Engineering

MPhil or PhD or Masters by Research or PhD by Published Work

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Key facts

Start dates

January 2024 / June 2024 / September 2024

Application deadline

It is recommended that you apply at least 6 months in advance to allow adequate time for your application to be processed (in the case of UK/EU applicants no less than 4-6 weeks).

Location

Wheatley

Course length

Full time: 1 - 3 years

Part time: 2 - 6 years

Funding status

Self-funded

Overview

The School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics provides a dynamic multidisciplinary environment to carry out research on some of the most important issues facing global society.

Completing a research degree with us means that you will have regular interaction with internationally recognised industrial researchers. You will immerse yourself in a dynamic research environment and find various opportunities to contribute to wider research, teaching and funding proposals.

We welcome research proposals related to any of the subjects covered by our research groups.

students working on a vehicle

Research expertise

Our teaching staff have exceptional knowledge and expertise in their fields. They include world-leaders in research on sustainable engineering, materials and joining technology.

The results of the most recent REF (2014) exercise showed that 96% of research in the department is internationally recognised. 57% was judged to be of world leading quality or internationally excellent, compared with 45% in 2008. More specifically, 50% of the impact case studies returned were judged to be internationally excellent, and 72% of the research outputs were judged to be internationally excellent or world leading.

We welcome research proposals related to any of the subjects covered by our research groups

Degree routes

All students enrol as probationer research students. During the first year you will formally register your research proposal for one of the below routes. 

The degree for which you register will depend on your academic qualifications and research experience. 

Additional details

Particular areas of interest are:

Sustainable Engineering and Innovation

  • lightweight sustainable materials
  • smart materials
  • adhesive bonding and interfaces
  • modelling
  • design for dismantlability
  • whole life cycle analysis for design
  • design innovation.

Low Carbon Vehicle

  • reduction of emissions and soot from conventional engines
  • whole-life energy and emissions analyses of vehicles and transport systems
  • light-weighting, assembly and disassembly techniques
  • development of micro city vehicles
  • traction battery developments for electric vehicles
  • modelling of traffic flows in Oxford.

Simulation, Modelling and Systems Integration

  • applied electronics
  • biomedical imaging and instrumentation
  • risk and reliability
  • system dynamics
  • stress and materials.
students studying in the library

Why Oxford Brookes University?

We offer an outstanding experience for research students with the following benefits:

  • You will carry out research alongside talented academics working in similar fields
  • While you engage in your own research, you have opportunities to interact with a dynamic research environment that is actively engaged in consultancy projects, teaching and writing funding proposals
  • Students benefit from links with the wider faculty
  • 24-hour access to research rooms, laboratories and computer suites providing access to specialist software such as CATIA, SolidWorks, GT Power, ANSYS, MATLAB, Mathcad, Star CCM+, Star CCM ICE, Adams, LS Dyna, Gabi 5, SAS and SPP
  • Opportunity to participate in design and build of Formula Student cars for competition at Silverstone, and other circuits in Germany, Austria, Italy, and elsewhere
  • A taught research training course that caters for both full and part-time study
  • A wide variety of optional training courses, student events, lectures and other opportunities delivered in-house
  • All students are allocated a Director of Studies and generally two other supervisors who they meet with regularly
  • A range of personal support that includes access to a wide range of staff who are available for consultation
  • Students benefit from automatic membership of the Faculty's Doctoral Training Programme

Staff

Dr Anand Thite

Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering

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Dr Daniel Bell

Senior Lecturer in Engineering

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Professor Denise Morrey

Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Research Lead

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Dr Fabrizio Bonatesta

Reader in Thermofluids

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Professor John Durodola

Professor in Mechanical Engineering and Mathematical Sciences

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Professor James Broughton

Professor in Engineering

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Professor Khaled Hayatleh

Professor of Electronic Engineering

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Professor Michael Todinov

Professor in Mechanical Engineering

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Dr Neil Fellows

Reader in Mechanical Engineering

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Dr Stephen Samuel

Reader in Mechanical Engineering

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How to apply

Entry requirements

Please see the degree routes section above for specific entry requirements.

International applications

If English is not your first language you will need to provide an IELTS language certificate with an overall score of 6.5 (with no less than 6.0 in any element).

As a result of very recent changes made by UK Visas & Immigration, please note we no longer regard TOEFL as an acceptable language test for entry to Oxford Brookes. This applies whether you require a Student visa or not. You can find more details on our English language requirements pages.

If you do not meet these requirements you may be able to take our University English as a pre-sessional course.

Application process

  1. check you meet the entry requirements and financial requirements of the programme.
  2. explore our research groups and supervisory staff pages to see how your chosen field of study aligns with the research portfolio within the school.
  3. contact postgraduate research tutor Professor John Durodola to discuss your proposed research. you're welcome to contact academics to help you develop your ideas.
  4. when you have agreed you research project with John, he will ask you to prepare and submit a proposal.
  5. if the proposal is acceptable John will ask you to make a formal application, or give you advice on how the proposal may be improved. For guidance on writing a PhD research proposal, download our research degree proposal guidelines.
  6. gather required documents and submit your application

Supporting documents

Our MPhil/ PhD programme requires additional supporting documentation to be submitted as part of the application process.

  • research proposal
  • scan of your passport - to confirm your name and date of birth. We will then ensure that any offer letters issued to you correspond with your passport name, this will help when applying for a student visa.
  • IELTS Certificate or equivalent (if required) – no older than two years from the proposed start date of your programme.
  • scan of your final degree certificates already awarded
  • scan of transcripts
  • two references (at least one academic) - your references must be on institutional headed paper and be dated and signed by referee(s). They can be sent directly to the Research Administrator in the Faculty of Technology, Design and Environment in a sealed envelope, or emailed. Please note that it is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure their referees supply these documents.
  • evidence of funding (if sponsored by an employer or government, you must provide evidence in the form of a recently dated sponsorship letter on official headed paper. If supporting your studies from private funds, you must provide a recently dated bank statement).

After your Oxford Brookes online application has been submitted, these documents can be e-mailed directly to tde-researchpgr@brookes.ac.uk.

Tuition fees

2023 / 24
Home (UK) full time
£4,712

Home (UK) part time
£2,356

International full time
£16,300

International part time
£8,150

Tuition fees

2023 / 24
Home (UK) full time
£4,712

Home (UK) part time
£2,356

International full time
£16,300

International part time
£8,150

Fees quoted are for the first year only. If you are studying a course that lasts longer than one year, your fees will increase each year.

For International fees the following factors will be taken into account by the University when it is setting the annual fees: inflationary measures such as the retail price indices, projected increases in University costs, changes in the level of funding received from Government sources, admissions statistics and access considerations including the availability of student support. 

Home fees are set by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and are released approximately five months before the start of each academic year.

If you have any questions about fees, get in touch with the Research Degrees Team at rdt-researchdegrees@brookes.ac.uk.

How and when to pay

Tuition fee instalments for the semester are due by the Monday of week 1 of each semester. Students are not liable for full fees for that semester if they leave before week 4. If the leaving date is after week 4, full fees for the semester are payable.

  • For information on payment methods please see our Make a Payment page.
  • For information about refunds please visit our Refund policy page

Funding your studies

Financial support and scholarships

Featured funding opportunities available for this course.

All financial support and scholarships

View all funding opportunities for this course