Research Degrees [MPhil / PhD]
The College offers guidance and support for a wide range of research areas at masters and doctoral levels. These include:
Food Chain Studies
From primary production to consumers, including such areas as: food safety and quality assurance; industry business, finance and management strategies; technology adoption and adaption; consumer studies.
Sustainable Development and Agriculture
Sustainable agricultural production systems, including improving the understanding of soil behaviour and management; the exploitation of forage legume cropping for more sustainable animal production and improved soil fertility; improving sustainable economics/ profitability of crop performance; predictive modelling of crop growth; bio-energy crops, carbon sequestration and foot-printing studies, climate change impacts on agriculture and food production - all within the context of biodiversity and environmental sustainability.
Soil Science
Investigating the current state of UK soils and their fitness for purpose in food production, especially in the light of current concerns about sustainable development, climate change, the government's new Soil Strategy, and opportunities for carbon sequestration in soils.
Renewable Energy and Biomass
Opportunities and economics of renewable energy production on farms, in particular but not exclusively, biofuel and biomass systems.
Sustainable Rural Development
Impacts of agri-environment schemes and rural policy with a focus on policy development and farmers' decision making; agricultural tenancies; multi-functionality; rural recreation and development.
Equine Studies
Including horse breeding and genetics, behavioural characteristics, relationship between pregnancy and subsequent development of foals, quality of pasture and preserved equine feedstuffs.
Training is provided for all research students in formulating research enquiries, research methodology, statistics and IT (e.g. Genstat), and in techniques required for individual projects. Researchers are expected to contribute to our programme of internal seminars and workshops, to support taught postgraduate degree programmes, input to research methodology modules and presentation of posters/papers at conferences. The research community has a high level of integration with academic staff which facilitates communication and exchange of ideas.
Researchers are involved in internal seminars and workshops, supporting higher degree teaching programmes, input to research methodology modules and joint presentation of posters/papers at conferences. Since the RAC comprises a relatively small number of staff, these activities allow for high levels of integration with academic staff which facilitate communication and exchange of ideas.
Current PhD projects
Our PhD students are currently engaged in widely varying topics, such as legume agronomy, soil improvement, developing crop performance models for novel forage crops, Islamic banking, the South American coffee trade, and evaluation of models for assessing milk quality. Our students are from equally varied backgrounds: South America, Saudi Arabia, Poland as well as the UK, to name but a few.
How to apply
The College welcomes enquiries from anyone with the ambition and enthusiasm required to meet the challenges of postgraduate research and who will make a significant contribution to its research environment. Funded opportunities are advertised from time to time on the jobs section of the College website. If, however, you can fund yourself and are interested in joining our research teams, please send a CV, a 700 word research proposal and evidence of funding for consideration by the Chairman of the Research Committee, Dr John Conway: e-mail: john.conway@rac.ac.uk.
Research Degree Costs
For MPhil and PhD studies registered at the RAC
Tuition Fees 2009/2010
- Full-time study for UK/EU applicants -£3,335 pa
- Full-time study for students from outside the EU - £7,695 pa
Other research costs
A 'bench fee' (where applicable) may be charged, depending on the requirements of the project £1000pa in addition to all costs related to the project
Supervisor travel costs will be charged, where applicable, for research in Europe £600pa or £1500pa elsewhere.
Periods of registration
|
-Study Method- |
-Minimum- |
-Maximum- | ||
|
MPhil full-time |
18 months |
36 months | ||
|
MPhil part-time |
30 months |
48 months | ||
|
PhD full-time |
33 months |
60 months | ||
|
PhD part-time |
45 months |
72 months |
Perspectives
James Southgate
James Southgate is a farmer's son from Colchester in Essex and gained a first class honours degree in Agriculture (Crop Production)from the College in 2004. Although an academic high-flyer, James has an essentially practical approach to his work and benefited considerably from an industrial placement as an assistant development agronomist with BASF during his undergraduate programme.
Funding from the John Oldacre Foundation isenabling James to undertake a challenging project on the effects of soil texture, pH and calcium content on the growth and development of several species of lupins grown for forage. Having made good progress with fieldwork in the first two years of the project, James is now engaged in writing up whilst working part-time as a trials officer for Masstock Arable at Throws Farmnear Dunmow in Essex.
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The laboratory facilities, provision of equipment and support have been excellent"Iwona Janik
"I graduated from the Agricultural University of Wroclaw, Poland, with an MSc in Food Sciences and I applied for this PhD project because it combined researching at the Royal Agricultural College with industry support (from Facility Monitoring Systems, Malvern and Advantage West Midlands).
This research investigates the relationship between the particulate content of milk and mastitis in dairy cows. Mastitis is defined as an inflammation of the parenchyma of the mammary gland caused by microorganisms. Despite considerable knowledge about mastitis and its aetiology, this disease is still frequent in many dairy farms and remains a most serious threat to profitable production. Mastitis has a great negative impact on the dairy industry and animal welfare worldwide. The objective of this project is to establish the scientific validity of using particle counting technology to monitor changes in the particulate content of milk, associated with the health status of lactating dairy cows.
I am finding this PhD project extremely interesting; I have gained considerable scientific knowledge and also experience of the dairy farming traditions and culture in the UK. I received a very warm welcome from the staff at the College; I have a great relationship with my supervisors and everybody involved in the project. The laboratory facilities, provision of equipment and support from the RAC dairy have been excellent.
I can recommend the RAC to anyone who is seeking to develop knowledge and research skills in agriculture."
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Winnie Azo
I have an excellent relationship with my supervisory team."
Winnie Azo worked as a lecturer in the Department of Plant Biology at the University of Dschang, Cameroon. Having learned of the Royal Agricultural College from the internet, Winnie has been at the College as a student researcher since October 2004. Sponsored by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, her research so far has focused on developing bi-crops of lupins and cereals as alternate protein sources for organic livestock production.
Studies in the UK show that home-grown forage proteins are the cheapest and some of the less common forage crops such as lupins have the lowest growing cost. It is important to understand why such potential protein crops are not currently grown widely and to learn about the suitability of this new prospect for organic livestock farming.
Winnie says, "The College is a small campus with all the facilities in one place, making it easy for any new student to find his or her way around with no difficulties.
"The environment is friendly and the staff very welcoming and kind. I have an excellent relationship with my supervisory team and it's an added blessing to have people who not only give you the academic support you need but are there when ever you need them.
With my experience of the past three years, I can honestly recommend the Royal Agricultural College to anyone looking for the best place to study."
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