Related linksComputer Science and Information Systems (PhD / MPhil) - 2009/2010 entry
Aims
Students who successfully complete this MPhil or PhD degree will have gained expert knowledge in their chosen research area and the ability to perform research-led activities in a broader context. In addition, students who successfully complete the PhD degree will have gained the ability to identify and solve complex problems arising in their chosen research area, and will have made a substantial original contribution to this area.
Staff research areas
There are two major research groups in the School: Computational Intelligence; and Information Management and Web Technologies. Research degree supervision extends to many branches of the subject, particularly: information management, integration and personalisation; web information retrieval and navigation; semantic web technologies; ubiquitous and pervasive computing; data mining; learning environments; adaptive and self-organising systems; information systems development and deployment; software engineering; knowledge representation and reasoning; model, spatial, temporal and description logics; cluster analysis and classification; evolutionary, multi-agent and nature-inspired computations; computer vision; text and natural language processing; machine learning in games; life sciences informatics; and the history of computing.
In 2004, the School set up the London Knowledge Lab, in collaboration with the Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology, and Culture, Language and Communication from the Institute of Education (IoE). The London Knowledge Lab brings together computer scientists from Birkbeck and social scientists from the IoE to explore the ways in which digital technologies and new media will shape the future of learning and knowledge.
Study resources
Study resources include a course on research methods for computer science and information systems, regular research seminars, and extensive computing facilities. As a research student, you will have 24-hour access to servers and networked PCs running a range of language compilers, database, data mining and other specialist software.
The School of Computer Science and Information Systems is connected, via the SuperJANET network, to the computers of other academic institutions in London, elsewhere in the UK and abroad.
When to apply
- You can apply, and start studying, at any time during the year, although October is the usual start date.