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  1. Research Studies
Software Reliability

Research Studies at the Centre for Software Reliability

Advice for PhD applicants

PhD scholarships available, including fees and stipend: more information can be found here

Examples of PhD research projects at the Centre for Software Reliability can be found here

Thank you for your interest in research studies at the Centre for Software Reliability.

We are keen to welcome new research students.

Our areas of research are not only important for society - helping to make the increasing pervasiveness of computers beneficial rather than dangerous, by improving the ability both to assess and to build the computing systems and the socio-technical systems that use them - but full of challenging topics for research students.

Backgrounds that are pertinent to our inter-disciplinary work include computing, engineering, mathematics and other "hard science" backgrounds, psychology and sociology, as well as application areas like medicine. The typical PhD project here requires good mathematical or statistical or software engineering abilities, but we are also interested in applicants with keen interest and skills to pursue other kinds or projects, and can in some cases offer joint supervision with colleagues from other disciplines.

The formal process for applying is documented on the PhD/Research studies page.

You are welcome to approach informally, a possible supervisor, or the Senior Tutor for Research, or to submit an application directly.

If you have a definite research topic in mind, please mention it when you approach us, and also you may look for academics with similar interests in our web pages. If you are looking for topics, a look at our research projects or publications will help.

To help us advise on matches with potential supervisors (or, if appropriate, to advise you to look elsewhere), we recommend that when thinking of applying for a PhD with the Centre for Software Reliability you send us:

  • the information required with a formal application (even if you do not send certificates and other formal paperwork yet), including:
    • some indication of which topics of research you are interested in;
    • a CV with details of university studies (detailed topics studied and grades achieved) and job history;
    • whether you are thinking of full time or part-time study, and how you plan to fund your studies;
  • a piece of your recent technical writing: depending on the person this may be a research publication, university essay or project report, a non-confidential technical report from a current or previous job, etc.

With this information, we can informally discuss the possibilities with the applicants and with possible supervisors in the Centre.

If you are pursuing a scholarship, either from the University or a specific School or other sponsor, consider that the selection process usually gives great importance not only to the CV but also to the suitability of the research plan of each applicant. So, it is best to discuss and agree it with a potential supervisor before applying: contact us well in advance of the application deadline.


University studentship grants

If interested in pursuing a doctorate with us consider the studentships offered by the University, which cover fees, a stipend and support for your research. For more information click here.