phd fashion design uk

• Schools & departments

Design PhD, MPhil

Awards: PhD, MPhil

Study modes: Part-time, Full-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Design

PhD by Distance online session

Edinburgh College of Art are hosting a session on the PhD by Distance option on Wednesday 22 May during the Online Learning Open Days.

Register now

Introduction to Postgraduate Research

Join us online on 19 June to learn about applying for and studying a research degree at Edinburgh.

Find out more and register

Research profile

Design research is part of a dynamic and supportive environment within a vibrant community of world-class research. Design research integrates practice and theory within a dynamic and supportive environment. It connects across disciplines and research initiatives to support doctoral study within a vibrant community of world-class research. The range of subjects possible is vast and includes but is not limited to:

• Design anthropology
• Design history and theory
• Methodological development
• Design informatics
• Design for healthcare and wellbeing
• Design management
• Craft studies
• Service design
• Design for change (transition and transformation)
• Cultural and heritage studies
• Sustainability and the circular economy
• Design Cultures
• Design and Digital Media

You will also be supported through our practice specialisms (in theory or practice) in:

• Film and television
• Graphic design
• Illustration
• Performance costume
• Product design
• Screen studies (film and animation)
• Silversmithing

Programme structure

You can undertake the Design MPhil or PhD programme either as a practice-based programme of research, or theory based. And it is possible to change between approaches during your programme of study.

The PhD programme comprises three years of full-time (six years part-time) research under the supervision of an expert in your chosen research topic within Design. If you study by theory then the period of research culminates in a supervised thesis of up to a maximum of 100,000 words. For the practice-based approach your research would culminate in a portfolio of artefacts or artworks which would be accompanied by a thesis of up to a maximum of 50,000 words.

The MPhil programme comprises two years of full-time (four years part-time) research under the supervision of an expert in your chosen research topic within Design. If you study by theory then the period of research culminates in a supervised thesis of up to a maximum of 60,000 words. For the practice-based approach your research would culminate in a portfolio of artefacts or artworks which should be accompanied by a thesis of up to a maximum of 20,000 words.

Regular individual meetings with your supervisor provide guidance and focus for the course of research you are undertaking.

You will be encouraged to attend research methods courses at the beginning of your research studies.

And for every year you are enrolled on programme you will be required to complete an annual progression review.

Training and support

All of our research students benefit from Edinburgh College of Art's interdisciplinary approach, and you will be assigned at least two research supervisors.

Your first/ lead supervisor would normally be based in the same subject area as your degree programme. Your second supervisor may be from another discipline within Edinburgh College of Art or elsewhere within the University of Edinburgh, according to the expertise required. On occasion more than two supervisors will be assigned, particularly where the degree brings together multiple disciplines.

Our research culture is supported by seminars and public lecture programmes and discussion groups.

Tutoring opportunities will be advertised to the postgraduate research community, which you can apply for should you wish to gain some teaching experience during your studies. But you are not normally advised to undertake tutoring work in the first year of your research studies, while your main focus should be on establishing the direction of your research.

You are encouraged to attend courses at the Institute for Academic Development ( IAD ), where all staff and students at the University of Edinburgh are supported through a range of training opportunities, including:

• short courses in compiling literature reviews
• writing in a second language
• preparing for your viva

The Scottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities ( SGSAH ) offers further opportunities for development. You will also be encouraged to refer to the Vitae research development framework as you grow into a professional researcher.

You will have access to study space (some of which are 24-hour access), studios and workshops at Edinburgh College of Art’s campus, as well as University wide resources. There are several bookable spaces for the development of exhibitions, workshops or seminars. And you will have access to well-equipped multimedia laboratories, photography and exhibition facilities, shared recording space, access to recording equipment available through Bookit the equipment loan booking system.

You will have access to high quality library facilities. Within the University of Edinburgh, there are three libraries; the Main Library, the ECA library and the Art and Architecture Library. The Centre for Research Collections which holds the University of Edinburgh’s historic collections is also located in the Main Library.

The Talbot Rice Gallery is a public art gallery of the University of Edinburgh and part of Edinburgh College of Art, which is committed to exploring what the University of Edinburgh can contribute to contemporary art practice today and into the future. You will also have access to the extraordinary range and quality of exhibitions and events associated with a leading college of art situated within a world-class research-intensive University.

St Cecilia’s Hall which is Scotland’s oldest purpose-built concert hall also houses the Music Museum which holds one of the most important historic musical instrument collections anywhere in the world.

In addition to the University’s facilities you will also be able to access wider resources within the City of Edinburgh. Including but not limited to; National Library of Scotland, Scottish Studies Library and Digital Archives, City of Edinburgh Libraries, Historic Environment Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland.

You will also benefit from the University of Edinburgh’s extensive range of student support facilities provided, including student societies, accommodation, wellbeing and support services.

PhD by Distance option

The PhD by Distance is available to suitably qualified applicants in all the same areas as our on-campus programmes.

The PhD by Distance allows students who do not wish to commit to basing themselves in Edinburgh to study for a PhD in an ECA subject area from their home country or city.

There is no expectation that students studying for an ECA PhD by Distance study mode should visit Edinburgh during their period of study. However, short term visits for particular activities could be considered on a case-by-case basis.

• For further information on the PhD by Distance, please see the ECA website

Entry requirements

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

Normally a UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent. If you do not meet the academic entry requirements, we may still consider your application on the basis of relevant professional experience.

You must also submit a research proposal; see How to Apply section for guidance.

If your research is practice-based a portfolio should also be submitted; see How to Apply section for guidance.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country
• English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced ( CAE ) / C2 Proficiency ( CPE ): total 185 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE : ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 59 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS , TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE , in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

Fees and costs

Tuition fees, scholarships and funding, featured funding.

• Edinburgh College of Art scholarships

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding

Further information

• Edinburgh College of Art Postgraduate Research Team
• Phone: +44 (0)131 651 5741
• Contact: [email protected]
• Postgraduate Research Director, Design, Dr Craig Martin
• Contact: [email protected]
• Edinburgh College of Art Postgraduate Office Student and Academic Support Service
• The University of Edinburgh
• Evolution House, 78 West Port
• Central Campus
• Programme: Design
• School: Edinburgh College of Art
• College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.

PhD Design by Distance - 6 Years (Part-time)

Phd design by distance - 3 years (full-time), phd design - 3 years (full-time), phd design - 6 years (part-time), mphil design - 2 years (full-time), mphil design - 4 years (part-time), application deadlines.

If you are applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible. All applications must be received by the deadlines listed above.

• How to apply

You must submit two references with your application.

One of your references must be an academic reference and preferably from your most recent studies.

You should submit a research proposal that outlines your project's aims, context, process and product/outcome. Read the application guidance before you apply. If you wish to undertake research that involves practice then a portfolio will also be required, full details are listed in the application guidance document.

• Preparing your application - postgraduate research degrees (PDF)

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

• Postgraduate taught degree courses
• Postgraduate taught tuition fees
• Pre-masters for international students
• Funding your postgraduate taught studies
• How to apply for a postgraduate taught degree
• Create your own research project
• Find a PhD project
• Funding your research degree
• How to apply for a PhD or research degree
• How to make a PhD enquiry
• Support while studying your PhD or research degree
• Undergraduate degree courses
• Foundation year programmes
• Undergraduate tuition fees
• Customise your degree
• Funding undergraduate studies
• How to apply
• Choose your halls of residence
• Apply for accommodation
• Guaranteed accommodation
• Your accommodation options
• Accommodation for those with additional requirements
• International and pre-sessional students
• Postgraduate accommodation
• Couples and students with children
• Renting privately
• Our accommodation areas
• Privacy notice
• Terms and conditions
• Fees and contracts
• Southampton
• Sports facilities
• Sports clubs
• Watersports centres
• Avenue Campus
• Boldrewood Innovation Campus
• City Centre Campus
• Highfield Campus
• University Hospital Southampton
• Waterfront Campus
• Winchester Campus
• What's on
• Clubs and societies
• Sports teams
• SUSU places
• Representing you
• SUSU support and advice
• Living costs
• Academic and mental health support
• Support for disabled students
• Part-time work
• Health services

Art, design, media and fashion

Winchester School of Art is recognised as an international centre for research in global art, design and media. Our researchers are engaged in creative and critical practices across a wide range of interests. We're proud to be a hub for creative projects and events, offering a venue for artists to collaborate, investigate, and bring their ideas to life.

We're proud to offer a supportive and creative environment in which to carry out your work, and we encourage interdisciplinary engagement with other areas of research. Many of our PhD students have collaborated with colleagues in fields as diverse as archaeology, nanoscience, sound engineering, and the social and political sciences.

Winchester School of Art hosts PhD programmes for both practice and non-practice Fine Art and Design research. You'll be supervised by at least 2 academic specialists, who will work with you to identify the research skills training you need, oversee your studies, and support your career development. You'll also have access to workshops, dedicated study areas and media facilities.

Our postgraduate research community enjoys a wide range of social activities, guest lectures, seminars and research events. These provide opportunities to deepen the understanding of your research area, learn about your colleagues’ work and practice your professional skills.

Winchester has good transport links to London, providing easy access to a wide range of galleries and exhibitions, as well as professional and cultural events.

Main areas of research

• graphic arts
• art and design management
• games design
• human computer interaction
• creative computing
• creative technology

Similar research degree topics

• Film studies

Find a research project

Advertised phd research projects, 0 advertised projects, funding and fees.

• Funding options

Find a funded PhD project

We offer a wide range of fully funded studentships. We run several of our PhD studentships in partnership with doctoral training centres, meaning you'll benefit from enhanced training and guaranteed funding.

These studentships: 

• are fully funded
• come with a maintenance grant to help towards living costs
• are open to UK and international students

View our current projects

Scholarships

We offer scholarships and teaching bursaries ourselves. Your potential supervisor can guide you on what is available.

If you’re an international student you may be able to apply for a scholarship from your country.

Find out more about scholarships

Fund your own PhD research project

Once you've found a supervisor, they can help you with potential funding sources. We offer match funding in some cases.

You'll need to state how you intend to pay for your tuition fees when you submit your application.

Find out more about funding your PhD

Get industry sponsorship

You may be able to fund your postgraduate research with funding from your current employer or from industry.

Take out a PhD loan

You can borrow up to £28,673 for a PhD starting in 2023. Doctoral loans are not means tested and you can decide how much you want to borrow.

Find out about PhD loans on GOV.UK

Apply for funding from a charity

You may be able to win funding from one or more charities to help fund your PhD.

Learn about charity funding on FindAPhD.com

2022 to 2023 entry:

2023 to 2024 entry:

2024 to 2025 entry

Alumni discount

You're eligible for a 10% alumni discount on a self-funded PhD if you're a current student or graduate from the University of Southampton.

Potential supervisors

Dr Alexandra Anikina

Research interests.

• Algorithmic and Visual Culture
• Critical Theory and Artistic Research
• Feminist Science and Technology Studies

Email: [email protected]

Professor Daniel Ashton

• Work and the Creative Economy
• Culture, Data and Place
• Arts and Cultural Organisations

Email: [email protected]

Dr Eirini Bazaki

• Fashion Marketing 
• Fashion E-tailing 
• Fashion Brand Management

Email: [email protected]

Professor Ryan Bishop

• Critical Theory
• Art, Technology and Media
• Critical Military Studies

Email: [email protected]

Dr Valentina Cardo

• Valentina's research interests include:
• The relationship between citizenship and identity;
• Political representation;

Email: [email protected]

Dr Daniel Cid Moragas

Email: [email protected]

Dr Shaun Cole

• Cultural Studies
• Fashion Studies
• Men's Fashion

Email: [email protected]

Dr Stephen Cornford

Email: [email protected]

Professor Ed D'souza PhD, MA, FRSA

• socially engaged art practice
• critical design practice
• design anthropology

Email: [email protected]

Dr Megen de Bruin-Molé

• contemporary remix culture
• monster studies

Email: [email protected]

Dr Luci Eldridge

• Printmaking 
• Scientific Imaging
• Critical Image Theory

Email: [email protected]

Dr Sami Everett

Email: [email protected]

Professor Jonathan Faiers

• Fashion History and Theory
• Textile History and Theory
• Textiles and Art

Email: [email protected]

Dr Seth Giddings

• Game Studies
• Digital and Postdigital Media Culture
• Creative AI and Robotics

Email: [email protected]

Dr Dimitra Gkitsa

• Curatorial practices and discourse
• Collective and cultural memory 
• Arts infrastructure in spaces of tranisition and difficult pasts

Email: [email protected]

Mr Gordon Hon

Email: [email protected]

Dr Mazed Islam PhD, M.Sc, B.Sc, FHEA, FRSA, CText FTI UK

• Sustainable supply chain management in fashion
• Digitally enabled circular fashion system
• Sustainable fashion production and consumption

Email: [email protected]

Dr Alessandro Ludovico

• publishing studies
• new media art
• media archaeology

Email: [email protected]

Professor Prof Larry Lynch

Email: [email protected]

Mrs Liz Gre

Email: [email protected]

Dr Christina Mamakos

• Speculative writing
• Cognitive Philosophy

Email: [email protected]

Professor Sunil Manghani

• Visual Art & Culture
• Image Studies

Email: [email protected]

Mr Bruce Montgomery

Email: [email protected]

Professor Clio Padovani PhD, MA RCA, SFHEA

• Since 2008,Clio has been working with other international stakeholders on EU funded projects, exploring design heritage as a driver for innovation policy in the textile industry. Her scholarly work explores the narrative and material culture of textile production, with special interests in community narratives and retention of textile heritage. Clio publishes speculative thinking on textiles and interdisciplinarity through film, weaving and writing. She is co-author of Sustainability and the Social Fabric - Europe’s new textile industries, 2017, Bloomsbury Academic.
• Competitively funded research projects: 
• Academic project leader: EurotexId, EU Culture Programme programme project, 2008-2010

Email: [email protected]

Dr Kwame Phillips

• Sensory Media Production
• Multimodal and Experimental Methodologies
• Race and Social Justice

Email: [email protected]

Dr Adam Procter

• Ethical technology
• Humane technology
• Human Centred Design

Email: [email protected]

Dr Emma Reay

Email: [email protected]

Ms Sara Roberts

• Heritage sites as venues for contemporary visual art practice
• Non-gallery projects
• Exhibition audiences

Email: [email protected]

Professor Louise Siddons PhD

Email: [email protected]

Mr Julian Stadon

Email: [email protected]

Dr Kai Syng Tan PhD, FRSA, PFHEA

Email: [email protected]

Professor Joanne Turney

Email: [email protected]

Dr Shan Wang

• Inclusive Design | Adapt Homes for the Elderly
• Uer Experience Design
• Interface & Interactive Design

Email: [email protected]

Dr Vanissa Wanick

• Games for change, social good and wellbeing
• Games Design, Gamification and player experience (e.g., player agency, emerging storytelling)
• Human behaviour and Interface Design (e.g. rituals, gestures, mental models, values)

Email: [email protected]

Professor Kai Yang

• Electronic textile materials and manufacturing
• Wearable medical devices (e.g. stroke rehabilitation, pain management)
• Digital healthcare

Email: [email protected]

Professor Yuanyuan Yin

• Inclusive design for ageing
• Product and service design
• Design for healthy ageing

Email: [email protected]

Research institutes, centres and groups

Decide on a topic and create a proposal.

You can apply for a PhD in either design or fine art, depending on your research goals.

Carefully consider the details of your chosen research topic, and how to ensure this meets the standards required for a higher degree. You'll need to demonstrate that you fully understand what a PhD entails before you submit your application.

Your proposal should be 5-10 pages long, and include:

• an indicative title
• a short overview of your research, such as the key issues you want to investigate and why you wish to do so at Winchester School of Art
• a literature review to show how your research fits into and adds to existing knowledge
• a description of how your plan to undertake your research and the reasoning behind your chosen methodologies
• a list of any specialist resources and training you'll need, such as additional languages, software and travel
• a realistic timeline for completing your research degree
• a list of references and sources

If your research is practice-based, you must also include a folio of images and documentation of your previous work, with commentary.

Contact your potential supervisors

It's a good idea to get in touch with potential supervisors to discuss the specifics of your project. You can find out more about their research interests by visiting their staff profiles.

It's best to do this well ahead of the application deadline.

Gather your supporting documents

You'll need to send us:

• your research proposal
• your academic transcript
• details of 2 current academic referees, with their institutional email addresses
• IELTS or TOEFL certificate if English is not your first language
• a folio of images and documentation of previous work if your research is practice-based

Our PhDs start in September each year. You’ll need to submit your application for September entry by 1 July of that year.

If you require a visa to study with us, please apply as early as possible and allow plenty of time for visa applications.

Creative services centre

Fashion and textile workshops

Entry requirements.

You'll need to have a 2:2 honours undergraduate degree and a master of arts, or equivalent qualification, in a relevant subject.

If you do not have a master's degree, we will consider your application if you can demonstrate work experience in a related field.

English language requirements

If English isn't your first language, you'll need to complete an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to demonstrate your competence in English. You'll need all of the following scores as a minimum:

Programmes and durations

Research degrees have a minimum and maximum duration, known as the candidature. Your candidature ends when you submit your thesis.

Most candidatures are longer than the minimum period.

• View all courses
• Pre-sessional English courses
• Course modules
• Acoustical engineering
• Biomedical and medical engineering
• Civil engineering
• Every day I’m completely immersed in an environment that’s creative in all aspects
• Everything I learn feels so relevant, even If it’s a subject rooted in the past
• Maritime engineering
• Photonics and optoelectronics
• Social statistics and demography
• A missing link between continental shelves and the deep sea: Have we underestimated the importance of land-detached canyons?
• A seismic study of the continent-ocean transition southwest of the UK
• A study of rolling contact fatigue in electric vehicles (EVs)
• Acoustic monitoring of forest exploitation to establish community perspectives of sustainable hunting
• Acoustic sensing and characterisation of soil organic matter
• Advancing intersectional geographies of diaspora-led development in times of multiple crises
• Aero engine fan wake turbulence – Simulation and wind tunnel experiments
• Against Climate Change (DACC): improving the estimates of forest fire smoke emissions
• All-in-one Mars in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU) system and life-supporting using non-thermal plasma
• An electromagnetic study of the continent-ocean transition southwest of the UK
• An investigation of the relationship between health, home and law in the context of poor and precarious housing, and complex and advanced illness
• Antibiotic resistance genes in chalk streams
• Being autistic in care: Understanding differences in care experiences including breakdowns in placements for autistic and non-autistic children
• Biogeochemical cycling in the critical coastal zone: Developing novel methods to make reliable measurements of geochemical fluxes in permeable sediments
• Bloom and bust: seasonal cycles of phytoplankton and carbon flux
• British Black Lives Matter: The emergence of a modern civil rights movement
• Building physics for low carbon comfort using artificial intelligence
• Building-resolved large-eddy simulations of wind and dispersion over a city scale urban area
• Business studies and management: accounting
• Business studies and management: banking and finance
• Business studies and management: decision analytics and risk
• Business studies and management: digital and data driven marketing
• Business studies and management: human resources (HR) management and organisational behaviour
• Business studies and management: strategy, innovation and entrepreneurship
• Carbon storage in reactive rock systems: determining the coupling of geo-chemo-mechanical processes in reactive transport
• Cascading hazards from the largest volcanic eruption in over a century: What happened when Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai erupted in January 2022?
• Characterisation of cast austenitic stainless steels using ultrasonic backscatter and artificial intelligence
• Climate Change effects on the developmental physiology of the small-spotted catshark
• Climate at the time of the Human settlement of the Eastern Pacific
• Collaborative privacy in data marketplaces
• Compatibility of climate and biodiversity targets under future land use change
• Cost of living in modern and fossil animals
• Creative clusters in rural, coastal and post-industrial towns
• Deep oceanic convection: the outsized role of small-scale processes
• Defect categories and their realisation in supersymmetric gauge theory
• Defining the Marine Fisheries-Energy-Environment Nexus: Learning from shocks to enhance natural resource resilience
• Design and fabrication of next generation optical fibres
• Developing a practical application of unmanned aerial vehicle technologies for conservation research and monitoring of endangered wildlife
• Development and evolution of animal biomineral skeletons
• Development of all-in-one in-situ resource utilisation system for crewed Mars exploration missions
• Ecological role of offshore artificial structures
• Effect of embankment and subgrade weathering on railway track performance
• Efficient ‘whole-life’ anchoring systems for offshore floating renewables
• Electrochemical sensing of the sea surface microlayer
• Engagement with nature among children from minority ethnic backgrounds
• Enhancing UAV manoeuvres and control using distributed sensor arrays
• Ensuring the Safety and Security of Autonomous Cyber-Physical Systems
• Environmental and genetic determinants of Brassica crop damage by the agricultural pest Diamondback moth
• Estimating marine mammal abundance and distribution from passive acoustic and biotelemetry data
• Evolution of symbiosis in a warmer world
• Examining evolutionary loss of calcification in coccolithophores
• Explainable AI (XAI) for health
• Explaining process, pattern and dynamics of marine predator hotspots in the Southern Ocean
• Exploring dynamics of natural capital in coastal barrier systems
• Exploring the mechanisms of microplastics incorporation and their influence on the functioning of coral holobionts
• Exploring the potential electrical activity of gut for healthcare and wellbeing
• Exploring the trans-local nature of cultural scene
• Facilitating forest restoration sustainability of tropical swidden agriculture
• Faulting, fluids and geohazards within subduction zone forearcs
• Faulting, magmatism and fluid flow during volcanic rifting in East Africa
• Fingerprinting environmental releases from nuclear facilities
• Flexible hybrid thermoelectric materials for wearable energy harvesting
• Floating hydrokinetic power converter
• Glacial sedimentology associated subglacial hydrology
• Green and sustainable Internet of Things
• How do antimicrobial peptides alter T cell cytokine production?
• How do calcifying marine organisms grow? Determining the role of non-classical precipitation processes in biogenic marine calcite formation
• How do neutrophils alter T cell metabolism?
• How well can we predict future changes in biodiversity using machine learning?
• Hydrant dynamics for acoustic leak detection in water pipes
• If ‘Black Lives Matter’, do ‘Asian Lives Matter’ too? Impact trajectories of organisation activism on wellbeing of ethnic minority communities
• Illuminating luciferin bioluminescence in dinoflagellates
• Imaging quantum materials with an XFEL
• Impact of neuromodulating drugs on gut microbiome homeostasis
• Impact of pharmaceuticals in the marine environment in a changing world
• Impacts of environmental change on coastal habitat restoration
• Improving subsea navigation using environment observations for long term autonomy
• Information theoretic methods for sensor management
• Installation effect on the noise of small high speed fans
• Integrated earth observation mapping change land sea
• Interconnections of past greenhouse climates
• Investigating IgG cell depletion mechanisms
• Is ocean mixing upside down? How mixing processes drive upwelling in a deep-ocean basin
• Landing gear aerodynamics and aeroacoustics
• Lightweight gas storage: real-world strategies for the hydrogen economy
• Long-term change in the benthos – creating robust data from varying camera systems
• Machine learning for multi-robot perception
• Marine ecosystem responses to past climate change and its oceanographic impacts
• Mechanical effects in the surf zone - in situ electrochemical sensing
• Microfluidic cell isolation systems for sepsis
• Migrant entrepreneurship, gender and generation: context and family dynamics in small town Britain
• Miniaturisation in fishes: evolutionary and ecological perspectives
• Modelling high-power fibre laser and amplifier stability
• Modelling soil dewatering and recharge for cost-effective and climate resilient infrastructure
• Modelling the evolution of adaptive responses to climate change across spatial landscapes
• Nanomaterials sensors for biomedicine and/or the environment
• New high-resolution observations of ocean surface current and winds from innovative airborne and satellite measurements
• New perspectives on ocean photosynthesis
• Novel methods of detecting carbon cycling pathways in lakes and their impact on ecosystem change
• Novel technologies for cyber-physical security
• Novel transparent conducting films with unusual optoelectronic properties
• Novel wavelength fibre lasers for industrial applications
• Ocean circulation and the Southern Ocean carbon sink
• Ocean influence on recent climate extremes
• Ocean methane sensing using novel surface plasmon resonance technology
• Ocean physics and ecology: can robots disentangle the mix?
• Ocean-based Carbon Dioxide Removal: Assessing the utility of coastal enhanced weathering
• Offshore renewable energy (ORE) foundations on rock seabeds: advancing design through analogue testing and modelling
• Optical fibre sensing for acoustic leak detection in buried pipelines
• Optimal energy transfer in nonlinear systems
• Optimizing machine learning for embedded systems
• Oxidation of fossil organic matter as a source of atmospheric CO2
• Partnership dissolution and re-formation in later life among individuals from minority ethnic communities in the UK
• Personalized multimodal human-robot interactions
• Preventing disease by enhancing the cleaning power of domestic water taps using sound
• Quantifying riparian vegetation dynamics and flow interactions for Nature Based Solutions using novel environmental sensing techniques
• Quantifying the response and sensitivity of tropical forest carbon sinks to various drivers
• Quantifying variability in phytoplankton electron requirements for carbon fixation
• Resilient and sustainable steel-framed building structures
• Resolving Antarctic meltwater events in Southern Ocean marine sediments and exploring their significance using climate models
• Robust acoustic leak detection in water pipes using contact sound guides
• Silicon synapses for artificial intelligence hardware
• Smart photon delivery via reconfigurable optical fibres
• The Gulf Stream control of the North Atlantic carbon sink
• The Mayflower Studentship: a prestigious fully funded PhD studentship in bioscience
• The calming effect of group living in social fishes
• The duration of ridge flank hydrothermal exchange and its role in global biogeochemical cycles
• The evolution of symmetry in echinoderms
• The impact of early life stress on neuronal enhancer function
• The oceanic fingerprints on changing monsoons over South and Southeast Asia
• The role of iron in nitrogen fixation and photosynthesis in changing polar oceans
• The role of singlet oxygen signaling in plant responses to heat and drought stress
• Time variability on turbulent mixing of heat around melting ice in the West Antarctic
• Triggers and Feedbacks of Climate Tipping Points
• Uncovering the drivers of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease progression using patient derived organoids
• Understanding recent land-use change in Snowdonia to plan a sustainable future for uplands: integrating palaeoecology and conservation practice
• Understanding the role of cell motility in resource acquisition by marine phytoplankton
• Understanding the structure and engagement of personal networks that support older people with complex care needs in marginalised communities and their ability to adapt to increasingly ‘digitalised’ health and social care
• Unpicking the Anthropocene in the Hawaiian Archipelago
• Unraveling oceanic multi-element cycles using single cell ionomics
• Unravelling southwest Indian Ocean biological productivity and physics: a machine learning approach
• Using acoustics to monitor how small cracks develop into bursts in pipelines
• Using machine learning to improve predictions of ocean carbon storage by marine life
• Vulnerability of low-lying coastal transportation networks to natural hazards
• Wideband fibre optical parametric amplifiers for Space Division Multiplexing technology
• Will it stick? Exploring the role of turbulence and biological glues on ocean carbon storage
• X-ray imaging and property characterisation of porous materials
• Exchanges and studying abroad
• Postgraduate Taught Diversity Scholarship (Environmental and Life Sciences)
• Southampton Business School Postgraduate UK Scholarship
• Southampton Genomics Talent Scholarship
• Southampton History Patricia Mather and Helen Patterson Scholarship
• Southampton MA Holocaust scholarships
• Southampton Philosophy David Humphris-Norman Scholarship
• Southampton Physics and Astronomy Achievement Scholarship
• GREAT Scholarships 2024 – Greece
• Undergraduate scholarships for UK students
• Winchester School of Art Postgraduate Global Talent Scholarship
• Southampton University Corporate Civil Engineering Scholarship Scheme
• Merit scholarships for international postgraduates
• Merit scholarships for international undergraduates
• Scholarships, awards and funding opportunities
• Becas Chile Scholarship
• Chevening Scholarships
• China Scholarship Council Scholarships
• COLFUTURO Scholarships
• Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships
• Commonwealth Master's Scholarships
• Commonwealth PhD Scholarships
• Commonwealth PhD Scholarships for high income countries
• Commonwealth Shared Scholarships
• Commonwealth Split-Site Scholarships
• FIDERH Scholarships
• Fulbright Awards
• FUNED Scholarships
• Great Scholarships 2024 – India
• Great Scholarships 2024 – Bangladesh
• Great Scholarships 2024 – Mexico
• Great Scholarships 2024 – Nigeria
• Marshall Scholarship
• Saïd Foundation Scholarships
• British Council Scholarships for Women in STEM
• Xiamen University PhD Scholarships
• GREAT scholarships for justice and law 2024 – Indonesia
• Scholarship terms and conditions
• Southampton Canadian Prestige Scholarship for Law
• Southampton Presidential International Scholarship
• Continuing professional development
• Lunchtime evening and weekend courses
• Summer schools
• Get a prospectus
• Archers Road
• City Gateway
• Erasmus Park
• Highfield Hall
• Orion Point
• Wessex Lane
• Research projects
• Research areas
• Cancer Sciences Protein Facility
• Geotechnical Centrifuge
• Maritime Robotics and Instrumentation Laboratory (MRIL)
• Collaborate with us
• Active Living
• Advanced Fibre Applications
• Advanced Laser Laboratory
• Advanced Project Management Research Centre
• Antibody and Vaccine Group
• Astronomy Group
• Autism Community Research Network @ Southampton (ACoRNS)
• Bioarchaeology and Osteoarchaeology at Southampton (BOS)
• Bladder and Bowel Management
• Cell and Developmental Biology
• Centre for Defence and Security Research
• Centre for Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
• Centre for Digital Finance
• Centre for Eastern European and Eurasian Studies (CEEES)
• Centre for Empirical Research in Finance and Banking (CERFIB)
• Centre for Geometry, Topology, and Applications
• Centre for Global Englishes
• Centre for Global Health and Policy (GHaP)
• Centre for Health Technologies
• Centre for Healthcare Analytics
• Centre for Human Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration
• Centre for Imperial and Postcolonial Studies
• Centre for Inclusive and Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CISEI)
• Centre for International Film Research (CIFR)
• Centre for International Law and Globalisation
• Centre for Internet of Things and Pervasive Systems
• Centre for Justice Studies
• Centre for Linguistics, Language Education and Acquisition Research
• Centre for Machine Intelligence
• Centre for Maritime Archaeology
• Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Culture (CMRC)
• Centre for Modern and Contemporary Writing (CMCW)
• Centre for Music Education and Social Justice
• Centre for Political Ethnography (CPE)
• Centre for Research in Accounting, Accountability and Governance
• Centre for Research on Work and Organisations
• Centre for Resilient Socio-Technical Systems
• Centre for Transnational Studies
• Child and Adolescent Research Group
• Clinical Ethics, Law and Society (CELS)
• Computational Nonlinear Optics
• Cyber Security Academy
• Data Science Group
• Digital Oceans
• EPSRC and MOD Centre for Doctoral Training in Complex Integrated Systems for Defence and Security
• Economic Theory and Experimental Economics
• Economy, Society and Governance
• Electrical Power Engineering
• Environmental Hydraulics
• Gas Photonics in Hollow Core Fibres 
• Geochemistry
• Global Health (Demography)
• Global Health Community of Practice
• Gravity group
• Healthy Oceans
• High Power Fibre Lasers
• Hollow Core Fibre
• Human Genetics and Genomic Medicine
• Infrastructure Group
• Institute of Maritime Law (IML)
• Integrated Photonic Devices
• Integrative Molecular Phenotyping Centre
• Interdisciplinary Musculoskeletal Health
• International Centre for Ecohydraulics Research (ICER)
• Language Assessment and Testing Unit (LATU)
• Laser-Direct-Write (LDW) Technologies for Biomedical Applications
• Law and Technology Centre
• Long Term Conditions
• Magnetic Resonance
• Mathematical Modelling
• Medicines Management
• Molecular and Precision Biosciences
• Multiwavelength Accretion and Astronomical Transients
• National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC)
• National Centre for Research Methods
• National Infrastructure Laboratory
• Nature-Based Ocean Solutions
• Nonlinear Semiconductor Photonics
• Ocean Perception Group
• Operational Research
• Optical Engineering and Quantum Photonics Group
• Paediatrics and Child Health - Clinical and Experimental Sciences
• People, Property, Community
• Photonic Systems, Circuits and Sensors Group
• Physical Optics
• Primary Care Research Centre
• Product Returns Research Group (PRRG)
• Quantum, Light and Matter Group
• Silica Fibre Fabrication
• Silicon Photonics
• Skin Sensing Research Group
• Southampton Centre for Nineteenth-Century Research
• Southampton Ethics Centre
• Southampton Health Technology Assessments Centre (SHTAC)
• Southampton High Energy Physics group
• Southampton Imaging
• Southampton Theory Astrophysics and Gravity (STAG) Research Centre
• Stefan Cross Centre for Women, Equality and Law
• String theory and holography
• The India Centre for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development
• The Parkes Institute
• Tony Davies High Voltage Laboratory
• Ultrafast X-ray Group
• Vision Science
• Work Futures Research Centre (WFRC)
• Support for researchers
• Faculties, schools and departments
• Research jobs
• Find people and expertise
• Why work with us?
• Collaboration
• Consultancy
• Commercialisation
• Use our facilities
• Connect with our students
• How we operate
• Make a business enquiry
• International students
• International Office
• Partnerships and initiatives
• Visiting delegations
• Visiting fellowships
• Departments

School of Design

Design Research (MPhil) (PhD)

The School of Design has around 100 postgraduate researchers on our Master’s of Research (MRes), Master’s of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctoral (PhD) programmes. We cover a wide range of design fields including: Design Products, Service Design, Fashion Design and Textiles to Global Innovation Design, Innovation Design Engineering, Robotics, Smart Materials and Intelligent Mobility. These are centred around the School’s strategic research themes of: Future of Making, Manufacture & Materials; Systems & Design; Design for Safety; Design for Health; Intelligent Machines; Data Capture & Creation; and Design Science.

Our researchers are both theory and practice-based, and focus on a wide range of leading-edge design technologies including AI/ML, AR/VR/MR, 3D printing, nano-materials, micro aerial vehicles, soft robotics and the internet of things. We also have a focus on researching sustainability, social, cultural and educational themes. Many of our researchers collaborate with, or are supported by industrial partners. At the heart of our postgraduate research environment is the interdisciplinary cross-cultural collaboration, debate and exchanges that helps to uncover new knowledge and lead thinking for the future of design.

Find out more about Design Research: www.rca.ac.uk

Above image: Kensho Miyoshi, Kinaesthetics , White puppeteer

.css-zcxndt{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;} .css-10nf7hq{box-sizing:border-box;margin:0;min-width:0;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;} Students

Collections.

A Sense of Humanity

• Accessibility
• Terms & Conditions
• Privacy Policy
• About this Site
• About the RCA

• Skip to content
• Skip to footer
• Accessibility options

• Business and employers
• Alumni and supporters
• For students

• Postgraduate research degrees
• Our postgraduate research disciplines
• Apply for a PhD
• Funding and studentships
• International
• Support and training
• Research Masters
• Postgraduate info session
• Archaeology | Archaeological Sciences PhD
• Architecture PhD | Built Environment PhD

Art and creative practices PhD

• Biology PhD | Biomaterials PhD
• Business and management PhD
• Chemistry PhD
• Civil engineering PhD
• Computing PhD
• Conservation Ecology and Zoonosis PhD
• Criminology
• Cultural studies PhD | Global studies PhD
• Digital media and culture PhD
• Ecology and environmental management
• Engineering PhD
• English literature PhD
• Environmental communication PhD
• Film, screen and popular culture PhD
• Geology and Earth Science PhD
• Health and wellbeing PhD | Resilience PhD
• History of design PhD | History of art PhD
• History PhD
• Human geography PhD
• Linguistics and language PhD
• Mathematics and statistics PhD
• Media communications PhD
• Medicines Optimisation
• Neuroscience PhD
• Nursing PhD | Midwifery PhD
• Occupational therapy PhD
• Philosophy, politics and ethics PhD
• Physiotherapy PhD
• Podiatry PhD
• Politics PhD
• Professional Doctorate in Education (EdD)
• Psychology and Community Psychology
• Regenerative medicine PhD
• Sociology PhD
• Sport and exercise science PhD
• Sport and leisure cultures PhD
• Tourism and hospitality PhD

Student PhD research in design at the University of Brighton is embedded within an active research community whose supervisory support extends to expertise from around the university including craft and decorative arts practices, textiles, engineering and medicine in both theory and practice-based design research.

You will join an academic community whose research encompasses applied and theoretical approaches in equal measure, much of it marked by interdisciplinarity and international cooperation, through leadership and participation in major grant projects. 

We have nurtured research students through to successful careers, with Design PhD projects in Brighton that have included: sustainable design, design for health and wellbeing, product design, contemporary textiles and digital user-experience.

Apply now, selecting Architecture and DESIGN in the portal

Our registration system collects design PhD disciplines under the strand Architecture and Design. Please choose this option in the portal. 

Apply with us for funding through the AHRC Techne Doctoral Training Partnership

Key information

As a Design PhD student, you will:

• have a supervisory team comprising two members of academic staff. Depending on your particular area study you may also have additional supervisors from other research institutions or external partners.
• become part of an active and engaged community of research learning, leading talks, and social events with opportunities to present your work as it progresses and network with other researchers
• have access to excellent resources such as rapid prototyping and studio facilities as well as the Design Archives, which look after many leading collections related to the design profession.

Academic environment

Your research community as a PhD student member is likely to be within either the School of Architecture, Technology and Engineering or the School of Art and Media with a possibility of supervision across the two. Both include international PhD students who undertake a broad range of projects. 

The research environment for architecture and design at the University of Brighton was recognised as one of the very best in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework , with a long history in design excellence and innovation. We were founder partners in the prestigious AHRC Doctoral Training partnerships, Techne and Design Star, and continue to support applicants towards Techne funding.

The wider University of Brighton provides a stimulating, creative and intellectually vibrant context for research. While you are likely to be based in the specialist School of Architecture, Technology and Engineering, our academic work draws on wider, collaborative potential from the Design and Craft and the Fashion and Textile areas of the School of Art and Media, Built Environment in the School of Environment and Technology, and Design History in the School of Humanities. Your PhD Design or PhD Architecture supervisory teams may include academics from these schools or the wider university.

We would particularly welcome approaches for supervision that reflect the following specialist research and enterprise strengths in the School of Architecture and Design.

• Design for society
• Design futures
• Sustainable design
• Practice-based design
• Systems thinking, systemic design and cybernetics
• Design in community, society and government
• Designing sustainable urban living
• Transforming design curation
• Design methods, theory, and ethics
• Educational practices in design
• Design history and theory (see also History of Art and Design PhD )

While considering supervision from the University of Brighton, you may like to explore the following PGR programme areas, too.

History of Art and Design PhD

Built Environment PhD

Some of our supervisors 

Dr tom ainsworth.

Tom Ainsworth is the Subject Area Lead for Architecture and Design and the MA Sustainable Design Course Leader. His supervisory interests are Social and Environmental Justices, Progressive and Disruptive Design Research, and Design for Health and Wellbeing.

Current Supervision

Chantal Spencer, University of Brighton. Working Title: Moving Beyond Participatory Models to Methodologies of Radical Intersectional Equity. University of Brighton Funded Scholarship.

Kristen Bullivant, University of Brighton. Working Title: Designing Sustainable Food Futures: a design anthropological approach to cultural value and culinary capital in shaping ‘sustainable’ diets. AHRC funded.

Sally Sutherland, University of Brighton. Working title: Design, Culture and Gender Matters: An Exploration of Design as a Socio-material Tool for UK Public Breastfeeding Research. AHRC Design Star funded.

Merryn Haynes-Gadd, University of Brighton. Thesis Title: Emotional Durability Design Nine: Developing a tool for product longevity. AHRC Design Star funded.

Examinations

PhD Examination, Giovanni Marmont, University of Brighton. Title: Nanopoetics of Use: Kinetic prefiguration and dispossessed sociality in the undercommons. AHRC Design Star funded

PhD Examination, Catherine Speight, University of Brighton. Title: Looking Understanding and Making Meaning: HE Ceramics Students as a ‘Community of Learners’. AHRC Funded.PhD Examination, Tobias Mulling, University of Brighton. Title: Embracing the Gestural Interface: Designing and Evaluating a Mid-air Gestural Approach based on Manipulation.

Dr Katy Beinart

I’m interested in supervising practice-based PhDs, particularly those that are interdisciplinary and combine aspects of art practice and theory with architecture/urban studies/spatial practice alongside other disciplines and practices (and may have a socially engaged or participatory element), and which might explore themes of migration, heritage, contested space and regeneration.

Current PhD Students: 

Ilenia Atzori: From ruins to community heritage: The role of storytelling in building a collective memory

Antony Dixon: Here is where we meet (Body, Matter and Things): A sensory investigation, through co-creative practice, of the misplaced and found.

Jessica Melville-Brown: Co-designing the future: An exploration into the development of new methods for creative engagement, examining the influence of gender roles, socio-economic and ethno-cultural factors in the co-design process with young people.

PhD Examinations: 

James O'Leary: Interface Architecture: Towards the transformation of Belfast's 'Peacewalls' through Situated Practice (Internal Examiner)

M Phil examinations:

Lida Driva: The Operation of the Hidden. Towards an understanding of architectural and urban space: the case of Omonia Square (External Examiner)

• Material innovation
• Design and craft aplication and cultural value and meanings of materials 
• Plastics, polymers and composites and 'alternatives
• Reuse and recycling 

Dr Jules Findley

Postgraduate supervision in Textiles, Fashion, Fashion Communication, Drawing, encompassing embodied materiality, my work in handmade paper and practice-based, installation art. More recently,  substantial research as co-investigator with an AHRC project in sustainabile materials in Fashion and Textiles. I am interested in waste in the Fashion, Textiles, Accessories and Leather industries, together with materials, circular economy, reuse and repurposing.  

Recent PhD supervision:

University of Brighton - Claire Dawson - Research Title: 'Clothing Reuse in the Circular Econonmy: An exploration of the challenges and opportuniteis for UK high street fashion brands' - [March 2023 - July 2029]

University of Brighton - Martin Irorere - Research Title: 'Closing the Fashion Sustainability Gap through textile Recycling: Evaluation of UK Gen-Z consumer attitudes, knowledge, and acceptance of textile recycling'. - [March 2021 - July 2026]

Anglia Ruskin University - Amanda Lavis - Research Title: 'Woven Language: A practice-based research investigation Exploring the Textile Praxis in Children's Book Illustration' [March 2021 - expected completion 2025]

External PhD Viva examination experience, University of Chester October 2020 - Georgina Spry -  'A New Felt Presence: Making and Learning as part of a Community of Women Feltmakers' 

Nicholas Gant

I have supervised and examined students relating to social and sustainable design (and the link between them) utlising propositional and constructive methods.

I welcome supporting projects that explore materials and making / materials and meaning making / material innovation, the valorisation of waste (through design and making) and circular economies. I lead research projects that engage design and making in the context of biodiversity, nature recovery, health and well-being and social empowerment as well as the co-design and use of craft, design and technology in empowering disengaged and / or marginalised groups and communities in neighbourhood development and participatory planning.

Dr Damon Taylor

My research centres around the relationship between the designed environment and the politics of action, particularly in relation to issues of embodiment and the ideology of the made world. I am interested in the history of ergonomics, the material culture of the British pub and the implications of cybernetic research. I take a transdisciplinary approach to the study of design, including methodologies such as design history, design studies, anthropology, social and cognitive psychology, and philosophy. I am interested in supervising projects concerned with design activism, social design, critical approaches to design, emotion and design, affect and design practice, the politics of design history, craft practice, and the relationship between design, craft and other disciplines. 

For further supervisory staff including cross-disciplinary options, please visit research staff on our research website.

Making an application

You will apply to the University of Brighton through our online application portal. When you do, you will require a research proposal, references, a personal statement and a record of your education.

You will be asked whether you have discussed your research proposal and your suitability for doctoral study with a member of the University of Brighton staff. We recommend that all applications are made with the collaboration of at least one potential supervisor. Approaches to potential supervisors can be made directly through the details available online. If you are unsure, please do contact the Doctoral College for advice.

Please visit our How to apply for a PhD page for detailed information.

Sign in to our online application portal to begin.

Fees and funding

 Funding

Undertaking research study will require university fees as well as support for your research activities and plans for subsistence during full or part-time study.

Funding sources include self-funding, funding by an employer or industrial partners; there are competitive funding opportunities available in most disciplines through, for example, our own university studentships or national (UK) research councils. International students may have options from either their home-based research funding organisations or may be eligible for some UK funds.

Learn more about the funding opportunities available to you.

Tuition fees academic year 2023–24

Standard fees are listed below, but may vary depending on subject area. Some subject areas may charge bench fees/consumables; this will be decided as part of any offer made. Fees for UK and international/EU students on full-time and part-time courses are likely to incur a small inflation rise each year of a research programme.

Contact Brighton Doctoral College

To contact the Doctoral College at the University of Brighton we request an email in the first instance. Please visit our contact the Brighton Doctoral College page .

For supervisory contact, please see individual profile pages.

• Skip to content
• Accessibility help

PhD opportunities

Mphil/ phd at the school of textiles and design.

We offer PhDs allowing students to specialise in a specific area of Research relating to technical textiles, sustainable design or cultural heritage.

Textile Science and Technology

Research in textile science and technology has developed to reflect the expansion of the technical textiles discipline, while still maintaining activity in important traditional textiles.Technical textiles encompasses a wide variety of functional products, and a key area is the application in medical and health care products.

Textile Design and Clothing Manufacture

The Research Institute for Flexible Materials (RIFleX), under the leadership of Professor George Stylios, carries out leading research at the textile/clothing interface, for example, in methods for measurement of textile aesthetics and for fabric mechanics.

MPhil/PhD Practice-Based Design

This common mode of research in the area of art and design and has grown enormously over the past decade. It involves the exploration of a subject of enquiry through practical work accompanied by a related text. The relative weight of these elements varies for each project.

PhD scholarship opportunities

We offer a limited number of James Watt Scholarships. Our scholarships are aligned to specific research projects and follow a competitive recruitment process.

"My PhD journey was like riding a rollercoaster, without help and support from my supervisors and academic staff I would not have completed the PhD degree. Furthermore, I have gained more confidence in my academic skills and am ready to work on an educational career path."

Pathitta Nirunpornputta , PhD Graduate

Postgraduate Programmes

We have a number of Postgraduate programmes in Fashion, Textiles and Design offered at both our UK and Dubai campuses.

• Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures
• School of Design
• Research degrees

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Our PhD course will allow you to become an expert in a specialist area and gain high-quality research training in Design. Your PhD can be taken full-time (three years standard, four years maximum) or part-time (five years standard, seven years maximum). We also offer a PhD by online learning. 

Structure 

Your research will be guided by supervisors with whom you'll have regular meetings throughout your PhD. Your supervisors will help you put in place an initial plan, provide guidance on your progress, discuss your findings, and set out your plans for the next stage of research. During your first year you'll work on a plan for your PhD project as well as a bibliography and will also develop a detailed research proposal with a literature review. This work will be submitted to a panel of examiners who will assess it and provide you with feedback and advice on the progress of your research to help ensure you are fully prepared for the next stage of your doctoral degree. 

The further years are mostly spent focus on writing your thesis which is examined by two academics (one external to the University). You'll discuss and defend your findings in a formal oral examination called a viva which is a way to further expand on your research and demonstrate your expertise in your chosen area of study.

Areas of supervision

Currently the areas of research support by the School of Design for PhD students are:

•    Archiving and Design History •    Art Practice as Research •    Colour and Imaging •    Experience Design •    Textile and Fashion Design •    Textiles Technology •    Visual Communication

These broad categories are reflective of the interdisciplinary nature of the School and we can usually support research in the area you are interested in. 

We have a range of funding available to support you in funding your postgraduate study. You can find out more about the full range of funding opportunities currently available through our  scholarships database .

Our postgraduate research fees are set independently and reviewed on an annual basis. For the latest information, visit the  University’s PhD fees website .

PhD by online learning 

We offer a PhD by online learning which is available to UK, EU and international applicants, allowing you gain an advanced degree from anywhere with internet access. You can study at the time and place that best suits you, and our part time options lets you study alongside work and other commitments.

For further information, please contact  Dr Pammi Sinha ,  Head of the Graduate School. 

Pre-sessional English

You can improve your academic English level to the standard needed to study a postgraduate research degree by taking one of the following pre-sessional courses:

• 6-weeks: Language for postgraduate researchers
• 10-weeks: Language for postgraduate researchers

If you need to study for longer than 10 weeks, you can find out more about our postgraduate pre-sessional English courses .

Alternatively, use our A–Z index

Attend an open day

Discover more about postgraduate research

PhD/MPhil Fashion Management and Marketing / Programme details

Year of entry: 2024

• View full page

Programme description

The Department of Materials encompasses an exceptional breadth of research and training in materials, from design and development, to performance and protection and management and marketing. Our multidisciplinary research activity covers broad, socially relevant materials themes that allow us to meet the needs of industry and society.

Our research is organised into eight research themes , although research projects often involve researchers in other groups, other schools, other universities and industry.

Our fashion management and marketing research focuses on various aspects of fashion apparel and textiles in a complex and global industry sector, such as consumer behaviour, online and omnichannel retailing, social media marketing, supply chain management and sustainability.

A research degree from the Department and the University is held in the highest esteem and recognised worldwide. Many of our fashion management and marketing graduates have progressed to successful academic careers and industry positions in reputable organisations worldwide. 

The Department provides first-class opportunities and facilities for our students to study specific subjects in-depth to a postgraduate research degree level through the Faculty's Graduate Development Training Programme as well as the opportunity to access Alliance Manchester Business School's doctoral research training programme. You will become part of a strong research culture in the Department, embedded through a programme research seminars given by research students, academic staff and external speakers, as well as an annual Postgraduate Research Conference.

There are flexible study packages available, as well as an extensive range of postgraduate research studentships and projects , and funding, scholarships and awards with many of our research students sponsored by a variety of Department, University and industry resources. 

Visit our research projects page to browse our range of currently available projects. 

Additional programme information

Equality, diversity and inclusion is fundamental to the success of The University of Manchester, and is at the heart of all of our activities.

We know that diversity strengthens our research community, leading to enhanced research creativity, productivity and quality, and societal and economic impact.

We actively encourage applicants from diverse career paths and backgrounds and from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation and transgender status.

We also support applications from those returning from a career break or other roles.

We consider offering flexible study arrangements (including part-time: 50%, 60% or 80%, depending on the project/funder), carer support funds for conferences, and peer support networks for parents and carers.

All appointments are made on merit.  The University of Manchester and our external partners are fully committed to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Scholarships and bursaries

In the Department of Materials we offer a range of scholarships, studentships and awards to support UK and overseas postgraduate researchers.

Funding is also available at university and faculty level and can be viewed on our funding page . Alternatively, you can use our funding database to find scholarships, studentships and awards you may be eligible for.

We'd recommend you discuss potential sources of funding with your supervisor before applying. They can advise what funding may be available to you, and ensure you meet nomination and application deadlines.

Disability support

MPhil/PhD at UCA

MPhil/PhD at UCA at UCA

A PhD is an advanced postgraduate qualification that will require you to plan and complete your own focused investigation into a subject you have chosen, and produce a piece of original research that contributes new knowledge to the academic community.

As a research student at UCA, you’ll have the option to choose a traditional or practice-based route for your studies. Whichever you choose, you’ll develop an original written thesis, and practice-based candidates will need to produce accompanying creative work. 

To find out more about research degrees at UCA, please see our Research Degrees information:

Research Degrees at UCA

Course entry options

Select from the options below to find out more about the different study options available for this course:

• Colleges and Institutes
• Accessibility --> Accessibility tools
• --> Subjects -->