Design Integrated PhD

Brunel Design has a well-established record of research excellence, with multidisciplinary, product-related design research grounded on strong engineering design traditions.  Research activities within the design programmes at Brunel cover a wide-ranging and diverse field of topics. Academic staff involved within these programmes combine human-centred design for autonomous vehicles, ageing demographics and healthcare systems; from incorporating sustainability in design by developing cleaner electronics, design for 3D and 4D printing, and incorporating social responsibility; to using innovative design for creative industries and information architecture.

Research in Design is organised according to the following thematic priorities:

Human-Centred Design through inclusive design, design for ageing demographics, perception and enhancement.
Sustainable Design through social responsibility, cleaner electronics and advanced materials and manufacture.
Advanced Technologies through engineering methods, optimization techniques, computer-aided-design and other emerging technologies.
Products, services and digital design through design innovation management, open design, design entrepreneurship, creativity, the digital economy, digital production and interfaces, and Information Architecture.
The department’s scope of research includes but is not limited to:

Human Centred Design
Trust in autonomous vehicles
Inclusive Design and Design of Healthcare Systems
Perception Enhancement
Design and Sustainability - theory, methods and tools
Design for 3D Printing (Additive Manufacturing) and Printed Electronics
4D Printing /  Shape Memory Materials for Additive Manufacturing
Social impact of Distributed Manufacturing Systems
Design Innovation Management
Digital Design, Interfaces and Digital Production
Open Design and Co-Design
Social Innovation
Pedagogy and Curriculum
Research students are welcomed as valued members of our thriving, research-intensive community in Brunel Design. Our doctoral researchers join the Made in Brunel team in annual final year project showcase and lead-up events. In addition, our yearly Design Doctoral Symposium, as well as social events, enable you to foster vibrant connections with the outside research community. 

You will benefit from this integrated PhD programme immensely if you want to:  

receive a more much guided and hands-on supervision of your learning and research process, especially if you come from more traditional teaching cultures
increase your chances for timely completion of your PhD programme in comparison to students taking traditional route PhD, cutting down the expenses associated with prolonged study
access to tailored, highly specialist research training not available as part of the support provided to traditional route PhD students
maximise your chances for a successful research analysis by applying practical assignments and training which are part of the integrated PhD directly to the research you do for your thesis     
receive an official Postgraduate Diploma in Research in addition to your PhD award to certify the completion of skills training which may be required by employers in some countries if you wish to pursue an academic career