Finding the right masters or PhD Dom Andradi-Brown University of Oxford @dandradibrown Talk mostly about masters courses and then briefly touch on PhD

Why do a masters? Passion for a subject Develop analytical and technical skills Required for what you want to do next? Become part of a community of people working on specific system/questions Opportunity to change direction after UG Want to study something in depth Specific skills that you’re interested in developing Status or skill requirement Required fro what you want to do next – much easier to find a funded PhD if you have a masters Building up a network of people, eg some of the conservation masters courses have very good support networks Change direction after UG

Types of masters MSci - integrated with undergraduate MSc taught MRes (MSc by research, MPhil) research Msci – integrated, stay on at current uni, have student loan so cover costs MSc – taught course – 1 year Great if you want to get more knowledge in an area that you haven’t had much experience Support and guidance, short term projects, exams etc Research project from 4-6 months Mres Varies a lot 3-1 project Can be very hands off, left to be embedded into a research group Often cryptically named eg Biodiversity Informatics, Genomics, Grand Challenges in Ecosystems etc but can do anything in ecology, conservation or evolution Often a bit of teaching but the vast majority of the time spent doing research Potential for a publication?

General Advice What type of masters? Should I stay at current uni? Think strategic SKILLS! What do I want to do after my masters? What skills will I need? Programming (R, Python, Pearl….) Statistics GIS Field techniques Lab work Genomics Generally research masters are good if want a taste of research and hands off Taught course masters great if you want teaching in a specific area Staying Know people already – contacts Set yourself up for a perfect project Make sure what you’d be doing is different enough from final year UG to make it worthwhile Ask yourself where the people doing the most interesting stuff related to your interests are

Decisions Check out uni, try and talk to students on the course away from supervisors If MRes then get in touch with potential supervisors Costs

Funding How much? Scholarships / Grants 1+3 Studentships Part time/Stay in the UK? Costs vary hugely! Most at about £9k Scholarships – check with departments you’re applying to Grants – tend to be partial funding, charitable trusts and learned societies, not many and very competivite 1+3 Studentships – integrated with Stay in the UK? Part time

PhD Gain status needed for career Recognition for knowledge Adds credibility? Recognition for knowledge Gain analytical and technical skills Change direction Need a masters? Previous had a whole day event focused on applying to PhDs so huge amount that can be talked about 3.5 – 4 years typically for most ecologists - Need to be able to self motivate to work on topic for that long Advertised from November, but peak in Jan

PhD Funding NERC Doctoral Training Partnerships CASE studentships CASE partners CASE studentships Other studentships Research grants Learned society Self Funded DTP General training then focus in on a project Exact implementation depends on which of the 15 UK centres you’re based in Specific studentships Associated with a research grant Learned society: Fisheries society of the british isles Partners Freshwater biological association ZSL Operation Wallacea Great if you have work experience with a specific organisation and can use that to get matched funding - Then if you want to shape a PhD project around that can use them for matched funding

When/where to find them? Advertised from November (peak in Jan-Feb) Society mailing lists BES Special Interest Groups Ecological Society of America EvolDir Department Websites Twitter

Questions? dominic.andradi-brown@zoo.ox.ac.uk @dandradibrown