BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Current students

Postgraduate study

Exciting opportunities

"Bristol is a great city to be a student in. The department offers plenty of opportunities for exciting projects."

What our students say

World class research

We have an international reputation for the outstanding quality of our research. Our staff span world-leading young pioneers to highly experienced professors.

Excellent training

Our top-class training is recognised by UK Research Councils, which have awarded us major Doctoral Training funding.

Rewarding careers

We can help you prepare for a future in research, industry, policy, consultancy or science communications.

Our programmes

MSc by research

In the Graduate School of Biological Sciences. One year full-time or part-time equivalent.

The MSc by research is a research-based degree. You carry out an independent and original investigation on a specific topic overseen by two supervisors. The research may be lab-based, field-based, theoretical or a combination. You gain additional research and transferable skills from training sessions, workshops and conferences. You write your research project up as a thesis assessed by two independent examiners and defend the thesis in an oral examination. The MSc by Research is often self-funded.

More about the MSc by research

MSc Animal Behaviour - NEW

In the Graduate School of Biological Sciences. One year full time.

This one-year MSc offers a unique opportunity for students to strengthen their knowledge and confidence in the scientific study of animal behaviour, learning how animals interact with both the physical and the social worlds that they live in. This MSc provides a rigorous scientific training in the study of animal behaviour to students aiming for careers in animal biology, ecological and behavioural research, scientific communication, and wildlife management and conservation.

MSc Animal Behaviour

MSc Agricultural Ecosystems - NEW

In the Graduate School of Biological Sciences. One year full time.

This one-year MSc offers a unique opportunity for students to strengthen their knowledge and confidence in a discipline which is both relevant and timely. As the human population grows, food security becomes increasingly important, and the need to produce food sustainably while maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services is increasingly recognised. For students who have already mastered the fundamental principles of biology, this MSc is the perfect gateway to a specialised research project or a successful career.

MSc Agricultural Ecosystems

MSci Palaeontology and Evolution

Four years full time

This course studies the evolution of life through the combined study of geology and biology. A third of the first year is spent studying geology, and two thirds studying biology. After the first year, you take some core units in both disciplines which are particularly relevant to your area of study, but have a much wider choice of options, geological and biological to choose from.

MSci Palaeontology and Evolution

PhD

In the Graduate School of Biological Sciences. 3-4 years full-time or part-time equivalent.

A PhD is a research-based degree. Your research may be lab-based, field-based, theoretical or a combination of these elements. You gain additional research and transferable skills from training sessions, workshops, conferences and/or internships. Your research project is written up as a thesis assessed by two independent examiners and defended in an oral examination. Funding is often by scholarship but self-funding is also possible.

PhD

PhD - South West Doctoral Training Partnership

The South West Doctoral Training Partnership (SWDTP) is a fully-funded, four-year programme designed to provide training in cutting edge world-class bioscience and food security research skills, underpinned by a thorough training in numerical and systems based approaches. The course contains taught units, short and long-term research projects and internship placements.

PhD SWDTP

PhD - Bristol Centre for Complexity Sciences

The Bristol Centre for Complexity Sciences (BCCS) PhD is a four-year course starting with a multidisciplinary, assessed taught element during which students are introduced to and explore complexity sciences. They then carry out two short research projects before deciding on a final PhD research project. Competitive BCCS scholarships are available, and self-funding is also possible.

PhD BCCS
Types of postgraduate study
Browse postgraduate studentships on FindAPhD.com

Did you know?

The university is investing £50 million pounds in a new state-of-the-art building for Life Sciences.

Applying to Bristol

Detail shot of the HH Wills Physics Building

Careers

Using a microscope

Many postgraduate students choose a higher degree primarily because they enjoy their subject and subsequently go on to work in a related area.

Read more