PhD – Faculty of Media & Communication

Your supervisory team will:

• Provide appropriate support and guidance regarding BU’s research degree regulations, policies and procedures
• Give support when you are planning your research project, progressing through key milestones to successfully completing in the expected timeframe
• Maintain regular contact with you and provide constructive feedback on written work and during meetings to support your progress
• Advise you on professional and personal skill development available training opportunities
• Give guidance about attending and presenting your work at internal and external seminars and conferences
• Advise on publication of your work in journals and other appropriate media.

When undertaking a research degree at BU, you will develop research skills in your specific project area and discipline, and you will also have an opportunity to develop wider, transferable skills which will assist in your future employment, whether within or outside academia.

The Researcher Development Programme, developed by the Doctoral College in line with the Researcher Development Framework (Vitae), will enable you to enhance your abilities in areas which are not necessarily discipline-specific.

An added benefit is the opportunity to meet researchers from other academic schools at BU through the activities of our Doctoral College and benefit from their experiences, skills, and perspectives

The Department of Communication & Journalism has a strong reputation for delivering innovative, collaborative, industry-leading courses.

The Department of Humanities & Law brings together disciplines from across the Faculty of Media & Communication. Using traditional and progressive approaches to studying, experts from each of the areas bring a 21st-century focus to illuminate and offer the chance to study these well-established disciplines through a modern, contemporary lens.

The Centre for Comparative Politics and Media Research focus on the most relevant questions that face 21st Century politicians, their strategists, political journalists and agencies. The work encompasses all contexts of campaign communication from lobbying behind closed doors to the public spectacle of elections to the social framework approaching matters of ideology, social norms and the collective psychology of societies and publics. 

The Centre for Intellectual Property Policy & Management (CIPPM) was established in 2000 and has rapidly achieved an international reputation for its innovative policy research and its consultancy projects, in particular in the fields of creative industries and emerging technologies.

The Narrative, Culture and Community Research Centre explores how narrative interacts with and impacts on cultures and communities, examining it as a structuring mechanism across multiple media and disciplines. Main research areas include digital writing and reading, screenwriting, adaptation, transmedia storytelling, memory studies and book history and publishing.

The Department of Media Production is an incredibly collaborative, creative and industry-focused department. Research Centres within the department include: 

Experimental Media Research Centre (EMERGE) is a creative, practice-led research centre, sharing critical concerns in relation to experimental media practices that engage directly with social and cultural innovation. By developing interdisciplinary research projects, we bring new forms of expertise in communications and cultural practices in areas including media and digital arts, contemporary and critical art practice, spatial interaction, documentary video and networked audio.

The Centre for Excellence in Media Practice (CEMP) delivers research projects funded by media organisations, charities, research councils, government departments and the private sector. Our research spans media, communication and journalism, with a focus on: media education and professional development; media management and media industry practice; creative and civic media practice; and sustainability within media practice.

The National Centre for Computer Animation has been at the forefront of computer graphics and animation education and research in the UK since 1989. 

The National Research Centre for Computer Animation is a recognised centre of international excellence in computer animation, fusing technical developments in computer science with underlying artistic principles and practice of computer animation. Research projects involve proposing a reflection on innovative AR/VR solutions, PDE-based Geometric modelling, image processing and shape reconstruction, creativity support tools, creating novel and useful research ideas and developing novel techniques and tools to reduce the production costs and improve the level of automation.

The Centre for the Study of Conflict, Emotion and Social Justice brings together expertise from across the Faculty of Media & Communication in the disciplines of Journalism, Media, Law and the broader social sciences, adopting primarily a psychosocial and practice-based focus. Research themes include Mediation and representation of conflict and disaster, Public feeling and democracy, The performance of emotion, Journalism and trauma, New affective methodologies and Conflict, resolution, transitional justice, truth and marginalised communities.

We would normally expect you to have an Honours degree at Upper Second Class (2:1) in any subject and/or a relevant Master's degree.

Some supervisors may ask you for additional entry requirements such as relevant work experience, evidence of written work, or previous study of a particular subject.

Entry requirements may vary so it is important to discuss your application in principle before submitting a formal application.

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence that you can understand English to a satisfactory level. English language requirements for this course are normally: 

• IELTS (Academic) 6.5 with minimum 5.5 in each component or equivalent.

View further information about our English language requirements.

Bournemouth University International College offers a number of pre-sessional English and preparatory programmes to prepare international students for postgraduate study at BU. Admission to the degree is guaranteed on successful completion of your course to the required level.

You can also find further details of the international qualifications we accept, and what level of study they apply to, on our postgraduate entry requirements page.

We will take the following factors into account when considering your application:

• Academic qualifications
• The nature and viability of your proposed research
• The university's capacity to provide you with appropriate supervision throughout your research
• English language proficiency
• Evidence of access to appropriate resources to support your living costs and pay registration fees over the period of your research.As part of your application, you will need to specify how you plan to fund your studies.

There are three entry points for research degrees: January, April and September. The deadlines for applications are as follows:

• January entry – 31 October
• April entry - 31 January
• September entry - 16 June

If you have any enquiries please email [email protected].

As part of your application you will need to write a personal statement. Your personal statement is an opportunity to provide us with information on your academic background, relevant experience and motivations for undertaking postgraduate research. It is a chance for you to tell us how you arrived at the decision to apply for a research programme, and what your goals are once you have completed it.

Key information to include:

• The research project you plan to undertaker should be unique, and so your personal statement should explain to us why you are the right person to successfully carry out the project.
• If you are an international applicant your personal statement should also touch on your reasons for choosing to study in the UK and at Bournemouth University in particular.
• Identify any academic staff you would like to work with on your project, especially if you have already contacted them ahead of your application.
• Information on any other hobbies or interests you may wish us to know when considering your application. Telling us this can show us other skills you have such as social skills, teamwork or leadership.

We recommend personal statements are between 500-1000 words

Why is your research proposal important?

The quality of your research proposal plays a significant factor in our decision on whether to accept you onto a postgraduate research programme. It shows your potential to successfully complete your programme.

Your research proposal should:

• be around 1,500 words long (excluding references). Please read our Research Proposal Guidance
• articulate a clearly defined research question
• outline the approach you propose to take in answering it
• explain the originality and significance of the contribution which your research will make to existing literature in your subject area
• demonstrate your understanding of the project, skills in critical thinking, methodologies and theoretical context
• show your project is viable and that you have thought carefully about how you will complete it within the relevant timeframe of your programme
• display a high level of communication skills suitable for an academic environment
• detail any specific supervisors you would like to work with at Bournemouth University and reference their work.

Every year, we offer a number of fully-funded doctoral opportunities across our faculties.Typically, these are associated with specific projects or areas of research the faculty is involved with.

You can find full information about the deposits required and how to pay your fees in our postgraduate fees section.

All fees are quoted in pounds sterling and are per annum. Fees quoted are for tuition only unless stated otherwise. Your tuition fees will be the same for each year of your course.

Continuation Status - research students who have completed their normal period of enrolment but are still engaged in research activity or writing up will be automatically transferred to Continuation Status, as outlined in the Code of Practice for Research Degrees. Continuation Status Fees will be £600 for the 12-month period, payable in accordance with the BU Student Fees Policy.

Government Doctoral Loans are available for students from England who are looking to study a PhD or equivalent postgraduate research programme.

What's included in your tuition fee?

Your tuition fee covers expenses associated with your course including tuition materials, access to facilities, mandatory field trips and the following:

• Allocation of a supervisory team to provide support and guidance throughout a research degree programme
• Access to Researcher Development Programme - ongoing programme of development for PGRs
• Copy of current Code of Practice for Research Degrees, the Student Charter and the Student Agreement
• Access to a desk and computer (full-time Doctoral PGRs only)
• Access to photocopying/printing facilities (as determined by the Faculty and programme of study)
• The Library – access to a wide range of electronic resources (databases, e-journals and e-books), print and multimedia collections, subject librarians and study spaces
• IT labs (some open 24/7), wireless network, AV equipment to borrow
• Disability and additional learning support, according to individual circumstances.
• Access to departmental, faculty and BU-wide research communities through seminars, conferences and other events.

We are committed to offering you value for money and ensuring there are no hidden costs while you are studying with us, therefore we have listed below any additional costs you may incur that are not covered by your tuition fee:

• Laptops, tablets and mobile devices and any software used on personal devices. Access to a personal computer is strongly recommended for your study. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, visit our website for information regarding financial support funds.
• Accommodation and living costs. Our accommodation price guide can be found on our website.
• Travel costs and other costs associated with optional research activities.
• Text books, general stationery and other supplies. Our award-winning library is stocked with a large range of text books and online resources, free of charge. The Students’ Union shop stocks a wide range of stationery supplies.
• SportBU membership

While all aspects of the programme, including required research activities, are included in the fee, additional, optional or extra curricula activities may be available for which a student contribution is required.

A research degree can open new career opportunities in commercial research and development, consultancy, or could lead you to starting your own business. You may alternatively consider a career in academia.

You may wish to undertake research to contribute to your knowledge of a specialist subject, or develop your employability by enhancing your skills in project management and analysis.