Applying for an Information Systems PhD

Apply now for courses starting in October 2012

What are the entry requirements?
How much will it cost?
Does LSE have any scholarships or awards for PhD students?
Can I join the Information Systems PhD programme as part of my PhD study elsewhere?
How can I find out more about the application process?
How can I apply?

1. What are the entry requirements?

These are in three parts:

A. Academic Qualifications

The minimum entrance qualification required by the University of London for admission to the MPhil or PhD is a second class honours degree, but the School will normally expect candidates to have obtained at least an upper second class honours or qualifications of equivalent standard. All candidates are normally expected to have obtained a Masters degree at Distinction or Merit level.

B. Research Proposal

We require a research proposal to be submitted with the PhD application.

The proposal should be of approximately 3,000 words.
The proposal should include a preliminary title and set of questions based on your identification of the key literature and current debates in the field, and a discussion of your proposed research approach.
You should describe your motivation for selecting this particular topic for research and state why you think your proposed work will make a significant and original contribution to the field.
We receive many high quality applications. In deciding on admissions, we consider how well your proposed research coincides with research in the Group. Please refer to the map of our research interests and the individual research profiles of academic staff. We also look favourably on candidates who can provide evidence of previous research through academic publications, conference activity or industry research reports.

C. Supervisory Capacity in the Group

Entry onto the doctoral programme will depend upon the availability of a faculty member to supervise the research.

2. How much will it cost?

The fees for full-time UK and European Union students were £3,300 for entry in 2008
The fees for full-time overseas students were £12,108 for entry in 2008
Part-time students pay half the full time rate

3. Does LSE have any scholarships or awards for PhD students?

The School currently offers 23 full scholarships for new PhD students. To be eligible for a scholarship in any particular academic year, you must apply for the PhD programme by January in the year before commencement. Full details and deadline dates of these and other forms of support are listed on the LSE web page of details of financial support and scholarships for research students.
All LSE PhD scholarships for 2009 have been awarded, the application date for 2010 scholarships will be posted in due course.

From time to time, the group has ESRC funded scholarships linked to research projects which are advertised on our website.

4. Can I join the Information Systems PhD programme as part of my PhD study elsewhere?

Visiting research student (VRS) status allows research students at other universities to spend up to one academic session at the School at the discretion of the department/groupx concerned. A supervisor is assigned to every VRS, and you can take up to four full unit taught courses. Examinations are optional, and grades do not contribute towards a degree or diploma. A full transcript of studies can be produced at the end of the period of study.

Other graduate students may also seek registration as a VRS to take graduate level courses without the commitment of registering for a degree programme.

5. How can I find out more about the application process?

See the Graduate Admissions pages.

6. How can I apply?

You can apply online or by post. We have compiled a guide to The next steps in your PhD application.

Apply on-line
Download an application form at Apply by post

For further information contact the ISIG PhD Programme Directors: Professor Jannis Kallinikos and Dr Shirin Madon via isphdadmissions@lse.ac.uk

page last updated 05 December, 2011