Health Sciences

This Health Sciences PhD at the University of Surrey will let you work in partnership with healthcare providers, governments and businesses to address global healthcare priorities and generate evidence to underpin effective, compassionate and integrated healthcare.

Join Surrey’s team of researchers who have been conducting health-related research for over 30 years. Embrace a ‘patient focused’ philosophy, working to improve the delivery of healthcare nationally and internationally.

Career opportunities

At the University of Surrey University of Surrey you’ll complete research into your chosen area of interest over a period of four years (full-time) or eight years (part-time). Your first year will lay the foundation for your research project. You’ll work closely with your supervisors to review literature and develop your research proposal. You may start negotiating access for sites and settings for data collection or consider applying for ethical approval from us and the NHS. During your second and third years, you’ll conduct fieldwork, collect your data and begin to analyse this. During your final year, you’ll continue to analyse your data and write up your findings, in preparation for your thesis submission. Throughout your Health Sciences Health Sciences PhD, you’ll gain substantial subject expertise and an in-depth understanding of research methodology and design. You’ll also develop transferable skills in public speaking, drafting proposals and writing for publications. Your final assessment will be based on the presentation of your research in a written thesis, which will be discussed in a viva examination with at least two examiners. You have the option of preparing your thesis as a monograph (one large volume in chapter form) or in publication format (including chapters written for publication), subject to the approval of your supervisors.

Research themes

Our research investigates:

• Cancer, including early diagnosis, the influence of cancer treatment on people and supportive technologies. 

• Digital health, including access to primary and community care services, predictive risk modelling, and the remote monitoring and management of conditions. 

• Long-term conditions and ageing, including dementia care, frailty and multimorbidity in older people and non-medical prescribing. 

• Maternal, child and family health, including mental health, palliative care, perinatal depression, safeguarding and sexual health. 

• Workforce, organisation and wellbeing, including staffing and policy implementation, student, employee and patient wellbeing, and supporting healthcare delivery.