Accessibility statement

Research degree programmes 

As a research student in the Department, you'll be joining a community of academics working to deliver high quality, impact-focused reasearch that informs health and healthcare policy and influences practice.

We offer two types of research degrees: 

  • PhD (Full-time 3 years, part-time 6 years)
  • MPhil (Full time 1 year, part-time 2 years)

Apply now for a PhD Studentship in Mental Health and Kidney Disease (closing date 22 March 2024)
Apply now for a PhD Studentships for strengthening Applied Global Health Research capacity in South Asia (closing date 30 April 2024)

Research groups

You'll be welcomed as a valuable member of our scientific community and will be embedded into one of our specialist research groups: 

Support

As a research student in our Department, you'll have the flexibility to tailor your studies to achieve your research goals and will benefit from our in-depth, bespoke research training programme which supports the development of essential subject specific skills. You'll be able to study a range of modules covering a variety of different research methodologies and key concepts in health sciences.

Alongside your studies you'll have access to a variety of personal development opportunities, to prepare you for your future career. Our students often pursue careers in academia, or put the knowledge and research skills they gain to work in the commercial research, business or finance sectors.

You'll also have access to all of our deparmental facitilies, including your own workspace in one of several dedicated spaces for research students, including the Research Centre for Social Sciences.

We offer a number of self-funded and fully-funded projects. We are also open to students who would like to pursue their own research question. 

Fees and funding

There are a number of funding opportunities available to research students across the University. 

Entry requirements

You will require a 2:1 or higher in a previous degree.

Distance learning

We offer a Distance Learning (DL) option for this PhD programme on a full- or part-time basis if you are unable to live in York. We recognise that many students are unable to join us in person and as an institution that strives for equality, diversity and inclusivity we view the DL option of a PhD to be an essential component.

Our PhD (Distance Learning) programme allows you to benefit from the support and expertise of our world-class researchers at the University of York while conducting your training, learning and research in a way that suits your circumstances. The Department of Health Sciences hosts a wide range of academic and research expertise across our research groups and can support PhDs in a wide range of topics, including humanitarian affairs and sustainability.

Following your application, you will be allocated two supervisors that will collaborate with you throughout your PhD journey. The PhD (Distance Learning) programme starts with an immersive online induction that helps you become part of our York family. York offers a vast range of online training for Distance Learning students and training will be tailored to your needs. York also has an excellent suite of services specifically for distance learning students including:

As part of the application process, we will ask for justification for taking the DL option and will then assess the feasibility for this research programme.

How to apply

Before you apply, you should: 

  • Identify which of our research groups fits with your research interests - please do NOT send speculative applications to members of staff in the Department at this time.
  • Put together a brief proposal for the kind of research you would like to do.
  • After you have submitted your online application, we will ask potential supervisors in the research group you have chosen to consider your application. If the research group would like to take your application to the next stage, we will invite to an interview.
  • Check that you meet our minimum English language requirements.

Apply for the MPhil Apply for the PhD Apply for the PhD (DL)