Programme of study for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Bioscience and Biotechnology 2025/26 with placement

Candidates may undertake study for the degree of PhD Bioscience and Biotechnology in the School of Biology in the Faculty of Biological Sciences, under the supervision of a member of staff who satisfies the eligibility requirements specified by the relevant committee. 

Supervisors may be members of staff in the schools in the Faculty of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Science, or Faculty of Medicine and Health. Supervisors will be appointed at the commencement of the programme of study.

This programme is delivered as part of the BBSRC Yorkshire Bioscience Doctoral Training Partnership, and is delivered in partnership with the Universities of Sheffield, York, Bradford, Hull, Leeds Beckett University, Sheffield Hallam University, and Teesside University.

The standard period of study for full-time candidates is four years and the maximum time limit is four years.

The standard period of study for part-time candidates is six years and eight months, and the maximum time limit is six years and eight months.

Other requirements for the degree, including examination requirements are set out in Ordinance X and its associated regulations.

Applicants will normally be required to have obtained a relevant degree at least equivalent to a UK upper second class (2:1) honours degree. International postgraduate researchers (PGRs) will normally be required to have achieved at least 6.0 on IELTS (with no component below 5.5) or an equivalent English language qualification. Equivalent academic and English Language qualifications can be found on the University’s entry requirements page.

This programme is only available to candidates who have been awarded a studentship through the University of Leeds under the BBSRC Yorkshire Bioscience Doctoral Training Partnership.

This programme is not available for study by split-site or distance learning modes.

All candidates for the degree of PhD are expected to undertake appropriate generic training. Candidates in some faculties may be required to undertake some elements of advanced study and complete written examinations satisfactorily before proceeding to the submission of a thesis.

In addition, the programme includes mandatory training in each year together with annual training and research focussed events. Candidates will be based at Leeds throughout the programme (with the exception of the placement).

This additional training will be:

Year 1

• Autumn residential
• Winter symposium
• Spring training – data analytics
• Summer annual general meeting (AGM)

Training in the first year will include:

• health and safety
• risk assessment
• ethics
• research integrity
• open research
• equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)
• data management.

Year 2

• Winter symposium
• Spring training – presentation skills
• Summer AGM

Year 3

• Winter symposium
• Spring training – bio-enterprise
• Summer AGM

Year 4

• Winter symposium
• Spring training – professional skills
• Summer AGM

Placement

All students will undertake a mandatory placement, as part of this degree:

• For CASE studentships, this will be at the industry partner and will contribute to the research degree project.
• For non-CASE studentships, the placement will be in any external organisation that allows the student to broaden their understanding of a range of career areas. For non-CASE studentships, candidates are required to write a 1,000 word report following the placement which will be assessed by the DTP directors on a pass/fail basis. Students failing to submit a satisfactory report will be offered the option to resubmit the report. However, a pass mark for this report is not required for progression in the degree programme.
• The placement may take place in year 2 or year 3. It is normally taken in the summer months towards the end of year 2. The duration of the placement will normally be three months, although for CASE students only, it may be up to 18 months in length.

Candidates will in the first instance be accepted as a provisional candidate for the degree of PhD. After the initial period of provisional registration, candidates are subject to the process whereby they are formally assessed and, if successful in the assessment, are transferred to the specific degree category of PhD or MPhil.

Full-time candidates must undergo assessment by no later than 12 months of study. Part-time candidates must undergo assessment by no later than 24 months of study unless otherwise stated in the prescribed programme of study.

To allow flexibility to explore the most appropriate format, as needed for academic or other reasons, there are three possible models for a research degree transfer:

• Fully in person (all parties together on campus for a face-to-face viva)
• Fully remote (all parties complete the viva via Microsoft Teams or Zoom)
• Hybrid (some parties are in person whilst others are online).

The decision to transfer will be based on the submission of appropriate material for assessment and all PGRs must undergo an oral examination by an assessment panel which must include at least two independent individuals who have not been involved in the supervisory support of the candidate. The PGR will be interviewed by the assessment panel in the form of a viva voce examination.

A case for an extension to the period of provisional registration would have to be made on academic grounds to the relevant committee. In such cases any period of extension will be no more than six months.

The arrangements for formal reports on progress by the supervisor(s) are described in the University Code of Practice for Research Degree Candidatures (PDF).

Candidates must present a thesis (100,000 words maximum) on the subject of their research (except where an alternative method of submission is stipulated in the Regulations for Ordinance X) and satisfy the examiners as specified in Ordinance X and its associated regulations. 

In schools where an alternative form of submission is permitted, specific regulations for the binding and presentation of the work are published.

Except with the special permission of the relevant committee, every candidate is required to submit their thesis for examination for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by no later than:

• the end of the fourth year after their entry upon the approved course of full-time study and research
• the end of the seventh year after their entry upon the approved course of part-time study and research.

As permitted in Ordinance X (Article 8), when the progress and quality of the candidate’s research justify it, the relevant committee is empowered to reduce the required minimum period of study provided that no candidate shall submit for examination of the thesis before the completion of:

• a total of two calendar years of full-time study
• a total of three calendar years of part-time study.

Following examination, the examiners will be asked to make one of the following recommendations:

• a) Pass.
• b) Pass (subject to the correction of ‘editorial and presentational corrections’ or ‘minor deficiencies’): these corrections must be made within four or twelve weeks respectively from the date of the oral examination. The internal examiner is responsible for ensuring that ‘editorial and presentational corrections’ or minor deficiencies are corrected by the candidate. The degree will not be awarded until confirmation that the corrections have been completed is received.
• c) Referral (the ‘Referral recommendations’ section that follows explains this in more detail).
• d) Recommend award of MPhil: for those candidates who fail to achieve the standard for the award of a PhD but who nevertheless satisfy the criteria for the award of the degree of MPhil. In these circumstances, the degree of MPhil may not be awarded with distinction.
• e) Recommend award of MPhil (subject to the correction of ‘editorial and presentational corrections’ or ‘minor deficiencies’): these corrections must be made within four or twelve weeks respectively from the date of the oral examination. The internal examiner is responsible for ensuring that ‘editorial and presentational corrections’ or ‘minor deficiencies’ are corrected by the candidate. The degree will not be awarded until confirmation that the corrections have been completed is received. In these circumstances, the degree of MPhil may not be awarded with distinction.
• f) Referral for MPhil (the ‘Referral recommendations’ section that follows explains this in more detail). In these circumstances, the degree of MPhil may not be awarded with distinction.
• g) Fail: the candidate has no further opportunity for submission.

Referral recommendations

If the thesis is not considered to be of sufficiently high standard to recommend the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy but there is evidence of the potential of a successful PhD or MPhil submission, then on the recommendation of the examiners either:

• a) The candidate will be granted permission to resubmit the work in a revised form for the degree of PhD within a period of eighteen months, on one occasion only and on payment of an additional fee.
• b) The candidate will be granted permission to resubmit the work in a revised form for the degree of MPhil within a period of twelve months, on one occasion only and on payment of an additional fee.

Any candidate whose thesis has been referred for the degree of PhD may, subject to approval by the Head of their School, exercise the option of resubmitting a revised thesis for consideration for the award of the degree of Master of Philosophy.

The recommendation of the examiners is subject to confirmation by the Graduate Board’s Examinations Group which will consider the examiners’ report. In the case of joint awards with another institution, the recommendation of the examiners is also subject to confirmation by the other institution.

On completion of the research programme PGRs should have shown evidence of being able:

• to discover, interpret and communicate new knowledge through original research and/or scholarship of publishable quality which satisfies peer review
• to present and defend original research outcomes which extend the forefront of a discipline or relevant area of professional/clinical practice
• to demonstrate systematic and extensive knowledge of the subject area and expertise in generic and subject/professional skills
• to take a proactive and self-reflective role in working and to develop professional relationships with others where appropriate
• to independently and proactively formulate ideas and hypotheses and to design, develop, implement and execute plans by which to evaluate these
• to critically and creatively evaluate current issues, research and advanced scholarship in the discipline
• to demonstrate systematic knowledge of and be able to critically assess, analyse and engage with the ethical and legal context of their research and any ethical and legal implications of their research.

PGRs will have had the opportunity to acquire the following abilities through the research training and research specified for the programme:

• the skills necessary for a career as a researcher and/or for employment in a senior and leading capacity in a relevant area of professional/clinical practice or industry
• evaluating their own achievement and that of others
• self-direction and effective decision making in complex and unpredictable situations
• independent learning and the ability to work in a way which ensures continuing professional development.

This will include the critical analysis of, and decision making in, complex and unpredictable professional and/or clinical situations. 

The structure of the programme will provide research and/or professional training, breadth and depth of study and opportunities for drawing upon appropriate resources and techniques. 

Opportunities will be provided for PGRs to:

• develop to a high level interests and informed opinions
• develop to a high level their design and management of their learning activities
• develop to a high level their communication of their conclusions
• make an original contribution to the field.

PGRs will be expected to engage in the exercise of autonomous initiative in their study and work in professional environments.

Achievement will be assessed by the examination of the candidate’s thesis (or alternative form of thesis) and performance under oral examination. Assessment will involve the achievement of the candidate in:

• evidencing an ability to conduct original and independent broad and in-depth enquiry within the discipline or within different aspects of the area of professional/clinical practice normally leading to published work
• drawing on and/or developing a range of research techniques and methodologies appropriate to enquiries into the discipline/area of professional practice
• demonstrating independent critical ability in the application of breadth and depth of knowledge to complex issues within the discipline or specialist area of professional/clinical practice
• drawing on a range of perspectives on the area of study
• evaluating and criticising received opinion
• making reasoned and well-informed judgements on complex issues within the specialism whilst understanding the limitations on judgements made in the absence of complete data
• the written style and overall presentation of the thesis.