Earth Sciences

Description

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Research is an essential component of the School's activity. Because of this, we believe that it is very important to invest in excellence in postgraduate training and research infrastructure, and to maintain an intellectually stimulating environment that supports high quality research.

The School is able to meet your aspirations by offering research degrees across a wide range of areas from exercise science to sport coaching. We have expertise in both the natural and social sciences, and we run programmes in collaboration with colleagues in the Medical School and Physiotherapy, and with professional groups such as the Professional Golfers Association. In this multidisciplinary environment, you can gain valuable academic and employability skills leading to a wide range of career outcomes. Supporting your personal employability aspirations is a key focus for all our postgraduate programmes.

Full details our currently available PhD opportunities can be found here.

Within the School there is a regular research seminar programme, in which expert speakers from other universities and institutions give talks on their own research. You also have opportunities to present your own research ideas and findings, and our postgraduates currently organise a seminar series to provide a forum for such presentations. You will also be encouraged to present your data at national and international conferences. In addition, each of our research groups runs internal seminars.

Contents

Research areas

The Schools research mission is a scientifically rigorous approach to the study of sport, physical activity, exercise and health. Research involves an interdisciplinary approach integrating the expertise and analytical skills of the Schools five overlapping research groups:

* Behavioural Medicine
* Cardiovascular and Respiratory Physiology
* Exercise Metabolism
* Human Movement
* Sport and Exercise Psychology

Facilities and equipment

The School has excellent research facilities and equipment available. The following show an example of some of the equipment or measures that we currently use in our research:

* Lode cycle ergometers
* Focus Group Room
* State-of-the-art advanced statistical analyses suites
* 13 camera Vicon MX body motion analysis system
* Multiple Kistler force platforms to measure ground reaction forces
* Wired and telemetry electromyography systems
* Mobile high speed eye tracker to monitor eye movements
* Transcranial magnetic stimulation
* Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
* Programmable motorised isokinetic dynamometer
* Lode cycle ergometers
* Oxycon-Pro indirect calorimeters
* Treadmills and large video screens for time trial simulation
* Cybex resistance exercise training
* Environmental chamber to investigate fuel and fluid supply at non-ambient temperatures in relation to performance
* Luminex equipment to measure inflammatory cytokines
* Oscillometric and continuous arterial blood and venous pressure
* Electrocardiography, 128-channel electroencephalography, impedance cardiography and limb blood flow
* Full blood count, whole blood viscosity, colloid osmotic pressure, coagulation
* Cell-separation and blood differential, immunochemical assessment, cell and tissue culturing, and sterilization
* Cardiac, vascular and transcranial Doppler ultrasound circulation imaging
* Laser Doppler flowmetry for skin perfusion and strain gauge plethysmography for limb blood flow
* Respiratory function using mechanical hyperventilation

Requirements

Entrance to the PhD requires at least an upper-second class degree, while MPhil registration requires a relevant first degree and evidence of ability to undertake research.
| International students We accept a range of qualifications from different countries learn more about international entry requirements|

English Language Requirements

IMPORTANT NOTE: Since April 2014 the ETS tests (including TOEFL and TOEIC) are no longer accepted for Tier 4 visa applications to the United Kingdom. The university might still accept these tests to admit you to the university, but if you require a Tier 4 visa to enter the UK and begin your degree programme, these tests will not be sufficient to obtain your Visa.

The IELTS test is most widely accepted by universities and is also accepted for Tier 4 visas to the UK- learn more.

Funding

Scholarships and studentships

See or email financialsupport@bham.ac.uk for more information.
International students can often gain funding through overseas research scholarships, Commonwealth scholarships or their home government.

See the University of Birmingham Website for more details on fees and funding.