Primary tabs
Teaching
PhD studies within the multidisciplinary MRC Biostatistics Unit (BSU) include diverse training opportunities for all aspects of research and encourage the development of both academic and generic research skills.
Your primary supervisor will be responsible for your work, and for overseeing the general training elements of the PhD degree. In addition, you will have a second supervisor or a small advisory team. These individuals may be from a collaborating group or a group that does different research but is otherwise related to the group. They will advise you more generally about your PhD degree and be an independent point of contact in case of individual difficulties. You will be expected to meet with your supervisory team at least once a term.
The aim of the academic part of the programme is to:
- gain experience in written and oral presentation of your work;
- monitor the quality of your research project; and
- ensure that your PhD project is on track.
The presentations of your work also provide an opportunity to receive helpful feedback from members of the Unit and from scientists who are less closely involved with your research.
| One to one supervision | The °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï publishes an annual which sets out the University’s expectations regarding supervision. We expect that all supervision in the Unit meets this °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï minimum requirements. |
|---|---|
| Seminars & classes | BSU seminars are held, roughly monthly, on Tuesday afternoons during term time, though timings of virtual seminars may vary. Attendance is strongly encouraged. Students are also encouraged to attend the informal weekly departmental meetings held on Wednesday mornings. Students are also encouraged to attend seminars, workshops and courses at other departments such as the Stats Lab in the Centre for Mathematical Sciences, °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï Public Health. |
| Lectures | BSU students in their first year attend the UK-wide which comprises four one-week residential courses. The BSU runs a number of which are mainly free to BSU students. |
| Journal clubs | Journal clubs and other discussion groups – based, for example, around research programmes, particular topics or software – are held occasionally. A student could expect to attend these for one to three hours per month. |
| Posters and Presentations | Students present an introduction to their project in the second term, and make more detailed presentations usually at the start of their second year and early in the third year. They are encouraged to make other presentations within the Unit and at national and international conferences. |
| Taught/Research Balance | Entirely Research |
Feedback
Students should expect regular feedback from supervisors during their regular one-on-one meetings. Additionally, students should meet with their supervisory team once a term and the feedback from this is fed back to them via termly online reports.
Assessment
Thesis / Dissertation
For the PhD degree, the thesis should not exceed 60,000 words (or 80,000 by special permission of the Degree Committee). This limit excludes figures, photographs, tables, appendices and bibliography. Formatting should be one-and-a-half spaced and pages should be double-sided.
Submission of the final thesis will be followed by an oral examination.
Other
All PhD students are required to undergo formal assessment (by written report and viva) in the final quarter of their first year, which they must pass. If successful, the student moves from being "probationary" to being registered for the PhD and can proceed with their project.
Further informal assessment via presentation or poster takes place in the first term of Year 3.
