Notes for MPhil/PhD students

The Research School of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Birkbeck and University College London encompasses all of the graduate and research activities of the Department of Earth Sciences of UCL and the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences of Birkbeck, which are co-located on the Gower Street UCL site.

We aim to provide you with an opportunity to gain an MPhil or PhD and, in return, you undertake to do so within the time allotted. If you hold a studentship allocated from the Research Councils (e.g. NERC) and you over-run that allotted time, the School may be heavily penalised. So, please recognise the two-way nature of this contract.

Supervisors and supervisory panels

• Your research training will be provided primarily by your Principal Supervisor, with assistance from a Subsidiary Supervisor, who, possibly with others, comprise your Supervisory Panel. This Panel monitors your progress and provides, where necessary, a broad range of expertise that you can tap, e.g. if your project spans several different subdisciplines, or if your Principal Supervisor is away from the Research School for an extended period.
• Academic guidance is a matter for supervisors and the supervisory panel, unless exceptional circumstance warrant otherwise.

Postgraduate tutor

• The Postgraduate Tutor takes an overview of the progress of research students in the School of Earth and Planetary Science, and acts as liaison between you, Birkbeck and the University of London. The Postgraduate Tutor may also provide logistic, pastoral or financial assistance to students when it is needed.

Financial support

• Students who find themselves in severe financial difficulties may be eligible to apply for assistance.

Training and support

• On registration, Birkbeck graduate students become members of the Birkbeck Graduate Research School, which provides training and support for MPhil/PhD students.
• Bloomsbury Post-Graduate Skills Network: The College is also an active member of the Bloomsbury Postgraduate Skills Network, meaning you can take advantage of various facilities offered at other University of London colleges located in the Bloomsbury area. They collaborate on a number of activities, including doctoral research training.
• There may be undergraduate courses, or modules from the Research School's MRes course, which are relevant to your research, or can help to widen your academic horizons. Employers increasingly look for width of experience, and this is one way to obtain it. Talk with your Supervisor or the Postgraduate Tutor about such options.
• A major advantage of studying in London is the many opportunities it offers for hearing about the latest scientific developments.

Regulations

• College code of practice for Postgraduate training and research for the MPhil and PhD

Research seminars

• Undertaking research should not isolate you from the wider issues in earth science. You should use the opportunity to hear about those wider issues and to communicate your research ideas and results to a wide audience.
• To assist you, you should attend the Research Seminars held in the Garwood Lecture Theatre most Tuesdays at 5pm during term-time, if you are able to.
• Seminars are given by specialist speakers, usually from other universities, and provide a glimpse of exciting and controversial developments in Earth Science research.
• Most scientific societies, including the Geological Society, the Mineralogical Society, the Royal Astronomical Society, the Royal Society, and the Royal Institution, are located in central London. These societies organise meetings with specialist speakers on a regular basis.
• In addition, our central location allows you to attend the many conferences that are held in London. Keep an eye on notice boards for information about conferences and society meetings and remember that most societies and conferences have preferential rates for research students.

Departmental services

• Research Student rooms have telephones for incoming calls and outgoing internal calls, but may not have external telephone lines. Use of telephones in any of the Research School offices is available only in an emergency.
• Incoming mail (internal and external) is placed in the postgraduate student pigeon-hole in the main School office, and you should check this regularly.
• Email addresses are allocated to all students after registration.
• Internet services are provided for legitimate use in connection with your studies.
• Other support and technical services, such as thin-section making and photography, can be obtained only by use of the official Requisition Forms, which must be signed by your supervisor.

Download a copy of our guide for MPhil/PhD students.