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

2. 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

3. 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?

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. Questions?
@dandradibrown