Healthcare Sciences

Our research programme is structured to give you the opportunity to undertake original and independent research in the healthcare sciences.

Each doctoral student is encouraged to pursue a programme of courses, workshops and conferences. We provide a programme of monthly research methods master classes, an annual postgraduate research symposium and two sessions per year to update students on ethics review procedures.

Prospective PhD and postgraduate researchers are invited to explore the academic staff listed below, who offer research supervision across a wide range of healthcare disciplines.

Brief summaries of research interests are provided, with further information on each academic’s research and supervision availability accessible via their Cardiff University web profile.

Dr Mohammad Al‑Amri

Lecturer and Researcher in Rehabilitation Sciences

Dr Al‑Amri welcomes discussion regarding supervision of research projects aligned with his research interests, which include:

• Virtual reality applications in rehabilitation, including tele‑rehabilitation and biofeedback
• Movement analysis and cognition in lower‑limb musculoskeletal disorders or traumatic brain injury, including adaptations to slope walking
• Clinical applications of integrated technologies for assessment and intervention

Professor Davina Allen

Professor of Nursing and Sociology

Professor Allen is a sociologist and nurse academic with research interests in nursing, healthcare work organisation, and service improvement. She has particular expertise in ethnographic research methods and the application of sociological theory to develop practice insights and advance improvement science in health and social care.

Professor Kate Button

Professor of Physiotherapy

Professor Button is a physiotherapist with research interests in musculoskeletal health, self‑management, and digital technologies, including wearable devices and virtual reality.

Dr Nick Courtier

Researcher and PhD Supervisor

Dr Courtier is an experienced researcher and PhD supervisor with expertise in quantitative and mixed‑methods research. His supervisory interests include radiotherapy, radiography, and supportive care in cancer‑related research.

Dr Nichola Gale

Lecturer in Physiotherapy

Dr Gale is a physiotherapy lecturer with research interests in cardiorespiratory conditions. Her work focuses on:

• The assessment and management of comorbidities in chronic lung disease
• The development and evaluation of supportive interventions for people affected by cancer

Dr Rebecca Hemming

Researcher in Musculoskeletal Biomechanics

Dr Hemming’s research focuses on the evaluation of spinal biomechanics during functional movement in individuals with chronic low back pain. Her work has employed motion capture, fluoroscopy, and electromyography to inform the development of targeted interventions for chronic musculoskeletal conditions.

Dr Amie Hodges

Senior Lecturer in Children and Young People, School of Healthcare Sciences

Dr Hodges is a sociologist with a clinical background in child and adult nursing. Her research focuses on improving health and wellbeing outcomes through exploring the lived experiences and social worlds of children, young people, and families, particularly in relation to chronic illness trajectories.

Dr Catherine Purcell

Lecturer in Psychology

Dr Purcell is a psychologist with research interests focused on children and adults with neurodevelopmental disorders, including Developmental Coordination Disorder, Developmental Language Disorder, dyslexia, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

For further information on Dr Purcell’s research interests and supervision availability, please visit her Cardiff University web profile page by clicking on the hyperlinked name above.

Dr Dominic Roche

Lecturer in Adult Nursing

Dr Roche is an adult nurse, teacher, and researcher with particular expertise in qualitative research methods. His supervisory interests include patient, public, and carer involvement in health service organisation and delivery, with a specific focus on patient safety and healthcare service improvement.

Professor Julia Sanders

Professor of Midwifery and Clinical Academic Midwife

Professor Sanders holds a joint appointment between Cardiff University and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. Her clinical interests encompass all aspects of maternity care, and her methodological expertise includes randomised controlled trials and the use of routine NHS data for research.

Professor Valerie Sparkes

Professor of Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy

Professor Sparkes has a background in musculoskeletal physiotherapy and works on the delivery of enhanced treatments for people with musculoskeletal disorders.

Dr Anna Marguerite Sydor

Lecturer in Adult Nursing, School of Healthcare Sciences

Dr Sydor teaches across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes within the School of Healthcare Sciences. She supervises doctoral students from a range of professional backgrounds, all undertaking research using interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Her PhD (2010) explored The lived experiences of young men addressing their sexual health and negotiating their masculinities.

Funding

See our latest PhD studentships and projects and find out more about other funding opportunities.

Tuition fees

Students from the UK

Get the latest information on postgraduate fees.

Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland

Get the latest information on postgraduate fees.

Students from the rest of the world (international)

Get the latest information on postgraduate fees.

Thank you for your interest in studying a research degree with the School of Healthcare Sciences. We offer full-time and part-time study routes for a PhD and MPhil.

Should you wish to apply for either of the qualifications available, please complete an online application through the ‘Apply Now’ box to the right of this window.

However, before you apply, please ensure that you have clicked on the ‘Research’ tab to familiarise yourself with our research activity, along with potentially available supervisors and their topic areas.

Due to the high volume of applicants, supervisors do not have capacity to answer individual email enquiries. Once submitted, your online application will be considered by the School.

All documents, including your research proposal and personal statement, must be uploaded to your online application as directed. We are unable to consider applications without all documentation being included, and delays in the application process are likely if documents are not supplied.

• Your personal statement: a personal statement should not exceed 500 words. This should describe your previous experience and passion for the subject area, and your reasons for wishing to complete a research degree in the School of Healthcare Sciences.
• Your research proposal: a research proposal should be no more than 1500 words (excluding references). This should include the background and rationale for your proposed area of research, your research question(s) and/or aim(s), your plans for data generation and analysis and your projected timescales. Please clearly state how your proposal and interests are aligned to one of the School’s research activities.

Selection process

All applications are considered by the School’s Director of Postgraduate Research, with the majority then progressing to review.

Before invitations are extended to applicants to participate in online selection interviews, the School will pay close attention to: the quality of the proposed research; the readiness of each applicant for research degree study; and the degree of fit between the proposed study, the School’s research activity, and the expertise and capacity of research degree supervisors.

Postgraduate Study at Cardiff University

Postgraduate Research Courses Healthcare Sciences

International Funding and Fees at Cardiff University

If your query was not answered within the information above, or you have any specific questions the team can help you with, please email us and we will get back to you as soon as possible. We look forward receiving your application.

Applicants should normally hold a 2:1 degree or the equivalent in a field relevant to the particular project.

English language requirements

IELTS with an overall score of 6.5 with 5.5 in all subskills, or equivalent. Please see our English Language Requirements guidance for more details.