Program Overview

---

Postgraduate Research

Study

Key information

Award:

MPhil

PhD

Study mode:

Full time

Duration:

3-4 years full time

Sciences and Engineering Research/ joint PhD with the University of Pretoria

The focus of the PhD Programme in Sciences and Engineering will be to perform research and generate new knowledge at the interfaces of sciences and engineering, with a transdisciplinary scientific approach. The programme will include topics in:

• Engineering (all disciplines)
• Engineering and Technology Management
• Computer and Information Sciences
• Environmental and Material Sciences

The Department of Engineering

The Department of Engineering has currently about 50 active research staff and covers a range of topics including:

• Communication & Information Engineering
• Design & Mechatronics
• Manufacturing, Materials & Systems
• Signals & Control
• Computational Engineering
• Data-Centric Engineering

The Department of Informatics

The Department of Informatics has currently more than 70 research-active academic staff and covers a range of topics including:

• Software engineering
• Systems
• Programming languages
• Artificial intelligence
• Machine learning
• Data science
• Computation finance
• Cybersecurity
• Quantum computing
• Computational finance
• Human centred interaction and design
• Ethics
• Computer science/artificial education

Partners

The Department has many partners both industrial and academic, and any individual PhD project may be associated to a partnership.

Programme Structure

In this programme, students will be jointly supervised by a staff member from each university. Supervisors should ideally be from different disciplines.

The final degree will be jointly awarded by KCL and UP.

Students on this programme will be required to select a home institution, where they will spend the majority of their study, and a host institution, where they are expected to spend at least 12 months of their study (consecutively or non-consecutively).

Admissions Tutor

The Admissions Tutor will be Dr Laura Lander in Engineering for Engineering students and Dr Ruba Abu-Salma in Informatics for the Computer Science Students.

How to Apply

1. Search our Research Themes to find your supervisor

Applicants for the Joint PhD programme must contact the relevant departments at both universities before applying in order to discuss the suitability of their topic for the joint programme and to locate potential supervisors.

We welcome applications and research proposals in a variety of areas, and are especially interested in receiving applications from students planning their research projects in fields that will enhance the strength of the Department’s research themes.

Applications should initially be submitted to the proposed home institution only, i.e., where the student will start and finish their programme. Students should note that acceptance onto the programme may take slightly longer than for single-institution PhDs because of the additional steps involved.

Applicants who choose King’s as their home institution should apply through the online system, selecting the appropriate Joint PhD option from the drop-down list. In addition to the standard supporting documentation, applicants should submit a Travel Plan form indicating how they intend to divide their time between the two partner institutions. Students must spend a specified amount of time in each institution, details of which can be found in the ‘Notes’ section of the Travel plan form.

It is recommended that students submit applications for the Joint PhD programme by the end of March to begin the following September.

Fees or Funding

For funding opportunities please explore these pages:

• List of funding opportunities
• External funding opportunities for International students
• King’s-China Scholarship Council PhD Scholarship programme (K-CSC)

UK Tuition Fees 2023/2024

• Full time tuition fees: £6,540 per year
• Part time tuition fees: £3,270 per year

International Tuition Fees 2023/2024

• Full time tuition fees: £28,260 per year
• Part time tuition fees: £14,130 per year

UK Tuition Fees 2024/2025

• Full time tuition fees: £6,936 per year
• Part time tuition fees: £3,468 per year

International Tuition Fees 2024/2025

• Full time tuition fees: £30,240 per year
• Part time tuition fees: £15,120 per year

These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King's terms and conditions.

The English Language Requirement is Band D.

Study Environment

We are a department with many internationally recognised researchers and visiting academics, large groups of PhD students, research assistants, national and international projects, collaborations with other departments as well as links with industry. We offer an exciting environment and excellent opportunities for research.

Our PhD students have access to good library facilities, designated PhD offices within the Department where PhD students can dock an assigned laptop for use throughout their studies. Regular group seminars are organised providing PhD students with the chance to showcase their research and receive feedback from academic staff and peers. PhD students also have access to college-based training in transferable and research skills.

The Department is located on the Strand Campus, in the heart of central London, close to the cultural activities of the West End and the South Bank, to the major departments of state at Whitehall, the leading financial institutions of the City and within easy reach of major transport links. Our facilities are close to the British Computer Society and the Institute of Engineering & Technology (and the IET Library), with access to a formidable collection of scientific journals and other technical material.

Our staff and students come from all over the world, which provides a rich environment for teaching and research. Diversity is positively encouraged.

Postgraduate Training

Faculty and College induction courses are scheduled at the beginning of your degree to prepare you for life as a PhD student. All students are required to complete 10 days of training each year. There is a centrally provided programme of related and transferable skills training coordinated by the Centre for Doctoral Studies.

Research students are also encouraged to submit papers to conferences, and we try to provide financial support for them to travel to present their papers. Our research students are also encouraged to teach alongside their studies to help prepare them for a potential future career in academia.

Entry Requirements

UK requirements

• Bachelors degree with 2:1 honours degree in an Engineering discipline or a closely related subject such as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry or Computer Science and a good background in the area of intended research.
• A 2:2 degree may be considered only where applicants also offer a Masters degree with Merit or above

Equivalent International qualifications

Select a country to view the equivalent qualifications.

English language requirements

English language band: D

To study at King's, it is essential that you can communicate in English effectively in an academic environment. You are usually required to provide certification of your competence in English before starting your studies.

Nationals of majority English speaking countries (as defined by the UKVI) who have permanently resided in this country are not usually required to complete an additional English language test. This is also the case for applicants who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree (of at least three years duration), a postgraduate taught degree (of at least one year), or a PhD in a majority English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI) within five years of the course start date.

For information on our English language requirements and whether you need to complete an English language test, please see our English Language requirements page.

Research Groups

• Communication & Information Engineering
• Design & Mechatronics
• Manufacturing, Materials & Systems
• Signals & Control
• Computational Engineering
• Data-Centric Engineering