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Cardiovascular Sciences - PhD/MSc by Research

Start date
Research degrees may start at any time of the year
Duration
PhD: 3 years full-time, 6 years part-time, MSc by Research: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
Course Type
Postgraduate, Doctoral research
Fees

Annual tuition fee for 2024/25:
UK: £4,778
International: £27,360
More details

Dr Neena Kalia - Senior Lecturer, Cardiovascular Sciences

Our Cardiovascular Sciences PhD/MSc by Research in the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences will provide you with the skills needed to contribute to research within the broad spectrum of cardiovascular medicine. We have groups working on world-leading discovery science, translational and clinical research.

We have access to cutting-edge technology which supports ground-breaking discoveries in our 4 main themes:

  • Cardiac Diseases - Our research aims to understand how our genes, environment, lifestyle, and activity of the heart interact to shape the function of our hearts.
  • Thrombosis and Haemostasis - Our expertise means we are ideally placed to develop new strategies for therapeutic intervention in thrombosis and haemostasis driven pathology.
  • Vascular Biology, Inflammation and Angiogenesis - Our established multi-disciplinary research theme is focused on the multifaceted biology of endothelial cells.
  • Imaging and Technology - Our technology experts are developing and applying innovative ways to image cardiovascular systems in vitro and in vivo.

You will join a diverse and multidisciplinary team of world-leading researchers, who will support you to produce original and impactful research addressing the causes, prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease, the world’s biggest killer.

Our PhD/MSc by Research program is intended for students who wish to obtain high quality research training that will enable them to conduct independent investigative research.

By studying in the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences you will be joining over 60 postgraduate research students covering a wide range of topics including:

  • Chronic cardiovascular disease, such as atrial fibrillation, heart failure, structural heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, hypertension, sudden cardiac death and cardiovascular disease in patients with chronic kidney disease. As well as precision medicine approaches to treat these diseases.
  • Platelet-related disorders from the basic cell biology of platelets and megakaryocytes, through to the genetics of rare bleeding disorders and development of novel anti-thrombotic strategies for patients.
  • Thrombo-inflammation, interaction of immune and endothelial cells, the development of atherosclerosis, development of immune therapies to resolve inflammation and thrombo-inflammation.
  • Application and development of advanced microscopy methods from the single molecule level e.g. the study of receptor signalling, through to in vivo imaging of the beating heart microvasculature and development of clinical and preclinical thermoacoustic/ photoacoustic imaging of diseases such as atherosclerosis.

You will work closely with your supervisory team who will help you clarify your project and support your development. You will attend a weekly institute-wide seminar series to develop your general cardiovascular knowledge, and take part in annual away days, giving you the chance to present your work and network with colleagues. Your thesis will represent an original contribution to knowledge and demonstrate independent judgement. 

To help you identify a supervisor related to your research area of interest you may like to explore the research of our academic staff or search the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences website for all you need to know about our staff, news, research areas and impact.

There are also existing research opportunities within the Institute offering specific topics and projects on which you can complete your PhD. Search our Doctoral Researcher Database to find out about our latest vacancies and scholarship opportunities.

Why study this course?

When you join your programme you will become part of the ICVS postgraduate research (PGR) community, as well as the wider  Graduate School within the College of Medical and Dental Sciences giving you access to:

  • Supervision from leading academics to support you through your research programme including research techniques and training.
  • Training and development courses to enable you to gain research and generic (transferable) training skills.
  • Weekly institute seminars covering a breadth of cardiovascular-related topics.
  • Monthly PGR and post-doctoral research presentations, and an annual away day, giving you the opportunity to present your work.
  • Opportunities to attend and take part in University-wide Research Festivals and other postgraduate activities to boost your academic and networking skills.
  • An allocated academic mentor so you can access pastoral support.
  • State-of-the art facilities to support a range of teaching, learning and research activity with access to dedicated write up rooms, libraries, and computer facilities.
  • Social and networking activities organised by the local PGR Reps and academic PGR Team.

You will also become part of the wider University of Birmingham postgraduate research community located at Westmere House where you have access to training and skills development, careers and employability advice, wellbeing and counselling services as well as welcome activities and events.

Ask a student mentor

The best people to ask about postgraduate study are the students that have done it. Our mentor scheme enables you to directly contact student mentors with any questions that you have about studying here and will offer help and advice from a student perspective. Please feel free to contact the mentors directly using the question box on their profile page.

Fees

2024/25

UK: £4,778 full-time, £2,389 part-time
International £27,360 full-time, £13,680 part-time

The above fees are for one year only. If you are studying over two or more years, tuition fees will also be payable in subsequent years.

Funding

Find out about our latest vacancies and scholarship opportunities by searching our Doctoral Researcher Database.

We welcome enquiries from students who have obtained funding and self-funded students looking to conduct research in other areas and encourage prospective doctoral students to contact our staff to discuss their intended area of study. 

To search for postgraduate research funding opportunities to support your studies at the University of Birmingham use our funding database.

How To Apply

Before you make your application

When submitting an application for any postgraduate programme, you are also required to submit supporting documentation to accompany your application form. To give your application the best chance of success follow our step-by-step guide.

Making your application

If you have got everything ready to apply then please go to the Apply Now button at the top of this page. We look forward to receiving your application.

International applicants

We encourage you to apply early, so that you have plenty of time to prepare the necessary travel, study and immigration documents. In some cases, it may be a time-consuming process. You will find further information and guidance for prospective students regarding visas and immigration on our Student Help pages.

After you have submitted your application

Once you've completed your online application and submitted it electronically, it will be checked by staff in the Postgraduate Admissions team before being sent to the College of Medical and Dental Sciences for consideration. Selection processes differ depending on the type of application you have made.

If you need any help with you application or have any further queries please contact us:

Email: mds-gradschool@contacts.bham.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)121 414 5005

You may wish to register your interest with us to receive regular news and updates on postgraduate life within this Department and the wider University.

How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate research programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online. We have put together some helpful information on the research programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page. Please read this information carefully before completing your application.

Apply now

Our Standard Requirements

2:1 honours degree in a subject relevant to the research area you applying to.

International Requirements



International Students

Learn more about international entry requirements 

We accept a range of qualifications from different countries; our country pages show you what qualifications we accept from your country.

English Language Requirements

You can satisfy our English language requirements in two ways:

Please note IELTS requirements for Postgraduate Research programmes in the College of Medical and Dental Sciences are 6.5 overall with no less than 6.0 in any band.

If you need help with your English language skills then support is available.

The English for Academic Purposes Presessional course is for international students who have a conditional offer to study at the University, but who do not currently meet the English language requirements. The course is tailored to your level of English and allows you to meet the English language requirements for your programme without retaking IELTS. The EAP programme runs throughout the year and offers different programme lengths ranging from 42 weeks to 6 weeks. The length of course you need depends on your future course, your existing IELTS score and the English level you need for your university degree.

Find out more about the English for Academic Purposes Presessional course.

There is a diverse range of research areas within Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences. To help you identify a supervisor related to your research area you may like to explore the research interests of our academic staff or search the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences staff list:

  • Cardiac Diseases - Our research aims to understand how our genes, environment, lifestyle, and activity of the heart interact to shape the function of our hearts.
  • Thrombosis and Haemostasis - Our expertise means we are ideally placed to develop new strategies for therapeutic intervention in thrombosis and haemostasis driven pathology.
  • Vascular Biology, Inflammation and Angiogenesis - Our established multi-disciplinary research theme is focused on the multifaceted biology of endothelial cells.
  • Imaging and Technology - Our technology experts are developing and applying innovative ways to image cardiovascular systems in vitro and in vivo.

There are also existing research opportunities within the Institute offering specific topics and projects on which you can complete your PhD. Search our Doctoral Researcher Database to find out about our latest vacancies and scholarship opportunities or if you are looking to conduct research in other areas contact our staff to discuss your intended area of study.

We have a global reputation for our world leading research and teaching as follows:

  • Times 2023: Ranked 15th for Medicine.
  • Complete University Guide 2024: Ranked 19th for Medicine.
  • QS World rankings 2023: 67th for Medicine. The Life Sciences and Medicine overarching faculty area is ranked joint 62nd in the world.
  • US News rankings 2023: 58th for Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems.
  • Times Higher Education rankings 2024: 74th for Clinical & Health.

Our employability rates within the College are excellent, with 95% of all surveyed students achieving employment within a year of study.