BBSRC South West Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership (SWBio DTP) (PhD)
Institution(s): Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Swansea, UWE and the following research institutes; Marine Biological Association (MBA), Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), Rothamsted Research
Website: https://www.swbio.ac.uk/
Contact e-mail: swbio-dtp@bristol.ac.uk
Course duration: 4 years
Course start date (2022): 26/09/2022
Number of students admitted to course per annum and number/proportion studying plant health or crop science: 35 students, 40% in Agriculture and Food Security which encompasses plant health/crop science
Application deadline(s): (please also note any deadline for applications for funding if different from the deadline for course entry): Midnight, Monday 6th December 2021
Admissions criteria: Academic criteria: Applicants for a studentship must have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class UK Honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in an appropriate area of science or technology. Applicants with a Lower Second Class degree will be considered if they also have a Master’s degree or have significant relevant research or non-academic experience. In addition, due to the strong mathematical component of the taught course in the first year and the quantitative emphasis in our projects, a minimum of a grade B in A-level Maths or an equivalent qualification or experience is required. Equivalent Maths qualifications/experience Physics A-level (grade B and above) Undertaking units as part of your degree that have a significant mathematical component* *Significant mathematical component examples include; maths, statistics, bioinformatics. Residence criteria: IMPORTANT: Please read the UKRI guidance on using training grant terms and conditions (refer to Annex B) under the ‘Terms and Conditions for training funding section’ alongside the information provided below. Home students Fully-funded studentships are available for Home students. To be classed as a Home student, candidates must meet the following criteria: Be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), or Have settled status, or Have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirement) or, Have indefinite leave to remain or enter International students If you do not meet the above criteria, you will be classed as an International student. A limited number (up to 30%) of UKRI fully-funded studentships* are available through the SWBio DTP, that applicants who would be classed as an International student are eligible for. Please apply through our normal application route. You will also need to meet the language requirements of the programme (as stated when you apply to the relevant university).
Type of funding available: Fully-funded studentships (subject to meeting the academic, residence and language criteria)
Course description: This programme provides a hybrid training scheme, combining the best of traditional project-focussed studies with a supporting taught first year. First year – follows an MRes degree structure. Three taught units: Statistics and Bioinformatics Science in society, business and industry Data science and machine learning Two rotation projects: both allied with but in different disciplinary areas related to the PhD. Second to fourth year – more like a conventional PhD, with full-time research. Annual cohort activities through these you will interact with other students from across the partnership. e.g. DTP research and career Conferences, Student-led Retreat, Research Theme Activities, outreach events. These encompass both research and transferable skills training. Placements – intended to broaden the scope of your employability post-graduation. You will either complete: a PIPS (Professional Internships for PhD Students) 3 months outside of an academic research environment or CASE placement 3-18 months with industrial partner (CASE studentships only)
Potential Supervisors: Example projects and supervisors: https://www.swbio.ac.uk/bioscience-for-sustainable-agriculture-and-food/
Examples of career paths followed by graduates from this course: Postdoctoral researcher (university or industry based), science policy advisor, science communicator/educator, scientific publishing, science-based consultancy
