Social Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry

Course detail Description

The SGDP Centre welcomes applications for several fully funded PhD studentships for autumn 2019, for either the 1+3 or +3 PhD programme. The Centre’s students are diverse in their backgrounds, with about half coming from social science and the other half from biological and related sciences. Our studentships are highly competitive and popular, and the programmes have seen a significant increase in overseas applications, including applications from the USA. In addition to the Centre’s 1+3 interdisciplinary PhD training programme, faculty members of the Centre are able to supervise students on a traditional +3 PhD.

Our 1+3 students will undertake the MSc in Genes, Environment & Development in Psychology & Psychiatry (GED PP) for 1 year before commencing their PhD project. The MSc GED PP programme takes a highly interdisciplinary approach to the study of how genetics and the environment ('nature and nurture') combine during human development to produce behaviour, diseases and psychiatric disorders. Students are taught by world-leading experts and receive training across multiple research fields: molecular & behavioural genetics, twin modelling, statistical genetics, epigenetics, bioinformatics, social and cognitive psychology, and developmental psychiatry. At the end of the first year, successful students are awarded a Master of Science degree and need not apply to be promoted to PhD training for the remaining 3 years.

The +3 students may already have research experience and/or be familiar with the interdisciplinary nature of our research areas and have ideas about an appropriate SGDP project and/or research method. They will also usually already hold an MSc (or equivalent qualification) relevant to their PhD topic.

Both programmes include continuous involvement in Centre research which focuses on interdisciplinary approaches in topics including: antisocial behaviour, anorexia and eating disorders, anxiety, autism, depression, bipolar disorder, psychosis, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder across development using powerful analytical and molecular tools (EEG, statistics, bioinformatics, molecular genetics, epigenetics).

Graduate research students work closely with their supervisors and enjoy regular meetings to discuss their progress. They also liaise with other members of staff with relevant research interests and are encouraged to attend and participate in departmental research presentations and other Institute seminars. There is a full induction for new graduate students on commencing their studies. Each full-time graduate research student is allocated their own workspace and computer; facilities for part-time students can be arranged according to their needs.

Related courses:

MSc in Genes, Environment & Development in Psychology & Psychiatry (GED PP)

Annual SGDP Summer School

Departmental Manager: Ms Lilli Cleghorn-

For any additional queries regarding application and project approval procedures please contact:

Education Support Team: Lauren Soules-

Admissions Tutor: Prof Jonna Kuntsi-

Programme Leader and PhD Chair: Dr Chloe Wong-

Departmental Manager: Ms Lilli Cleghorn-

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