Digital Media research degrees
The length of programme registration will be longer as it includes the maximum writing-up phase. See further details on how research degrees are structured at Hull and thesis submission expectations.
Research in Digital Media at the University of Hull is wide-ranging, interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary, covering topics as diverse as immersive design, narrative and animation, human-computer interaction, games design and development, commercial design and visual communication.
About our Digital Media research degrees
By employing real-world approaches, we develop projects that contribute to the creative economy nationally and internationally and offer practical components that drive research and innovations in cultural and creative industries.
We support students’ development into articulate and critical thinkers who are acutely aware of how their work engages with current scholarship, new and emerging technology, social issues and debates within the contemporary media culture landscape.
As a design and arts discipline, we do not expect high levels of technical proficiency in our researchers however a willingness to engage with advanced digital technologies is paramount. Some applicants are digital specialists and others are specialists in other areas that overlap with digital design from diverse domains including journalism, psychology, film-making and graphics.
During the three-year PhD programme (five years part-time) you will research and write a dissertation of 70,000 to 100,000 words on a topic chosen in conjunction with your supervisor
Research topics
Our academic experts welcome applications for postgraduate research across a broad range of topics.
The Postgraduate Training Scheme
It is now widely recognised by employers, professional bodies and research funding agencies that specialist expertise alone is not sufficient preparation either for research or a subsequent career. With this in mind, we require all our postgraduate research students to follow a research training programme relating both to their particular field of study and to generic skills; for example, information technology and communication skills.
Programme structure
Masters structure
| Full time | Part time |
|---|---|
| 1 year of research, with up to 12 months writing up if required | 2 years of research, with up to 24 months of writing up if required |
PhD structure
| Full time | Part time |
|---|---|
| 3 years of research, with up to 12 months writing up if required | 6 years of research, with up to 24 months of writing up if required |
Writing up and thesis submission
A standard full-time PhD programme comprised three years of research plus up to 12 months of thesis finalisation (also referred to as “writing-up”). Part-time is six years plus up to 24 months thesis finalisation if needed. Full-time standard Masters programmes are comprised one year of research plus up to 12 months of thesis finalisation needed; and part time Masters programmes have two years of research with up to two years of thesis finalisation.
For full-time students, the thesis finalisation phase should take three months but may be extended to one year without further paperwork. For part-time students, thesis finalisation should take six months, but may be extended to two years without further paperwork. The maximum thesis finalisation period is included in your overall programme length, which means that international PGRs will not need to apply for an additional visa to cover this phase.
If you need to move into the thesis finalisation period of your research degree, you must enrol for this phase and you will be liable to pay a continuation fee.
Thesis submission timelines
It is expected that you will submit your thesis within the timeframes outlined below:
Masters degrees
- Submission by one year and 3 months full-time.
- Submission by 2 years and 6 months part-time.
Doctoral degrees
- Submission by 3 years and 3 months full-time.
- Submission by 6 years and 6 months for part-time.
Entry Requirements
What do I need?
You should normally have, or expect to obtain, at least 2:1 Honours degree (or international equivalent) in a relevant subject or related Arts or Humanities subject.
You should submit a sample of your written work in the relevant subject of at least 4,000 words (for MA by Research) and at least 10,000 words (for PhD).
With your application, you should also submit a research proposal that should be tailored to your research area and should include the following:
- Project title
- Project synopsis (500 words)
- Series of research questions
- Discussion of research context
- Consideration of the research methods and methodology to be employed
Research proposals should not exceed 1,500 words in length (excluding bibliography).
Typical offer
2:1 in a relevant subject area
Fees & Funding
How much is it?
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