Overview

Key facts

Research in this field draws upon supervisory expertise from within the School of Design and Informatics, including academics with track record in mathematics, physics, artificial intelligence, games programming, and games industry experience.

The research at Abertay is inherently cross-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary, which is of particular importance for research in immersive experiences. We are the lead partner for InGAME: Innovation for Games and Media Enterprise, an AHRC-funded R&D centre for Dundee’s games cluster. Postgraduate students at the University will have access to research and development opportunities, as well as contact with professionals working within the games industry.

Undertaking a research degree in Data Science and Systems Modelling at Abertay University will prepare you for a career not only in academia but also within wider society, working in complex problem spaces and using modelling and visualisation to unpack that complexity.

Programme Structure

Research:

Our overarching agenda is the construction of interactive, real-time and playable simulations in both entertainment and non-entertainment contexts that bring to life systems models through simulation, i.e., digital twins.
This playability allows domain experts to investigate complex systems in an intuitive way and supports discovery of new insights. These simulations are underpinned by data-driven models, including AI, to make sense of large real-world data sets.
The opportunities at the games-complexity interface are growing, for example how AI and neural networks can generate content for games, and how data analytics can improve the player experience, and research students working in this area have the potential to generate impact on challenging real-world problems.

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 36 months
Part-time
- 72 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-06-02 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-04-30 00:00:00 , National
Starting 2026-10-06 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-07-31 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2026-08-31 00:00:00 , National
Starting 2027-02-02 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-11-30 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2026-12-15 00:00:00 , National
Starting 2027-06-02 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-03-31 00:00:00 , International

Language

English

TOEFL^® IBT

95

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

67

Schedule a PTE test!

OTE

133

IELTS

7

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Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Dundee, United Kingdom

Disciplines

Data Science & Big Data Information Systems View 30 other PhDs in Data Science & Big Data in United Kingdom

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Academic requirements

GPA

Upper Second Class

English requirements

TOEFL^® IBT

95

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

67

Schedule a PTE test!

OTE

133

IELTS

7

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

The minimum entry requirement for all our research degrees is an Upper Second Class Honours degree (or equivalent) at undergraduate level in an appropriate discipline and/or a Master’s degree.
In some cases, appropriate professional or experiential learning may be considered in combination with a lower classification of Honours degree.

You will need to include the following documentation when you apply online:

Copies of your academic transcripts
References
Your research proposal

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

14750 GBP / year

≈ 14750 GBP / year
Domestic Applies to you

Applies to you

Citizens or residents

5006 GBP / year

≈ 5006 GBP / year

Living costs

Dundee

United Kingdom

787 - 1494 GBP / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Data Science and Systems Modelling.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Key facts

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic Applies to you

Living costs

Dundee

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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