Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities MPhil/PhD

Find out more about our PhD/MPhil in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities degree at Warwick

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P-X3C9

MPhil/PhD

3-4 years full-time;
up to 7 years
part-time

6 October 2025

Centre for Research in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (CIDD)

University of Warwick

Explore intellectual disabilities and autism in depth on Warwick's MPhil/PhD in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. The Centre for Research in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (CIDD) is an internationally recognised research centre specialising in intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism across the lifespan.

Students carry out a PhD by research only. There are no taught course components.

Teaching and learning

The department has several small PhD work spaces that students can access.

We are interested in hearing from people who are thinking of pursuing a PhD in areas of CIDD’s expertise:

• Intellectual and developmental disabilities (including autism) across the lifespan
• Assessment and diagnosis in intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Families, family adjustment, siblings of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities and sibling relationships
• Mental health in children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (including autism)
• Forensic mental health in adults with intellectual disabilities and/or autism
• Developmental psychology with children and adults with intellectual disabilities and/or autism
• School attendance in children and young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Early intervention in intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Early development of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (including autism)
• Transition to adulthood for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Parenting skills and interventions in families of children and adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Psychological and educational therapies and interventions for children, adolescents, adults and families of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (including autism)
• Training of education, health and social care staff who work with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities

If you are interested in doing a PhD with us, you can look for and contact potential supervisors using our CIDD Staff Directory.

Students are encouraged to contact Paul dot Thompson dot 2 at warwick dot ac dot uk to discuss their interest in applying to study at CIDD prior to submitting an application.

You can also see our general University guidance about finding a supervisor.

We are interested in hearing from people who are thinking of pursuing a PhD in areas of CIDD’s expertise in intellectual disability / autism:

• Intellectual and developmental disabilities (including autism) across the lifespan
• Assessment and diagnosis in intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Families, family adjustment, siblings of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities and sibling relationships
• Mental health in children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (including autism)
• Forensic mental health in adults with intellectual disabilities and/or autism
• Developmental psychology with children and adults with intellectual disabilities and/or autism
• School attendance in children and young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Early intervention in intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Early development of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (including autism)
• Transition to adulthood for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Parenting skills and interventions in families of children and adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Psychological and educational therapies and interventions for children, adolescents, adults and families of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (including autism)
• Training of education, health and social care staff who work with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities

If you are interested in doing a PhD with us, you can look for and contact potential supervisors using our CIDD Staff Directory.

Students are encouraged to contact Paul dot Thompson dot 2 at warwick dot ac dot uk to discuss their interest in applying to study at CIDD prior to submitting an application.

You can also see our general University guidance about finding a supervisor.Link opens in a new window

2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a related subject.

• Band B
• IELTS overall score of 7.0, minimum component scores of two at 6.0/6.5 and the rest at 7.0 or above.

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.