Research Degrees in
in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Do you want to advance or change your career, deepen your expertise in a topic, or expand your research and practical skills?
With a PhD or other postgraduate research degree in the areas of Information and Communications you will:
We can supervise topics that apply quantitative and/or qualitative methodologies to the study of Communications and Media, Information Management, and Information Access.
We can supervise projects on topics such as:
We undertake vital research on Information and Communications. Our research is committed to delivering real-world enhancements, whether through improving the design, usefulness and usability of technologies, or expanding understanding of how new technologies can transform social life.
We are home to the Centre for Research in Libraries, Information and Media (CeRLIM), which undertakes research in information, its technology and communications. The centre aims to contribute to the development of information systems and media through understanding the human and social dimension. The centre collaborates with colleagues across other disciplines to analyse areas relating to Digital Humanities, Cultural Heritage, Corpus Linguistics, Web Development and User Experience.
We have also recently launched our new Research Centre for Applied Social Sciences. This centre is committed to undertaking interdisciplinary social sciences research that makes a real policy impact at a local, regional, national and global level.
Our postgraduate researchers are a key part of our social and intellectual environment. You will be a member of our Postgraduate Arts and Humanities Centre (PAHC). PAHC is a dedicated forum for postgraduate students in the Arts and Humanities. It provides:
Find out more about the different research degrees we offer
The majority of our students enrol in October. We offer further enrolment points in January and April.
Research degrees are available to study on-campus or through distance learning.
Studying information and communications puts you at the forefront of social, cultural and industrial change. As a postgraduate researcher, you will develop an expert understanding of the contemporary media and technology landscape, and you will be equipped with the necessary skills to evaluate and shape that landscape.
You will have the opportunity to develop working relationships with practitioners from the media industry and the library & information professions. Our location in the heart of Manchester – an ever-expanding digital technology hub – provides a wealth of networking opportunities and external expertise.
Our rigorous training opportunities will also equip you with the necessary skills to pursue academic careers in a range of social science disciplines.
This course is research based. You will independently conduct research into your own topic or a topic that we advertise. Your supervisory team will offer expert guidance throughout your studies and review work in progress.
Each year, you will follow a programme of training and development to enhance your research methods, subject-matter expertise and professional skills.
Please refer to our Fees page for more information on tuition fees.
Many of our PhD and Professional Doctorate programmes are eligible for the government's Doctoral Loan Scheme. MPhil and MA/MSc by Research degrees are eligible for a Postgraduate Loan.
Each year we offer a number of competitive scholarships to support high quality research projects. Current scholarship opportunities in Information and Communications are advertised on our site.
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We are a member of the North West Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership which allows us to offer fully funded scholarships in the Arts and Humanities. Please contact us for more information.
You should, as a minimum, have a first or 2.1 honours degree or an equivalent qualification.
International students must demonstrate a sufficiently high standard of English language ability. In order to enter most postgraduate courses the English requirements are IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 575, and TOEFL computer-based 230.
We welcome interest from applicants from non-standard backgrounds. We will take subject knowledge, professional experience, publications, or other appropriate evidence of accomplishment into consideration.
See more about our standard entry requirements.
Before applying for a research degree, you should have a preliminary discussion with a member of staff about your project and ideas. For an informal discussion please contact Dr Marijana Macis, the Research Degrees Coordinator for Languages, Linguistics, Information and Communications.
For further information on the application process, contact the Admissions team at pgradmissions@mmu.ac.uk.
To apply for this degree, please select one of the study options below to begin your application.
Before you apply, you should discuss your project with a member of academic staff. You should also complete the postgraduate research degree thesis proposal form, which you will need to upload as part of your application. The document can be attached at the final checklist section after you’ve submitted your application.