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UCL Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering

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Environmental Design and Engineering MPhil/PhD

The UCL Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering (IEDE) offers students a research environment of the highest standard.

As an MPhil or PhD student at UCL IEDE, you will engage with complex real-world design, engineering and policy projects and issues. You will have the opportunity to collaborate with a wide range of academic disciplines and professional partners and will conduct research that has the potential to command an audience and an influence far beyond UCL, London and the UK.

UCL IEDE research has won many plaudits and has acquired prestigious projects that are awarded to the ‘best of best’ academic institutes only, won three EPSRC Platform Grants and has a team of engaged, dedicated academics. We collaborate with an array of outstanding organisations in policy, industry and NGOs.

UCL IEDE is located within The Bartlett, the UK’s largest multidisciplinary faculty of the built environment, in one of the world’s top universities. We are based in central London, close to world-leading architectural, engineering and creative practices, many of whom we work with closely. Bartlett hosts students from over 40 nations, who are among the most sought-after in the world for their drive, creativity and skills, knowledge and academic rigour.

IEDE offers research degrees across a full range of built environment disciplines, including:

  • Energy and Buildings
  • Building Stock Modelling
  • Healthy Buildings
  • Systems Thinking
  • Policy Resistance
  • Environmental Policy
  • Environmental Performance
  • Light and Lighting
  • Acoustics and Soundscapes

Find out more about our research themes.

MPhil and PhD degrees are awarded for the most advanced level of study available at UCL. Although there may be taught elements, the purpose is to prove the capacity to organise, carry out and write up a substantial and original piece of research, presented in a thesis.

Supervisors

The relationship between an academic supervisor and a research student is a unique one, which evolves over several years. The primary pedagogical relationship is always with the first supervisor, who will be one of the IEDE supervisors.

Students prepare their programme of research with their supervisor. In monthly meetings, the supervisor follows students’ progress, creating a challenging and fulfilling learning experience, advising on methods of research, commenting on their findings and discussing what they are writing. The supervisor will advise on the final draft of the thesis before it’s submitted for examination and nominate the examiners.

The Bartlett has safeguards to support and sustain this relationship. A second supervisor is always appointed to provide further support and advice. They will enhance the effective supervision of your work by contributing a second opinion or additional areas of expertise.

The vast majority of IEDE academic staff act as supervisors.