Geography (Urban and Regional Studies) PhD

Our department hosts one of the UK’s leading planning research groups, offering expert mentorship and innovative research opportunities. This advanced degree prepares you for careers in academia or leadership roles in urban planning, sustainable development, regeneration, and transport. You'll engage with cutting-edge theories and methods to address complex urban challenges, shape policy, and build thriving, sustainable communities.

Course structure

• Join a long-established school ranked highly for research excellence
• Be part of a research community with an international reputation
• Participate in seminars featuring world-renowned speakers
• Gain the full range of PhD skills, under the guidance of active researchers

• Seminars: Although this course is primarily research-driven, you will have the opportunity to participate in seminars led by renowned academics and present your findings to your peers.
• 1:1 Supervision: You will meet regularly with your supervisory team to discuss your research and receive feedback to aid your progress. Your supervisors, who are experts in your field, will provide guidance and support throughout your PhD journey.
• Projects: You will lead your research efforts, taking full responsibility for every stage, including formulating research questions, selecting methodology, conducting a literature review, and synthesising findings.

If you want to pursue your own research project, you can apply to our research programmes to propose this. This is self-funded, although scholarships are available.

Find an Advertised PhD

Find a PhD project that suits your interests by using our FindAPhD tool.

Find a supervisor

If you’d rather propose your own research, the first step is to find your supervisor. We encourage you to browse the biographies of faculty members to familiarise yourself with the research going on in your preferred areas. Each of these contains detailed information on research interests, current projects and recent publications.

When you apply, you can suggest one or two potential supervisors, who you think might be a good fit for you. However, this is not essential. If you know what you want to work on, but are unsure on supervisors, you can indicate this in your application and the PhD programme co-directors will study your proposal in detail, and judge who is best suited to be your supervisory team.

Members of the Department can offer supervision across a wide range of areas within Urban and Regional Planning. Our research addresses major societal challenges such as urban regeneration, climate resilience, sustainable development, property development, community engagement, and transport infrastructure. We collaborate with global partners to advance theoretical understanding and promote more equitable and just public policymaking.

We welcome applications in areas including:

• Planning
• Regeneration
• Sustainability
• Climate change
• Transport
• Participatory and community-based approaches

Our research is further structured around three key subthemes that support the School’s interdisciplinary focus on Urban Sustainability:

• Adapting to Environmental and Energy Uncertainties
• Cities, Regions and Mobilities
• Children, Young People and Education

Centre for Urban Wellbeing (CUWb)

The Centre for Urban Wellbeing was established in 2020 to support interdisciplinary and community-engaged research informed by the best global evidence to address urban wellbeing inequalities.

The Birmingham Institute for Sustainability and Climate Action (BISCA)

The Birmingham Institute for Sustainability and Climate Action (BISCA)'s distinct approach will be to leverage Birmingham’s comprehensive, interdisciplinary research expertise; and apply/translate ideas, skills and influence into wider engagement and action on climate change and broader sustainability matters.

Research proposal

If you are proposing your own research topic, you will need to submit a research proposal. It’s a key part of your application, so take your time. Your potential supervisors will use it to decide if your research is something they can support.

Your proposal should be a clear and concise summary of your research. It generally consists of an outline of your proposed research project, including your main research questions and the methods you intend to use. The broader importance of this project for society, policymakers and businesses should also be covered.

You should also comment on the potential impact and importance of your intended research and on how your work would interact with current trends in your academic field. It should illustrate the relevance of your topic to the research interests and expertise of the staff within your chosen department.

Funding options

Apply for a PhD that already has funding attached

These are most common in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine) subjects, but they can sometimes be available for pre-defined research projects in the arts, humanities or social sciences. These may be advertised as fully funded (with fees and a stipend) or competition funded, meaning the projects compete against other projects at each institution.

Self-fund, or search for funding or a studentship

You devise your own PhD topic, find and consult with a potential supervisor, explore funding opportunities, write a research proposal and apply to the relevant programme. Our Postgraduate Scholarships and Funding database lists all available funding.

A limited number of scholarships and studentships may be available to outstanding applicants. For further information, please explore our scholarships and funding database.

If you are applying to an ‘advertised PhD’, please check the details of the specific research project for application deadlines.

If you are submitting your own research proposal, applications are accepted all year round. However, if you wish to start in September, we would strongly encourage you to apply by 1 June. Whilst you are still welcome to apply after this date, it is important to allow time for us to review your application.

If you are seeking funding, please be aware that the majority of funding opportunities have deadlines in early spring so we would encourage you to apply as early as possible.

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.

Careers Network

At Birmingham, we prepare our researchers to make an impact across every sector of society. Our PhD graduates are global change-makers: advancing knowledge, shaping policy, leading industries, and educating future generations.

You'll benefit from dedicated careers support tailored to your unique paths. Our expert team of Careers Advisers, including a dedicated postgraduate research adviser, offer one-to-one guidance to help researchers navigate career decisions both within and beyond academia.

Whatever you plan to do after your degree, the Careers Network offers a range of events and support services including networking opportunities, career coaching, one to one guidance, careers fairs and links with leading graduate recruiters.

We also offer subject specific careers consultants and a dedicated careers website for international students.

Our bustling campus with its beautiful grounds, friendly community and excellent facilities will quickly make you feel at home. We offer you a huge variety of accommodation options in the UK’s second city, exciting activities to get involved in outside your studies, as well as all the support and advice you need.