Overview
Why choose this course
The PhD in Computer Science at the University of Surrey provides you with the opportunity to study a wide range of computer science topics – from technologies and systems for securing online businesses and our lives, to technologies inspired by nature for solving complicated real-world problems, and to real-world applications of advanced technologies such as machine learning and pattern recognition. Our expert supervisors, highly rated research activities and excellent facilities mean that by the time you complete your PhD, you will be a specialist in your field.
The Surrey Centre for Cyber Security (SCCS), hosted and managed by the Department of Computer Science, is one of only 14 UK Government recognised Academic Centres of Excellence in Cyber Security Research (ACEs-CSR), and is particularly strong in interdisciplinary research with other departments, with links with Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Psychology, Business, Sociology, Law, and Economics. We also have strong links with global research institutes such as the University of Oxford, Microsoft Research Cambridge and the Pirbright Institute for joint PhD projects.
What you will study
It normally takes around three to four years to complete a full-time PhD. You’ll be assigned at least two supervisors (a principal and a secondary), who will guide you through your PhD. You’ll learn how to conduct literature reviews, how to develop your research ideas and verify them with experiments, and how to collaborate and perform interdisciplinary research.
Exactly what your studies will look like will depend on your choice of topic: most of our PhD students conduct their research on computers in the Department, but some need access to special hardware in a lab setting. We’ll make sure that you’ve got everything you need to conduct your research during your PhD.
We offer a diverse programme of activities within our Department, including monthly tea parties between PhD students and staff, elevator pitch sessions every other month, as well as bespoke workshops and social events.
Get more details
Visit official programme websiteProgramme Structure
Research themes
Secure systems- Hardware security
- Trusted computing
- Privacy-preserving computing
- User authentication
- Secure communications
- Network security
- Multimedia security
- Digital forensics
- Human factors
- Applied cryptography
- Security protocols
- Formal methods for security
- IoT security and privacy
- Security visualisation
- Intrusion detection
- Data loss prevention
- Cloud security
- Cyber crime
- Side channel attacks and countermeasures
- Mobile security and privacy
- Game theory for security
- Information hiding and steganography.
- Computational intelligence
- Evolutionary optimisation
- Machine learning, including deep learning
- Pattern recognition
- Data mining
- Knowledge extraction
- Signal processing
- Medical image processing
- Robotics
- Systems biology
- Morphogenetic engineering
- Neural information processing
- Developmental and cognitive neuroscience
- Time series analysis.
Key information
Duration
- Full-time
- 48 months
- Part-time
- 96 months
Start dates & application deadlines
- Starting
- Apply before
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- Starting
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Language
Delivered
Disciplines
Computer Sciences Web Technologies & Cloud Computing View 15 other Masters in Web Technologies & Cloud Computing in United KingdomAcademic requirements
English requirements
Other requirements
General requirements
Applicants are expected to hold a first or upper-second class degree in a relevant discipline (or equivalent overseas qualification), or a lower second plus a good Masters degree (distinction normally required).
Tuition Fee
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International
21400 GBP/yearTuition FeeBased on the original amount of 21400 GBP per year and a duration of 48 months. -
EU/EEA
4327 GBP/yearTuition FeeBased on the original amount of 4327 GBP per year and a duration of 48 months.
Part-Time:
- EU/EEA: £2,163.50
- NON-EU/EEA: £10,700
Funding
A Postgraduate Doctoral Loan can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate doctoral course.
Studyportals Tip: Students can search online for independent or external scholarships that can help fund their studies. Check the scholarships to see whether you are eligible to apply. Many scholarships are either merit-based or needs-based.
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Updated in the last year
Check the official programme website for potential updates.