Postgraduate Study
Our planet and its life are undergoing unprecedented changes. The fossil record provides a rich but relatively untapped data source for how biodiversity has previously responded to environmental changes, from the emergence of the modern biosphere in the Ediacaran–Cambrian to major crises at mass extinctions. Understanding the interplay of environmental change and biodiversity in the past is critical to predicting how life will respond to modern climatic changes.
At Oxford, we are always looking for talented and motivated postgraduate students. The primary pathway to a doctoral degree in palaeobiology is through the Department of Earth Sciences.
Normally, prospective students apply to the fully-funded BBSRC/NERC Interdisciplinary Life and Environmental Sciences Landscape Award (ILESLA).
However, it is also possible to apply for:
- Intelligent Earth Doctoral Training Partnership, fully-funded, see here for details
- DPhil in Earth Sciences which may be funded by other means, e.g., internal and external scholarships
We encourage all applicants to apply to either the ILESLA course or the Intelligent Earth course, as well as the DPhil in Earth Sciences to maximise eligibility for internal scholarships.
BBSRC/NERC Interdisciplinary Life and Environmental Science Landscape Award (ILESLA)
The world faces unprecedented challenges, from climate change and food security to infectious diseases, biodiversity declines and sustainability. The Interdisciplinary Life and Environmental Science Landscape Award (ILESLA) will train a new generation of creative, collaborative and entrepreneurial researchers who are equipped to meet these complex, cross-disciplinary challenges. These future leaders will have the knowledge and skills to generate innovative solutions that integrate science across BBSRC and NERC remits, and to conduct curiosity-led research that generates far-reaching insight into biological and environmental systems, and their interactions.
Based in the University of Oxford’s innovative Doctoral Training Centre (DTC), students will undertake an in-depth programme of cohort-based, experiential learning that:
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Provides a strong foundation in the computational and quantitative techniques that underpin interdisciplinary research;
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Further develops these skills in a research context through rotations and team projects;
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Delivers the benefits of advanced training within and across themes, and at a national level through a new Doctoral Landscape Training Network;
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Builds strong connections within and between cohorts, supporting learning, sharing best practice and inspiring interdisciplinary innovation;
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Develops communication skills and connections with broader communities through teaching, outreach and policy engagement;
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Provides work experience through internships to engage students with the real-world applications of research and embed transferable skills in a non-academic context;
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Fosters an entrepreneurial spirit through an innovative entrepreneurship training programme that will inspire and support students and staff to commercialise ideas and develop new ventures;
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Connects students with business to co-create industrially relevant projects through a ground-breaking Open Innovation Industrial Consortium.
During their first year, students will initially undertake foundation training in computational, quantitative and research skills at the University of Oxford’s Doctoral Training Centre. They then undertake rotation projects with two different supervisory teams and a long format team project before deciding on the supervisory team and research topic for their substantive doctoral project. All students are required to undertake a 12-week internship with a non-academic partner organisation. Students undertaking iCASE projects with an industrial partner undertake their internship with that partner organisation
As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:
- a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in a relevant academic subject (eg biochemistry, biology, chemistry, geology, geography, physics, mathematics, statistics, computer science).
Entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a master's degree or first-class degree or the equivalent.
For applicants with a bachelor's degree from the USA, the minimum overall GPA that is normally required to meet the undergraduate-level requirement is 3.7 out of 4.0.
If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.
For more details on requirements, see our admissions page.
To apply, visit our admissions page.
DPhil in Earth Sciences
The Earth sciences are the focus of scientific understanding about this and other planets, embracing a large range of fundamental topics including the evolution of life, how climate has changed in the past and will change in the future, the nature of planetary surfaces and interiors and the processes underlying natural hazards like earthquakes and volcanoes.
The DPhil is an advanced degree by research that will take between three to four years to complete. You will typically join a research group and work alongside other research students, postdoctoral researchers and academics in the same general research area – all of whom provide additional support and advice for DPhil students. Academic activity across research groups is also strongly encouraged.
While the focus of the DPhil is on your development to conduct independent research, there are formal courses available both within the Department of Earth Sciences and other departments in the Maths, Physical and Life Sciences (MPLS) Division. Formal courses are organised through the MPLS Graduate Academic Program and include generic skills such as advice on science writing, as well as subject specific specialist courses. These allow the structured course components to be tailored to your individual research project needs.
The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Department of Earth Sciences and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Department of Earth Sciences. You will have at least two (and sometimes more) supervisors, who are experts in their field, and who provide the project research framework, guidance and mentoring throughout the program. You should expect to meet with your lead supervisor at least once a term, and have meetings with any member of the supervisory team at least once every two weeks averaged across the year.
As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:
- a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in science or mathematics.
However, entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a minimum of an upper-second or first-class degree or the equivalent.
Most candidates have a master's degree or the equivalent.
For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.5 out of 4.0.
If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.
For more details on requirements, see our admissions page.
To apply, visit our admissions page.
