DPhil in Population Health

Our part-time doctoral programme offers a flexible way to complete the training in population health research. The programme may be undertaken in conjunction with, and contributing to, paid employment in the same research area, or alongside other work or responsibilities with the agreement of supervisors and programme staff that the research project is appropriate to part-time study.

Part-time study is expected to take place at 50% of the intensity of full-time study.

ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS

This is a six year (18 term) part-time research degree programme. Early submission is allowed from year five (term 13).

Part-time students are not required to live in Oxford but need to be able to make frequent short-to-medium term visits to the city. The attendance requirement is an absolute minimum of 10 days per term, and students are expected to attend for longer. 

Overseas part-time students should contact the University's student visa service for advice. The DPhil in Population Health is not a distance learning programme.

Part-time Milestones

Every student begins their studies as a probationer research student. During their DPhil they will undergo two milestone assessments before their final examination. These are designed to evaluate the student’s progress at two key points in their studies.

1. Transfer of Status takes place by the end of the eighth term of study. It consists of the submission of a written report and a verbal interview with two assessors. This provides a detailed check on a student’s progress, and their understanding of their DPhil research, and is an opportunity for students to receive independent feedback.

2. Confirmation of Status takes place by the end of the eighteenth term after admission. It consists of the submission of a thesis contents list and a timeline for completion of the thesis, and a verbal interview with two assessors. It offers a further opportunity for students to receive independent feedback as they begin or continue the process of writing up their findings and drawing conclusions for their thesis.

Examination

After a successful Confirmation of Status, students are expected to submit their thesis by the end of their 24th term. Theses are normally a maximum of 50,000 words in length.

Following thesis submission, a viva (oral examination) will be conducted by two examiners, one internal to the University and one external. This typically takes place within three months of the examiners being sent the completed thesis.

Departmental resources

Oxford Population Health DPhil students can access a wide range of resources offered by the department, the Medical Sciences Division and the wider University, to obtain the skills they need to become outstanding population health researchers.

induction programme

Research Student committee

See the Research Student Committee page for full details of its activities and opportunities for DPhil students in the department.

MSc Global Health Science and Epidemiology resources

All Oxford Population Health DPhil students have access to the MSc in Global Health Science and Epidemiology course virtual learning environment which includes recordings of MSc lectures from a previous academic year. 

Early Career Researcher Network 

All DPhil students and post-doctoral staff are invited to attend the termly events organised by the Early Career Research Network to discuss issues affecting early career researchers. In addition to providing a wide range of information to support career development, it also provides an opportunity to network with other research staff in the department.

Departmental seminars and events

All students are invited to a range of departmental seminars and events including:

• The Richard Doll Seminars (weekly during term time)
• The Oxford Population Health annual symposium
• Other ad hoc seminars.

 Medical Sciences Division Resources

The Medical Sciences Division offers termly skills training on a broad range of topics including ethics, statistics, writing, and presenting.'

University Resources

Other skills training and professional development opportunities:

• IT Learning Centre
• Research Support
• Bodleian Libraries
• Careers Service
• Language Centre
• University of Oxford Events 
• Oxford Talks
• Centre for Teaching and Learning

course Fees

The elements that you should be aware of when calculating the cost of your studies are the course fee and living costs. Fees are payable for up to three years. Students who continue into their fourth year may be charged continuation fees by their college. Students who continue into their fifth year will be liable for the University Continuation Charge.

Course fees cover academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. They do not cover your accommodation or other living costs. 

Details of fee levels for the DPhil in Population Health can be found by visiting the University fees and funding website. 

additional costs

Overseas applicants should be aware of the Immigration Health Surcharge and visa costs. Further information on these can be found on the University’s student visa page.

The department provides a laptop for all DPhil students for the duration of their studies. If graduate students require an additional PC or laptop, then they are expected to provide their own. 

Students who are not eligible to receive external funding for research costs may request access to departmental research allowances for costs specifically associated with completing their research, such as attendance at conferences, training and fieldwork. 

University and Departmental Scholarships  

The University offers a variety of scholarships based on academic excellence, to give the brightest students from around the world the opportunity to pursue graduate study.

All applications completed by the application deadline will automatically be considered for all relevant competitive University funding opportunities, including scholarships from Oxford Population Health, the MRC, the Clarendon Fund, Oxford colleges and other charitable sources. 

These criteria are used to assess applications for funding.

Oxford Population Health offers a number of competitive scholarships each year to the brightest and most capable DPhil students of any nationality. These scholarships fund the DPhil fees and provide a stipend of not less than £21,000 per year for three years for full-time study and not less than £10,500 per year for six years for part-time study.

To enable UK students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue a postgraduate degree in population health, Oxford Population Health has set up a studentship to provide full financial support to a talented Home applicant from a socioeconomically disadvantaged background each year. This studentship will cover the course fees and provide a stipend of not less than £21,000 per year for three years.

external scholarships

DPhil candidates are encouraged to apply for other independent funding sources for which they may be eligible (for example British Heart Foundation, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Commonwealth). A list of potential external scholarships can be found on this external funding page.

Those who are successful in achieving partial funding for their DPhil studies may also apply for matched funding from Oxford Population Health. Please contact the Graduate Studies Office for more details.

Most fully funded opportunities are only available to students who are about to start a new course. Once you are registered as a student, there are very few substantive scholarships available, so it is vital to explore your options early.

2025 – 26 entry Application Deadline

Applications for entry in October 2025 are now closed. Applications for entry in October 2026 will open in September 2025. 

Entry Requirements for admission

Full details of the entry requirements for admission to the DPhil in Population Health are available on the DPhil in Population Health Graduate Admissions webpage.

Application tips

• Be clear about why you want to do your research in this department, and what you feel you will gain from the DPhil.
• Before submitting your application, you must speak to your potential supervisor or supervisors about your proposed project, or the listed project. Ensure you feel confident in this project  and that it fits your experience and interest.
• Read the How to apply for the DPhil in Population Health at Oxford University: a guide blog post written by Ling Tao, a current OxPop DPhil student.
• Applications will be assessed by a shortlisting panel using these criteria.
• Consider what you wish to achieve. The DPhil is an intensive three-year research degree. It is a challenging but rewarding experience.

Applying to the University

To apply for a DPhil based on one of the advertised research projects offered by the department:

1. Review our list of advertised DPhil research projects.
2. Choose the one that most interests you.
3. Contact one supervisor associated with the project to discuss developing a brief research proposal based on the project. Your proposal will be part of your formal application. You must secure the supervisor’s agreement in principle to act as supervisor before submitting your formal application.
4. Apply to the programme via the University’s DPhil in Population Health Graduate Admissions page. 

To apply for a DPhil based on your own research proposal: 

1. Review the department’s research.
2. Identify a suitable supervisor.
3. Contact the supervisor to discuss developing a brief research proposal based on the project. Your proposal will be part of the formal application. You should secure the supervisor’s agreement in principle to act as supervisor before submitting your formal application.
4. Apply to the programme via the University’s DPhil in Population Health Graduate Admissions page.

Candidates are advised to refer to the Application Guide before making an application. 

COLLEGIATE UNIVERSITY

When you receive an offer from the department your application will be considered for a place at a college. You can state a college preference on your application form or, if you have no preference, you will be assigned to a college. Details of the colleges that accept students on to the DPhil in Population Health can be found on the colleges tab of the DPhil in Population Health Graduate Admissions webpage.

The Oxford collegiate system enables leading academics and students across subjects and year groups, and from different cultures and countries, to come together to share ideas. Belonging to an Oxford college provides students with the chance to participate in a lively intellectual community and access a variety of social activities.

College social events include dinners, banquets and balls. Students have access to their college grounds, libraries, computer rooms, bars and in some cases, punts. All colleges have a variety of sports clubs and societies and students can contribute to decision-making of the college by becoming a member of various committees.

The college system is great, with the opportunity to meet a wide variety of people from different backgrounds. — Stephen McCall, MSc and DPhil graduate

 Disability

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments and addressing any individual support requirements for applicants with disabilities. You can find information about the facilities and support available to students from the Disability Advisory Service.