Plant Sciences

MSc by Research

  • Entry year 2025
  • Duration Full time 1 year, Part time 2 - 3 years
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Overview

This programme is suitable for those wishing to carry out a short, in depth research project, and not attend taught programmes. The MSc by Research programmes consist of induction modules, an eight-month research project and a period to write it up. The degree is carefully tailored to your interests, and can be particularly suitable for people undertaking research in a work-based context wishing to gain an academic qualification.

Entry requirements

Academic Requirements

2:1 Hons degree (UK or equivalent) in a relevant subject. Industry-based experience may be considered.

We may also consider non-standard applicants, please contact us for information.

If you have studied outside of the UK, we would advise you to check our list of international qualifications before submitting your application.

English Language Requirements

We may ask you to provide a recognised English language qualification, dependent upon your nationality and where you have studied previously.

We normally require an IELTS (Academic) Test with an overall score of at least 6.5, and a minimum of 6.0 in each element of the test. We also consider other English language qualifications.

If your score is below our requirements, you may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language programmes.

Contact: Admissions Team +44 (0) 1524 592032 or email pgadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk

Help from our Admissions team

If you are thinking of applying to Lancaster and you would like to ask us a question, complete our enquiry form and one of the team will get back to you.

We also have more details on our website about:

Pre-master's programmes

Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored pre-master's pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University master's degrees. Visit INTO Lancaster University for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.

Fees and funding

The tuition fee for students with home fee status is set in line with the standard fee stipend provided by the UK Research Councils. The fee stipend for 2025/26 has not yet been set. For reference, the fee stipend for 2024/25 was full-time £4,786 and part-time £2,393.

The international fee for new entrants in 2025/26 is full-time £27,550 and part-time £13,775.

Additional fees and funding information accordion

Scholarships and bursaries

You may be eligible for the following funding opportunities, depending on your fee status and course. You will be automatically considered for our main scholarships and bursaries when you apply, so there's nothing extra that you need to do.

Unfortunately no scholarships and bursaries match your selection, but there are more listed on scholarships and bursaries page.

If you're considering postgraduate research you should look at our funded PhD opportunities.

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We also have other, more specialised scholarships and bursaries - such as those for students from specific countries.

Browse Lancaster University's scholarships and bursaries.

Research Groups

Facilities

  • Laboratories

    You will find yourself taking advantage of several laboratory facilities at Lancaster Environment Centre. There are our £4.4 million Teaching Labs, for example, as well as specialist facilities for Environmental Chemistry, Noble Gas, and Plant and Soil Ecology.

  • Research Facilities

    There are no fewer than 15 purpose-built glasshouse modules, 16 controlled environment plant growth rooms, 4 solar domes based at the Hazelrigg Weather Station and a suite of ultraviolet radiation research facilities that can truly claim to be world-class.

  • Field Sites

    You could find yourself working at a range of catchment science sites across England and Wales, including the local River Eden Valley, or they can travel much further afield to the tropical forests of the Amazon and Borneo.

  • Cutting-Edge Technologies

    You can be trained to use a range of equipment, such as our Stable Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer Facility, X-ray CT Scanner, Magnetometer or the LI-COR Portable Photosynthesis System, which has the capacity to measure plant gas exchange with exceptional speed and precision.

  • Rich Data Resources

    Dedicated support staff with expertise in GIS, statistics, modelling, information technology and programming are available to provide specialist training in all aspects of data acquisition, processing and analysis.

Postgraduate study is carried out in the Graduate School for the Environment. This is a collaboration between Lancaster University's Environment Centre, the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, and Rothamsted Research.

Graduate School for the Environment

Read about the experiences of one of our recent graduates

Bailey Kretzler, Plant Sciences MSc by Research

The start of a career for Bailey

When did you know that Lancaster was the university for you?
The first time I met with my supervisors over Zoom and I realized how supportive they would be. I felt it most once I got to Lancaster though. The breadth of resources and people genuinely supporting you made it feel like a place I could succeed.

How has the research-based experience helped you in your career?
Before coming to Lancaster my research experience was minimal, so doing an MSc by Research helped me adjust to the academic world. I learned so much about time management that I still use today.

How did the Lancaster community help you in your studies?
The people at Lancaster were integral to my success. Most training I received was from fellow PhD students and Post-docs. Lancaster also offered in-house programs that helped me develop professional and technical skills like project management and R studio. Ultimately I published my research in the journal Agronomy.

What are you doing - or going to do - now that you have graduated?
I am in the first year of my PhD at the University of Vermont, and am hoping to work toward becoming a professor

Bailey Kretzler Plant Sciences MSc by Research

Important information

The information on this site relates primarily to the stated entry year and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.

Our Students’ Charter

We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. Find out more about our  Charter and student policies.