PhD - Doctor of Philosophy
A PhD is a high level, globally-recognised qualification, rooted in original research and is rigorous and demanding. Most students are passionate about their area of interest and pursue a PhD as a result of their academic curiosity and desire for research excellence.
A PhD will typically take three to four years of full-time study, or five to six years of part-time study.
We can offer Doctoral Degrees in the following academic areas (subject to availability of academic staff for supervision) from various locations across the region.
Academic fields
Academic fields
Subject to availability of academic staff, we can offer postgraduate research student supervision in the following academic areas
Some example projects undertaken across our locations
Some example projects undertaken across our locations
Postgraduate students at the university undertake a diverse range of research from marine science to theology; nordic studies to sustainability; energy engineering to archaeology. Below is a small sample of projects previously researched by our students, in pursuit of their PhD or MSc by Research.
UHI Institute for Northern Studies
- The traditional Shetland boat – its origins and developments
- Nordic regions of Culture - intercultural links, regionalisation and communities of narrative after 1770
UHI Orkney
- World Heritage sites in context: the creation of significance through management.
- Coastal change and archaeological heritage in northern Scotland
UHI North, West and Hebrides
- Linking habitat characteristics with red deer condition in the Scottish Highlands
- The meteorological forcing of current and sea level anomalies in the Pentland Firth
- Effective student collaboration in online environments
- Sustainability of recycling in remote and rural communities
- Wave energy extraction and coastal protection
- Hospitality in adventure tourism: soft skills and natural knowledge
UHI Centre for History
- History of sport and culture in Dornoch and the Moray Firth, c.1600 - 1800
- Public health in the Highlands and Islands 1845 – 1912
Highland Theological College
- Missional Ethics in the Book of Acts
- Divine Providence and Moral Responsibility: a study of the moral implications of God’s decree
UHI Inverness
- Mapping and Repositioning: Forestry skills for the 21st century
- Rural community adaptation to climatic changes
UHI Centre for Health Science
- Exploring the mechanisms of heart disease through proteome dynamics
- Immunological phenotypes in neurodevelopmental disorders
Sabhal Mòr Ostaig
- The role of the media in the revitalisation and maintenance of the Gaelic language
- Depictions of the young Gael in Gaelic Children's literature
Scottish Association for Marine Science
- Arctic Fjords: simplified modelling and the role of freshwater
- Identification and Tracking of Harmful Algal Blooms using multi-spectral techniques from Remotely Piloted Aircraft platforms
- Understanding Scottish bottlenose dolphin movement patterns
UHI Centre for Mountain Studies
- An integrated sustainable development framework for coastal and marine regions