MPhil/PhD
Research Architecture
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Why study MPhil/PhD Research Architecture at Goldsmiths
Undertake your own research project in the Centre for Research Architecture.
- This MPhil/PhD programme is aimed at practitioners of architecture and other related spatial practices who would like to develop a sustained multi-year practice-led research project.
- The MPhil/PhD allows you to produce intensive, rigorous, and scholarly research as well as further elaborate your own practice.
Contact the department
If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Dr Susan Schuppli.
Length
3-4 years full-time or 4-6 years part-time
Fees
Home - full-time: £TBC
Home - part-time: £TBC
International - full-time: £20000
Department
You'll research
The programme is structured around an annual series of two-day long seminars, which take place each month during the autumn, winter, and spring terms.
The seminars are organised as a roundtable discussion of student research projects as they progress each year. Each of the roundtable seminars is supplemented by invited guests who bring relevant scholarly knowledge or practices into the Centre for Research Architecture.
Student and guest presentations, along with assigned readings, provide the common conceptual ground for discussion of work and ideas.
Assessment
Visual Cultures assessment are 100% coursework. Normally this consists of essays, sometimes accompanied by creative projects, group projects, multi-media projects, presentations, symposia, reviews, and studio work.
What our students say
Fees and funding
Annual tuition fees
These are the PG fees for students starting their programme in the 2025/2026 academic year.
- Home - full-time: £TBC
- Home - part-time: £TBC
- International - full-time: £20000
If your fees are not listed here, please check our postgraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office, who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.
It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time under a student visa. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.
If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment.
Funding opportunities
You may be eligible for the following funding:
- Forensic Architecture Open Verification PhD Fellowship
- ESRC/SENSS Doctoral Studentships
- AHRC Studentships
- Goldsmiths scholarships
Paying your fees
Find out about paying your tuition fees.
Additional costs
In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page.
There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments.
Entry requirements
You should normally have (or expect to be awarded) a taught Masters in a relevant subject area.
You might also be considered for some programmes if you aren’t a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that you have the ability to work at postgraduate level.
International qualifications
We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.
If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification) of 6.5 with a 6.5 in writing and no element lower than 6.0 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate study.
How to apply
You apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system.
Before submitting your application you'll need to have:
- Details of your education history, including the dates of all exams/assessments
- The email address of your referee who we can request a reference from, or alternatively an electronic copy of your academic reference
- Contact details of a second referee
- A personal statement – this can either be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online
- Details of your research proposal
- If available, an electronic copy of your educational transcript (this is particularly important if you have studied outside of the UK, but isn’t mandatory)
You'll be able to save your progress at any point and return to your application by logging in using your username/email and password.
Before you apply for a research programme, we advise you to get in touch with the programme contact, listed above. It may also be possible to arrange an advisory meeting.
Before you start at Goldsmiths, the actual topic of your research has to be agreed with your proposed supervisor, who will be a member of staff active in your general field of research. The choice of topic may be influenced by the current research in the department or the requirements of an external funding body.
If you wish to study on a part-time basis, you should also indicate how many hours a week you intend to devote to research, whether this will be at evenings or weekends, and for how many hours each day.
Research proposals
Along with your application and academic reference, you should also upload a research proposal at the point of application. This should be in the form of a statement of the proposed area of research and should include:
- Delineation of the research topic
- Why it has been chosen
- An initial hypothesis (if applicable)
- A brief list of major secondary sources
When to apply
You can make an application to study for an MPhil or PhD with us at any time of the year, for the academic year starting the following October.
We encourage you to complete your application as early as possible, even if you haven't finished your current programme of study. It's very common to be offered a place conditional on you achieving a particular qualification.
If you're applying for external funding from one of the Research Councils, make sure you submit your application by the deadline they've specified.
Selection process
Admission to many programmes is by interview, unless you live outside the UK. Occasionally we'll make candidates an offer of a place on the basis of their application and qualifications alone.
Further guidance
Find out more about applying.
