DrPH, MPhil, PhD

As Britain's national school of public health, the School is an internationally recognised centre of excellence in public health, tropical medicine and global health with a remarkable depth and breadth of expertise.

The School's research training programme provides opportunities for research study leading to University of London degrees of MPhil, PhD and DrPH. The School offers a unique environment to undertake research training because of its:

Multidisciplinary ethos - Leading researchers have backgrounds in biochemistry, chemotherapy, clinical medicine, demography, entomology, environmental health, epidemiology, genetics, health economics, health management, health policy, health promotion, history of public health, immunology, infectious diseases, medical microbiology, medical anthropology, molecular biology, nutrition, parasitology, psychology, public health engineering, public health medicine, sociology, statistics, tropical medicine and virology.

International character - The School's research degrees programme is greatly facilitated by its international student and staff body and by strong collaborations with over 60 countries around the world.

Strong links - Our extensive links with government health institutions such as the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in the UK and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in the USA , as well as with international organisations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), help to ensure that research leads to improvements in public health.

Academic excellence - The excellence of the School's research has been confirmed as it has been ranked one of the top 3 research institutions in the country in the Times Higher Education's 'table of excellence', which is based on the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). The RAE is a peer review exercise to grade all research activities at academic institutions.

Which Research Degree: MPhil/PhD or DrPH?

MPhil and PhD – aimed at students who anticipate a career in which research plays a major role and who want to focus on an independent piece of research. The British MPhil and PhD research degrees involve the presentation of a thesis on a research topic, which will be in a field appropriate to the student's or their sponsor's needs. Under the supervisor's guidance, students develop the intellectual and technical skills required for research and gain insight into the nature of research, which will provide the foundation for an excellent future research career.

DrPH – intended for leaders and future leaders in public health who want a flexible career which combines high level leadership, management and research skills. It is aimed at public health professionals who see research as only part of their careers. Entry criteria for the DrPH are the same as for the PhD, except that relevant experience in public health management and/or leadership is required. The standard, rigour and volume of the work are doctoral level, but appropriate to the career development of senior public health professionals.

The School also offers opportunities to undertake study through a mix of London-based and distance learning modules.

The Nature of the Research Degree (DrPH or MPhil/PhD)

The decision to do a research degree is often exhilarating, but it is important to understand why you want to take one - so that you choose the right degree - and also to understand what it means - what you are letting yourself in for! The nature of a research degree differs worldwide - for example, in the USA, students undertake taught courses first, and then do a thesis; in the UK the main emphasis is on the thesis - and the process of undertaking the research. Students may take some taught courses, but these are not necessarily an integral part of doing an MPhil/PhD, though they are a compulsory element of the DrPH.

Why do a research degree?

People give many different reasons for taking a research degree. They include things like wanting to examine an important question or problem; intellectual stimulation and intellectual curiosity; for career needs; to contribute to knowledge in a certain area; to enhance status and recognition. Most people will have more than one reason, but depending on the primary reason, you may choose one of two research degrees at the School: DrPH or MPhil/PhD.

If you envisage yourself primarily as a professional, but want a high degree of flexibility in your future career, with skills in both management and research, then a DrPH might be the choice for you. If, on the other hand, you anticipate a career in which research plays a major role, or you have a particular problem or issue you want to research, then an MPhil/PhD may be what you select.

Management of Research Training

A strong management structure underpins the research degrees programme to ensure the students' needs are met and that academic standards are maintained. The School has a Dean of Studies to help manage and develop the School's programme. Departmental Reserach Degrees Committees are responsible for student selection, the appointment of supervisors, progress monitoring and student welfare. There are School guidelines an the acceptance of new students and the appointment of supervisors to ensure that all students have adeqaute attention and support. The student and the supervisor share responsibility for the success of research training. Codes of practice based on School and departmental policy and procedures are provided and explained to students on registration.

Part-time Study

The School requires students who apply for part-time study to be available to study for at least two days per week. A letter from your employer is required to confirm that at least two days per week will be permitted for time to be spent on work for the research degree.

Research Student Experience

Each student is assigned to a supervisor, under whose guidance they develop the intellectual and technical skills required for training in their chosen field. The School offers regular staff and student seminars to enable students to keep abreast of leading-edge research across the School and not just within their department or area of interest. In addition, research students are encouraged to broaden their training through participation in specialist courses, including those available through the Masters programme, attendance at appropriate national and international meetings, and involvement in topic-specific journal clubs. Students are encouraged to present their work at annual departmental poster days and unit seminars, as well as at national and international conferences. The international nature of the School’s staff and student body provides an excellent opportunity to mix with people from different backgrounds and experiences in a stimulating multicultural environment.

The School seeks to provide appropriate facilities to match its status as an international centre of research excellence. The Library collections are extensive, every student has computing facilities with access to a stateof-the-art computing network, and research laboratories are well-equipped.

Research Skills Training

Work leading to the award of PhD and DrPH degrees is intense. During the period of study, students will:

• develop expertise in the analytical and research skills relevant to their discipline;
• be able to place their body of learning within a wider context; critically analyse their own and related work; and
• gain broader transferable skills to help them prepare for their career.

In addition to the intense research training provided through one-to-one supervision and, where appropriate, coursework, the School offers comprehensive training in:

• skills that are necessary for students' research studies, and
• general, transferable and employment related skills.

At the beginning of each year, research students and supervisors identify specific skills training needs. Students are encouraged to learn as much as they can whilst at the School and to take the opportunity to enhance their skills. By the time students submit their thesis, they will be an expert in their chosen area of study and well-prepared for their subsequent career.

Research Study Leave

Research students do not need to spend the entire period of study in London. Many students carry out data collection or do fieldwork away from the School in their home country or another institution. Such periods away from the School, called Research Study Leave, can enrich a student's experience. Students who are planning to do overseas fieldwork should be aware that that funding for these costs is not covered through tuition fees and must be paid separately. Depending on the nature of the project, these costs could include international travel, local travel, accommodation, and costs of data collection (for example, household surveys, translator, focus group discussion moderator, data entry, etc.) For students supported by scholarship, this may include limited funds for fieldwork, but prospective students should confirm this with the funding body. Other students may need to secure funding through project grants submitted to international or national funding bodies. Although arrangements vary by funding source, students should be aware that deadlines may be considerable. These factors should be taken into account when proposing a research topic.

Research Training Opportunities

The School's wide-ranging research programmes examine ways of improving and promoting health and health services and investigate the aetiology, diagnosis and prevention or control of both communicable and non-communicable diseases. Basic laboratory research aims to improve understanding of the molecular mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions, and more applied work investigates diagnostic methods and therapeutic intervention. Research covers a wide range of topics and areas, including:

• cosmopolitan diseases (e.g., hepatitis, measles, HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, etc.);
• tropical diseases (e.g., malaria, schistosomiasis and leishmaniasis);
• environmental and behavioural risk factors (e.g., smoking, air pollution, etc.);
• methodological research (e.g., in biostatistics, economic evaluation, outcomes measurement, longitudinal studies, genetic epidemiology, etc.);
• the evaluation of interventions in specific social and health service contexts;
• the content and development of health policy; and
• the organisation and delivery of health services in developed and developing countries.

The work of the School is multidisciplinary and therefore much of its research crosses disciplines, units and departments. This is enhanced by inter-departmental centres and groups that focus on specific issues, such as malaria, ageing and public health, global change and health, the health of societies in transition, the economics of infectious disease, eye health, reproductive health, HIV/TB, and vaccines. Many research programmes are carried out in collaboration with institutions outside the UK . Such collaborative work enhances the quality of the training experience and is one of the unique aspects of training at the School.

Research training opportunities relating to the School's research programme are available throughout the Departments of Epidemiology & Population Health; Infectious & Tropical Diseases, and Public Health & Policy.

Applying for Research Study

Those interested in applying for an MPhil/PhD or DrPH should:
Review the information about Departments and research units to identify a department or research unit with interests that match their own.
Visit the research pages on this website (search by discipline or subject area). More information is available on the Department pages.
Contact the Departmental Research Degrees Director, DrPH Course Organiser, or Unit Research Degrees Co-ordinator for more details.
Read the How to Apply pages of this website.

If applying for the DrPH, follow the above, and:
For more information or a chat about the programme, e-mail: DrPHadmin@lshtm.ac.uk

E-mail the Registry for further information.

DrPH
MPhil/PhD