PhD and MPhil

For information about Overseas Research Student Awards (ORS) and other scholarships for international students please read the University Scholarships pages.

There are two postgraduate research degrees in Computing Science.

The PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) is principally intended for those who wish to make a career in research and normally takes three to four years. It is built around a supervised thesis on a substantial piece of work, which has to show evidence of originality and contain material worthy of publication.

The MPhil (Master of Philosophy) usually involves one year of full-time research. A more limited and specific investigation is defined at the outset.

It is possible to work towards both the MPhil and the PhD a part-time basis but this opportunity is largely limited to those working within easy reach of Newcastle.

PhD

PhD students can expect to acquire, create and interpret knowledge at the forefront of computing. You will be trained in a range of research skills and will develop the personal qualities and advanced professional skills which are attractive to employers in the knowledge economy of the twenty-first century. The PhD has been a good qualification for entry to careers in industry which require innovative problem-solving skills. It involves an element of research training through taught modules and/or courses.

On entering the University, a PhD student must decide on a broad area of study under the supervision of a member of academic staff. Usually the first year is spent in preparation for original work in this area. During this year, students will typically attend advanced lectures relevant to their subsequent work and are required to submit a thesis proposal, by the end of the year, outlining the subject area of research. In the second year, a programme of work is drawn up by the student in consultation with their supervisor. This may involve attempting to solve a small number of related problems or working on some aspect of a larger problem. The remainder of the time is spent developing and modifying this programme of work. It is possible to conduct the research for the PhD degree on a part-time basis, but this opportunity is largely limited to those working within easy reach of Newcastle. Students can also apply for an MPhil, which can be taken over one year.

The remainder of the time is spent developing this programme of work, modifying it according to the degree of success obtained and in light of the increased understanding resulting from work on the early part of the programme. The work for the PhD degree is completed by writing a thesis describing the work carried out and successfully defending this thesis in an oral examination. Typically, a successful research student is expected to take three to four years of postgraduate study to complete his or her doctorate.

General information about research degrees in other subjects at Newcastle University is available.

MPhil

There are several ways of obtaining the MPhil degree. One possibility is by a period of twelve months of full-time research. This is the minimum period and in practice it varies between one and two years. In view of the shorter time period than that required for the PhD, a more limited and specific investigation is defined at the outset. Entry requirements are normally a first or an upper second class honours degree with a substantial component of computing science. It is possible to obtain the MPhil degree by research on a part-time basis but this opportunity is largely limited to those working within easy reach of Newcastle.

You will learn self-direction and originality in solving problems and the ability to plan and implement tasks at a professional level. You can also expect to undertake skills training programmes.