phd graphic 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:

• Staff & students

MPhil/PhD Design

Course information.

2-4 years full-time or 4-8 years part-time

Course overview

Goldsmiths’ Department of Design postgraduate research programmes offer you the opportunity to redefine design research in a community of design practice.

The MPhil/PhD programme in Design is aimed at practitioners and scholars of design, and those in related disciplines, who wish to develop a theoretically engaged, critically aware and empirically informed approach to design, design education, design research and design practice. The programme builds on and contributes to the Department’s internationally renowned approaches to inventive, experimental, and creative research where design’s relation to the social is placed centre stage.

Our programmes

Practice-based mphil/phd.

The practice-based programme explores new approaches to, or applications of, existing knowledge by means of design practice. For PhD, the research will create new knowledge by means of practice research. Your thesis will integrate an original body of practice and a written component providing critical analysis of your practice, critical assessment of relevant literature and practice and describe the method of research.  Assessment is by thesis and viva voce.

• MPhil includes a written component of between 20,000 and 30,000 words.
• PhD includes a written component of between 30,000 and 60,000 words.

Thesis-based MPhil/PhD

provides a written account of your research and contribution to knowledge on a subject related to design. The MPhil thesis will form provide a distinct contribute to the knowledge of a subject related to design and the PhD thesis will provide an original contribution to knowledge on a subject related to design. Both include a critical assessment of relevant literature and describe the method of research. Assessment is by thesis and viva voce.

Word count:

• MPhil has a written thesis of between 30,000 and 60,000 words.
• PhD has a written thesis of between 60,000 and 100,000 words.

Recent PhD completions include:

• Empirical Speculation and Prototyping Futures in the Refugee Crisis.
• The Housing Database Made Visible: Regenerative politics, participation and design.
• Re-scripting Organisations: Inventing the designer-in-residence.
• Curating Issues of Concern: Mediating critically engaged design.
• Making Algorithms Public: Rendering visible the operations and politics of algorithmic systems.
• Space for Boundary – Space as Place: An investigation into the design of architectural boundaries in residential mass housing, in the context of urban sustainability.
• Re-doing Patient Experience Through Design-led Research: Considering the multiplicity and ontological politics of multiple sclerosis.
• Designing the Future? How can speculation play a role in improving foresight for science and technology policymaking?
• Making Home: Agency, precarity and the internet of things.
• Designing for Ambivalence: A designer’s exploration of the competing discourses offered by smartphones to mothers and their young children.
• Controlled Prototyping Environments: Reconceptualising location through participatory and embodied design practice.
• What's Happening? Explorations in the strategising and unfolding of free-form design events.

Find out more about  research degrees at Goldsmiths . 

Funding Opportunities

Students on this programme will be eligible to apply for funding, including:

• CHASE funding . Please see the Fees & Funding section below for more details.
• SeNSS . Find out more about SeNSS Studentships and how to apply.

Browse our Scholarships Finder to learn about funding opportunities.

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Professor Alex Wilkie (programme convenor) .

Entry requirements

You should normally have (or expect to be awarded) a good 2:1 or 1st class honours degree, and a taught Masters in a relevant subject area. 

You might also be considered for some programmes if you aren’t a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that you have the ability to work at postgraduate level.

International qualifications

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification ) of 7.0 with a 7.0 in writing and no element lower than 6.5 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate-level study .

Fees, funding & scholarships

Annual tuition fees.

These are the fees for students starting their programme in the 2024/2025 academic year.

• Home - full-time: £TBC
• Home - part-time: £TBC
• International - full-time: £TBC

If your fees are not listed here, please check our postgraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office , who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.

It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time under a student visa. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.

If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment .

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page .

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments.

Funding opportunities

Find out more about postgraduate fees and explore funding opportunities . If you're applying for funding, you may be subject to an application deadline.

CHASE (Consortium for the Humanities and the Arts Southeast England) funding

Goldsmiths is one of nine leading research institutions that are part of CHASE, the Consortium for the Humanities and the Arts Southeast England.

CHASE funds more than 56 studentships per year. These studentships cover:

• Tuition fees each year (this is currently £4,327 per year for full-time study)
• A maintenance grant each year (this is currently £17,009 per year for full-time study; including London weighting)
• Funding for research training

For more information about applying for AHRC studentships, please see the  Consortium for the Humanities and the Arts South-East England AHRC funded Doctoral Training Partnership  (CHASE) website, and be sure to check guidelines for prospective students.

How to apply

You apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system. 

Before submitting your application you'll need to have: 

• Details of  your education history , including the dates of all exams/assessments
• The  email address of your referee  who we can request a reference from, or alternatively an electronic copy of your academic reference
• Contact details of a second referee
• A  personal statement – t his can either be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online

           Please see our guidance on writing a postgraduate statement

• If available, an electronic copy of your educational transcript (this is particularly important if you have studied outside of the UK, but isn’t mandatory)
• A visual portfolio if relevant (see below for details) 
• Details of your  research proposal

You'll be able to save your progress at any point and return to your application by logging in using your username/email and password.

Before you apply for a research programme, we advise you to get in touch with the programme contact, listed above. It may also be possible to arrange an advisory meeting.

Before you start at Goldsmiths, the actual topic of your research has to be agreed with your proposed supervisor, who will be a member of staff active in your general field of research. The choice of topic may be influenced by the current research in the department or the requirements of an external funding body. 

If you wish to study on a part-time basis, you should also indicate how many hours a week you intend to devote to research, whether this will be at evenings or weekends, and for how many hours each day.

Visual portfolio

For the purpose of the initial application it is recommended that you prepare a portfolio of material documenting your previous work. We typically ask for a ten-page annotated portfolio in the form of a PDF file which you can upload when you apply.

Research proposals

The proposal should be between 1,500 and 3,000 words in length (not including references). The key consideration in drafting the proposal should be clarity. 

Your research proposal should be organised using the following headings: 

• Title: be concise and explicit;
• Introduction: introduce the questions and issues central to your research / identify the field of study in broad terms / indicate how you expect your research to contribute to the field;
• Research background and questions: expand on your introduction – look at key sources, texts and approaches in the field / consider how your proposal differs from and contributes to existing work / consider how it extends our understanding of particular questions or topics / also briefly indicate how your previous studies, professional and/or other experience contributes to your understanding of the field and your preparedness for undertaking research training;
• Research design: outline the methodology you will employ / consider resources and facilities needed / forms of analysis;
• Schedule of work: how you plan to complete the project within the period of the award – this could include a timetable for researching and writing; 
• References: a list of works cited in your proposal, such as: books, journal articles, web sites and prior art and design. 

For more detailed information, contact the Design department by email:  [email protected]

The level of detail required under each heading will depend on the specific project. The key requirement is that the proposal communicates a clear programme of enquiry and investigation. It should demonstrate that you are capable of framing your own agenda for research and that you have a sense of the larger field to which you wish to make a creative and critical contribution.

Supervisors

An initial suggestion of who you think might be an appropriate supervisor for your research is useful both for directing your application to appropriate members of staff and in determining a good match between your research and the Department. Please see the description of  Design staff  research interests for details.

When to apply  

You can make an application to study for an MPhil or PhD with us at any time of the year, for the academic starting the following October.

We encourage you to complete your application as early as possible, even if you haven't finished your current programme of study. It's very common to be offered a place conditional on you achieving a particular qualification.   If applying for a Design Star studentship, please note applications typically close in February. 

If you're applying for external funding from one of the Research Councils, make sure you submit your application by the deadline they've specified. 

Selection process 

Admission to many programmes is by interview, unless you live outside the UK. Occasionally we'll make candidates an offer of a place on the basis of their application and qualifications alone.

Find out more about applying .

Learning & teaching

Postgraduate seminar series.

Design Matters is the Department of Design 's postgraduate research seminar series that both compliments the Goldsmiths-wide research training programme and delivers design-specific support to postgraduate design students.

The seminars take place on a regular basis over the academic year and are designed to support the requirements of students studying for written and practice-based doctorates. As such, the seminar series includes a rich and relevant mix of sessions including the practical demands that student’s face, such as the craft of writing, presentation skills and examination expectations and procedures, as well as scholarly issues, such as the strategies for undertaking a literature review, the methodological assumptions and the theoretical challenges of design research.

The seminar series also includes invited speakers, ranging from recently minted doctors to eminent design scholars who are asked to reflect on their academic biographies and provide guidance and insights on careers with a doctorate in design.

Design Matters seminars have, in the past, been complimented by The Design and Social Seminar Series, namely the Data Practices seminars. Here, students were given the opportunity to engage with scholars and practitioners involved in various data related interests, from citizen science projects to new forms of coding.

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Related content links

International

Accommodation.

Everything you need to know about student housing, private accommodation, how to apply and more

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• 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 .

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:

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Course type

Qualification, university name, phd design in england.

15 degrees at 13 universities in England.

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University of Gloucestershire

A design research degree offers you the opportunity and time to explore innovative research practice through original, critical works. Read more...

• 4 years Full time degree: £3,400 per year (UK)
• 6 years Part time degree: £5,100 per year (UK)

Design research degree MPhil/PhD

De montfort university.

With internationally renowned researchers, state-of-the-art facilities, a passion for interdisciplinary working and a focus on real-world Read more...

• 3 years Full time degree: £4,712 per year (UK)
• 5 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)

Modern Languages and Translation Studies PhD/MPhil - Spatial Practices and Diaspora

University of leicester.

Modern Languages at Leicester offers supervision for the degrees of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - full-time and part-time Master of Read more...

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• 6 years Part time degree: £2,393 per year (UK)

Design Integrated PhD

Brunel university london.

Research profile Brunel Design has a well-established record of research excellence, with multidisciplinary, product-related design Read more...

• 4 years Full time degree: £4,712 per year (UK)

Graphic Design and Typography PhD

Anglia ruskin university.

PhD research programmes will allow you to explore your own interests in the area of graphic design and typography, supported by the Read more...

• 2 years Full time degree: £4,712 per year (UK)
• 2.5 years Full time degree: £4,712 per year (UK)
• 3 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)
• 3.5 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)

University of Brighton

Student PhD research in design at the University of Brighton is embedded within an active research community whose supervisory support Read more...

• 7 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)

University of Southampton

We're proud to offer a supportive and creative environment in which to carry out your work, and we encourage interdisciplinary engagement Read more...

• 2 years Full time degree
• 6 years Part time degree: £2,355 per year (UK)

MPhil/PhD Design

Goldsmiths, university of london.

Goldsmiths’ Department of Design postgraduate research programmes offer you the opportunity to redefine design research in a community of Read more...

• 4 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)

Design Innovation PhD

Loughborough university.

The research agenda of the Institute for Design Innovation builds on the idea that design enables innovation through positive change in the Read more...

• 6 years Part time degree: £2,356 per year (UK)

Royal College of Art

As a research student in the School of Design, you may be designing an innovative object or system. The School of Design is home to Read more...

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Lancaster University

Your Design PhD at Lancaster can focus on one of a wide range of topics within Design or on a research topic that crosses different Read more...

• 36 months Full time degree: £4,786 per year (UK)
• 48 months Part time degree: £2,393 per year (UK)

University of Lincoln

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Design and Creative Arts PhD

We have a thriving doctoral research community made up of full-time and part-time UK, EU, and international students. Through the impact of Read more...

Course type:

• Full time PhD
• Part time PhD

Qualification:

Related subjects:.

Art and Design - PhD

Currently viewing course to start in 2024/25 Entry .

A PhD in Art and Design will help you create opportunities to develop research skills that support professional practice, research and/or academic careers within the fields of art, design and the creative industries.  You will study in a world-class research environment which enables both practice-led and/or entirely text based PhD research to be developed to the highest level.

• Level Postgraduate Research
• Study mode Full Time/Part Time
• Location City Centre
• Start date September 2024, February 2025
• Fees View course fees
• School Birmingham School of Art
• Faculty Faculty of Arts, Design and Media

This course is:

Open to International Students

A PhD in Art and Design will help you create opportunities to develop research skills that support professional practice, research and/or academic careers within the fields of art, design and the creative industries.  You will study in a world-class research environment which enables both practice-led and/or entirely text based PhD research to be developed to the highest level.

What's covered in this course?

A PhD enables you to follow a programme of self-directed, independent study, supported by experienced supervisors who are themselves experts in their area.  You will also be supported by the wider research community in Art and Design and you will have regular opportunities to attend research seminars, conferences and symposia.

Our PhD gives you the opportunity to spend time researching and developing a deep understanding of a unique area of interest whilst contributing world-leading insight to the academic specialisms in Art and Design at Birmingham City University.

It opens doors to other institutions and to world leading researchers and facilities as they take PhD research here seriously and they are interested in collaboration. It’s a two way process.

Why Choose Us?

• When you join us you will become a member of the thriving research culture in Art and Design at Birmingham City University across the Schools of Architecture and Design, Art, Fashion and Textiles, Jewellery and Visual Communication.
• You will study in a world-class research environment which enables both practice-led and/or entirely text based PhD research to be developed to the highest level. We support a range of thesis submissions, including a combination of written and practice elements as well as a traditional written thesis.
• Whether based in the contemporary Parkside building, or our historic School of Art and School of Jewellery buildings, our research students have access to dedicated workspace that acts as the hub of our PhD research activity. 
• You will be guided in your PhD research by a team of supervisors who you will meet on a regular basis to review your progress and plan your next steps.
• You will be encouraged to organise your research as a programme of professional and academic development tailored to your individual interests and career aspirations. For example, you can strengthen your PhD research and personal/professional development by participating in wider international research communities and conferences, and by helping to teach degree modules to undergraduate students.
• On successful completion of your PhD research degree you will have either contributed new knowledge or extended existing theory and understanding of an area of interest and significance within the fields of art, design and the creative industries.

Join us on campus where you'll be able to find out more about postgraduate research at BCU, meet our academics and learn more about financing your research degree. Booking for the next event isn’t open yet. Register your interest below and we’ll email you as soon as booking goes live.

Next Event: 29 June 2024

Research Interests

Research in Art and Design takes place within and across five schools (Art, Architecture and Design, Fashion and Textiles, Jewellery, and Visual Communication), as well as through faculty-wide clusters.

Real-world relevance is key to our work, and this is reflected both in the types of research that we undertake and the external funding that is generated by our researchers. Our researchers are frequently invited to organise and curate major global events and to speak to international audiences (including policy-makers and funding bodies) as well as disseminating their work through publications, exhibitions and performances. We recruit Postgraduate Researchers to study for PhDs aligned with our research clusters:

Art Activisms

The increasingly political dimension of contemporary art has given rise to a number of important questions about the role it plays in society today. We focus on the political dimensions of cultural production and, specifically, the extent to which art as a form of activism reflects upon, intersects with and, invariably, seeks to define debates within civil society, political movements, and social practices. In short, researchers in the Art Activisms cluster across all five schools aim to challenge and extend the potential of contemporary art to change the world. Supervisors:   Ravi Deepres , Anthony Downey , Andrew Gillespie , Dem Kargotis , Sabine Lettmann , Lisa Metherell ,  Theo Reeves-Evison ,  Sian Vaughan , Gavin Wade , Stuart Whipps .

Centre for Chinese Visual Arts (CCVA)

As a leading research cluster in the UK, the Centre for Chinese Visual Arts (CCVA) aims to foster new understandings and perspectives of Chinese contemporary arts, design, media and visual culture through curating exhibitions, interdisciplinary practices and academic research. With extensive regional to international partnerships, CCVA brings together artists, designers, curators and researchers who are working with, or are interested in the contemporary contexts of China, Hong Kong and Taiwan in order to share expertise, understanding, critiques and ideas of innovation. Using its unique position in the UK, CCVA continues its transcultural dialogues by questioning the existing histories of Chinese contemporary arts, design media and visual culture, while fostering new ways of thinking and modes of knowledge in relation to today’s global-Chinese situation. Supervisors:   Joshua Jiang , Lauren Walden , Jieling Xiao .

Centre for Printing History and Culture (CPHC)

The Centre for Printing History and Culture is a joint initiative between Birmingham City University and the University of Birmingham. It encourages research into all aspects and periods of printing history and culture, as well as providing education and training into the art and practice of printing. The Centre aims to provide a means of exchanging information, skills and expertise in printing history and culture; to engage in ground-breaking interdisciplinary research; forge partnerships in order to encourage the investigation and understanding of printing history and culture; and promote the transfer and exchange of knowledge of the subject amongst individuals and within communities and institutions. Supervisors:   Caroline Archer .

Craft Cultures

Craft Cultures provides a forum to explore the multidisciplinary characteristics of craft and its praxis. A core objective is to encourage research and understanding into all aspects of craftsmanship, from the creation of the object through the design, technology and material to the role of the object and how it engages and communicates with maker, wearer and audience. Craftsmanship is explored through two main themes: Craftsmanship as the creative endeavour - in the context of: heritage, contemporary practice, traditional and digital innovations, and the sciences; and Craftsmanship and its impact on - individuals, relationships, shared experiences and the wider society.  Supervisors:   Ann-Marie Carey , Sarah O’Hana.

Dress in Context

Dress in Context is concerned with dress in all its manifestations, and its relationship to the individual and society. Dress is not restricted to clothing and fashion in the conventional sense, but encompasses all forms of personal adornment and self-presentation. We welcomes doctoral projects that examine dress from a range of perspectives, including fashion theory and design, technology, psychology, sociology, literature, history, and art. The cluster includes researchers from a variety of backgrounds, and places emphasis on working collaboratively with academics from other institutions as well as building bridges to those from outside the academy. Supervisors:  Hye-Won Lim.

Material Encounters

Through the Material Encounters cluster our researchers extend and interrogate the boundaries of materiality within the context of contemporary art. The broad range of individual research concerns include interests in the collaborative idiom through co-creation, performance and participation and ethico-aesthetics. Notions of the body both as physical object, a vehicle for encounter, as embodied subject in the environing natural world of objects tie the diverse practice of researchers together. The cluster provides a critical intellectual space for the exploration of embodiment, subjectivity and aesthetic practices as they are encountered through material and theoretical investigations. Supervisors:   Catherine Baker , Lisa Metherell , Jacqueline Taylor , Esther Windsor .

Urban Cultures

Urban Cultures promotes and supports research projects on the changing pattern of art, crafts, architecture, and the urban environment in the context of both regional and global culture. We believe that design has a role to play in addressing these issues at a global and local scale. We aim to break new ground through an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach to research and design responding to climate change and sustainability alongside the focus on social and cultural values of space. Utilising innovative and emergent thinking, new design methods and advanced technology, engineering and fabrication, we critique, challenge and disrupt traditional thinking and develop radical alternatives to current conditions. Supervisors:  Jemma Browne , Sandra Costa , Rachel Sara , Hocine Bougdah , Katriona Byrne , Senem Sadri , Jieling Xiao , Yazid Khemri , Mersha Aftab , Alessandro Columbano , Michael Dring .

For further information on the Art and Design PhD programme at Birmingham City University, please contact the appropriate Research Degrees Coordinator:

• Dr Lisa Metherell
• Sian Hindle  (Craft Cultures, Dress in Context as well a broader Fashion & Textiles projects )
• Dr Jieling Xiao  ( Urban Cultures )

Fees & How to Apply

• International Student

UK students

Annual and modular tuition fees shown are applicable to the first year of study. The University reserves the right to increase fees for subsequent years of study in line with increases in inflation (capped at 5%) or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament. View fees for continuing students .

Starting: Sep 2024

• £4,786 in 2024/25
• Apply Online
• £2,393 in 2024/25

Starting: Feb 2025

International students

• £14,675 in 2024/25
• £7,338 in 2024/25

If you’re unable to use our online application form for any reason, please email [email protected] .The University reserves the right to increase fees in line with inflation based on the Retail Prices Index or to reflect changes in Government funding policies or changes agreed by Parliament up to a maximum of five per cent.

Entry requirements

To apply for our Art and Design PhD research degree you should have, or expect to be awarded, a Masters degree in a relevant subject area from a British or overseas university.

Exceptional candidates without a Masters degree, but holding a first class Bachelors degree in a relevant subject area, may be considered.

We also welcome enquiries from potential PhD researchers without formal academic qualifications but with appropriate levels of professional experience.

If you intend to take a practice-led research approach to your PhD study, then you will expected to show your portfolio as part of the application process, normally at the formal interview stage.

Please send us an initial PhD enquiry containing your brief PhD research proposal (max. 500 words), and/or any questions or queries you may have.

We will review your initial enquiry to ensure your research proposal compliments one of our PhD research interests and if so we will ask you to make a full application. 

English Language Requirements for International Students

Valid Academic IELTS certificate with overall score of 7.0 with no band below 6.5 or equivalent.

Research proposal guidance

Your research proposal in the full application should address the following areas:

  The Working Title of Proposal

  context of the research.

Explain why this research is needed. Outline previous work in the field (if any exists).

  Work experience

Mention any work that is relevant to your subject, highlighting the skills and experience gained.

  Research Question(s)

What are your aims and objectives?

  Methodology

Explain what methods you will use to conduct your research and why? Explain the reasons for your choice of methodology and why it is appropriate. Try and think of potential problems that you may encounter.

  Resources Required

Are there specific facilities that you will need to conduct your research (e.g. materials, hardware or software)? If so are these already in place? How do you propose to fund your research?

  Potential application and impact of your research

What do you imagine the wider benefits of this research will be? Who will be interested in your work?

  References

What are the key texts, sources and interlocutors that you are engaging with now, and plan to engage with during your research.

You may wish to upload supporting documentation, for example if you proposing research that will be practice-led or practice-based, then we will need to see evidence of your creative and professional practice.

Additional costs

As each PhD is an individual research project, it is impossible to specify what additional costs may be incurred. Whilst we are able to offer limited financial support towards the direct costs of research (e.g. the purchase of books or digital reproductions of primary sources; attendance at conferences and workshops, etc.) you may need to supplement this. Any potential costs should be identified in your application.

Course in Depth

The phd journey.

Our PhD in Art and Design gives you the opportunity to spend time researching and developing a deep understanding of a unique area of interest whilst contributing world-leading insight to the academic specialisms in Art and Design at Birmingham City University.

You will present your research developments regularly to supervisors and have opportunities to present to the research community at various events across the Faculty.

Full-time students are expected to complete within three to four years, whilst part-time students may take four to seven years.  In your first year (two years for part-time students) you will spend time reviewing the field and refining your individual PhD research proposal and projected plan. You will be supported in this by your supervisory team and through attendance at the PGCert in Research Practice, which runs for the first semester of your studies.  At the end of your first year (second year for part-time students) you will complete a Progression Assessment Panel.  Your second year (years three and four for PT students) is likely to be spent undertaking in-depth research in your chosen area, with the third year (years five and six for part-time students) focused more on writing, preparing and finalising the format of your PhD thesis for examination. Your thesis will present your findings in a suitable format for your research topic (whether that be through artwork, artefact, exhibition, performance, or as an entirely written thesis). 

On successful completion of your PhD research degree your findings will have either contributed new knowledge or extended existing theory and understanding of an area of interest and significance within the fields of art, design and the creative industries.

You will have proven yourself as a scholar, be an expert in your field and be eligible to use the title ‘Doctor’.

Supervisors and Support

As a PhD research student you will be guided through your programme of study by a team of supervisors.

Your supervisory team will include a Director of Studies whose role it is to ensure that you are meeting targets and following the correct processes and systems for conducting PhD research.

You will also be supported by a second supervisor (and sometimes a third) who will provide guidance based on their specialist knowledge of your specific PhD research interest.

You will meet with your supervisors on a regular basis to review your progress, receive advice and plan the next stages of your PhD research.

Modes of study

Our PhD programmes are offered full-time and part-time. We do also occasionally consider proposals for part-time distance learning. These modes of study ensure that we can create a PhD research plan around your lifestyle needs, even if you are in full-time employment.

Full-time PhD Research: three to four years

As a full-time PhD research student you will undertake much of your research on campus using the facilities at Birmingham School of Art, Birmingham School of Jewellery and/or the Parkside building as appropriate to your research project.

You will be expected to complete your research and submit your work for examination within 36-43 months.

Part-time PhD Research: four to seven years

You can chose part-time PhD research if you opt to study whilst in employment or if full-time study is impractical.

You will be encouraged to use the campus facilities when you can and may often work from home.

You will be expected to complete your research and submit your work for examination within 48-72 months.

Distance Learning PhD Research: four to seven years

Distance learning is possible, under carefully controlled circumstances, if you normally live outside of the UK but wish to conduct PhD research with Birmingham City University.

You will still be required to have some level of face-to-face engagement with us each academic year, often by conducting research on campus in Birmingham (UK).

Face to face research will be arranged for a period of time during the summer months, or at a mutually agreed time.

Employability

The value of a phd to employability.

The Doctor of Philosophy or PhD is recognised worldwide and is often an essential requirement for those wishing to follow an academic or research career in the fields of art, design and the creative industries.

Our Art and Design PhD research degree will help you create opportunities to develop research skills that support your professional practice. We recognise that in our fields academic work is often combined with professional creative practice in portfolio careers.

After the PhD

Our PhD graduates often continue their research through post-doctoral fellowships and academic posts. Our graduates have also gone on to successful professional careers in a diverse range of fields and role including as artists, designers, architects, consultants, curators, writers and managers.

PhD researchers funded under the Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Partnership have the opportunity to undertake industry placements as part of their research. For more information visit the Midlands4Cities website.

For those students not funded by Midlands4Cities, the PhD still allows you the opportunity to work with other institutions and companies as part of your research. You can discuss your options with your potential supervisors, if you feel a placement would benefit your research.

International

Birmingham City University is a vibrant and multicultural university in the heart of a modern and diverse city. We welcome many international students every year – there are currently students from more than 80 countries among our student community.

The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.

Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:

• Explore some of the good reasons why you should study here .
• Find out how to improve your language skills before starting your studies.
• Find all the information relevant to applicants from your country .
• Learn where to find financial support for your studies.

Further Information

Application process.

Before you apply for our Art and Design PhD, please send us an initial PhD enquiry  containing a brief overview of your PhD research proposal. This gives us an opportunity to discuss and focus your PhD research before you make your final online application.

 Send Initial PhD Enquiry

Facilities & Staff

Our facilities, birmingham school of art.

The Birmingham School of Art has a dedicated gold-standard peer review research journal,  Zetesis: The International Journal for Fine Art, Philosophy & the Wild Sciences , a professional gallery - ARTicle Gallery, and world leading press - ARTicle Press. Your research environment in the School of Art will include state-of-the-art metal workshops, print-making facilities and large studios all housed in the beautiful purpose-built 19th century Victorian building on Margaret Street, Birmingham City Centre. Located next to the city centre’s Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, the School is just a five-minute walk from the new Library of Birmingham and Ikon Gallery.

Birmingham School of Jewellery

Our internationally renowned School of Jewellery is the largest in Europe, with unrivalled facilities  and expertise. Located in the heart of Birmingham’s famous Jewellery Quarter, the School was founded in 1890. The Vittoria Street building’s historical facade conceals a contemporary environment including workshops, a specialist library, an atrium gallery and exhibition space.

The Parkside Building in the City Centre Campus  is home to the Schools of Architecture,

Fashion, Textiles and 3D Design, and Visual Communication. Our art and design students work from a core of workshops in the centre of the five-floor building, with studio space around them. There is also ‘collision space’ where students and staff from different courses will see each other to pass the time of day, and exchange thoughts and ideas. The Parkside Gallery is a leading art and design exhibition space within the Parkside Building, with an emphasis on, but not confined to, design-led practice.

Dr Sian Vaughan

Reader in Research Practice

Dr Sian Vaughan is Reader in Research Practice with expertise in doctoral education and creative research methods. She is Director of Research for RAAD – research in art, architecture, and design (REF UoA32) where she provides strategic leadership, coordination, and care for a growing community of researchers.

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• E: Contact the Admissions Team

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Why study with us?

We are well known for the scope and quality of our postgraduate research and the diversity of our doctoral community.

Life in the Department

Develop your PhD proposal

Find out about our areas of expertise, the modes of study we offer, and how we can help you to shape your research project.

Student research topics

Learn more about the breadth of doctoral research topics our students have been pursuing for more than five decades.

Fees and funding

The University allocates around 150 entry awards each year in PhD studentships and bursaries, so there are many ways to access PhD funding.

How we support you

Experienced, committed supervisors support your studies, alongside our  Doctoral and Researcher College , the University of Reading's hub for all doctoral activity.

Our research

95% of our research is world leading or internationally excellent and 100% of our research impact has been classed ‘outstanding’ or ‘very considerable’ (Research Excellence Framework 2021, combining 4* and 3* submissions – Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory; Typography and Graphic Communication).

Collections and archives

Our collections and archives of lettering, printing and graphic design are internationally important. We pioneered collections-based PhD research in our field.

Take the next step

• How to apply
• Get a prospectus
• Ask us a question
• Learn about the Doctoral and Researcher College

• Staff intranet
• Student intranet

What do you want to do?

Find out about the research we do in design.

• Design Integrated PhD

Find a supervisor

Mode of study

4 years full-time

International   £23,615

UK   £4,786

Entry requirements

Research profile.

Brunel Design has a well-established record of research excellence, with multidisciplinary, product-related design research grounded on strong engineering design traditions.  Research activities within the design programmes at Brunel cover a wide-ranging and diverse field of topics. Academic staff involved within these programmes combine human-centred design for autonomous vehicles, ageing demographics and healthcare systems; from incorporating sustainability in design by developing cleaner electronics, design for 3D and 4D printing, and incorporating social responsibility; to using innovative design for creative industries and information architecture.

Research in Design is organised according to the following thematic priorities:

• Human-Centred Design through inclusive design, design for ageing demographics, perception and enhancement.
• Sustainable Design through social responsibility, cleaner electronics and advanced materials and manufacture.
• Advanced Technologies through engineering methods, optimization techniques, computer-aided-design and other emerging technologies.
• Products, services and digital design through design innovation management, open design, design entrepreneurship, creativity, the digital economy, digital production and interfaces, and Information Architecture.

The department’s scope of research includes but is not limited to:

• Human Centred Design
• Trust in autonomous vehicles
• Inclusive Design and Design of Healthcare Systems
• Perception Enhancement
• Design and Sustainability - theory, methods and tools
• Design for 3D Printing (Additive Manufacturing) and Printed Electronics
• 4D Printing /  Shape Memory Materials for Additive Manufacturing
• Social impact of Distributed Manufacturing Systems
• Design Innovation Management
• Digital Design, Interfaces and Digital Production
• Open Design and Co-Design
• Social Innovation
• Pedagogy and Curriculum

Research students are welcomed as valued members of our thriving, research-intensive community in Brunel Design. Our doctoral researchers join the  Made in Brunel  team in annual  final year project showcase and lead-up events . In addition, our yearly Design Doctoral Symposium, as well as social events, enable you to foster vibrant connections with the outside research community. 

You will benefit from this integrated PhD programme immensely if you want to:  

• receive a more much guided and hands-on supervision of your learning and research process, especially if you come from more traditional teaching cultures
• increase your chances for timely completion of your PhD programme in comparison to students taking traditional route PhD, cutting down the expenses associated with prolonged study
• access to tailored, highly specialist research training not available as part of the support provided to traditional route PhD students
• maximise your chances for a successful research analysis by applying practical assignments and training which are part of the integrated PhD directly to the research you do for your thesis     
• receive an official Postgraduate Diploma in Research in addition to your PhD award to certify the completion of skills training which may be required by employers in some countries if you wish to pursue an academic career 

You can explore our campus and facilities for yourself by taking our virtual tour .

Our researchers create knowledge and advance understanding, and equip versatile doctoral researchers with the confidence to apply what they have learnt for the benefit of society. Find out more about working with the Supervisory Team .

You are welcome to approach your potential supervisor directly to discuss your research interests. Search for expert supervisors for your chosen field of research.

While we welcome applications from student with a clear direction for their research, we are providing you with some ideas for your chosen field of research:

• Additive manufacturing and sustainability, supervised by Eujin Pei
• Design fictions, supervised by Joseph Giacomin
• Design for meaning, supervised by Joseph Giacomin
• Development of an Optical Shape Sensing Method Using Optoelectronic Sensors for Soft Flexible Robotic Manipulators in Minimally Invasive Surgery, supervised by Yohan Noh
• Development of resilient hospitals through enhanced built environment design and research, supervised by Kangkang Tang
• Disruptive Digital Experiences, supervised by Harry Agius and Damon Daylamani-Zad
• Naturalness of autonomous vehicles, supervised by Joseph Giacomin
• Reliability Analysis of Adhesively Bonded Fibre Reinforced Polymer Composites, supervised by Sadik Omairey and Mihalis Kazilas
• Trust In Autonomous Vehicles, supervised by Joseph Giacomin

Research journey

The  Brunel Integrated PhD  combines PhD research with a programme of structured research, professional and subject training. The programme typically takes 4 years (compared to 3 years for a non-integrated PhD programme). On successful completion, you will be awarded a PhD with an Integrated Postgraduate Diploma in Research in your chosen subject specialisation.

The programme involves demonstrating through original research or other advanced scholarship the creation and interpretation of new knowledge, a systematic acquisition and understanding of a substantial body of knowledge at the forefront of an academic discipline or professional practice, the ability to conceptualise, design and implement a project for the general of new knowledge, applications or understanding at the forefront of the discipline.

The programme of taught modules runs in parallel to your research work during the first three years of study, with the fourth year providing time for you to focus on writing up your PhD thesis. The taught modules cover research and professional skills as well as providing discipline-specific content. The Brunel Integrated PhD aims to support an individual’s development as a research professional. It aims to produce researchers who are well prepared to embark on careers as academics or professional researchers. As well as the skills to conduct and disseminate high-quality academic research, researchers will develop a range of broader (‘transferable’) skills to help ensure that their work has an impact in the wider world.

Find out more here. 

This course can be studied 4 years full-time, starting in January. Or this course can be studied 4 years full-time, starting in October.

Find out about what progress might look like at each stage of study here:  Research degree progress structure.

Research support

Excellent research support and training

The Graduate School provides a range of personal, professional and career development opportunities. This includes workshops, online training, coaching and events, to enable you to enhance your professional profile, refine your skills, and plan your next career steps as part of the Researcher Development Programme . The researcher development programme (RDP) offers workshops and seminars in a range of areas including progression, research management, research dissemination, and careers and personal development. You will also be offered a number of online, self-study courses on BBL, including Research Integrity, Research Skills Toolkit, Research Methods in Literature Review and Principles of Research Methods.

Library services

Brunel's Library is open 24 hours a day, has 400,000 books and 250,000 ebooks, and an annual budget of almost £2m. Subject information Specialists train students in the latest technology, digital literacy, and digital dissemination of scholarly outputs. As well as the physical resources available in the Library, we also provide access to a wealth of electronic resources. These include databases, journals and e-books. Access to these resources has been bought by the Library through subscription and is limited to current staff and students.

Dedicated research support staff provide guidance and training on open access, research data management, copyright and other research integrity issues.

Find out more: Brunel Library

Careers and your future

You will receive tailored careers support during your PhD and for up to three years after you complete your research at Brunel. We encourage you to actively engage in career planning and managing your personal development right from the start of your research, even (or perhaps especially) if you don't yet have a career path in mind. Our careers provision includes online information and advice, one-to-one consultations and a range of events and workshops. The Professional Development Centre runs a varied programme of careers events throughout the academic year. These include industry insight sessions, recruitment fairs, employer pop-ups and skills workshops.

In addition, where available, you may be able to undertake some paid work as we recognise that teaching and learning support duties represent an important professional and career development opportunity.

Find out more.

UK entry requirements

The general University entrance requirement for registration for a research degree is normally a First or Upper Second Class Honours degree (1st or 2:1). 

An interview will be required as part of the admissions process and will be conducted by at least two academic staff members remotely via MS Teams, Zoom, or face to face.

Applicants will be required to submit a personal statement  and a research statement. Please contact your proposed supervisor, where possible, to receive feedback and guidance on your research statement before submitting it. Learn how to prepare a research statement  here .   

EU and International entry requirements

If you require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK, you must prove knowledge of the English language so that we can issue you a Certificate of Acceptance for Study (CAS). To do this, you will need an IELTS for UKVI or Trinity SELT test pass gained from a test centre approved by  UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and on the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) list . This must have been taken and passed within two years from the date the CAS is made.

English language requirements

• IELTS: 6.5 (min 6 in all areas)
• Pearson: 59 (59 in all subscores)
• BrunELT : 63% (min 58% in all areas)
• TOEFL: 90 (min 20 in all) 

You can find out more about the qualifications we accept on our  English Language Requirements  page.

Should you wish to take a pre-sessional English course to improve your English prior to starting your degree course, you must sit the test at an approved SELT provider for the same reason. We offer our own BrunELT English test and have pre-sessional English language courses for students who do not meet requirements or who wish to improve their English. You can find out more information on English courses and test options through our  Brunel Language Centre .

Please check our Admissions  pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants. This information is for guidance only and each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Entry requirements are subject to review, and may change.

Fees and funding

2024/5 entry, international.

£23,615 full-time

£11,805 part-time

£4,786 full-time

£2,393 part-time

Fees quoted are per year and are subject to an annual increase.

Some courses incur  additional course related costs . You can also check our  on-campus accommodation costs  for more information on living expenses.

Brunel offers a number of funding options to research students that help cover the cost of their tuition fees, contribute to living expenses or both. Recently the UK Government made available the Doctoral Student Loans of up to £25,000 for UK and EU students and there is some funding available through the Research Councils. Many of our international students benefit from funding provided by their governments or employers. Brunel alumni enjoy tuition fee discounts of 15%.

PhD studentships

• EDEM Drag Force Model Investigation of Predict Pick-up Efficiency of Gravel

Scholarships and bursaries

• Brunel Graduate Discount

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Dr Fraser Muggeridge

Fraser Muggeridge is Professor of Design at Leeds Beckett University. He also is the Director of Fraser Muggeridge studio and Founder of Typography Summer School.

Fraser's research focuses on the history of manual rotary offset printing, and designers who are using the print process as a creative process. Concerned with the contextualisation of graphic design and its relation to history, theory and practice, he is establishing a outward looking pedagogic platform with the school for bridge academia and industry.

Research Interests

• Manual offset litho printing
• Dieter Roth graphic design
• Typographic standards
• Independent publishing by designers
• Book spines
• The representation of books within books
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Graphic Design MA

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Explore the ever-changing landscape of graphic design to build critical understanding, design thinking processes, expand practical experience and learn insightful design solutions

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Why you should study MA Graphic Design at Middlesex University?

We take a problem-solving approach to graphic design to explore contemporary practice through design thinking, insight and co-design processes, prototyping ideas, and building expert collaborative networks with external partners.

We are a diverse collective, working across project areas of typography & information, brand identity & campaigns, new technology & digital experiences, design writing & insight analysis, sustainability & environmental issues, structural packaging and book design.

You can study this course in person, by distance learning or through a flexible mix of both modes. 

Based in the Grove, our £80 million Arts and Creative Industries building, and taught by some of the UK's leading practitioners from a range of disciplines, our course features world-class facilities and specialist workshops fitted with both new and traditional equipment, and these will be part of our blended learning approach available where possible. With opportunities to build industry contacts and exhibit your work externally, you'll also gain the employability skills, exposure and experiences you need to navigate a successful career path in today's competitive creative industries.

Course highlights:

• Fully equipped 3D workshops, laser cutting and 3D printing, printmaking and letterpress, digital printing, reprographics, bookbinding and fully equipped photography, animation and film studios, with expert technical support
• Each self-initiated project is tailored to each individual’s specialism and ambitions in industry, research, design writing, PhD or education, with the aim to establish expert links and specialist networks for each project
• You will exhibit your work externally, creating networking opportunities to build industry contacts in a professional environment
• You'll receive access to the Adobe Creative Suite for every module.

However you want to study, online, in person or a mix of both, please complete the same application form and we’ll contact you to understand your preference.

What you will study on the MA Graphic Design?

The majority of the programme will be centred upon developing and fully completing a substantial body of graphic design work towards an external public exhibition. This will be supported by research reports and regular presentations on the progress of the project. You will also address postgraduate research and critical debates in graphic design, working with students and staff from across the art and design postgraduate community.

What you will gain?

You will gain the skills and experience to produce professional graphic design work in any industry. The course will also give you the skills to independently plan, design, implement and evaluate graphic design projects from start to finish.

Explore: Design Perspectives (30 credits)

This module challenges you to define your advanced design aspirations, explore design perspectives, use strategic design processes and visually research and expand your interests, in line with your professional goals.

Focus will be placed on visual and other research findings to identify new ways of shaping conceptual thinking in order to create work within a range of ‘mini topics’ through physical engagement, evaluation and experience-based design. The aim is to initiate processes that interrogate the relationship between subject, context, audience and user, through modes of visual communication that constitute and also align with Graphic Design. The focus of study will be centred around multi-cultural viewpoints, traditional cultures in design, social and environmental impact, and the effect on place and region, to reflect the global perspective of the international student cohort.

Advance Research Skills (15 credits)

This module provides you with the knowledge and skills required to undertake independent academic research in Visual Arts and Design at postgraduate level.  By introducing you to contemporary and emergent research resources in the discipline; essential frameworks and tools for navigating research ethics in creative fields, linking to Middlesex University’s Research Ethics guidelines; and consolidating advanced knowledge of referencing conventions for academic integrity, you will be able to propose and structure a relevant research proposal for independent enquiry and investigation at Master’s level.

Contexts: Materials and Methods (15 credits)

This module helps develop your knowledge and skills in the research methods and materials pertinent to the contexts of your creative practice. Designed as a set of specialist elective seminar courses, led by a variety of researchers within the university, this module allows you to experiment and learn first-hand about the methods and materials used by the researcher and to gain and apply insights into knowledge at the cutting edge of Visual Arts and Design, and relate this to your own emerging research interests.

Collaborate: Real World Practice (30 credits)

You will be encouraged to evolve a distinct design language and negotiate a design specialism central to your professional practice, to identify appropriate design approaches. You will build a focused line of enquiry, centred around current debates and topical issues such as, community, health, environment and sustainable issues within the context of professional and creative practice, to consider specific audiences and design placement. You are encouraged to establish specialist networks, collaborate with cross faculty groups and build outside working partnerships, to foster interdisciplinary practice and specialist knowledge, to further enhance practice, to consider career pathways, employment opportunities and academic progression.

Contexts: Critical Review (15 credits)

This module aims to deepen the student’s knowledge and skills in the critical review of influential research pertinent to the contexts of their creative practice. Designed as a set of specialist elective seminar courses led by a variety of researchers within the university, this module allows the student to experiment with new areas of knowledge and deepen their critical understanding of the wider contexts for their creative practice.

Positioning your research (15 credits)

This module aims to develop you as a confident researcher and communicator and to provide a showcase opportunity for the student to engage in peer review and public debate as a means for professional development and consolidation of the research scope, methods, context, and practice of your Master’s project.

Realise: Making Public (60 credits)

The final module of the programme enables you to reflect on your subject knowledge, critical evaluation, contextual awareness, and design discoveries made in the previous modules to present a rigorously investigated and detailed final design collection. The final outcomes will identify and utilise research and design methodologies to promote interrelationships between design theory, subject specialism, and practice in the realisation of a final collection and the process of making it public. Each sequential module to date has provided a platform to visually investigate, contextualise subject references, critically reflect, propose new design strategies, and consider appropriate design responses that question contemporary graphic design practice. Emphasis is placed throughout the study on the importance of social, environmental, cultural and community contexts, audience engagement and positioning of the work to create maximum impact where communication is central. A final design collection will conclude the year and a design project research publication represents the journey taken, to identify design methodologies, collaborative partnerships, and specialist design skills. The final work will be presented and made public to reflect the professional context of the project.

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You'll be taught by an experienced teaching team with a wide range of expertise and professional experience.

How we'll teach you

Coursework and assessments.

We are regularly reviewing and updating our programmes to ensure you have the best learning experience. We are taking what we have learnt during the pandemic and enhancing our teaching methods with new and innovative ways of learning.

We aim to model a wide range of teaching strategies and approaches on the course which you can adapt to your own setting.

How is the MA Graphic Design taught?

This course is flexibly designed to put you at the centre of your learning by using a range of teaching and assessment approaches that take into account your individual interests, abilities and ambitions as a graphic designer.

The MA Graphic Design can be studied in person, by distance learning or through a flexible mix of both modes. If you intend to study through the distance learning mode this should be indicated on your application form. This means you can also tailor not just what you learn but also how you learn. Please complete the same application form and we’ll contact you in September to understand your preference.

Note: for international students, if you intend to apply for a student route visa to study this course, you will only be able to undertake the in person on campus option

Each module is designed to build on from each other or feed into each other, enabling you to build on specific interests, identify areas of graphic design you wish to work within, and develop collaborative partnerships, to build opportunities to embed work within an industry setting or network for future industry opportunities.

As part of your learning, you'll be required to actively participate in activities and engage with your fellow students, both individually and collaboratively, working and learning as part of a small group and as an individual designer.

The course promotes curiosity and encourages you to actively take risks to discover new opportunities, to tackle ambitious, innovative and contemporary design themes that meet the needs of tomorrow's designers to take a lead role in the creative industries.

Outside of these hours, you’ll be expected to do independent study where you read, listen and reflect on other learning activities. This can include preparation for future classes. In a year, you’ll typically be expected to commit 1200 hours to your course across all styles of learning. If you are taking a placement, you might have some additional hours.

Definitions of terms

• Led by your tutors including seminars, lab sessions and demonstrations We’ll schedule all of this for you
• Student-led by you and other students, like small group work and presentations.
• Live online learning – This will include lectures, tutorials and supervision sessions led by your tutor and timetabled by us. It also includes student-led group work that takes place online
• Tutor set learning activities – This covers activities which will be set for you by your tutor, but which you will undertake in your own time. Examples of this include watching online materials, participating in an online discussion forum, completing a virtual laboratory or reading specific texts. You may be doing this by yourself of with your course mates depending on your course and assignments. Outside of these hours, you’ll also be expected to do further independent study where you’ll be expected to learn, prepare, revise and reflect in your own time.

Where will I study?

You will be based at our north London campus, online or both.

Your skills, knowledge and understanding will be entirely assessed by coursework including practical projects, oral presentations and supporting written work. There are no exams. Your major project will require you to develop a design project of your choice.

Academic support

You have a strong support network available to you to make sure you develop all the necessary academic skills you need to do well on your course.

Our support services will be delivered online and on campus and you have access to a range of different resources so you can get the help you need, whether you’re studying at home or have the opportunity to come to campus.

You have access to one to one and group sessions for personal learning and academic support from our library and IT teams, and our network of learning experts. Our teams will also be here to offer financial advice, and personal wellbeing, mental health and disability support.

North London campus

Our north London campus is 23 minutes away by underground train, travelling from London Kings Cross.

Our Sheppard Library provides a wide range of resources and support to help you to succeed in your studies.

Over 1,000 study spaces including rooms for group study and over 500 computers available.

We have one of London's biggest and best university campuses with everything you need in one place.

Student support.

We offer lots of support to help you while you're studying including financial advice, wellbeing, mental health, and disability support.

Additional needs

We'll support you if you have additional needs such as sensory impairment or dyslexia. And if you want to find out whether Middlesex is the right place for you before you apply, get in touch with our Disability and Dyslexia team .

Our specialist teams will support your mental health. We have free individual counselling sessions, workshops, support groups and useful guides.

Work while you study

Our Middlesex Unitemps branch will help you find work that fits around uni and your other commitments. We have hundreds of student jobs on campus that pay the London Living Wage and above. Visit the Middlesex Unitemps page.

How can the MA Graphic Design support your career?

This course will prepare you for a diverse range of design careers within the creative industries such as graphic designer, picture editor, packaging designer, web designer, freelance designer and illustrator, brand designer, retail designer, art director and similar managerial positions. This course is also well suited to those looking to pursue careers in further research and teaching about Graphic Design. With strong links to art and design employers across the UK and internationally we’ll assist you in finding and securing professional opportunities while you study with us and after your graduate.

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Qualifications

• We normally require a good honours degree 2:2 or above, or equivalent qualification, in an appropriate subject
• We also consider candidates with other relevant qualifications
• Those without formal qualifications need to demonstrate three years' relevant work experience and the ability to study at postgraduate level.

Academic credit for previous study or experience

If you have relevant qualifications or work experience , academic credit may be awarded towards your Middlesex University programme of study. 

We accept the equivalent of the below qualifications from a recognised overseas qualification. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from your country support page .

If you are unsure about the suitability of your qualifications or would like help with your application, please contact your nearest regional office for support.

Visas 

You will not need a visa to study in the UK if you are a citizen of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland. If you are a national of any other country you may need a visa to study in the UK. Please see our visas page  for further information.

English language requirements 

You must have competence in English language to study with us. The most commonly accepted evidence of English language ability is IELTS 6.5 (with minimum 6.0 in all components). We also normally require Grade C GCSE or an equivalent qualification. 

If you don't meet our minimum English language requirements, we offer an intensive p re-sessional English course.

Applications for postgraduate study should be made directly to the university. 

Portfolio review

The application is the first step in our selection process. You will need to submit a portfolio of your art and design work. We may also invite you to an interview. We’ve put together some simple notes to help you prepare:

• Be selective about the work you show while continuing to show a range of skills and ability
• Show mostly recent work that you are most proud of
• Consider how to present your work and the impression the overall look of your portfolio will have on the viewer
• We like to see lots of work but don't overfill your portfolio - you should be able to carry it by yourself!

You do not need to bring large pieces of 3D work, photographs are sufficient.

Sketchbooks are extremely important. They should be a 'diary' of your thinking and include observational and speculative drawings/sketches communicating a visual sensitivity.

We also look for evidence of how you develop and work through your ideas. Include photographs and collected images and importantly your reaction to them, but avoid letting your sketchbooks be merely scrapbooks.

The fees below are for the 2024/25 academic year.

UK students 1

Full-time students: £10,500 Part-time students: £70 per credit Part-time students: £35 per dissertation credit

International students 2

Full-time students: £16,800 Part-time students: £112 per credit Part-time students: £56 per dissertation credit

Course costs

The following course-related costs are included in the fees:

• All printing and copying required for your study
• Self-service laptops available for loan for a maximum of 24 hours

The following course-related costs are not included in the fees, and you may be required to purchase these to complete the course. The costs are approximate and may change due to changes in pricing at the retailer;

• Optional visits.
• Privately printed books.
• Excessive printing of dummy books etc.
• 3d materials for laser cutting or 3d printing
• Materials for fabric printing.

Financial support

We offer lots of support to help you with fees and living costs. Check out our guide to student life on a budget and find out more about postgraduate funding .

Postgraduate scholarships

You may be eligible for one of our scholarships including:

• The Alumni Postgraduate Award – as an undergraduate student continuing postgraduate studies at Middlesex, you can apply for 20% off your fees
• The Commonwealth Scholarship – full course fees, airfares and a living allowance
• The Chevening Scholarship – full course fees
• The European Academic Awards – £1000 to £7000 for students showing academic excellence
• Regional or International Merit Award –up to £2,000 towards course fees.

For international students, we also have a limited number of other awards specific to certain regions, and work in partnership with funding providers in your country to help support you financially with your study.

Find out more about our postgraduate scholarships .

Help from your employer

Your employer can contribute towards the cost of your postgraduate study as part of their staff development programme.

Fees disclaimers

1. UK fees: The university reserves the right to increase undergraduate tuition fees in line with changes to legislation, regulation and any government guidance or decisions. The tuition fees for part-time UK study are subject to annual review and we reserve the right to increase the fees each academic year by no more than the level of inflation.

2. International fees: Tuition fees are subject to annual review and we reserve the right to increase the fees each academic year by no more than the level of inflation.

Any annual increase in tuition fees as provided for above will be notified to students at the earliest opportunity in advance of the academic year to which any applicable inflationary rise may apply.

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We’ll carefully manage any future changes to courses, or the support and other services available to you, if these are necessary because of things like changes to government health and safety advice, or any changes to the law.

Any decisions will be taken in line with both external advice and the University’s Regulations which include information on this.

Our priority will always be to maintain academic standards and quality so that your learning outcomes are not affected by any adjustments that we may have to make.

At all times we’ll aim to keep you well informed of how we may need to respond to changing circumstances, and about support that we’ll provide to you.

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