The Richard Doll building against a blue sky
The Richard Doll building, housing many of the University's research laboratories, offices and support spaces for the Medical Sciences Division
(Image credit: Rob Judges / Oxford University Images)

DPhil in Population Health

About the course

The DPhil in Population Health is a doctoral research course intended to provide you with training in research, an in-depth knowledge and understanding of your doctoral research topic and prepare you for a career in academia.

Research training will primarily be through day-to-day involvement in a research project and working with a research team. Past research projects that students have worked on include ‘Can routinely collected data be used to accurately and completely follow-up participants in large randomised trials?’ and ‘Biological Ageing: Statistical analysis of physical and biochemical biomarkers in UK Biobank’. A typical day of a DPhil student varies through the course but will include literature reviews, data analysis, discussion with the research group and writing-up the research thesis.

Your supervisors will be the main source of your research training; you will also be encouraged to strengthen your research skills by taking relevant training courses. Research training will be within a multidisciplinary research environment which includes epidemiology, statistics, ethics, health economics, health promotion, health services research, and big data.

You will be encouraged to make use of the range of skills training offered by the Medical Sciences Division and the department throughout your study at the Nuffield Department of Population Health (NDPH). All students will be asked to complete a Training Needs Analysis in the first term of their studies, which will be used to help students to assess their skill level and identify training required. There is no set period of time that should be used for training – students will be able to pursue the training they need. This training includes statistics, epidemiology, data management, research ethics, writing academic papers and presentation skills. You are also expected to identify additional relevant external courses that will support your research training.

Attendance

The course can be studied full-time or part-time with both modes requiring attendance in Oxford. Full-time students are subject to the University's Residence requirements. Part-time students are required to attend course-related activities in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year.

The full-time course is studied over three to four years. The part-time course has the same requirements, but is studied over six to eight years.

A small number of part-time students may be admitted to the DPhil in Population Health. Candidates applying for admission to this part-time course are required to show that their DPhil research topic is suited to part-time study and their supervisors agree with the part-time schedule. Attendance for part-time students will be spread across the academic year with a minimum of ten days based in the department each term. However, attendance is likely to be higher than this and will be determined by the demands of the individual DPhil research project.

As a part-time student you will be required to attend supervision meetings and other obligations in Oxford. There will be limited flexibility in the dates of attendance, which will be determined by mutual agreement with your supervisor. You will have the opportunity to tailor your part-time study in liaison with your supervisor and agree your pattern of attendance.

Provision exists for students on some courses to undertake their research in a ‘well-founded laboratory’ outside of the University. This may require travel to and attendance at a site that is not located in Oxford. Where known, existing collaborations will be outlined on this page. Please read the course information carefully, including the additional information about course fees and costs.

Resources to support your study

As a graduate student, you will have access to the University's wide range of world-class resources including libraries, museums, galleries, digital resources and IT services.

The Bodleian Libraries is the largest library system in the UK. It includes the main Bodleian Library and libraries across Oxford, including major research libraries and faculty, department and institute libraries. Together, the Libraries hold more than 13 million printed items, provide access to e-journals, and contain outstanding special collections including rare books and manuscripts, classical papyri, maps, music, art and printed ephemera.

The University's IT Services is available to all students to support with core university IT systems and tools, as well as many other services and facilities. IT Services also offers a range of IT learning courses for students, to support with learning and research.

Libraries

You will have access to the department's IT support, and to the University Library services such as the Radcliffe Science Library, Cairns Library at the John Radcliffe Hospital and the Knowledge Centre based in the Old Road Campus Research Building.

A tour of the Knowledge Centre will be available in your first term. You will be allocated a desk and laptop within NDPH.

Research Student Committee

NDPH hosts an active Research Student Committee. This student-led group meets regularly during term time and arranges social events, seminars, journal clubs and academic talks.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Nuffield Department of Population Health and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. In some circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Nuffield Department of Population Health. Each student will be supervised by at least two supervisors. Co-supervisors may be from within or outside the department.

Moat students have the opportunity to meet with their supervisor individually throughout the year, typically once every two weeks during term time, but this is subject to individual arrangements.

Assessment

DPhil students must pass two milestone assessments during their research career:

  1. Transfer of status - this must take place by the end of the fourth term (or eighth term for part-time students). Students submit a written transfer report and are interviewed by two assessors.
  2. Confirmation of status - this must take place by the end of the ninth term (or eighteenth term for part-time students). Students submit a detailed thesis contents list and timetable for completion and are interviewed by two assessors.

Students are expected to submit their thesis within three to four years of admission to the DPhil. A viva (oral examination) in front of one internal and one external examiner is then conducted, normally within three months of submission.

Graduate destinations

Most DPhil alumni progress to academic posts both in the UK and Overseas, while others join health-related professions working for notable organisations such as the WHO and Public Health England.

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made if a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency occurs. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.

 

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