In academia, research field is a process and a catalyst for change. It’s an opportunity to invent, discover, and understand the world in a way that can revolutionise lives. At Heriot-Watt University, we offer research programs that fuel your desire to work on innovative solutions, potentially simplifying the lives of countless people.
Among many other things, Leonardo Da Vinci was fascinated with the inner workings of human anatomy and felt that if he could depict how the physical body functioned, he could also explain our emotional or spiritual nature (Clayton & Philo, 2010). Consequently, he personified the very essence of the word “research,” which comes from the French “recerchier,” which means “to go about seeking.” For Da Vinci, this frequently meant searching for corpses to dissect and illustrate, but fortunately, the searching you will undertake for your dissertation will probably only include living individuals.
What are your choices in Research Fields?
It’s critical to remember that research involves more than just information collection. In many respects, researchers’ decisions about what to look for reflect their values and worldview. Research is, in essence, philosophical. This may seem like a scary statement for someone starting a piece of management research. Yet, the finest studies and researchers know that important philosophical presumptions always support their methods.
Please take a look at studies on voter preferences used in political surveys as an illustration. These surveys ask people to indicate which party they support and why.
After receiving these responses, survey takers (or researchers) extrapolate to the entire population using statistical analysis. On a deeper level, however, this reflects an ideology that holds that probability and statistics can accurately predict who will win the election—higher-level research field is all that is needed to uncover this fact. We may assert an objective truth about everything, referred to as an objectivist perspective.
However, other scholars disagree with this theory and adopt a more interpretive stance. They contend that the main objective of research is to uncover the truth as perceived by the study subjects. They also emphasise the importance of considering the influence of experiences and language.
Some scholars even reject the idea of an objective truth, asserting that reality is a product of perception and social construction. These concepts are crucial to consider now, even though we will revisit them later in the course, because they demonstrate that research field should be more than just a series of questions answered; rather, it should be a process that compels us to think critically about the basic issues of reality and truth.
Performing Practical Research
This portrays research as something ivory-tower-dwelling, grey-haired university professors should argue over. And while there might be some validity to that, research also involves obtaining information and disseminating results to address significant and pertinent challenges.
The majority of research that comes to mind is carried out in universities. Academic research field is frequently regarded as the best since it is founded on the principles of academic freedom, which is the capacity to decide what and how to research. Independence is the absence of funding from special interests or political agendas, and rigour follows a predetermined data collection and reporting procedure.
In any study you conduct, you will be expected to demonstrate that you can use scholarly literature to support your primary area of interest. However, it is crucial to remember that research is conducted in various sectors essential to developed economies.
For instance, the UK invested £37.1 billion in research and development (R&D) in 2018, with most funding from private businesses (Rhodes et al., 2020). Governments worldwide make significant investments in research field to aid in developing important policies; in 2020, the multinational pharmaceutical corporation GSK from Britain reported spending £4.7 billion on R&D (Staines, 2020).
So, to get a PhD degree, you do not have to go far to the UK or the US; you can easily enrol for a PhD degree in Dubai from Heriot-Watt University. Let’s look at all the research fields offered by the university to its students.
Research Fields Offered at Heriot-Watt University
Here is the detailed list:
1. Engineering Doctorate (EngD) in Construction
The EngD and PhD are comparable in terms of intellectual challenge. However, as a research engineer (EngD) student, your project will involve your firm as an industrial sponsor, and your research will be led by industry. This offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to obtain experience working at the forefront of industry-relevant research.
You will acquire a thorough awareness of the principles of construction engineering management and be able to customise the technical and business training to fit your career goals and the needs of the company’s research field.
The Engineering Doctorate (EngD) in Construction program combines PhD-level research in collaboration with an industry partner or sponsor with advanced technical and management training.
Students pursuing an engineering degree will gain from the guidance and experience of faculty members and their industrial sponsors. In collaboration with the sponsoring company, research field and projects will be developed by the research student and academic supervisors. Sponsoring businesses might be small, university spin-outs, large corporations, or SMEs.
An alternative to the conventional PhD that will support you in advancing your industrial career.
Delivery Type: Weekdays, Evenings and Saturdays
Duration: 4 years
Intake Date: Open Enrolment
Fees: AED 60713 per year*
2. Engineering Doctorate (EngD) in Energy
An engineering doctorate (EngD) is an alternative to a regular PhD that can help you advance in your professional career. The EngD is equivalent to a PhD in its intellectual challenge. However, as a research engineer (EngD) student, your research will be industry-led, and your project will involve your company as an industrial sponsor. This offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to obtain experience working at the forefront of industry-relevant research.
Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the principles of both renewable and non-renewable energy technologies will enable you to customise the technical and business training to fit your career goals and the needs of the company’s research division.
Graduates with an energy engineering degree will fill the R&D gaps in the energy sector and pave the way for opportunities in related fields. The energy industry impacts transportation, the environment, manufacturing, and other sectors of the economy and also creates value and innovation.
You will profit from your industry sponsor’s and the University Faculty’s experience and scholarly oversight. In collaboration with the sponsoring company, research projects will be developed by the research student and academic supervisors. Sponsoring businesses might be small, university spin-outs, large corporations, or SMEs.
Delivery Type: Day
Duration: 4 years (full-time)
Intake Date: September, January, June
Fees: AED 60713 per year*
3. PhD in Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society
The research culture of the School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society is strong by nature, and research students are highly regarded contributors to the school’s overall research profile.
There are three research field institutes within the school:
- Institute for Infrastructure and Environment
- Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Building Design
- Institute for Social Policy, Housing, Equalities Research
Our PhD programs in Dubai reflect how our research is changing. Research students are offered stimulating possibilities to engage in fields important to employers in the Gulf and the United Arab Emirates, the academic community, and research users.
Because of its diverse research portfolio, the school is desirable for individuals looking for postgraduate research opportunities directly related to tackling real-world energy-related problems.
Delivery Type: Day
Duration: 3 years (full-time)
Intake Date: Open Enrolment
Fees: AED 95670 per year
4. PhD in Engineering and Physical Sciences
The School of Engineering and Physical Sciences highly values the ability to earn a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) through research field, and it is with great pleasure that it may now be extended to students on the Dubai Campus.
First and foremost, applications are invited from anyone interested in working on a project related to energy in general. This could involve enhanced materials for energy production and conversion (such as creating nanocomposite carbide coatings) and renewable energy, energy utilisation, and energy conservation.
Delivery Type: Day
Duration: 3 years (full-time)
Intake Date: September
Fees: AED 95670 per year
5. PhD Management
Students in the region have a rare opportunity to study topics that are important to the Arab and Islamic worlds as well as the rest of the globe through the PhD program at the School of Social Sciences.
The program provides research opportunities, for example, in the following areas: equality and diversity, emiratization and other nationalisation policies, marketing, sustainability, accounting, finance, corporate governance, and Islamic business.
Delivery Type: Day
Intake Date: September, January
Fees: AED 95670 per year
6. PhD Mathematical and Computer Sciences
Applications for PhD programs in Computer Science by Research are invited to the Dubai campus of the School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences.
We encourage applications from candidates who have an interest in computing in general.
The school in Dubai provides an exceptional chance to conduct excellent research field in information security, data science, and artificial intelligence. In partnership with the Edinburgh Campus, we promote a diverse research culture and seek to deepen beneficial relationships with government and business partners in the United Arab Emirates.
Delivery Type: Day
Intake Date: September, January, and May
Fees: AED 95670 per year
7. PhD in Psychology
In keeping with Heriot-Watt University’s objective to generate and disseminate information that serves society, our psychology research looks at and proposes solutions for various international issues.
The Ph.D. in Psychology is a full-time, 36-month program that involves research under faculty supervision and culminates in the submission of a research thesis.
Our research can enhance cognitive and psychological health and well-being across the life course and assist in the diagnosis and treatment of individuals with mental health disorders.
For instance, it can clarify how learners of various ages and skill levels can receive more effective support and demonstrate how coaching, engagement, and training can improve output, productivity, or well-being.
Three main themes of group research in psychology at Heriot-Watt University:
- Cognition, brain and behaviour
- Lifespan health and wellbeing
- Work, society and environment.
Delivery Type: Day
Duration: Full-time or Part-time
Intake Date: September, January (Part-time only)
Fees: AED 95670 per year* (Inclusive of TAX and VAT)
Therefore, we have shared all the research fields available at Heriot-Watt, Dubai. Moreover, your PhD degree will be accredited by UAE Federal Accreditation.
Pro Information
The university is aware of the significant financial commitment that students will make to further their education. We provide the following scholarships to eligible Dubai campus students to lessen their financial burden. Find the details of all scholarships here.
Do you want to do PhD in Heriot-Watt?
According to the QS World University ranking, Heriot-Watt University is 235th, which is remarkable compared to thousands of universities worldwide. You can experience extraordinary teaching, research, and knowledge facilities at Heriot-Watt. Contact the university to learn more about the research fields.
