Population Health Sciences PhD, MScR
Awards: PhD, MScR
Study modes: Full-time, Part-time
Funding opportunities
Programme website: Population Health Sciences
The Usher Institute supervises postgraduate research students in a wide range of population health disciplines, including epidemiology, genetic epidemiology, health promotion, health services research, medical statistics, molecular epidemiology and sociology and on a wide range of topics including allergic and respiratory disease, clinical trial and statistics methodology, eHealth, ethnicity and health, genetic epidemiology of complex diseases, global health, palliative care and cancer, society and health and families and relationships.
A principal aim is to foster interdisciplinary research involving quantitative and qualitative approaches via effective collaboration with biomedical scientists, epidemiologists, social scientists and clinical researchers throughout the University and beyond.
Before Applying
Before submitting an online application, prospective students should contact an academic members of staff who may act as first supervisor in order to align their research proposal with one of the Institute's main areas of research. A list of contacts for PhD supervisors can be found at:
Students will be integrated within the existing student-led approach at the Usher Institute, where structures are already in place to ensure a high-quality student experience.
The Centre for Population Health Sciences, which forms a large part of the Usher Institute, has a thriving PhD community with well-developed management and administrative structures.
University Quality Assurance monitoring and reporting processes will be adhered to. All supervisors will satisfy University requirements in terms of training and mentoring.
Expectations on the students, including assessment guidelines, will be clearly communicated by multiple channels (e.g. at interview, during induction, in the Postgraduate Research Student and Supervisor Handbook, by supervisors, at annual review meetings and on relevant web pages). All students will have at least two supervisors who will also give pastoral care and career advice in addition to student services provision.
Students will attend appropriate training, including transferable skills, at appropriate courses (e.g. from the Institute of Academic Development) identified in consultation with the supervisors.
The Usher Institute brings together researchers active in population health science research, including public health and primary care. In 2024, the Institute moved into an impressive new building, with world-class facilities, in Edinburgh’s Bio Quarter.
Within the school the Usher academic staff play a large role in research project supervision.
There are also links with the Institute of Genetics and Cancer and the Queen's Medical Research Institute.
These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.
MSc by Research: A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent.
PhD: A UK 2:1 honours degree and a UK masters degree with a mark of at least 60%, or their international equivalents. We will also consider a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, and significant work experience in an area relevant to your research project.
International qualifications
Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:
English language requirements
Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.
English language tests
We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:
- IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
- TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
- C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 169 in each component.
- Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
- PTE Academic: total 65 with at least 59 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
- Oxford ELLT: 7 overall with at least 6 in each component.
Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.
Degrees taught and assessed in English
We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:
We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).
If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.
Find out more about our language requirements:
Tuition fees
Award | Title | Duration | Study mode | |
---|---|---|---|---|
PhD | Population Health Sciences | 3 Years | Full-time | Tuition fees |
PhD | Population Health Sciences | 6 Years | Part-time | Tuition fees |
MScR | Population Health Sciences | 1 Year | Full-time | Tuition fees |
MScR | Population Health Sciences | 2 Years | Part-time | Tuition fees |
Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.
Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:
borrowing money
taking out a loan
family support
personal savings
income from work
employer sponsorship
- scholarships
Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study
Featured funding
UK government postgraduate loans
If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK's governments.
The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:
- your programme
- the duration of your studies
- your tuition fee status
Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.
Other funding opportunities
Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:
- Postgraduate Administrator, Sarah Golightly
- Phone: +44 (0)131 651 7869
- Contact: sarah.golightly@ed.ac.uk
- Usher Institute
- Usher Building
- 5-7 Little France Road, Edinburgh BioQuarter - Gate 3
- Little France
- Edinburgh
- EH16 4UX
Applying
Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.
PhD Population Health Sciences - 3 Years (Full-time)
PhD Population Health Sciences - 6 Years (Part-time)
MSc by Research Population Health Sciences - 1 Year (Full-time)
MSc by Research Population Health Sciences - 2 Years (Part-time)
We encourage you to apply at least one month prior to entry so that we have enough time to process your application. If you are also applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible.
You must submit two references with your application.
Before making your application, it is advisable to make contact with a potential supervisor to discuss your research proposal. Further information on making a research degree application can be found on the College website:
You will be formally interviewed (in person, by video-conferencing or Skype).
Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:
Further information
- Postgraduate Administrator, Sarah Golightly
- Phone: +44 (0)131 651 7869
- Contact: sarah.golightly@ed.ac.uk
- Usher Institute
- Usher Building
- 5-7 Little France Road, Edinburgh BioQuarter - Gate 3
- Little France
- Edinburgh
- EH16 4UX