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Queen's University Belfast

Computer Science - Research

Programme Overview
The School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EEECS) aims to enhance the way we use technology in communication, health services, data security and many other related areas.

Pioneering research is the lifeblood of the school and is evidenced by the most recent Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), in which over 80% of the school's research was judged to be internationally excellent or world leading.

Within the School we have a number of specialist research centres including a Global Research Institute, specialising in Cyber Security, Wireless and Data Science, the Institute of Electronics, Communications and Information Technology (ECIT) and the Centre for Intelligent and Autonomous Manufacturing Systems.

The School currently has over 100 PhD students from 40 countries worldwide, and therefore enjoys the many benefits that this brings to its research community. Many PhD studentships attract scholarships and top-up supplements. Both the MPhil and PhD programmes provide our students with the opportunity to acquire an extensive training in research techniques.

Entry requirements

Graduate
The minimum academic requirement for admission to a research degree programme is normally an Upper Second Class Honours degree from a UK or ROI HE provider, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University. Further information can be obtained by contacting the School.

International Students
For information on international qualification equivalents, please check the specific information for your country.

English Language Requirements

Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.0, with not less than 5.5 in any component (*taken within the last 2 years) is required.

International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.

For more information on English Language requirements for EEA and non-EEA nationals see: www.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs.

If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.
•Academic English: an intensive English language and study skills course for successful university study at degree level
•Pre-sessional English: a short intensive academic English course for students starting a degree programme at Queen's University Belfast and who need to improve their English.

Duration

A PhD is awarded for original research in a topic chosen by the student. PhD studies may be undertaken on a full (3 years) or part-time (6 years) basis.

Mode of study/Duration
Registration is on a full-time or part-time basis, under the direction of a supervisory team appointed by the University. You will be expected to submit your thesis at the end of three years of full-time registration for PhD, or two years for MPhil/MD (or part-time equivalent).

Careers or further progression

Introduction
For further information on career opportunities at PhD level please contact the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences Student Recruitment Team on askEPS@qub.ac.uk.

Our advisors - in consultation with the School - will be happy to provide further information on your research area, possible career prospects and your research application.

Further enquiries

People teaching you
Ms Elaine Cranston
Electronics,Elec&Comp Science
Email: e.cranston@qub.ac.uk

Comment

Research students are appointed a primary and secondary supervisor who will guide them through their research

Application date

How to Apply
Apply using our online Postgraduate Applications Portal go.qub.ac.uk/pgapply and follow the step-by-step instructions on how to apply.

Find a supervisor
If you're interested in a particular project, we suggest you contact the relevant academic before you apply, to introduce yourself and ask questions.

To find a potential supervisor aligned with your area of interest, or if you are unsure of who to contact, look through the staff profiles linked here.

www.qub.ac.uk/Study/PostgraduateStudy/Postgraduate-research/find-phd-sup...

You might be asked to provide a short outline of your proposal to help us identify potential supervisors.

Postgraduate Research
There is no standard closing date. You should however check both the University's website and refer to the relevant School/Institute webpage for information on deadline dates for postgraduate funding applications, as these will also determine when your application for admission should be submitted.

Research areas

Research information

Associated Research
Research within the School is organised into research themes.
The research clusters combine strengths by working together on major projects, in many cases in collaboration with key technology companies.

HPDC has been successful in attracting substantial DTI funding for projects (around £3-4m), which have produced exemplary demonstrations of Grid technology in real applications.
KDE researches theoretical and application-oriented issues in soft computing, addressing the latest development and applications of knowledge and data systems for solving extensive, complex, technological socio-economic problems. Different techniques in the design of advanced knowledge systems are developed and research directions are investigated.
SIVS carries out research in intelligent video surveillance, 3D medical imaging and speech processing. This cluster has also attracted several million pounds in funding for both fundamental and applied speech, image and video applications within the framework of the ECIT institute, a major new cross-disciplinary development in conjunction with Electronic Engineering.

ECIT brings together internationally recognised research groups specialising in key areas of advanced digital and communications technology.
CSIT brings together research specialists in complementary fields such as data security, network security systems, wireless-enabled security systems, and intelligent surveillance systems, and serves as the national point of reference for knowledge transfer in these areas. As well as collaborating to widen perspectives in the other clusters, KDE has used external funding to produce substantial research outputs and technology transfer in the areas of adaptability, optimisation, reasoning under uncertainty, data mining, and knowledge integration.