A-Z

About the project

Postgraduate research

Human Geography PhD/MPhil/MSc (Research)

Our Online Application Form and Applicant Self Service will be unavailable from 08:00-14:00 (GMT) on Thursday 29 October for essential maintenance. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

• PhD: 3-4 years full-time; 6-8 years part-time; Thesis of Max 80,000 words MSc (Research): 1 year full-time; 2 years part-time; MPhil: 2-3 years full-time; 3-4 years part-time;
• MSc (Research): 1 year full-time; 2 years part-time; MPhil: 2-3 years full-time; 3-4 years part-time;
• MPhil: 2-3 years full-time; 3-4 years part-time;

Overview

Our Human Geographers are ranked 1st in the UK for research publications and 1st in the UK overall for internationally excellent and world-leading research. (REF 2014)

Research areas

There are three main threads running through HGRG research:

Collectively, HGRG researchers have sought to explore the workings of power in its myriad forms and the different places through which it flows. We engage with differing critical theories of feminism, postcolonialism, posthumanism, post-structuralism, political economy and historiography, enabling work that asks significant questions about the configuration of contemporary geographies, or that shapes knowledge of past communities and environments.

HGRG is involved in guiding key disciplinary debates and forging conceptual advances, variously through:

HGRG researchers also lead interdisciplinary initiatives with colleagues in:

The HGRG is committed to engaging with local communities and broader publics, and to forging transnational solidarities between the Global North and South. Our research practice, whether operating through sustained fieldwork or deskwork, enables progressive forms of activism and intervention in daily struggles and public campaigns.

Our critical analysis is designed to speak back constructively to user-groups, and differing policy fields (urban, alternative economic and health). Our commitment to creatively, engaging research takes shape through collaborations with artists, composers, and curators in exhibition settings, public spaces and contested landscapes.

The School first engaged with Athena Swan in 2012-13 and currently holds a Silver Award.

• Stressed Environments and Communities
• Spatial Politics and Practices
• Creative Geohumanities
• editorial roles in high-profile journals and book series (including: Progress in Human Geography, Urban Studies, Environment and Planning A; Cultural Geographies and Political Geography)
• authorship of key research companions, edited volumes and monographs
• editorial input or contribution to major reference texts such as the Dictionary of Human Geography, the Encyclopaedia of Human Geography and Geographers Biobibliographical Studies.
• urban studies
• health research
• international development
• creative and contemporary arts
• the School’s companion research group, Earth Systems research.

Study options

• Geography - Social Sciences, PhD (Human Geography): 3 years full-time or 5 years part-time
• Geography - Social Sciences, MSc (Res): 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time

Entry requirements

Our regular standard of admission is usually a 2.1 honours degree.

Required documents Applicants should submit: Academic Transcripts and Degree Certificates CV Research Proposal Two References

Required documents

• Academic Transcripts and Degree Certificates
• CV
• Research Proposal
• Two References

English language requirements

For applicants from non-English speaking countries, as defined by the UK Government , the University sets a minimum English language proficiency level.

Accepted English language tests

We accept a wide range of English language tests for entry to this programme. Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date, and requirements must be met using a single test.

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic and Academic Online (not General Training)

• 6.5 with no subtests under 6.0
• IELTS One Skill Retake Accepted
• We do not accept General Training

TOEFL iBT (including MyBest and Home Edition)

Tests taken up to 20 January 2026

Tests taken from 21 January 2026

• 90 Overall , no subtest lower than Reading 20; Listening 19; Speaking 19; Writing 21
• 92 Overall , no subtest lower than 4.5

Pearsons PTE Academic (test centre only)

• 65 overall with no subtest less than Reading 60; Listening 60; Speaking 65; Writing 60

Cambridge C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency

• 176 overall, no subtest less than 169

Oxford ELLT

• 7 overall with no subtest less than 6

LanguageCert Academic SELT/Academic/Academic Online

• 70 overall with no subtest less than 60

Password Skills Plus

• 6.5 overall with no subtest less than 6.0

Trinity College Integrated Skills in English II

• 96 overall with no subtest less than 90

Kaplan Test of English

• Any two subtests at 480 or higher, and any two subtests at 450 or higher

PSI Skills for English

• B2 Pass with Merit

Duolingo English Test

• 120 overall with Writing at 120 and no subtest less than 110

Oxford Test of English Advanced

• 140 Overall with any two subtests at 126 or higher, and any two subtests at 136 or higher

Alternatives to English Language qualification

Degree from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)

TNE degree for UK University taught at a campus outside of the UK.

• Students must have studied for a minimum of their final year at Undergraduate level, or 9 months at Master's level, and must have completed their degree in that majority-English speaking country within 6 years of programme start.
• Students must be awarded the degree by the UK university and must have completed the degree within 6 years of programme start.

Pre-sessional courses

The University of Glasgow accepts evidence of the required language level from the English for Academic Study Unit Pre-sessional courses. We would strongly encourage you to consider the pre-sessional courses at the University of Glasgow's English for Academic Study (EAS) Unit. Our Pre-sessional courses are the best way to bring your English up to entry level for University study. Our courses give you:

For more detail on our pre-sessional courses please see:

We can also consider the pre-sessional courses accredited by the below BALEAP approved institutions to meet the language requirements for admission to our postgraduate taught degrees:

• direct entry to your University programme for successful students (no need to take IELTS)
• essential academic skills to help you study effectively at University
• flexible entry dates so you can join the right course for your level.
• Pre-sessional courses
• Heriot Watt
• Kingston Upon Thames
• Middlesex University
• Manchester University
• Reading University
• Edinburgh University
• ST Andrews University
• UCL
• Durham

2027/28

Prices are based on the annual fee for full-time study. Fees for part-time study are half the full-time fee.

Irish nationals who are living in the Common Travel Area of the UK, EU nationals with settled or pre-settled status, and Internationals with Indefinite Leave to remain status can also qualify for home fee status.

• UK: To be confirmed [26/27 fee was £5,238]
• International & EU: £33,708
• Fee status and policies

Alumni discount

We offer a 15% tuition fee discount to eligible self-funded alumni starting a Postgraduate Taught (PGT) Masters or Postgraduate Research (PGR) programme in the 2027/28 academic year.

This includes University of Glasgow graduates and those who have completed a Study Abroad programme, Exchange programme, International Summer School or Erasmus programme with us. This discount can be awarded alongside most University scholarships. No additional application is required.

• Full details of our Alumni Discount

Possible additional fees

Depending on the nature of the research project, some students will be expected to pay a bench fee (also known as research support costs) to cover additional costs. The exact amount will be provided in the offer letter.

• Re-submission by a research student £540
• Submission for a higher degree by published work £1,355
• Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed £350
• Submission by staff in receipt of staff scholarship £790

Funding

• View a full list of our current scholarships

Support

We take an integrated study approach that brings together internationally leading expertise in human and physical geography, Earth Sciences and geomatics. We have close links with a variety of political and arts organisations (with which projects may be carried out). We arrange many guest speakers with many informal opportunities to meet people at open events.

You will be part of a Graduate School which provides the highest level of support to its students. The overall aim of our Graduate School is to provide a world-leading environment for students which is intellectually stimulating, encourages them to contribute to culture, society and the economy and enables them to become leaders in a global environment.

We have a diverse community of over 750 students from more than 50 countries who work in innovative and transformative disciplinary and interdisciplinary fields. An important part of our work is to bring our students together and to ensure they consider themselves an important part of the University’s academic community.

Being part of our Graduate School community will be of huge advantage to you in your studies and beyond and we offer students a number of benefits in addition to exceptional teaching and supervision, including:

Over the last five years, we have helped over 600 students to complete their research studies and our students have gone on to take up prestigious posts in industries across the world.

Our graduates have excellent prospects ranging from careers in academia in the UK and abroad, through becoming part of a community or environment-focused NGOs, to joining blue-chip companies. Recent examples include: several Scottish Government posts; lectureships and research fellowships in the UK and Canada. Our doctoral graduates have consistently been in demand in a great variety of challenging and exciting roles, and benefit immensely from the experiences, friends, and networks they have gained whilst studying in the School.

Email: scieng-gradschool@glasgow.ac.uk

• A wide-ranging and responsive research student training programme which enables you to enhance your skills and successfully complete your studies.
• Mobility scholarships of up to £4000 to enable you to undertake work in collaboration with an international partner.
• A diverse programme of activities which will ensure you feel part of the wider-research community (including our biannual science slam event).
• A residential trip for all new research students.
• The opportunity to engage with industry-partners through training, placements and events.
• Professionally accredited programmes.
• Unique Masters programmes run in collaboration with other organisations.
• State-of-the-art facilities including the James Watt Nanofabrication Centre and the Kelvin Nanocharacterisation Centre .
• Highly-rated support for international students.

Identify potential supervisors

All Postgraduate Research Students are allocated a supervisor who will act as the main source of academic support and research mentoring. You may want to identify a potential supervisor and contact them to discuss your research proposal before you apply. Please note, even if you have spoken to an academic staff member about your proposal you still need to submit an online application form.

You can find relevant academic staff members with our staff research interests search .

Required documents

Our Online Application Form and Applicant Self Service will be unavailable from 08:00-14:00 (GMT) on Thursday 29 October for essential maintenance. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

• Academic Transcripts and Degree Certificates
• CV
• Research Proposal
• Two References

Contact us

• If you have any questions about your application before you apply: email scieng-gradschool@glasgow.ac.uk
• If you have any questions after you have submitted your application: contact our Admissions team
• Any references may be submitted by email to: pg-research-admissions@glasgow.ac.uk

International Students

• Advice on visa, immigrations and the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) can be found at Applying for a student visa outside the UK

Our research environment

• Discover how we support and develop postgraduate researchers

Induction

• Getting started with PGR development: how postgraduate researchers are welcomed into our community

Postgraduate researcher blogs

• A community blog, written by and for postgraduate researchers at the University of Glasgow

Related links

• Human Geography research
• School of Geographical & Earth Sciences
• College of Science & Engineering

Download

• Graduate School Pocket Guide (PDF)

Research areas