services must notify the student, examiners, supervisors, and independent Chair in writing of the date and the arrangements for the oral examination. Arrangements include any agreed reasonable adjustments where these have been requested by the student, with reference to their tutor awareness sheet.

5.11       The oral examination shall not be arranged less than one month from the date of receipt of the thesis by the examiners to give the examiners a reasonable period in which to assess the work.

5.12       The oral examination shall be held in the UK (on university premises).  In exceptional circumstances, RASC may give approval for the examination to take place by video conference, in line with the Policy on Remote Viva Voce Examinations.

5.13       The academic advisor may, at the written request of the student, attend the oral examination as an observer, but shall withdraw prior to the deliberations of the examiners on the outcome of the examination.

5.14       The only other people who may attend the oral examination are those who are necessary for the University to discharge its obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and where this has been agreed in advance.

5.15       At the end of the examination, the student and advisor will leave the room. The examiners or the Chair may however invite them back to clarify any outstanding issues arising from the examination. If an academic advisor has not been invited to attend the viva voce by the student, they are not permitted to join the meeting between the student and examination team that delivers the outcome.

Recommendations Available to the Examiners

5.16       Following the completion of the oral examination, the examiners shall, where they are in agreement, submit to Registry Services a joint report and recommendation relating to the award of the degree.

5.17       The examiners will be asked to make one of the following recommendations:

• Pass, subject to the correction of minor editorial or other stated deficiencies in the commentary, to be made within twelve weeks.

5.18       The examiners shall inform the student of their recommendations to RASC on the day of the examination.

5.19       The preliminary reports and joint recommendation of the examiners shall together provide sufficiently detailed comments on the scope and quality of the work to enable RASC to satisfy itself that the recommendation proposed is appropriate. Where the examiners are not in agreement, separate reports and recommendations shall be submitted.

Award of the Degree Subject to Minor Amendments to the commentary

5.20       Where the examiners are satisfied that the student has in general reached the standard required for the degree but consider that the thesis requires additional explanatory information or some minor amendments and corrections, they may recommend that the degree be awarded subject to the student amending the thesis to the satisfaction of the internal and/or the external examiner(s).

5.21       Minor corrections that are permissible include typographical errors, minor amendments and/or replacement of, or additions to the text, references, or diagrams. Other more extensive corrections may be made as long as they do not require significant (as defined by the examiners) re-working or re-interpretation of the intellectual content of the commentary.

5.22       Where minor amendments are required, the student must submit the corrected thesis within a maximum of 12 weeks from the date the examiners’ feedback is sent to the student.   RASC may, where there are exceptional reasons, approve an extension of this period. For students with disabilities, learning differences or long term health conditions, where it is indicated on their tutor awareness sheet, an additional 25% time is given (totalling 15 weeks).

5.23       When students submit the corrected thesis, they shall attach a summary of the changes they have made identifying where the changes can be found in the corrected thesis.

5.24       The degree will not be awarded until confirmation that the corrections have been completed is received. Where the student does not submit the amended thesis within twelve weeks and in the absence of approved and recorded Leave of Absence, the University reserves the right not to confer the award.

5.25       The minor amendments must be made to the satisfaction of at least one examiner as agreed by the examiners following the viva voce. Examiners may not make additional requirements at this stage. Upon receipt of the corrected thesis, the nominated examiner will, within one month of receipt, complete the Examiner’s Final Declaration Form and return it to Registry Services.

5.26       Where the examiners are unable to agree a joint recommendation following submission of the amended thesis, the procedures in Regulations 5.29 and 5.30 shall apply.

Failure of PhD by Published Work

5.27       Where the examiners’ recommendation is fail, the student may make a further application at any time, provided that such an application includes additional works based upon further study and research.

5.28       The period of study shall be 12 months from the date of approval of the new Research Proposal. The student shall submit a new copy of the published works and commentary for examination.  A new team of examiners will be appointed.

Where Recommendations are not Unanimous

5.29       Where Examiners are unable to reach an agreed recommendation, the Dean of Research may:

a) accept a majority recommendation, b) accept the recommendation of the external Examiner, or c) require the appointment of an additional Examiner.

5.30       Where an additional external examiner is appointed under Regulation 10.30c) above, they shall prepare an independent report on the thesis and may request an additional oral examination.  That examiner will neither seek nor be informed of the recommendations of the other examiners. The reports from all the examiners are considered by the Dean of Research.

6.1       Conferment of an award is withheld from any student who has not fulfilled a legitimate requirement of the University, including the settlement of any outstanding debt to the University.

6.2       A student must not state that they have been awarded a research degree on their CV, in job applications or at interview until a formal conferment letter is received from the University.

7.1         Any alleged misconduct in research (that is, other than academic misconduct in an assessment) will be dealt with initially through the Procedures for the Investigation of Allegations of Misconduct in Research.

7.2         Any alleged assessment offence will be dealt with through the ‘Procedure for managing an alleged assessment offence’, where a student has:

a) sought to gain unfair academic advantage in the assessment process for themselves or another student, and/or b) not complied with internal or external ethical approval processes, and/or c) breached a principle of research integrity.

7.3         An assessment offence may be committed in relation to a “piece of work contributing to a research award of the University”. This includes any written work or oral presentation submitted for assessment or submitted to a Faculty Research Committee in support of the Progression stage of a Research Degree Programme or as part of the Annual Progress Review.  

7.4         All research will use text-matching software to produce an originality report, to be submitted alongside assessed work, including:

a) Annual Progress Review. b) Progression Stage. c) The thesis. d) A resubmitted thesis, where resubmission is required.

7.5         The University reserves the right to submit any assessment item to a text-matching database for electronic originality checking with or without a student's consent. 

8.1         The University has an appeals procedure that is available for all research students. ( https://www.wlv.ac.uk/current-students/conduct-and-appeals/ This process can also be used to appeal against the outcome of an Extenuating Circumstances claim. 

8.2         Appellants will not be disadvantaged as a result of bringing an academic appeal.

8.3         A student registered for a postgraduate research degree has the right to appeal against a decision made at any of the key assessment points:

a) Taught modules (Professional Doctorate Students only) b) Progression decision (Annual Progress Review or Progression Stage) c) Examination or re-examination of the thesis.

8.4         In addition, students may also appeal against decisions made relating to:

a) the decision that there is no prima facie case for the award of a PhD by Published Work. b) Withdrawal of registration due to lack of academic progress.

9.1         Research students who are dissatisfied with their conditions of work or the quality of their supervision should wherever possible discuss the difficulties with their supervisor.

9.2         If a research student prefers not to discuss their concerns with the supervisor, the student should approach the Postgraduate Research Tutor.

9.3         If the complaint is not resolved through informal routes, then the University of Wolverhampton has a formal Student Complaints Procedure. Information on the complaints procedure may be found at: https://www.wlv.ac.uk/about-us/governance/legal-information/policies-and-regulations/

10.1       The University may award consider an Aegrotat or Posthumous award, on the recommendation of the Dean of Research.  In reaching the decision, the Dean of Research will normally convene an Examination Panel in accordance with section D5.

10.2       In addition to the award sought (or an MPhil in the case of PhD), the Examiners may recommend the award of Postgraduate Diploma (by research), if they believe the work is close to but not sufficient.  

10.3       In considering whether to accept such a thesis, the relevant committee will assure itself that the work available is of sufficient quality to demonstrate to Examiners that the student had achieved the objectives of the research programme.

10.4       In considering the request for an Aegrotat award, the University Research Awards sub-committee will assure itself that appropriate efforts have been made to support the student and to retrieve the programme of study, and that the student is unlikely to be able to complete the programme in the foreseeable future.

10.5       Research submitted for consideration for a Postgraduate Diploma (by Research) cannot subsequently be employed by the student towards a Research Degree.

11.1       In exceptional circumstances, following an investigation, the University may at any time, on the recommendation of the Academic Registrar, revoke an award and all privileges connected therewith, having determined that there is good cause to do so. This may include:

a) Where an award is found to have been obtained by fraud or deception including academic and research misconduct. b) Where a graduate has not met the requirements of the award conferred or c) Where the award has been obtained due to administrative error or irregularities in the conduct of the Research Awards Sub-committee.

PDF Version of the Regulations for the degree award of PhD by Published Work , to download.

Hilton to Buy Graduate Hotels in First Brand Acquisition Since 1999

Hilton hotel logo is seen on 52nd street following the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in New York City, U.S., March 18, 2020. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon/File Photo

(Reuters) - Hilton said on Thursday it will buy Graduate Hotels from Adventurous Journeys Capital Partners for $210 million, marking its first brand acquisition in over two decades as pressure in the hotel industry creates opportunity for consolidations.

Hilton said it believes the addressable market for the Graduate brand that primarily caters to locations near major colleges and universities in the United States and the United Kingdom, is 400-500 hotels globally.

"University towns tend to have steady demand, from students, parents and visiting academics, largely unconnected to the global economy," said Richard Clarke, analyst at Bernstein.

Hilton's shares were up marginally during premarket trading after the announcement of the deal with Graduate Hotels, which has only about 35 operating and pipeline properties.

CEO Chris Nassetta had said during the Hilton's fourth-quarter earnings call that "more stress in the system than normal" presented more opportunity for modest acquisitions.

The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter, and Hilton sees the fee contribution for the first full-year of ownership to be about $16 million.

(Reporting by Doyinsola Oladipo in New York and Aishwarya Jain in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)

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PhD Research Studentships 2022-23

Fse dean's research studentship 2022-23 .

Applications are invited for doctoral study in suitable areas within Health Science, Engineering, Pharmacy, Computer Science, Architecture and Built Environment and Life Science. 

The 18 FSE Dean Research Studentships project titles are as follows:

Project Synopses

Click to read more

Tailor-Made Biological Polymer Scaffolds for the Development of In Vitro 3D Tissue Models

Approaches for culturing mammalian cells in vitro are increasingly needed to study cell and tissue physiology and to grow replacement tissue for regenerative medicine. For this purpose, a scaffold that incorporates sophisticated biochemical and mechanical cues, mimics the extracellular matrix found in vivo and supports the growth of tissue in three-dimensional (3D) is required. An ideal scaffold should fulfil several criteria including biocompatibility, biodegradability into non-toxic components that are easily excreted by the host, possess an interconnected network of pores of a diameter that permits cell migration and surface chemistry that encourages cell attachment and permits the immobilisation of biomolecules such as growth factors.

Biomaterials (hydrogels and porous polymer materials) that can serve as scaffolds for 3D cell culture and tissue engineering are developed in Dr Eissa’s group using modern synthetic chemistry and bioconjugation methodologies. Recent work has shown that these scaffolds are capable of supporting 3D growth of many cell types including human pluripotent stem cells, human haematopoietic stem cells and human endometrial cells.

This interdisciplinary project will involve creating a range of complex architecture materials that can serve as scaffolds for the culture of cells and, ultimately, tissue in 3D. This will entail the utilisation of the state-of-the-art methodologies including emulsion templating and additive manufacturing 3D printing technologies. One produced, accurately optimised and validated, scaffolds will be used to establish optimal in vitro tissue model to solve a biomedical problem in mind. The outcome will be a robust platform for investigating cell physiology and fabricating tissue in vitro. This will have significant implications which will increase the efficiency of the discovery process and translation of biomedical materials and deliver a ‘step change’ in understanding the cause of diseases and accelerating therapies development.

Experience in subject areas such as Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biomedical Science, Bioengineering or a related field is required. Much of the work will involve working at the interface between materials chemistry and biology. Prior experience is desirable but appropriate training in a range of chemical and biomedical techniques will be provided to the successful candidate. Laboratory work will be undertaken within the University of Wolverhampton’s Life Sciences Centre, the Rosalind Franklin building, which houses a broad range of state-of-the-art research facilities suitable for undertaking this multidisciplinary project. Nevertheless, the work will involve collaborations with external research groups in the UK and beyond (Europe and Australia), providing great experience for the successful candidate.

Applications are welcomed from students with all backgrounds that are suitably qualified and highly motivated.

Further details (or informal enquiries) can be obtained via direct email to Director of Studies, Dr Ahmed Eissa [email protected]

Identifying a novel diagnostic test to predict clinical response to treatment with biological drugs in Crohn’s disease patients.

Background:

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic relapsing incurable inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affecting approximately 165/100000 people in the UK. The cytokine milieu in the intestine is an important factor in the maintenance of the immune balance, and in gut inflammation, this balance is dysregulated resulting in mucosal inflammation.  The gastrointestinal tract interacts with a huge variety of diverse microbiota. Changes in the diversity of this microbiota (dysbiosis) is associated with changes in the cytokine profile and considered to be an important factor in the aetiology of CD.

Monoclonal antibody therapy has revolutionised the treatment of IBD. However, many patients do not respond to the drugs and some develop serious side effects and/or recurrence after the treatment is discontinued. Furthermore, information on the effect of biological drugs on the bacterial composition in relation to the systemic cytokine profile in CD is still unknown.

Hypothesis:

Dysbiosis in CD correlates with systemic changes in the production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine.

To characterise dysbiosis in CD and examine concurrent changes in gut bacteria and serum cytokine profiles in response to treatment with biological drugs including vedolizumab and infliximab.

Research Plan:

Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, immune cell phenotype and activation will be assessed by flow cytometry on serum and blood immune cell samples obtained from CD patients.  Bacterial DNA will be extracted from stool samples and dysbiosis of gut microbiota will be assessed before and after biological treatment using Luminex technology and GA-map Dysbiosis Test. 

Advanced statistics and bioinformatics will be used to determine the relation between the cytokine levels and dysbiosis.

The data obtained will potentially help predict patient response to biological drugs and will bring closer the notion of personalised medicine.

For further information regarding the project or an informal discussion please contact Director of Studies, Dr Hafid Omar   [email protected]

From trash to treasure – the use of waste biomass to produce biopolymers coatings for seed protection

Currently, millions of people worldwide, suffer from both food insecurity and hunger. To address these issues, new strategies for more sustainable approach to agricultural practices are required. In this context, effective protection of seeds from seed-borne/soil-borne fungal pathogens and abiotic stresses (drought, temperature, salinity) is essential for sustainable crop production and improved food security. Efficient seed coatings can considerably improve the germination and establishment of seedlings. It can also improve overall plant growth, leading to a better quality of harvested product. Many conventional protective coatings contain agrochemicals and petroleum-derived plastic-like (microplastics) binders which pollute the environment. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop safe, natural, microplastic-free formulations, which will help to reduce the impact of microplastic on agricultural soils and will be in-line with the principles of the circular economy.

In this project, we aim to valorise waste biomass for the biosynthesis of value-added products relevant to agriculture. Waste biomass will be used as a feedstock for microbes to produce soluble, hydrophilic  biopolymers for agricultural applications. Selected microalgae will be investigated for their antifungal activity. The obtained hydrophilic polymer, be admixed with microalgal antifungal compounds, to create a novel, antifungal, biobased seed-protective coating. Prepared formulations will be applied to coat selected seed types. The quality of coatings and their protective activity against fungal pathogens, their impact on germination and subsequent plant development will be assessed in glasshouse plant experiments.

The initial period of study will provide the candidate with a basic training in microbiology, use of fermenters (upstream and downstream processing), isolation and characterisation of biopolymers, electron microscopy, and data interpretation. During the 3 years project student will also be trained on a variety of analytical and biological equipment and will learn how to perform glasshouse experiments and assess plant growth and development.

For further information regarding the project or an informal discussion please contact Director of Studies, Prof Izabela Radecka   [email protected]

Design,Development and Implementation of Vehicle Penetration Test to Safeguard Against Cybersecurity Threats in Automotive Industry

Design, Development and Implementation of Vehicle Penetration Test to Safeguard Against Cybersecurity Threats in the Automotive Industry

The proposed project aims to address the increasing threat of cybercrime in the automotive industry by developing an innovative Vehicular Penetration Test (VPT). The project recognizes the vulnerabilities and challenges faced by automotive manufacturers in implementing robust security measures to protect vehicles from cyberattacks. The primary goal is to develop a reliable solution that overcomes the limitations and challenges of penetration testing in the automotive industry.

To achieve this, the project will follow a research design comprising several phases:

• Phase-1 involves conducting a comprehensive literature review to understand the current challenges faced by automotive manufacturers in implementing effective security measures and to analyse existing penetration testing methods applicable to the automotive industry.
• Phase-2 will focus on developing the VPT by incorporating the findings from the literature review. This will involve designing the service to detect and respond to cybersecurity events in and around vehicles, including the collection and analysis of log event data, responding to security events, and investigating root causes of anomalies.
• Phase-3 will involve integrating incentive and reward programs into the VPT to encourage white-hat hackers to report vulnerabilities they discover. This incentivization approach aims to promote a collaborative and proactive cybersecurity ecosystem.
• Phase-4: will provide implementation support, assessment, attestation, and certification services aligned with industry standards. This phase will involve designing and conducting validation tests to ensure that the VPT meets the required cybersecurity and software-update practices.
• Finally, in the Phase-5, the effectiveness of the VPT will be evaluated through real-world testing and user feedback. This evaluation will help identify any necessary adjustments and improvements to enhance the service's performance.

This project aims to contribute to the automotive industry's cybersecurity efforts by developing a specialized VPT solution that addresses the unique challenges and limitations of conducting penetration testing on vehicular networks.

For further information regarding the project or an informal discussion please contact Director of Studies, Dr Md Arafatur Rahman [email protected]

Towards a Greener Future: Investigating Sustainable and Affordable Consumer Electronics for Beyond 5G and 6G Networks

This PhD research project seeks to address some of the most pressing issues facing the telecommunications industry today, including energy consumption and e-waste. The deployment of 5G networks has led to a proliferation of network devices, products, services, applications, and businesses. However, billions of people worldwide are still offline, mainly due to the unavailability of affordable internet services and personal devices. 

The project aims to develop sustainable and affordable consumer electronics for beyond 5G and 6G networks, leveraging the potential of B5G/6G connections to reduce e-waste and energy consumption while increasing accessibility. The research will explore how the development of sustainable and affordable consumer electronics can support this economic revolution and environmental challenges, leading to a paradigm shift in the consumer electronics (CE) industry. 

The successful candidate will conduct cutting-edge research to develop an edge computing as a service ecosystem for next-generation consumer electronics. This research will involve a combination of theoretical and empirical analyses alongside the development of the new consumer electronic ecosystem with exploiting enhanced ultra reliable low latency wireless communication link, with the goal of producing a PhD thesis that will make a significant contribution to the field. The thesis will focus on the development of the edge computing as a service ecosystem for next-generation consumer electronics, exploring how it can be utilized to reduce energy consumption and e-waste while increasing accessibility. 

The project will involve the development of innovative solutions to address the challenges facing the telecommunications industry, including the development of sustainable materials, energy-efficient designs, and scalable business models. The candidate will work closely with leading researchers in the field, collaborating with industry partners and stakeholders to develop practical solutions that can be implemented in real-world settings. 

The research will have a significant impact on the telecommunications industry, contributing to the development of sustainable and affordable consumer electronics for beyond 5G and 6G networks. The findings of the research will be disseminated through academic publications and presentations at conferences and events, ensuring that they reach a wide audience of researchers, industry leaders, and policymakers.

For further information regarding the project or an informal discussion please contact Director of Studies, Prof Mohammed Patwary [email protected]

LASER – Large Language Models for Academic SEarch and Recommendation

Project Description

Scientific publications are an important vehicle for understanding the world around us; they contain scientific evidence that informs researchers and decision-makers, with a high impact on society. However, the rapid and large number of publications, in particular on preprint servers, causes an information overload for everybody struggling to keep up with developments in their field. This makes finding relevant information of high quality a challenging task, which requires advanced scholarly search and recommendation solutions. Recent developments in Large Language Models (LLMs) are having a huge impact on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and related fields. LLMs are a type of AI trained on huge amounts of text, with ChatGPT/GPT-4 and Bard as popular examples. LLMs combined with conversational AI provide exciting new possibilities for interactive search and recommendation, but they are also suffering from severe flaws. While there are efforts to combine LLMs with, e.g., neural search, the endeavour of utilising LLMs to tackle information overload in academia has only started and more research is needed. 

This PhD studentship will explore how LLMs can be used to improve academic search and recommendation and what their benefits and limitations are. This may include integrating LLMs into search and recommendation services or utilising search to keep LLMs from "hallucinating". A further part of this project is to estimate the quality of publications.

The PhD project provides exciting opportunities for the successful candidate to work with and critically reflect on innovative technologies at the forefront of AI that will shape our digital future. As a further incentive, the PhD candidate will be able to participate in an EU Horizon Europe Staff Exchange project, providing the opportunity to go on fully funded secondments to collaborate with an international network of researchers and industry partners. 

For further information regarding the project or an informal discussion please contact Director of Studies, Dr Ingo Frommholz   [email protected]

3D printing copper-diamond composite using laser-powder bed fusion for electric vehicle inverter cooling application

This project aims to develop an innovative and sustainable approach for manufacturing critical components used in electric vehicles such as inverter cooler plates. These components are responsible for maintaining the temperature of electric vehicle systems and preventing overheating, which can cause electronics and battery system failure.

Traditionally, inverter heat sinks and cooler plates are manufactured using conventional manufacturing processes that have expensive initial set-up costs and generate significant material waste. This PhD research will investigate the feasibility of using laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) 3D printing techniques to bring together a novel composition of copper and diamond to conceive thermally and structurally efficient inverter cooler plates. The project will look at 3D printing complex inverter cooler designs that are lightweight, high-performance, and cost-effective.

The project will first look at establishing the 3D printing of copper and diamond. This will be followed by process parameter optimisation for targeted thermal and structural properties. As the world transitions to net zero, the use of renewable energy and electric transportation continues to increase the demand for copper. Applying on-demand manufacture to this project will remove the requirements and complications of copper inverter cooler stock, minimise material consumption and reduce supply chain challenges ensuring sustainable material usage.

The project will involve material characterisation, mechanical testing, X-ray computed tomography, laser powder bed fusion, process parameter optimisation, computer-aided design (CAD), finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD).

For further information regarding the project or an informal discussion please contact Director of Studies, Dr Arun Arjunan [email protected]

Green recovery and reuse of industrial metals from energy and electronics-based Systems (GREEBS)

The growing demand for green technologies and products such as solar panels, electric vehicles and energy storage systems correlates with more need in metals used in their production. For example, the World Bank estimated that over 3 billion tons of minerals and metals will be needed to deploy wind, solar and geothermal power and energy storage with an increase in demand by more than 300% for indium and silver compared to more than 200% for copper, neodymium, and zinc by 2050.  Therefore, enabling recycling and reuse of these metals could play a crucial part in the low-carbon transition and to ensure their availability to future generations. GREEBS project aims to develop a relatively simple and industrial relevant green recovery and reuse of precious metals for industrial applications such as conductive inks and pastes widely used in energy and electronics-based Systems such as conductive connectors in printed circuit boards, flexible aerospace and automotive components, photovoltaics and current collectors in flexible batteries and supercapacitors.

The project will be carried out in collaboration with DZP technologies, Cambridge, a company in advance materials and formulations for plastic electronics, wearables, 3D Printing, energy storage and Internet-of-things. Different processes for selective metal extraction using biomaterials including agricultural waste and non-living biomass will be investigated. The resulting metals will be formulated into nanoparticles using both the facilities at the University and at DZP technology. A range of characterisation techniques will be used including particle size and zeta potential, drop shape analysis, atomic microscopy, X-ray crystallography, X-ray fluorescence and electron microscopy. At the end of this 3-year project, the candidate would have developed a range of skills in green technology, new approach to metals recovery and reuse in formulations such nanoparticles for conductive inks, pastes and adhesives applications. 

For further information regarding the project or an informal discussion please contact Director of Studies, Dr Fideline Tchuenbou-Magaia [email protected]

Machine learning & modelling of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) for power generation from renewable resources

The University of Wolverhampton is offering an exciting Ph.D. opportunity in the field of Machine Learning and Modelling of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) for Power Generation from Renewable Resources. This research position aims to explore the potential of SOFC technology in converting renewable resources such as Bio-gas into sustainable electrical power, with a focus on utilizing machine learning techniques for modelling and optimization.

Research Description:

The selected Ph.D. candidate will join a research group focused on developing advanced modelling techniques and utilizing machine learning algorithms to enhance the performance and efficiency of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells. The research aims to address:

• Develop accurate and efficient mathematical models to simulate SOFC behaviour under different operating conditions and input parameters.
• The SOFC system will be modelled using Aspen Plus software (first principle modelling) and economic assessment will be done using Aspen Economic Analysis
• Apply machine learning algorithms(Such as Artificial Neural Networks and Support Vector Machines) to analyse datasets and identify patterns that can improve SOFC performance and durability.
• Optimize SOFC design, materials, and operating parameters using machine learning-assisted simulations.

Prospective candidates should have the following:

• Experience in subject areas such as Chemical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• Familiarity with fuel cell technology and solid oxide fuel cells.
• Knowledge of programming languages such as Python, MATLAB will be advantageous.

For further information regarding the project or an informal discussion please contact Director of Studies, Dr Aman Dhir  [email protected]

Modification of CO2 absorption-desorption process by changing configuration of the system

The focus of this study will be on the modification of process configuration using experiments and modelling to improve the efficiency of the CO2 absorption-desorption process. In addition, the effect of packing type and packed bed column internals will be examined. The economic analysis will be done to find the most appropriate process configuration in aspect of operating and capital cost. Aspen Plus software will be used to model different configurations of the absorption-desorption process for new amines as solvents. Aspen Economic Analyser will be used to perform cost analysis. Machine learning methods such as Artificial Neural Networks will be used to model the proposed configurations and compare the results of the ML based models with Aspen Plus model.

Aims and Objectives:

The focus of this study will be on the modification of process configuration using experiments and modelling to improve the efficiency of the CO 2 absorption-desorption process. In addition, the effect of packing type and packed bed column internals will be examined. The economic analysis will be done to find the most appropriate process configuration in aspect of operating and capital cost. The main objectives can be summarised as:

• Selection of two Ionic Liquids and two Amines as solvent for CO 2 absorption process
• Experimental study of the selected solvents
• Changing process configuration by considering heat integration in “Aspen Plus”.
• Economic analysis of proposed configurations using “Aspen Economic Evaluation”.
• Machine learning modelling such as Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Support Vector Machines (SVM) to predict the performance of each configuration.

Methodology:

The methodology of this project will follow the following work packages:

WP1 - Literature review and selection of three solvents to perform process configuration.

WP2 - Application of selected solvents in the lab scale absorber-desorber unit

WP3 - Aspen Plus simulation of different process configurations

WP4 - Aspen Economic Evaluation of the configurations

WP5 - Implementation of machine learning

  Prospective candidates should have the following:

• Experience in subject areas such as  Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, or a related field.
• Familiarity with Aspen Plus software.

For further information regarding the project or an informal discussion please contact Director of Studies, Dr Tohid Borhani   [email protected]

Development an integrated flow-structure solver applicable to simulate very large wind turbines

The use of larger turbine blades offers significant improvement in efficiency while reducing wind energy cost. However, these larger, lightweight blades are more susceptible to aero-elastic influences. As such, accurate prediction of the aerodynamic loading and structural response of turbine blades is crucial to determine their design, material selection, and performance.

This project aims to employ a hybrid method that combines 'Large Eddy Simulation (LES)' and 'Actuator Line Modelling (ALM)' to accurately predict the flow field and aerodynamic loading on turbine blades. The LES technique will be used to model wind flow, while the ALM technique will be used for the turbine blades. This hybrid approach significantly reduces computational costs and eliminates grid structure complexity around the turbine blades in comparison to a pure LES approach. The structural analysis will be carried out using the Geometrically Exact Beam Theory (GEBT), which is a nonlinear aero-elastic model suitable for large, flexible rotor blades. The structural model will be coupled with a hybrid LES/ALM solver within the OpenFOAM framework, resulting in an improved fluid-structure interaction modelling approach suitable for efficiently modelling large wind turbines.

The project will require expertise in fluid dynamics, particularly computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and structural modelling. Familiarity with a programming language such as C++ will be advantageous.

For further information regarding the project or an informal discussion please contact Director of Studies, Dr Mohammad Ahmadi  [email protected] .

Targeted delivery of antimicrobial compounds against the neglected tropical disease Leishmaniasis and the potentially blinding infection Acanthamoeba

Ta rgeted delivery of antimicrobial compounds against the neglected tropical disease Leishmaniasis and the potentially blinding infection Acanthamoeba keratitis.

Acanthamoeba is free-living amoeba with a worldwide distribution that can cause a potentially blinding infection of the cornea called Acanthamoeba keratitis. The infection is usually found in contact lens wearers, and it is probably difficult eye infection to manage due to the absence of a licenced treatment. Current treatments do exist, but treatment times range from 6-30 months with many patients required corneal transplantation (25%) and surgical removal of the eye (5%).

Leishmania causes the neglected tropical disease Leishmaniasis which is found worldwide throughout the tropics. The disease is transmitted by sandflies and causes symptoms ranging from skin sores, facial disfigurements as well as damage to the liver and spleen. With an estimated 2 million cases per year and 70,000 deaths treatment involves intravenous amphotericin B which is highly toxic to the kidneys and oral miltefosine which is a potent teratogen which causes abortion and foetal abnormalities.

There is an urgent need to develop improved treatment strategies for both Leishmaniasis and Acanthamoeba keratitis.

Leishmania is a flagellated protozoan parasite that resides within human macrophages making it difficult to deliver sufficient quantities of antimicrobial compounds intracellular location. Acanthamoeba on the other hand is a free-living amoeba that engulfs its prey using a similar phagocytic process. The project aims to develop drug loaded lipid nanoparticles for the targeted delivery of antimicrobial compounds to improve the treatment of these two infections.

Further details (or informal enquiries) can be obtained via direct email to Director of Studies, Dr Wayne Heaselgrave [email protected]

Development of nano-encapsulated zinc and copper-diethyldithiocarbamate as novel immunomodulatory and cancer stem cell targeting medicine for ......

Development of nano-encapsulated zinc and copper-diethyldithiocarbamate as novel immunomodulatory and cancer stem cell targeting medicine for multiple myeloma treatment

Supervisory Team: Professor Weiguang Wang, Professor Basu Supratik, Dr Vinodh Kannappan

Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common blood cancer. Current best therapeutic options involve combining a proteasome inhibitor with one of the immunomodulatory imide drugs (IMiDs, lenalidamide or pomalidomide). All MM patients are ultimately relapsed. MM contains cancer stem cells (CSCs) commonly located in poorly vascularised regions. CSCs are typically associated with resistance to chemotherapy. Therefore, development of new drugs with immunomodulatory and CSC-targeting effect is of clinical urgency. Disulfiram (DS), an anti-alcoholism drug, demonstrates excellent activity against a wide range of cancers without toxicity to normal cells. DS chelates copper and zinc to form copper-diethyldithiocarbamate (Cu-DDC) and zinc-diethyldithiocarbamate (Zn-DDC) which are the active anticancer compounds. The anticancer activity of DS, Cu-DDC and Zn-DDC has been known for more than three decades. Its application in cancer clinic is limited by the very short half-life of these compounds in the bloodstream (< 4 min) and insolubility. Our team developed nanoparticles encapsulated DS, Cu-DDC and Zn-DDC which are injectable with long half-life (7 hours) showing strong anticancer efficacy in numerous cancer animal models. In our pilot studies, PEGylated liposome encapsulated Zn-DDC had stronger immunomodulatory and anti-MM effect than currently available IMiDs. It also reverses CSC-induced resistance and synergistically enhances the anti-MM activity of IMiDs.

Methodologies: 1. Using high-pressure homogenizer to generate PEG-Lipo/Zn-DDC and Cu-DDC. 2. Using MTT cytotoxicity to test the anti-MM activity. 3. Investigating the effect of PEG-Lipo/Zn-DDC and Cu-DDC on IKZF1/3-IRF4-cMYC-IL2 immunomodulatory pathway. 4. Examining the effect on CSCs.

Outcomes: 1. Development of PEG-Lipo/Zn-DDC and Cu-DDC; 2. Examination of the anti-MM effect of PEG-Lipo/Zn-DDC and Cu-DDC; 3. Elucidation of anti-MM mechanisms.

For further information regarding the project or an informal discussion please contact Director of Studies, Prof Weiguang Wang   [email protected]

Investigating the mechanisms that drive breast cancer metastasis to the brain

 Investigating the mechanisms that drive breast cancer metastasis to the brain

In recent years our understanding of the molecular basis of cancer development and evolution has improved greatly. However, there is still much to be discovered about the molecular biology that determines the spread (metastasis) of tumours to distant organs.

Breast cancers often metastasise to the brain and the prognosis for patients with breast-to-brain metastasis is very poor. There is relatively little known about which genes, and associated molecular pathways, are disrupted in cells that have the potential to metastases to, and then proliferate in, the brain.

We have been investigating the molecular basis of breast-to-brain metastasis for several years and recently carried out an exome sequencing screen to identify genes that are commonly mutated in these tumours. We believe that the gene mutations this screen identified may contribute to several processes involved in metastasis to, and eventual proliferation within, the brain.

This PhD project will investigate the role of these genes (their encoded proteins) in metastasis and investigate how loss of function mutations in these genes change cellular pathways/networks that regulate metastatic progression.  

The aim of this work is to identify prognostic markers for, and therapeutic targets against, breast tumours that may metastasise to the brain which will ultimately result in clinical benefit.

The PhD student will gain experience in state-of-the-art biomedical research methods and techniques including gene editing, next generation sequencing techniques such as RNAseq, bioinformatic analysis, cell culture and tumour modelling, tumorigenicity assays, immunofluorescence, confocal microscopy, western blotting, flow cytometry, quantitative PCR and associated cell biology techniques.

For further information regarding the project or an informal discussion please contact Director of Studies, Dr Mark Morris   [email protected]

Characterization of molecular and cellular mechanisms implicated in evasion of anti-VEGF therapies by human brain tumours

Angiogenesis is a biological process by which new capillaries are formed from pre-existing vessels. It is well established that brain tumour growth depends on angiogenesis. Anti-angiogenic therapies directed against the tumour vasculature should deprive the tumour of oxygen and nutrients and therefore represent a powerful adjuvant to traditional therapy. Therapeutic approaches aimed to avoid the binding of pro-angiogenic factor VEGF to its receptor have therefore attracted considerable attention. However, although current anti-VEGF therapies lead to an initial reduction in the size of the tumour, this progression free period is transient and inevitably followed by a second phase of massive regrowth. Recent findings indicate that anti-VEGF evasion is associated to revascularisation of the tumour and to a strong increase in the invasiveness of the tumoral cells, but the molecules implicated in this process are not known yet.

This project aims to identify molecular targets implicated in anti-VEGF evasion in glioblastoma patients.

The PhD project will involve in vitro culture of glioblastoma cells derived from patients. These cultures will be characterised using molecular and cellular biology techniques including qPCR, western blot and immunofluorescence confocal microscopy. The response of patient-derived cells to anti-VEGF treatments will be analysed using cutting-edge -omics approaches, such as RNA-seq and proteomics.

The successful candidate will be extensively trained in these techniques as well as in improving presentation skills by participating in weekly laboratory meetings, internal student seminar series and presenting data in relevant conferences in the field. 

For further information regarding the project or an informal discussion please contact Director of Studies, Prof Angel Armesilla    [email protected]

Advancing the applications of psychology in construction practices

Studies of the applications of ‘psychology in construction’ (Psycon) are beginning to emerge. Some researchers have studied the use of emotional intelligence in construction. However, wider research of the multi-dimensions of Psycon is yet to be carried out. This project will accordingly investigate the current uses of Psycon and go on to explore further areas that are viable for the construction industry to adopt.

The many workers in the often complex construction projects have diverse personalities; they often experience stress, and resort to individualistic stress-coping behaviours which may not be most effective. The use of psychologically backed coping techniques in construction is thus germane but many unanswered questions still remain:

• What psychological concepts are currently used in the construction domain and how wide is this practice?
• What potential psychological techniques remain unused in the construction setting?
• What can facilitate the greater adoption of Psycon?

The study is thus aimed at advancing the use of psychology in construction.

Research design / methods

Phase 1: A qualitative study to use grounded theory. Interview data will be evaluated by content analysis to establish 1) the elements of psychology that are suitable for construction practices, 2) the hindrances and current levels of implementation of psychological concepts on construction and 3) how to advance the use of psychology in construction.

Phase 2: A framework will be developed on the basis of the findings of phase 1 and validated through three or more Focus Group Discussions (N ≤ 36) where their ensuing data will be content analysed.

Mixed sampling methods will be utilised in both phases 1&2; and the expert research participants will come from both academia and industry.

The study will develop a framework for incorporating psychological principles, theories and approaches in construction practices.

For further information regarding the project or an informal discussion please contact Director of Studies, Dr Ezekiel Chinyio    [email protected]

Enhancement of Building Resilience by application of Shape Memory Alloy (SMA)

Large-scale destruction of infrastructure and loss of life in the recent earthquakes in Turkey and other disasters around the world in the past indicates that the designed structures and buildings are still not resilient enough. The primary motivation for the proposed research is to develop strategies for optimal usage of shape memory alloy (SMA) in a building structure to enhance its resilience under extreme loads i.e., earthquakes, hurricanes and blasts.

SMA is a smart material having several unique properties such as (i) the ‘Shape Memory Effect (SME)’ by which the material can memorize a shape (ii) ‘super-elasticity (SE)’ i.e., the ability to undergo large recoverable strains (typically up to 4-8%) and (iii) different Young’s modulus in two phases (martensitic and austenitic) of the material. In the present work, the use of two types of SMAs i.e., the Nickel-Titanium alloy and the Fe-based SMAs will be explored.

Some important aspects proposed to be examined are (i) the performance of various connections and structural members enhanced with SMA (ii) SMA application to high-rise buildings (iii) optimum usage of SMA within structures, systems and components of buildings. The effectiveness of SMA for resilience under extreme loads will be assessed against performance criteria defined by a reduction in damage to the overall building structure, improved safety of occupants, inter-story drift, and re-centering capability of the structure.

Finite element simulations will be performed along with testing of laboratory-scaled structural members and connection enhanced with SMA. Initial tests will be for quasi-static pushover conditions followed by impact dynamic tests, that shall provide confidence in theoretical simulations for various building configurations under extreme excitations. 

Important outcomes will be a deeper insight into strategies to be adopted for SMA applications and develop guidelines pertaining to the resilient design of buildings and civil structures using SMA including retrofitting strategies.

For further information regarding the project or an informal discussion please contact Director of Studies, Dr Shashank Gupta   [email protected]

A model for the implementation off-site construction approach on brownfield sites for sustainable housing delivery

The proposed research project is based at the Centre for Construction Futures (CFRC) in the School of Architecture and Built at the University of Wolverhampton. You will work across two research groups within the Centre: Digital Construction and Building & Land.

Housing plays a critical role in society and yet the supply remains inadequate. Studies have identified a range of factors, including land availability and the prevalence of brownfield sites, as limiting the housing supply in the UK. The government has attributed its inability to meet its target of 300,000 homes per year to the traditional approach used in housing projects, and consequently suggested the adoption of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) such as off-site construction (OSC).

Off-site construction has been identified as a potential method for improving outcomes, as it contributes to the accelerated completion of housing projects, while also promoting efficiency and sustainability. While there is evidence of OSC being employed in UK construction projects, there has been no research undertaken to explore how this approach could be used to deliver housing on brownfield sites. In England alone, there is the potential to develop 1.2 million houses on the 23,000 brownfield sites that cover 27,000 hectares of land. Therefore, this study seeks to understand what off-site construction means for housing delivery on brownfield sites in the UK while also developing a framework for successful OSC implementation. To achieve this, a multiplicity of research approaches will be employed, including systematic review, interviews, questionnaire surveys and case studies, with key stakeholders such as land remediation specialists, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), the National Brownfield Research Institute, off-site construction contractors and manufacturers, housing developers, the council, professional bodies, construction professionals and the planning department.

The outcome of this research will be the development of a step-by-step framework that will support stakeholders in the successful implementation of OSC on brownfield sites, the identification of risk factors and associated mitigation strategies, and the development of guidelines for stakeholder engagement and collaboration, with the potential to revolutionise the UK housing supply.

For further information regarding the project or an informal discussion please contact Director of Studies, Dr Emmanuel Daniel   [email protected]

To apply for one of the above PhD Research Studentship applicants must hold a first class/distinction at Master and/or Bachelor level of study.

Applications to include one identified project, a full CV (including 2 referee names and contact details), transcripts and a letter of application outlining the motivation for applying (maximum of 2 pages).  Applicants from outside UK must provide evidence of English Language requirement as stated in https://www.wlv.ac.uk/research/research-degrees/

Application submission deadline is 10:00am BST 19 June 2023 to [email protected]

A shortlist of candidates will be prepared from the pool of applicants, in line with Faculty of Science and Engineering Post Graduate Research (PGR) studentship selection criteria, who will be invited to attend an interview with a panel of academic staff, week commencing 26 June 2023 .

Following this process all successful candidates will be notified to enrol in July 2023 on a PhD degree programme. T he studentship award will include tuition fees at home level for the first three years of full-time study including any write-up period fees and research support fees.

For further information on fees https://www.wlv.ac.uk/apply/funding-costs-fees-and-support/fees-and-costs/research-fees/

Informal enquiries are welcome and should be directed to individual Director of Studies mentioned above.