Geography (option of joint PhD with Hong Kong University or National University of Singapore) MPhil/PhD

Location

Strand Campus; some projects may take place on non-campus locations.

Study Environment

We believe that individualised tuition from a committee of supervisors who are themselves experts in your chosen research area is the foundation for PhD programme of study.

Accordingly you will meet regularly with a primary and secondary supervisor. In the first year you will have at least three formal meetings and a minimum of two each year thereafter to discuss the biannual student training and research progress reports. In addition you will usually have more informal meetings with your primary supervisor, fortnightly in the first year, and as often as necessary thereafter to discuss work.

Contact with part-time students is generally less frequent, depending on individual circumstances, although regular progress meetings are required.

Postgraduate Training

To ensure that you develop the skills necessary to complete your research programme and fulfil your career goals, the Department will provide you with research training in accordance with the specific guidelines set out by ESRC for human geography and NERC for physical geography.

During induction you will meet with your primary supervisor to assess your skills and training needs and design an individualised training programme for you, which is set out in a research plan that must be approved by the Departmental Postgraduate and Research Committee (PaRC). Although the specific training programmes provided for physical geography and human geography students differ somewhat, both use a variety of means, including lectures and practical classes, individual reading and study, and informally through discussion with other graduates.

Student Destinations

Students go on to become lecturers and research assistants, directors and senior managers of international consultancies, lawyers, consultants for environmental agencies, governments, charities and research organisations.

Our professional network

Hear from 2017 graduate, Tianran Zhang (Remote Sensing Processing Engineer at Constellr)

What my career is like: I have been actively engaged in scientific research, development and implementation of a Land Surface Temperature (LST) product. This product is expected to play a crucial role in supporting farmers' decisions related to cultivation and water resource management. 

How King's helped me: No doubt the study at King's has built a solid foundation in satellite remote sensing knowledge for me. During my time at King's, I am grateful to the Geography department and my supervisor, Professor Martin Wooster, for providing me with numerous opportunities to engage directly with other researchers and stakeholders in the field. This experience allowed me to develop a more constructive understanding of the field, identifying gaps and exploring ways to enhance the user experience. 

My top career tip: If you are interested in any new tech or tool, you can use your nights and weekends to try them out. You can combine the knowledge you gain from your studies to build something cool.