Programme of study for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Molecules to Product 2024/25

School responsible for the programme: Chemical and Process Engineering.

This programme is no longer recruiting.

Minimum 2:1 for MEng, MChem, MPhys or 2:1 with a Merit MSc equivalent from areas including but not limited to:

• Chemical Engineering
• Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Engineering
• Physics
• Mathematics
• Statistics
• Food Science.

Applicants with a Bachelor degree with first class honours with a minimum of two years’ experience in industry will also be considered.

Year 1

The candidate will commence research under the direction of their supervision team and is expected to meet with their supervisors at least ten times per year.

Postgraduate researchers (PGRs) undertake the following six non-credit bearing courses:

• Molecules to Product – An Introduction to Cross-Scale Challenges
• Functionalisation and Performance of Products
• Bonding to Bulk Measures - Benchmark Characterisation Techniques Applicable to the Chemicals Continuum
• Process Modelling and Data Analysis
• Essential Skills for Success
• Behavioural Aspects of Management Decision Making.

Annual conference, ORBIT training.

Month 4: Completion of the training plan.

Month 6: First formal progress report.

Month 10: Submission of transfer report.

Candidates will be required to undergo the formal assessment procedure for transfer to PhD status before the end of the second year of study.

Year 2

The candidate will continue research under the direction of their supervision team and is expected to meet with their supervisors at least ten times per year.

PGRs undertake the following three non-credit bearing courses:

• Holistic process design.
• Applied decision making.
• Advanced technical skills development.

Month 22: Draft chapter/journal publication.

Minimum three months industrial placement or equivalent internship (or in year 3).

Year 3

The candidate will continue research under the direction of their supervision team and expected to meet with their supervisors at least ten times per year.

PGRs undertake the following two non-credit bearing courses:

• Innovation and enterprise.
• Advanced technical skills development.

Impact coaching through Organisational Development and Professional Learning (OD&PL), annual conference, public engagement and outreach activities.

Month 34: Draft chapter/journal publication

Minimum three months industrial placement or equivalent internship (or in year 2).

Year 4

The candidate will continue research under the direction of their supervision team and expected to meet with their supervisors at least ten times per year.

• Impact Workshop hosted by Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), annual conference, public engagement and outreach activities.

Month 48: Thesis submission or plan for submission within the five year deadline.

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
• present and defend original research outcomes which extend the forefront of a discipline or relevant area of professional/clinical practice
• demonstrate systematic and extensive knowledge of the subject area and expertise in generic and subject/professional skills
• take a proactive and self-reflective role in working and to develop professional relationships with others where appropriate
• independently and proactively formulate ideas and hypotheses and to design, develop, implement and execute plans by which to evaluate these
• critically and creatively evaluate current issues, research and advanced scholarship in the discipline
• 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.