PhD Programme

The CDT delivers a PhD programme in Computing Science and Psychology with Integrated Study. The programme includes two stages:

Stage 1:

10 taught courses for a total of 120 credits (Year 1); some cohort building events and a chance to shape the PhD project with the supervisors.

Stage 2:

A PhD project under the supervision of two academics or one academic and one industrial partner (Year 2-4).

Stage 1 (Year 1)

Fully Complete

During Stage 1,  students completed 10 courses for a total of 120 credits. For every course, students were required to complete coursework and/or exams.

In order to progress to Stage 2 of the PhD programme, students were required to achieve a minimum grade of D3 for each course. Alternatively, there was an option to obtain a MSc in Computing Science and Psychology by undertaking a 60 credit project.

Semester 1

TitleCreditsCourse Type
Computational Social Intelligence10Core
Programming for AI20Core
Data Skills for Reproducible Research20Core
Cognitive Brain Imaging Methods20Core
Cumulative credits 70

Semester 2

TitleCreditsCourse Type
Automatic Analyses of Human Behaviour10Core
Introduction to Social Theory for Researchers20Core
Transdisciplinary Team Science10Core
Mobile Human-Computer Interaction10Option 1
Conversational Interfaces10Option 2
Cumulative credits120

Summer

TitleCreditsCourse Type
MSc Project* ( COMPSCI5098P or PSYCH5098P )60Core
Cumulative credits 180

*MSc exit route only.

Stage 2 (Years 2-4)

Still Ongoing

During years 2-4, students are expected to carry out the PhD project they selected at the beginning of the application process.

During this period, the students are supervised by a team that includes either two academics belonging to the supervisory team or one academic belonging to the supervisory team  and one industrial partner.

Students are expected to complete and submit their thesis during by the end of the 4th year of the PhD programme. Funded extensions are only granted in documented exceptional cases (health issues, personal difficulties, etc.). Decisions regarding possible extensions are made by the CDT (in consultation with UKRI where necessary).

Cohort Training

During the entire PhD programme (Years 1-4), students are expected to participate in various cohort training activities that include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Tutoring other students (e.g., students with a technology background helping students with a psychology background in technology oriented courses and vice versa)
  • Designing and organising workshops and/or training events focusing on specific topics relevant to the CDT (e.g., ethics in AI, legal aspects of socially intelligent applications, etc.)
  • Internships and Research visits to industrial partners and other relevant bodies (at least three months over the course of the programme)
  • Participation in meetings with the CDT Directors
  • Participation in training in Responsible Research Innovation
  • Design and organisation of public engagement events (visits to schools, demonstration of technologies for the lay audience, contacts with the press, etc.)

Participation in the Cohort Training activities is a requirement, not optional.