PhD Built Environment

About the project

• Research

PhD Built Environment

• Overview
• Degree details
• Our students
• Research
• Entry and fees
• Careers
• Facilities
• Supervisors
• Recently viewed
• Related courses

Overview

Our PhD Built Environment offers research expertise in an academic setting which will prepare you to address different aspects of the built environment in depth. Whether you are interested in architectural technologies, construction project management or building surveying, our expert supervisors are on hand to support you.

Our School of Computing and Engineering academics have strong and varied research backgrounds. From investigating the properties of reinforced concrete to looking at road foundations using ground penetrating radar systems; from investigating the impact of future climate change on buildings to looking at decay and cavities in tree trunks using ground penetrating radars – we offer a wealth of research expertise in a broad range of topics.

This PhD is available for you to study:

As part of your application, please state whether you are applying for an online PhD.

See details of specific PhD opportunities in Built Environment .

See a list of potential PhD supervisors and read about their expertise in the " supervisors " section lower down the page.

Select your desired study option, then pick a start date to see relevant course information:

Start date:

If your desired start date is not available, try selecting a different study option.

• full-time or part-time
• on-campus or online
• starting in September or February.

Sensing the Impact: The 1st Faringdon Research Symposium

This summer, we were proud to host the inaugural Faringdon Research Symposium. This event gave our PhD students and research academics a chance to connect with industry professionals from across the civil and environmental engineering sectors, sharing work, expertise and insights.

Hear from two of our PhD students, Delphina and Samiah, about the work they presented at the event, and how connecting with industry experts helps expand and bolster their research and future career prospects.

About your degree

With academic staff with extensive professional experience within a vast array of engineering disciplines, we provide a stimulating and supportive environment for you where you will benefit from:

Our online PhD allows you to undertake a postgraduate research degree from a location that fits with your lifestyle and commitments. As part of your application, please state that you are applying for an online PhD. As an online PhD student, you will not be required to visit the campus: all supervision, training, reviews and the viva voce examination are provided online.

An online PhD may not be suitable for all projects, and consideration will be given to the suitability of the research project and whether it can be completed successfully without regular access to campus facilities.

This PhD Built Environment course is available for you to study full-time or part-time, online or campus-based.

All PhD students will have access to the University’s student support services , the Library’s e-resources collection and IT support services . You are also welcome to attend the annual doctoral students’ conference on campus.

A PhD is founded on independent research. You will undertake a systematic and in-depth exploration of your chosen topic to produce a substantial body of knowledge and make an original and important contribution to the subject area.

The support provided by your supervisory team will be vital to your student experience and scholarly advancement. You and your supervisors will have regular one-to-one meetings which will provide you with opportunities to develop your research topic and discuss your progress.

Based in the heart of Ealing, west London, you can make use of the excellent transport links to travel to the capital or further afield – ideal for attending research meetings and networking events.

If you would like guidance or more information about studying for a PhD in Built Environment, please contact Professor Ali Bahadori-Jahromi .

Our School of Computing and Engineering offers specific PhD opportunities across a broad range of subject areas, supervised by expert academics within our many research centres and groups.

See details of specific PhD opportunities in Built Environment .

To enable you to enhance your professional profile, we support you throughout your research degree by:

We provide structured research training, expert supervision and an environment where you can discuss your research with other PhD students and researchers.

We run seminars in research methods from the Graduate Centre, as well as an ongoing series of events and activities organised by Schools and Colleges. Specialist help with academic English for students for whom English is not their first language is available.

We contribute to national and international initiatives and promote collaboration and networking opportunities. We also encourage and support you to publish and disseminate your research in academic journals and via presenting papers at conferences.

We run an annual conference for doctoral students, where you are encouraged to present a paper about your research. As well as being an opportunity to discuss your work with other students, the conference is a chance to gain valuable experience in presenting your research and participating in open discussions with academic peers.

You will also find other opportunities such as postgraduate student seminars and forums within your specific subject area.

Once you start a PhD course at UWL, you become part of our research community. You will have access to a postgraduate common room, located at our Ealing campus on St Mary’s Road, where you will meet fellow researchers from other subject disciplines offering scope for collaborations or simply to discuss ideas, allowing you to be part of a vibrant research environment.

• peer feedback and discussion
• a series of masterclasses and lectures from industry figures
• support by a supervisor and second supervisor suited to your project.
• PhD opportunities
• Support
• Networking
• providing research seminars
• organising doctoral events and activities
• facilitating networking and collaboration opportunities
• encouraging and supporting publication and dissemination of your research
• offering opportunities to gain teaching expertise and experience.

What our students say

I would thoroughly recommend this course, owing to the transparency and engagement from the staff, the breadth of content covered, and the pragmatically oriented approach to teaching to fit around the students' lives. The library services were very good, and offered an abundance of comfortable and silent work space, with plenty of IT equipment.

James Parker

I would thoroughly recommend this course, owing to the transparency and engagement from the staff, the breadth of content covered, and the pragmatically oriented approach to teaching to fit around the students' lives. The library services were very good, and offered an abundance of comfortable and silent work space, with plenty of IT equipment.

James Parker

Research Repository - Built Environment

The Repository is a digital archive of research output by our academics and research students.

Research at the School of Computing and Engineering

Learn more about our research specialisms and available PhDs within the School of Computing and Engineering.

The Faringdon Research Centre

Research into techniques for non-destructive testing and remote sensing to assess damage to the environment and infrastructures.

Engineering Future Sustainability Journal

View our Engineering Future Sustainability Journal to see the work of students and academics who are making an impact both locally and globally through their research findings.

Building performance and climate change

Developing viable engineering solutions for industry challenges.

Sustainability in civil, structural and geotechnical engineering

Reducing the impact of construction-related activities on the environment.

Entry requirements

The minimum entry requirements for a research degree are:

We look for individuals with:

Applicants should also submit a well-considered and persuasive research proposal, clearly outlining their aims, context and potential contribution to the field.

The minimum entry requirements for a research degree are:

We look for individuals with:

Applicants should also submit a well-considered and persuasive research proposal, clearly outlining their aims, context and potential contribution to the field.

• Requirements: UK
• Requirements: International
• a good first degree (First Class or Upper Second Class), or equivalent qualification in a relevant field
• a Masters degree (MA, MSc, MBA or MRes) with Merit, or equivalent postgraduate or research experience.
• dedication to undertaking rigorous and meaningful research
• enthusiasm for contributing to academic and creative practice
• a genuine passion for their chosen subject area.
• a good first degree (First Class or Upper Second Class), or equivalent qualification in a relevant field
• a Masters Degree (MA, MSc, MBA or MRes) with Merit, or equivalent postgraduate or research experience.
• Competence in written and spoken English is a pre-requisite for entrance to this programme.
• An IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score of 6.5 (with no element under 6.0).
• dedication to undertaking rigorous and meaningful research
• enthusiasm for contributing to academic and creative practice
• a genuine passion for their chosen subject area.

Fees & funding

Please note that the following writing-up fees apply for the final year of full-time PhD study , a reduced amount from the standard fee per year:

Writing-up fees do not apply for the final year of part-time PhD study. The standard fee applies.

• Funding: UK
• Funding: International
• On campus PhD (Year 4): UK £1,900. International: £6,000
• Online PhD (Year 4): UK £1,000. International: £3,000.
• Fees for the 2027/28 academic year and onwards may be subject to change.
• Tuition fees are charged for each year of your course and you will need to pay the fee for each academic year at the start of that year, except if otherwise stated.
• If no fee is shown above then the fees for this course are not available yet. Please check again later for updates.

Funding your studies

Funding for postgraduate students usually comes from one or more of a range of key sources:

Find out more about funding opportunities .

Examples of most of these types of funding are included on the postgraduate studentships website (except for funding you may be able to obtain from your employer and self-funding).

The PhD Bursary is available to home and international students enrolling on a full-time PhD course in 2026/27. The Bursary consists of a £500 fee reduction in your first year of study and for each subsequent year of study, subject to successful progression, up to a maximum of 4 years.

We offer other generous bursaries and scholarships to make sure your aspirations are your only limit. See our PhD scholarships and bursaries .

Please note that the following writing-up fees apply for the final year of full-time PhD study , a reduced amount from the standard fee per year:

Writing-up fees do not apply for the final year of part-time PhD study. The standard fee applies.

• research councils
• charities and trust funds, including those funded by the UK government
• higher education institutions
• overseas governments (international students only)
• employers
• professional and career development loans
• self-funding (including family funds).
• On campus PhD (Year 4): UK £1,900. International: £6,000
• Online PhD (Year 4): UK £1,000. International: £3,000.
• Fees for the 2027/28 academic year and onwards may be subject to change.
• Tuition fees are charged for each year of your course and you will need to pay the fee for each academic year at the start of that year, except if otherwise stated.
• If no fee is shown above then the fees for this course are not available yet. Please check again later for updates.

Funding your studies

For any overseas students, your first port of call should be grant-awarding bodies in your own country (e.g. The Ministry/Department of Education) and your local (or nearest) office of the British Council.

The British Council manage a small number of international studentship grants in some countries and should be able to tell you what other awards may be available to you - they also produce the sources of funding for international students guide.

The PhD Bursary is available to home and international students enrolling on a full-time PhD course in 2026/27. The Bursary consists of a £500 fee reduction in your first year of study and for each subsequent year of study, subject to successful progression, up to a maximum of 4 years.

Your future career

Some of our recent PhD Built Environment graduates have taken up postdoctoral fellowships or lectureships at UWL and other universities after graduation. Engineering consultancy firms are the second most popular destination, followed by policy-making organisations such as central governments.

During your PhD, you will also be learning transferable core skills that apply to jobs both in and out of academia, including:

By the end of your research degree, you will be able to articulately apply these skills to enhance your career path.

• written and oral communication
• research and information management
• public speaking
• project management
• leadership
• critical thinking
• collaboration
• analysis and problem-solving
• conflict resolution
• negotiation.

Job roles

• building designer or technologist
• project manager
• professional building surveyor
• architect
• design specialist or consultant
• construction site manager, sub-contractor or supplier
• building surveyor and evaluator
• building conservation specialist.

Graduate employers

• architectural technology practices
• architecture firms
• local authorities
• government agencies
• housing associations
• construction organisations
• manufacturers
• building surveying
• property development
• property operations.

Engineering facilities

Explore the facilities at the University of West London for our engineering students.

The concrete testing lab

This laboratory is equipped for an extensive range of concrete tests, including testing the comprehensive strength of concrete as well as bricks and blocks.

The soil and geotechnical lab

We maintain a well-equipped, up-to-date geotechnical engineering laboratory for teaching and research support on our built environment courses.

The structural laboratory

Our well-equipped structural laboratory is a helpful resource for our Built Environment PhD students.

The hydraulics lab

The hydraulics laboratory is an active lab that contains hydraulic apparatus.

The Graduate School

If you are interested in studying for a PhD or Professional Doctorate, the Graduate School is here to support your research.

Rami Ranger House (Postgraduate Student Centre)

Rami Ranger House is a focal point for the University’s postgraduate and international students, providing dedicated space for social and learning interaction.

This building, which is three storeys high, offers spaces for collaborative working, socialising, supervision and mentoring on the ground floor. The first floor has work spaces for the postgraduate support teams to use, while the second floor provides guest accommodation for visiting scholars.

Built environment

At the University of West London, we offer a range of built environment courses, all with accreditation and recognition from relevant professional bodies.

Find out more

Discover seven reasons to study with us and how studying at UWL will support your future career.

Find out about student accommodation and the support for students.

Explore our campus and sites and book onto a campus tour or open day .

Important notes for applicants

Disclaimer

Rankings

• † Fees - the published fee is an annual fee, payable each year, for the duration of the course. Fees are subject to change. Home tuition fees may be subject to annual increases but will not increase by more than the fee caps as prescribed by the Office for Students or such other replacing body. Full-time taught international fees are subject to an annual increase.
• Teaching - your course will primarily be delivered in-person, however it may include delivery of some activities online, either in real-time or recorded.
• Testimonials - quotes are provided by current or former UWL students. These are mostly from the course but quotes from a UWL student on another course may be used if, for example, the course is new.
• Optional modules - where optional modules are offered they will run subject to staff availability and viable student numbers opting to take the module.
• Videos - all videos on our course pages were accurate at the time of filming, however staff and course content may have since changed.
• Availability of placements - if you choose a course with placement/internship route and a placement/internship opportunity does not arise when you are expected to undertake the placement then the University will automatically transfer you to the non-internship route, to ensure you are still successful in being awarded a degree.
• The National Student Survey 2026 result is based on the average of all answers by the taught student populations.
• Modern universities - defined as higher education institutions that were granted university status in, and after, 1992.
• PRES - rank out of 53 institutions.

Research areas