Programme

The CDT offers a PhD 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)

During the first year,  students are expected to attend the 10 courses for a total of 120 credits. For every course, students should submit the assessed coursework and pass the exam.

Condition for admission to the second stage of the programme is obtainment of  at least a D3 grade for every course. Should a student fail to fulfil such a requirement, there will be the possibility to do a 60 credits project and obtain a MSc in Computing Science and Psychology.

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)

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 will be 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 years 2-4 of the programme. Extensions of the funding will be granted only in documented exceptional cases (health issues, personal problems, etc.). The decision about possible extension will be made by the CDT Board (in consultation with UKRI if necessary).

Cohort Training

During the entire programme (Years 1-4), students are expected to participate in 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 3 months over the course of the programme)
  • Participation in meetings with the CDT Board
  • 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.