Postgraduate research

Key research areas

The University has four key areas of research: Business and Social Science; Sport and Exercise Science; Health and Wellbeing; Education.

Business and Social Science

This is an exciting and expanding research area of postgraduate research at Plymouth Marjon University.  Drawing on the practical and theoretical expertise of staff who are experts in their field and internationally renowned.  Business and Social Science covers a range of disciplines that may include, but is not limited to, business, sociology, criminology, economics, psychology, geography, international relations, social policy, law and many more.  This area of research recognises that interdisciplinarity is important for addressing some of today's most pressing issues.  These issues may include climate change, sustainability, social equality and environmental degradation and post-Covid recovery. If you have an idea for a research project please do get in touch.

Sport and Exercise Science

This area produces research that advances knowledge of how physical activity, exercise, and sport are related to human performance, social inclusion and sustainability. Research of human performance requires consideration of the intrinsic and extrinsic factors which influence performance. These include the investigation of physiological, psychological and mechanical factors across training, recovery, injury repair and rehabilitation to facilitate better understanding of the fundamental principles underlying performance.

Health and Wellbeing

Within the area of Health and Wellbeing, the university has particular and immediate strengths that will enable the advancement of knowledge and understanding through a supportive and vibrant environment. The research area is characterised by a density of individual researchers working in an exciting environment that includes a range of specialist facilities. The subject grouping is derived from a combination of speech and language therapy (with an NHS-commissioned programme and patient referral clinics), physical activity (clinics), mental health, musculoskeletal health, sports medicine and regenerative medicine.

Education

Research undertaken within education encompasses the full range of sectors of informal and formal education and addresses education pedagogy, policy, practice. Our researchers have developed innovation in education theory and methodology leading to equally innovative impacts on education pedagogy, policy and practice in early years, community, school, further, higher and career-long education at local, regional, national and international levels.

We are particularly interested in research proposals around the areas of Education, Sustainability and Health and Wellbeing.  Some ideas for possible areas of PhD research: 

• The Embedding of Sustainability in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Education in UK Higher Education. Potential supervisors – Dr Andreas Walmsley, Dr Laura Wallis, Dr Lynne Wyness
• Spatial equity and teacher supply in rural schools in England. Potential supervisors – Professor Tanya Ovenden-Hope, Professor Sonia Blandford
• Pretending to be 'normal'? Understanding the needs of Autistic Community Based Practitioners. Potential supervisors – Dr Mark Leather
• ‘Is a small school a failed big school? Making sense of small schools in the UK’. Potential supervisors - Professor Tanya Ovenden-Hope, Professor Sonia Blandford
• Communicating climate change and sustainability. Potential supervisors: Professor Debby Cotton, Dr Lynne Wyness
• How do pro-social attitudes align with developing an entrepreneurial identity? Dr Laura Wallis, Dr Andreas Walmsley
• Sustainable Performance Making in Austere Climates. Potential supervisors: Dr Natalie Raven, Professor Jennie Winter
• Understanding behaviour change towards sustainability. Potential supervisors: Professor Jennie Winter, Dr Andreas Walmsley, Dr Laura Wallis
• Heat stress risk, monitoring and mitigation: Exploring Comprehensive Strategies. Potential supervisors - Dr Joe Layden, Dr Kass Gibson, Dr Rosanna Waters-Symons, Dr Jonathan Waddington
• Reaching those who are hard to reach: improving engagement with health and wellbeing clinics through participatory research. Potential supervisors - Professor Pam Dawson, Professor Saul Bloxham
• Thermoregulation in the Elderly: Strategies to mitigate heat stress risk. Potential supervisors - Dr Joe Laydon, Dr Kass Gibson, Dr Rosanna Waters-Symons, Dr Jonathan Waddington
• Find out more about Marjon Research and Knowledge Exchange Groups.

Postgraduate research fees and funding

We are currently accepting applications from self or externally funded applications. 

For information about fully funded ESRC studentships at Plymouth Marjon University click here

For information about the doctoral loan scheme click here 

For advice and guidance, check our student finance pages:

Postgraduate funding | Plymouth Marjon University

Student funding advice | Plymouth Marjon University

For postgraduate research programme fees click here.

Postgraduate research coordinators

A Research & Knowledge Exchange Support Officer sits within the Research & Knowledge Exchange Office and will provide support and updates throughout the PGR application process and beyond. The Support Officer is supported by a PGR Coordinator for each of our four key research areas:

• Dr Andreas Walmsley: PGR Coordinator Business and Social Science
• Dr Tracy Hayes: PGR Coordinator Education
• Dr Kass Gibson, Associate Professor: PGR Coordinator Sport and Exercise Science; Health and Wellbeing

We have a wide range of PGR supervisors here at Marjon from a range of disciplines. The PGR Coordinator will work with applicants and staff to form an appropriate supervision team to support your research. Our staff profile pages provide further information about all members of Marjon staff.