Overview

At the University of Surrey you'll benefit from our vibrant research culture and you'll work alongside leading academics who are at the forefront of their respective fields, giving you access to expertise in a range of areas of higher education.

What you will study

Our PhD is research-based, so you'll spend most of your time developing a research question, conducting original research, analysing your results and writing up your findings, all under the guidance of your project supervisors. We'll also give you tailored research methods training through online and face-to-face tutorials. Visit the programme website for more information.

Current students are researching topics including:

• Internationalisation of higher education: Chinese language learning in Pakistan.
• Promoting English foreign language students' willingness to communicate through teacher classroom behaviour and strategies in the Saudi context.
• Challenges to teaching values: Exploring the effect of changing national context on the professional identity of international academics teaching in UK universities.
• Students' experiences: Neoliberal expectations and students' mental health in British higher education.
• Enhancing EFL students' feedback literacy in China's application-oriented universities.

We will equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to shape professional practice and policy, allowing you to pursue a highly fulfilling career in academic, research and learning development positions within the higher education sector. Graduates also can take up roles as researchers for government think-tanks, as well as policy research advisers.

Programme Structure

Research themes

Our research investigates:

• Assessment and feedback, including external examiners practice and student engagement with feedback.
• Educational transitions, including students and academic staff transitions and mobility, in national and international academic contexts.
• Identities and values in education, including professional identity development of academic staff and students.
• Language and literacy learning, including students' motivation in learning English Language.
• Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and disciplinary education, including girls' participation in STEM subjects at the higher education level, and the teaching and learning of STEM and disciplinary subjects.

Admission requirements

Academic requirements

GPA: Required

English requirements

• Duolingo English Test: 120
• TOEFL iBT: 88 (or 4.5 on new TOEFL iBT 1-6 score (CEFR-aligned), equivalent to the 0-120 score)
• PTE Academic: 67
• IELTS: 6.5

Other requirements

General requirements

• Applicants are expected to hold a good honours degree in an appropriate discipline.
• IELTS Academic of 7.0 overall or above (or equivalent) with at least 6.0 in each individual category.

Fees and funding

Tuition Fees

International: 39,674 AUD / year (≈ 21,000 GBP / year)

Domestic: 9,896 AUD / year (≈ 5,238 GBP / year)

Additional Details: Part-time: UK £2,619; Overseas £10,500

Living costs

Guildford, United Kingdom: 1,247-2,154 AUD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.