178 PhD programmes offered by the university

Research in Ageing and Later Life has a distinguished history within the School of Health, Wellbeing and Social Care’s Centre for Ageing and Biographical Studies (CABS) at The Open University UK, which involves current and emeritus staff, doctoral students and associated academics from other institutions.

Computational Social Science research at The Open University UK targets the enhancement of critical societal issues through the use of Artificial Intelligence solutions.

The Structural Integrity group at The Open University UK is actively involved in research supporting development of the R6 Procedure for the assessment of the integrity of structures containing defects.

The Social Policy and Criminology discipline at The Open University UK has longstanding interests in critical interdisciplinary scholarship in Genders, Sexualities, Relationships, Intimacies.

Sound Studies at The Open University UK is an expanding field of research that examines concepts, practices and technologies relevant to auditory culture.

Next generation (XG) technologies are characterised as being intelligent, scalable, adaptive, interoperable, reconfigurable and dependable from a variety of perspectives including safety, privacy and security. This Networking and Communication Technologies programme is offered at The Open University UK.

The History of Books and Reading (HOBAR) Research Collaboration, based in English & Creative Writing at The Open University UK has made major contributions to the subject internationally.

Death, Dying and Bereavement has been a major research and teaching theme in the School of Health, Wellbeing and Social Care at The Open University UK for over 20 years.

The School of Life, Health and Chemical Science at The Open University UK has a strong track record of engagement with Global Health and Development Research projects.

Music Computing research The Open University UK is focused on empowering musicians, illuminating musical activities, and modelling music perception and cognition.

The Education Futures Research Cluster is located in the School of Education, Childhood, Youth and Sport at The Open University UK.

The History of Mathematics Group is housed in the School of Mathematics and Statistics at The Open University UK.

As a process by which firms and industries evolve to deliver economic and social change, innovation is credited to raise productivity, improve living standards, increase competitiveness, and potentially mitigate climate change. This Economics and Policy of Innovation and Industry programme is offered at The Open University UK.

Multicultural Life, Citizenship, Difference, Political Conflict and Social Divisions research is part of the Sociology research group at The Open University UK.

In terms of political concepts, Political Ideas staff at The Open University UK can supervise students working on citizenship, justice, rights, duties, governance, power, community, ecology, and democracy, to name a few.

The Statistics research group is housed in the School of Mathematics and Statistics at The Open University UK.

The Wellbeing of Children, Youth and Families Research Group in the School of Health, Wellbeing and Social Care from The Open University UK brings together academics and research students conducting social, sociological and critical psychological research into children's and young people's lives and policy/practice applications.

The Electronics and Bioengineering Group's research at The Open University UK is geared towards using technology for improving quality of life, creating a sustainable future and impacting society.

Data Science and Extended Intelligence at The Open University UK goes beyond efficient data infrastructure and engineering, it studies data empowered human processes that lead to smarter, fairer, more sustainable and equitable ways of living.

The Feminism and Philosophy of Sex and Gender discipline at The Open University UK welcomes applications for graduate work in the areas of feminist philosophy and the philosophy of sex and gender.