Below are some common questions and answers about the DPhil in Sustainable Urban Development that may be of use to you. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have further questions that aren’t answered below by emailing pgr@conted.ox.ac.uk.
The doctoral programme is delivered part-time, and is aimed at students who are highly motivated to undertake detailed research in preparation for an academic careers or other research-intensive occupations, or to further their professional career at organisations and institutions operating in the field of sustainable urban development.
Students admitted to this degree will conduct their own research under the guidance of a University supervisor, who will advise on all aspects of training, development and academic progress. Students are required to attend a minimum of 30 days of university-based work each year for the duration of their studies. The supervision and training opportunities are largely delivered in a hybrid format, offering both in-person and online attendance, but in-person attendance for supervision, milestone assessments, presentations, seminars and networking sessions is highly recommended.
Those students who engage significantly with the programme, their peers and the research community are more likely to complete successfully.
This DPhil is not available as a full-time programme. Students typically complete in 4 – 8 years.
The MSc and DPhil are stand-alone programmes, with students from the MSc welcome to apply for the DPhil; it isn’t an automatic progression. As they are stand-alone programmes and the DPhil is research-based, there would be no reduction in time on the DPhil if you have already completed the MSc.
You can review the supervisor profiles on our webpages for details of their research specialisms and interests to see if they align with yours. We are unable to confirm the availability of appropriate supervision for a specific proposal until we have assessed the formal application, when submitted via the University’s admissions system. You do not need to contact a supervisor before submitting an application.
Yes, if that supervisor agrees. Students will also need an Oxford Lifelong Learning co-supervisor to ensure that the DPhil course requirements are met. Applicants should not apply to the DPhil on the assumption that supervision will be available from another department.
The DPhil provides doctoral training weeks which cover reading, skills and progress/student-led seminars, and a book club. Students also have access to the Graduate School’s termly research training and development programme. More information can be found on the Graduate School’s training webpages.
Students will have access to the Bodleian Libraries, particularly the Rewley House Library. As members of a college, students will also have access to the library and other resources.
You can find more information about resources available to students on the Graduate Admissions webpages.
No, the doctoral programme is a degree by research which is delivered part-time. Researchers will work independently towards their thesis, which makes remote work possible. Most supervision and many of the training opportunities will be offered in a hybrid capacity, but there is an attendance requirement of a minimum of 30 days a year.
No, the majority of our students travel to Oxford as required. Part-time DPhil students are required to attend Oxford for a minimum of 30 days a year.
Attendance can be arranged to suit you and your timetable, in collaboration with your supervisory team. The expectation is that attendance should be taken in term time and for the purposes of progressing your DPhil studies. Many students will plan their attendance for the doctoral training weeks when a group of research skills-based sessions, seminars and activities are offered.
You should aim to gain the highest mark that you can for the MSc, and to consider your research proposal fully. Applicants should have a clear and feasible research question relevant to sustainable urban development and engage with a clear theoretical background as well as an empirical context. Applicants should also ensure their research proposal provides a relevant and clear research methodology.
An MSc is required; however, it is not necessarily in sustainable urban development. If you have an MSc in a different area, you should show in the application a clear engagement with and understanding of the current sustainable urban development academic context and research.
Yes, but a clear and original new research context needs to be established. A DPhil proposal will have a different scope than a Master’s, so a DPhil cannot just be a continuation.
There are several across the academic year. The core admissions cycle runs from September to March, and all candidates are advised to apply as early as possible (particularly if wishing to apply to a specific Oxford college).
The University of Oxford operates a number of ‘Gathered Fields’, and fields that apply for this course fall in January and March. However, should places still remain beyond March, we may keep the application window open (indication will be given on our website). The Graduate Admissions website will be updated to show one week’s notice of closure (green: open / amber: closing in one week / red: closed).
Please note that candidates who wish to apply for Oxford-based scholarships and other funding must apply no later than the January deadline in order to be considered. If any scholarships are available to applicants later than the January deadline, then these will be highlighted as such.
For more information on the application process, please see the application guide webpages.
No, you do not need to apply to a specific college, although college membership will come with entry to our DPhil. Oxford is a collegiate university, and all students are matriculated as full members of a college community.
A list of colleges that accept applicants for the DPhil in Sustainable Urban Development can be found on the “Colleges” tab on the Graduate Admissions website.
Candidates may make an ‘open’ application. This means that should the course interview panel decide that they wish to offer you a place, the central system will assign your application to a college for their consideration. You may not select a personal preference at that point.
A college place does not indicate that college accommodation will be available. More information about colleges and the graduate college experience is available on the colleges’ webpages.
The required number of references is three. Two of the referees should be able to talk directly about your academic ability. This is required as it helps to gauge whether or not you have the academic ability to study at this level at the University of Oxford and complete your DPhil.
We recognise that it can sometimes be challenging to seek the support of an academic referee, so do get in touch if you experience any particular problems. We’ll try to help you by suggesting an alternative that might work for you. It is usually acceptable for candidates to ask senior professional colleagues to comment on relevant research projects and written management reports. The third reference might be from a client.
We are aware that individual situations will differ, so drop us a line if you would like further advice: pgr@conted.ox.ac.uk. We do need academic referees to enable the academic team to assess your academic ability to undertake the course.
Your application will be deemed complete by the system once all application requirements are met and 2 out of 3 references have been received. If you are selected for interview, we will require the third reference to be submitted in advance.
English is the language of instruction for all programmes offered at Oxford.
This DPhil requires a higher level of English. See entry requirements from the Graduate Admissions webpages for more information.
Please note that if English is not your native language, you may need a recent certificate proving you have met or exceeded the higher level of proficiency in the English language.
If you have completed a full-time degree of a minimum of 9 months, taught and assessed in English within the last 2 years, you may request an English language test waiver at the time of application. Those with extensive professional experience in countries in which English is widely spoken may also submit a waiver request via the application form, detailing the level and extent of usage (both verbal and written English).
You’ll find comprehensive information about the criteria and relevant courses on the English language requirements webpages.
Part-time students are not eligible for a student visa, and we would usually recommend that a visitor visa is suitable to manage the 30-day attendance requirement. Legal requirements change, and all situations will differ, so it’s important to verify what’s suitable for you before you apply. You’ll find comprehensive guidance on the visas and immigration webpages.
The normal minimum qualification to be eligible for admission as a graduate student is a master’s degree with distinction overall, or a distinction grade on the dissertation as a minimum, in a discipline relevant to sustainable urban development, and a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in any discipline. For guidance on how international degrees compare, please see the National Information Centre (UK ENIC).
For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA normally sought is 3.7 out of 4.0.
The academic team will also take relevant knowledge and experience into account.
Please check the Graduate Admissions webpages for more information on the entry requirements for the DPhil.
The Graduate Admissions Fees and Funding Scholarship Search allows applicants to search for scholarships they may be eligible for.
A number of our DPhil students have also been awarded the Clarendon Scholarship. The scheme is open to all talented graduate applicants, regardless of background.
Do note that for most, if not all, Oxford-based schemes, candidates must have applied by the advertised January deadline in the proposed year of entry to be considered. This applies for the Clarendon Scholarship also.
For more information on alternative sources of funding, please see the fees and funding webpages.
This depends on the awarding body. Applicants should check this with the awarding body directly.
