Programme

IMPaCT PhD studentships comprise a 4 year integrated doctoral training programme. In the first year PhD students undertake a range of Masters level training modules covering both technical and transferable skills (such as project management, personal leadership and team work) and undertake work experience with our industrial partners, In the following 3 years, PhD students complete a research project leading to a doctoral qualification and spend time working with the industrial partners to gain industry experience.

IMPaCT will provide the integrated experimental, analytical, modelling, and transferable skills training which is required for innovation in industry. Beyond this core training provision there will be a wide range of research student-led events such as mini-symposiums, workshops and summer schools. PhD students can also make use of the other skills and career development opportunities for research students offered by the 3 universities.

Year 1

Students are required to pass 120 credits of taught modules in total over the course. At least 60 credits of taught modules must be passed in the first year, although it is recommended that most (if not all) of the 120 credits are taken in the first year. Modules are 10 credits unless indicated otherwise. At the end of the 1st year students are asked to complete a summer project that runs from May/June to September. The summer project is work approximately 60 credits. The credit values for the project are given as a guide to the student effort that is expected.

Depending on the students background, they will be classed as either a Materials student or a Non-Material student, this depends on if they have previously taken a degree in Materials Science.

The University of Nottingham and the University of Leicester both have a similar module structure. This tends to be known as long and thin modules, these modules are run over a semester with an assessment at the end.

The University of Birmingham have a slightly different module structure. These work in weekly blocks of 5 with an assessment in week 6. This could mean that the student may have some clashes with the Birmingham modules and Leicester / Nottingham modules.

In semester two there will be two weeklong modules held at the University of Leicester consecutively and the University of Birmingham modules will be weeklong modules after week 11.

Due to the nature of the teaching, there will be sometimes a number of weeks when there are no formal activities. Some modules will send reading material in advance to prepare the student for a module in the following week. Otherwise, the time can be usefully spent on preparing for PhD research/summer project.

Students are advised to make their supervisor aware when you have time available and discuss how to use it constructively. Early contact with your industrial sponsor (if you have one) is highly recommended.

Year 2 onward:

Having completed the first year within IMPaCT students will the focus the remainder of their time within the CDT on their Research. Students will still be expected to attend the annual summer school and student led symposiums and be involved in IMPaCT related events.

As part of the CDT programme and to promote cohort interactivity students are expected to organise student led symposiums throughout the year. Typically the IMPaCT CDT asks for at least one student symposium a term.

This is student led, so students are expected to group together and organise these events. There is an annual budget set aside to organise these events.

Further information on previous symposiums can be found under the Events news under News & Events section.