PhD fees-funded studentships

The Institute for Sport and Physical Activity Research (ISPAR) at the University of Bedfordshire is pleased to offer PhD opportunities. The studentship will cover doctoral tuition fees for three years of study.

New opportunities are typically advertised 4-6 months before the start of the academic year.

Postgraduate Supervision

All our staff are research active and welcome applications for postgraduate supervision. The following are a list of topic areas that are of particular interest. We welcome self-funded students or those supported by their workplace or industry. We also welcome organisations who wish to fund a postgraduate student to conduct a bespoke piece of research to enhance their service, evaluate their programme(s) or to develop new knowledge in a related area.

To find information on fees and costs to fund a PGR student, visit the page RGS Research fees. Advice on stipends to support the living costs of a postgraduate research student if you are a sponsor can be found at UK Research and Innovation

The School of Sport Science and Physical Activity also offers a range of taught Masters courses

Suggested topic areas

Research area: The links between physical activity, sport, health and mental wellbeing
Supervisor: Dr Angel Chater

Evidence confirms that physical activity can have a significant positive impact on both physical and psychological health, to include anxiety and depression. It can also manage emotional responses such as aggression and delinquency in young people. We are building research in the area of physical activity, health and mental wellbeing and interested in the supervision of projects that aim to understand the benefits of physical activity to both young people and adults. This could be through team sport or individualised physical activity. We are also interested in the unmet mental health needs of those involved in elite sports, particularly during and after a period of injury and potential interventions to address relevant issues identified.

Research area: The effects of breakfast consumption and omission on energy balance and metabolic health in children and adolescents
Supervisor: Dr Julia Zakrzewski-Fruer

A large body of evidence has demonstrated that regular breakfast consumption is associated with a variety of nutritional and lifestyle-related health outcomes in large diverse samples of young people, which may prevent weight gain and reduce risk factors for chronic disease. However, this evidence is largely cross-sectional and does not allow us to establish cause and effect. The advertised opportunity will focus on conducting experimental research to identify whether breakfast consumption can help to prevent weight gain, increase physical activity levels and improve metabolic health in children and adolescents. This research can be conducted in the form of a three-year PhD or a one-year MSc by Research. The specific nature of the project is open for discussion, particularly for those applicants interested in the PhD opportunity. If you are interested, please contact Dr Julia Zakrzewski-Fruer by email julia.fruer@beds.ac.uk

Other potential titles for postgraduate research studies

1. Development of feasible and effective interventions to reduce sedentary behaviour and heart disease risk in patients with Type 2 diabetes
2. Breaking up prolonged sitting in South Asians who are at increased risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes: effects on disease risk markers and expression of genes that regulate metabolism
3. Acceptability of office workplace interventions to reduce prolonged sitting and their effects on chronic disease risk markers and employee productivity
4. Investigating the suitability of a mobile phone application and online platform MyHealthAvatar for self-monitoring of health markers, physical activity levels, and sedentary behaviour in patients with Type 2 diabetes
5. Co-constructing meaningful outdoor physical activity and supporting active communities