What is our Doctoral Training Programme?

The Manchester-Liverpool DTP is one of 14 Doctoral Training Partnerships funded by NERC to train the next generation of researchers to address major challenges in the Environmental Sciences. Our DTP brings together the Universities of Manchester and Liverpool with the National Oceanographic Centre in a consortium with world-leading expertise across the breadth of the NERC remit.

Our students work at one of the three host partners, registering for a PhD at the University of Manchester or Liverpool. Their research projects may be exclusively based at one of the partners, or involve collaboration between them – but the training programme is provided jointly. Our training is tailored to suit the individual needs of each student, drawing on our strength in each research theme, as well as providing a broader environmental overview to the research challenges in environmental sciences. The studentships are for 3.5 years with a possible extension to 4 years in exceptional circumstances. 

We offer a wide range of different research topics within the three themes of atmospheric sciences, ocean sciences and earth and environmental sciences. Some topics are very specific, with a clear goal, while others are more general with plenty of scope for the student to refine their own research direction. With partner institutions in the public and private sector, the DTP offers students opportunities for additional training, work experience and internship placements, as well as CASE projects which are jointly supervised by University and external partners.

We are looking for high-calibre, motivated applicants wishing to conduct research in the environmental sciences, who have the potential to be the research leaders of the future.