Final Honours School (FHS) research projects
RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS
By choosing a Final Honours School (FHS) in Oxford Population Health, medical students can engage in innovative and impactful research addressing critical public health challenges. We support both standard-entry and graduate-entry medical students and offer a rich environment to develop research skills with the support of experienced investigators.
All undergraduate medical and biomedical science students participate in the FHS. This includes a research project on a topic of their interest. Students are responsible for identifying a supervisor and agreeing a topic for research. Project topics must be submitted to the medical school by week 8 of Hilary term for approval.
- Research can be carried out individually or in collaboration with others.
- Data collection or analysis is expected to take eight weeks full-time or 16 weeks part-time.
- Students should arrange the timings of the research with their supervisor.
- Research projects usually start between Trinity term in the second year and Michaelmas term in the third year.
- A project report must be submitted at the end of Hilary term (Year 3) and is assessed through a 4,500-word research report and viva voce examination.
Key dates for FHS projects starting in 2026
Be advised that these dates are approximate.
- October 2025: Potential NDPH supervisors are contacted by the NDPH director of undergraduate studies for expressions of interest in hosting students.
- December 2025: Details of supervisors who are open to contact are posted here.
- December 2025: Students receive an introductory session on FHS research projects.
- December 2025-February 2026: Students seek supervisors for a project.
- March 2026: Student submits submission of request to seek approval of a research project.
- April 2026: Provided necessary approvals are met, research project can begin.
FINDING A PROJECT AND SUPERVISOR IN OXFORD POPULATION HEALTH
Details of the Final Honours School research projects will be available here from December 2025. Students are encouraged to contact supervisors directly to explore supervision opportunities. Please contact the Clinical Teaching Team if you would like help connecting with staff working in a different area of interest.
Fundamentals of Statistical Software & Analysis (FoSSA) COURSE FOR STUDENTS
Some projects may require advanced statistical knowledge. If this applies to your placement, your supervisor will let you know in advance. To help you prepare, we offer a free, online, self-taught course: Fundamentals of Statistical Software & Analysis (FoSSA). This course covers key statistical concepts using R, Stata, or SPSS, and is designed to be flexible. You can choose to study the modules that are most relevant to your project. Details and access to the course are available here.
Select your 2026 research project
By undertaking a Final Honours School (FHS) or Academic Special Interest Project (ASIP) in Oxford Population Health, students can engage in innovative and impactful research that addresses critical public health challenges.
Research at Oxford Population Health
Our research creates the methods that define population health science and resolves debates through conclusive evidence. We study chronic, cardiovascular, infectious, and genetic diseases, examining environmental and behavioural impacts on health through cohort studies, big data, and innovative methods.