Postgraduate research courses in Computer Science

Students willing to develop their research skills and be part of the School of Computer Science's thriving research community can apply to join one of four research postgraduate programmes. The programmes are described briefly below. For information about the application procedure, eligibility, and availability of funding, please follow the appropriate link in each of the following subsections.

The School of Computer Science offers the following research degrees:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is a 3 or 3.5-year programme that is taken by the majority of research students in the School of Computer Science. The PhD programme does not include a taught component and is based on full-time research that concludes with the defence of a dissertation in a viva voce examination.
Engineering Doctorate (EngD) is a four-year research degree with a strong industry focus. EngD students take taught components at the University, with the research component taking place mostly in an industrial setting with a partner company or institution. Complete information about the programme and application procedures are available through the St Andrews EngD in Computer Science website.
Master of Science by Research (MSc (Res)) is a one-year full-time programme without taught components. Students work with a designated supervisor and obtain their degree based on the write-up of their research as an MSc (Res) dissertation. The MSc (Res) can be a stepping stone to doctoral study.
Master of Philosophy (MPhil) students follow a two-year course. The first year comprises two full-load semesters of taught MSc-level modules. The second-year is dedicated to a full-time research project supervised by a member of academic staff that concludes with the defence of an MPhil dissertation. MPhil students might switch into the second year of the PhD programme at the end of their degree, subject to their performance, availability of funding, and other circumstances (such as visa eligibility).

Computer Science at the University of St Andrews is a research-intensive School with a long tradition of awarding postgraduate research degrees. The St Andrews Research Repository has recent dissertations from postgraduate alumni.

The School prides itself on an inclusive culture that respects and values diversity. The supportive environment enables members of the School to grow as researchers within a collegial and friendly environment.

The School produces world-leading research at the highest standards in a range of disciplines. By the time graduate, postgraduate students become fellow researchers capable of discovery at an internationally competitive level.

Postgraduate students become members of the larger University of St Andrews postgraduate research community and live in a vibrant town on the beautiful East coast of Scotland. See the Why St Andrews pages for information on life and study at the University of St Andrews.

As a St Andrews postgraduate student in Computer Science you will also be part of the Scottish Informatics and Computer Science Alliance, a confederation of all Computer Science departments in Scotland that provides support to the postgraduate community through workshops, courses, events, summer schools, internships and the SICSA graduate conference.

The School especially encourage female applicants and underrepresented minorities to apply for the offered postgraduate research programmes. Admission is competitive, but candidate selection takes into account the motivation, skills and previous experience of candidates. If you are interested, please get in contact even if you are not sure of your eligibility or strength as a candidate.
Undergraduate degrees

Admission to PhD, MSc (Res) or MPhil degrees requires at least a good BSc or equivalent degree in an area appropriate for your proposed topic of study. This is usually Computer Science or Informatics, but it is not restricted to it and appropriateness of the previous qualifications is decided on a case-by-case basis. For a PhD, an MSc is not required, although many applicants do hold a MSc or equivalent postgraduate degree.

Language

See the language requirements section for further details on English language requirements for the University's postgraduate degree programmes.
Contact the School, even if you are not sure. You are encouraged to contact the School by email if you are considering applying, even if you are not completely sure if your qualifications are sufficient or if you are hesitant about what it is like to do research in St Andrews. The School has a wealth of information and can offer you candid advice.

Pay close attention to supervisor choice. It pays to know about your potential supervisor and their research interests. A potential supervisor will become your advocate through the admission and funding allocation process, and no places or funding is allocated without the potential supervisor's agreement.

Avoid spamming academics. Don't approach many potential supervisors with a generic email that does not demonstrate knowledge about the specific research of the academic; this is extremely unlikely to succeed. These emails are often discarded without a response. If you want to boost your chances of being offered a place or funding, be specific and focused, and do your research. You also do not want to be stuck on a research area that is not of interest and excitement to you.

Postgraduate research courses in Computer Science

Research community

Eligibility criteria

Advice for applicants

Funding and stipends