PhD Design

The Design School

PhD

Overview

The PhD Design programme offers unique opportunities for students to research relevant design issues worldwide, both disciplinary and interdisciplinary. The vibrant community focuses on industrial, social, smart sustainable cities, and systemic design.

Secure your spot today!

Fall 2026 applications are now open! Apply today and get ready to begin an exciting journey at Heriot-Watt University, Dubai.

Apply Now

Tuition & Fees

AED 103,480Per year

AED 51,740 Per semester

Part-time: AED 51,740 per year; all tuition fees inclusive of VAT.

Program Details

Degree level: PhD
Duration: 4 years; Up to 4 years (full time)
College: The Design School

Required Documents11

All of these are required to apply.

1a research proposal (at Question 9, under ‘Background Information', please enter the full project title and reference number (if applicable). Please also provide at least 250 words (for civil engineering areas we need a title and 6-7 sentences) about your proposed area of research, the topic is normally provided by the applicant. Applications will not be considered until we have received this information from you, (unless stated otherwise in any current advertising we have for specific individual projects where the relevant project title and reference is required instead).
2a copy of your degree certificate and relevant transcripts
3proof of your ability in the English language (if English is not your mother tongue or if you have not already studied for a degree that was taught in English). Please refer to the English Language Requirementsfor further information.
4a reference from an academic source (applicants with relevant full time work experience may use their current employer as one of the referees - applications will not be considered until we have received referee reports. You will need to complete the Referee Report Form. Please enter your full name and the research proposal title (as above), then forward to you referees for completion and return.
5Passport - please do not upload this with your initial application. This will only be requested if an offer is made.
6Financial guarantee - please do not upload personal bank statements with your initial application. For some students, a financial guarantee is required to prove how your tuition fees and personal maintenance costs will be met. This will be requested when an offer is made and is only required if you are one of the following: an international student applying to study on campus who is not entering the UK on a Student Visa - an international student who is being sponsored by your government or a commercial organisation.
7CV and transcripts
8at least an upper second-class (2:1) undergraduate honours degree in the relevant subject area, or a Masters Degree is preferrable. We may also consider candidates who can demonstrate appropriate alternative learning such as experience gained in the workplace or professional qualifications.
92 references (these should be academic references, except for the DBA programme for which candidates should typically supply one academic and one professional reference).
10Research Proposal (unless you are applying for a DBA or an advertised project which does not require this)
11English Language Requirements – applicants must be able to meet one of the criteria below: - If an applicant is a national of one of the countries listed on the UK Government Guidanceunder ‘Who does not need to prove their knowledge of English’ (copy of passport should be provided). - If an applicant’s first language is not English but they have an English-taught Bachelors or Masters degree from one of the countries listed on the UK Government Guidanceunder ‘Who does not need to prove their knowledge of English’, and this is clearly stated in evidence. This qualification should have been obtained no more than five years before the applicant is due to begin their studies at Heriot watt. - This student’s first language is not English but they have achieved at least a C in a Heriot-Watt pre-sessional English course and this is clearly stated in evidence. - This student’s first language is not English but they have provided a recognised English language test from the list below which was taken in the past 2 years and have achieved a CEFR level B2 at the levels below: | Test | PGR Entry Level | |---|---| | IELTS Academic (we do not accept IELTS Indicator, IELTS online or IELTS General Training) | Overall Score of 6.5 with no individual score lower than 6.0 | | PTE Academic | 68 overall with a minimum of 63 in each component | | TOEFL IBT | Overall score of 85, including reading 20, listening 19, speaking 20 and writing 21 | | Cambridge (new) | 176-184 |