178 PhD programmes offered by the university

Research in Ancient Material Religion at The Open University UK involves studying the material, visual and other sensory aspects of ancient cults and rituals, including sacred objects (e.g. statues of divinities, votive offerings, curse tablets), temple buildings and sanctuaries, and human and animal bodies.

Making sense of human communication is at the heart of our work in Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing at The Open University UK.

The Open University UK Law School’s Legal History research cluster brings together researchers who investigate and publish on a variety of areas of legal history, including members from outside the school.

The Social and Responsible Marketing cluster at The Open University UK focuses on research and research-led pedagogy related to marketing theory and practice aimed at positive societal impact.

Mountain Dynamics is a key theme in our Dynamic Earth Research Group at The Open University UK. Our research into tectonics and mountain building covers the processes and mechanisms relating to how mountains form on the surface of our planet and how the continental crust deforms from the macroscale to the microscale.

Chemistry and Materials is a vibrant area of research at The Open University UK. We have an extensive track record in working synergistically with both industrial and academic partners.

In addition to scientific research, the School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences also has strengths in pedagogic research (particularly within the STEM disciplines). This Research in STEM Education programme is offered at The Open University UK.

The Open University UK Sports and Fitness Research Group includes an interdisciplinary team of researchers designing, managing and completing research projects which are ultimately aimed at understanding and improving the lives and working practices of athletes and sports coaches.

The Mathematical Biology Group is a cross-disciplinary group between the School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences and the School of Mathematics and Statistics at The Open University UK.

The Open University UK art history discipline has a strong record of pioneering and world-class research in Modern and Contemporary Art and Theory.

The global economy is characterised by great unevenness and persistent and worsening inequality amongst peoples between and within countries. This Global Political Economy programme is offered at The Open University UK.

The research interests of historians working in British and Irish History Since the 18th Century at The Open University UK range from manufacturers to masculinity and from political ideas to the making of British identities.

Human-Centred Computing (HCC) – or even more broadly, human-centred technology – is not just about user-centred design, but also about the relationship between technological developments and lifestyle transformations, and about how we record, collect and use information. This programme is offered at The Open University UK.

The Philosophy discipline at The Open University UK welcomes applications for graduate work in the field of Philosophy of Mind and Language.

The Open University UK Literature and Music research group encourages wide-ranging interdisciplinary study of literature and music.

The Digital Humanities at The Open University UK (DH_OU) Research Collaboration is an interdisciplinary network that has made major contributions to the subject internationally.

The Creative Writing discipline at The Open University UK supports practice-based and critical research and PhD study focused on creative writing.

Discourse Studies are a key interest of researchers in in the School of Languages and Applied Linguistics at The Open University UK.

Digital devices, practices and networks have entered nearly every domain of our lives – from the most intimate private spheres to the most public and political, and blurring the boundaries between. This Digital Cultures, Social Networks and Political Change programme is offered at The Open University UK.

Stellar Astrophysics is a major facet of Astronomy research at The Open University UK. We have strengths in both multi-wavelength observational programmes as well as in theoretical and computer modelling studies.