Study/Work

The University admits both undergraduates and postgraduate students interested in palaeobiology normally through the Department of Earth Sciences, although the history of life is also studied in other departments e.g., Department of Biology.

Undergraduate

The Earth Sciences Undergraduate Course usually leads to an MEarthSci after 4 years, with opportunities for palaeobiology research projects in the fourth year.

Postgraduate

Postgraduate entry is typically for study towards a research-based DPhil (Oxford’s PhD qualification). Students are admitted via a number of routes:

  • NERC-funded Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP). This route provides four years of funding and an initial 4-6 months of doctoral training as well as standard research supervision.
  • DPhil. Many students apply directly to a research project, securing funding via alternative means: industry, scholarship, research councils other than NERC, etc. Some DPhil projects are available via the NERC DTP.

Please feel free to contact potential supervisors. Contact information is available on People.

Post-Doctoral Work

Occasionally post-doctoral research positions associated with specific projects will be advertised on this site (see bottom of page).

We welcome interest from those wishing to hold externally-funded research fellowships (e.g., NERC Independent Research Fellowship, 1851 Research Fellowships, Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellowships) in Oxford. Please feel free to contact faculty in the department of Earth Sciences or research@oum.ox.ac.uk at the University Museum of Natural History.