47 PhD programmes offered by the university

The Biological Sciences programme offered by Queen's University Belfast develops advanced expertise in the mechanisms of living systems, preparing researchers to generate discoveries that address challenges in nutrition, wellbeing, environmental sustainability, and biodiversity conservation.

The Finance programme offered by Queen's University Belfast develops advanced expertise in financial markets, institutions, investment analysis, and financial decision-making, preparing researchers to investigate contemporary challenges in finance using rigorous analytical and quantitative approaches.

The Accounting programme offered by Queen's University Belfast brings together expertise in accounting, accounting change, budgeting, governance, performance management and reporting in not-for-profit and public sector organisations.

The Media and Broadcast programme offered by Queen's University Belfast develops advanced research expertise in media cultures, broadcasting, digital media, communication, and creative practice, enabling students to produce original scholarly or practice-led contributions to contemporary media research.

The Social Policy programme offered by Queen's University Belfast develops advanced research expertise in social welfare, inequality, wellbeing, public policy, and social change, enabling students to investigate complex societal challenges through multidisciplinary research with local and global impact.

The Nursing and Midwifery programme offered by Queen's University Belfast develops advanced expertise in healthcare research, innovation, and evidence-based practice, preparing researchers to improve health outcomes across the lifespan through the design, evaluation, and implementation of healthcare interventions.

The Planning programme offered by Queen's University Belfast develops advanced research expertise in spatial planning, sustainable development, governance, and place-making, enabling students to investigate complex social, environmental, and territorial challenges through interdisciplinary research.

The Electrical Engineering and Computer Science programme offered by Queen's University Belfast develops advanced expertise in intelligent technologies, digital communications, cyber-physical systems, and computational innovation, preparing researchers to create solutions for emerging technological and societal challenges.

The Physics programme offered by Queen's University Belfast develops advanced expertise in astrophysics, quantum technologies, and light-matter interactions, preparing researchers to investigate fundamental physical phenomena and contribute to scientific discovery through innovative experimental and theoretical research.

The Mathematics programme offered by Queen's University Belfast develops advanced research expertise in pure and applied mathematics, statistical modelling, data analytics, and operational research, enabling students to make original contributions to mathematical knowledge through rigorous theoretical and computational investigation.

The Lusophone programme offered by Queen's University Belfast develops advanced research expertise in the cultures, literatures, histories, and societies of the Portuguese-speaking world, enabling students to undertake original interdisciplinary research focused on Brazil, Portuguese-speaking Africa, and related transnational contexts.

The Cognition and Culture programme offered by Queen's University Belfast develops advanced expertise in the cognitive and evolutionary study of cultural phenomena, preparing researchers to investigate cultural transmission, belief systems, social reasoning, and human behaviour through scientific methods and cross-disciplinary perspectives.

The Film Studies programme offered by Queen's University Belfast enables doctoral researchers to pursue research through film, screen and media practice, or to investigate historical and broader theoretical issues in film, media and screen cultures. Researchers can follow either a Creative Practice or Critical Practice route.

Undertaking the Aerospace Engineering programme at Queen's University Belfast will enable you to make a real difference, positively impacting your career and through your research improving engineering methods and practice, and ultimately society.

The Criminology programme offered by Queen's University Belfast develops advanced expertise in the study of crime, harm, justice, and social responses to offending, preparing researchers to generate evidence that informs policy, professional practice, and societal improvement.

The Irish and Celtic programme offered by Queen's University Belfast develops advanced research expertise in Irish language, literature, history, linguistics, and cultural identity, enabling students to undertake original interdisciplinary research across modern and medieval Irish studies.

The Pharmacy programme offered by Queen's University Belfast develops advanced research expertise in pharmaceutical sciences, drug delivery, clinical pharmacy, and healthcare innovation, enabling students to address major health challenges through multidisciplinary research that improves patient outcomes and therapeutic practice.

The French programme offered by Queen's University Belfast develops advanced expertise in Francophone literature, language, culture, and identity, preparing researchers to investigate the diverse historical, linguistic, and cultural dimensions of the French-speaking world.

The Geography programme offered by Queen's University Belfast develops advanced research expertise in environmental change, human geography, spatial analysis, and geospatial technologies, enabling students to investigate interactions between society, culture, landscapes, and the natural environment through interdisciplinary research.

The Anthropological Studies programme at Queen's University Belfast examines human behaviour and relationships through advanced research training, supported by interdisciplinary expertise across topics including migration, human rights, environmentalism, ethnomusicology, political movements, and material culture.