The strong, independent and outward-looking research base at the College has grown rapidly in recent years. In addition to having the highest quality of expertise and experience on hand, the College has a dynamic, open-ended and inquiring atmosphere which encourages cutting-edge thinking. Over two-thirds of staff are involved in high-level research.

This allows the College a unique ability to offer students a flexible training in research of all kinds, including research-based Masters degrees, MPhil and PhD awards. Research covers a vast field, contributing to and extending the theoretical, conceptual and practical aspects of art, design and environmental studies. In particular, the College promotes the developments of practice-based PhDs as a route whereby working artists, designers and other professionals can elevate their own visions, techniques and approaches to new levels.

The College has shared provision of research methods training for PhD student methods since 2004 with the University of Edinburgh's School of Arts, Culture and Environment (ACE), with support from an AHRC grant. All research students access the postgraduate training skills programmes offered by the University's Transkills unit.

In 2004, we were recognised as an accredited institution of the University of Edinburgh and the latter now validates all our degrees. An academic federation between us  and the University, launched in September 2007, now provides a framework for close collaboration whilst retaining the independent identities of the two institutions. Research committees also combine to co-ordinate a lively programme of public lectures, research workshops and seminar programmes.

The formation of the federation runs parallel to the continuing, Scottish Research Council funded project to support the alignment of architectural education and research between the two institutions and with Heriot-Watt University. Research students benefit from this collaboration in a number of ways.  For further information see http://ace.caad.ed.ac.uk/eca-ace/ .

The research programmes at the College are:

Qualification: MPhil
The period of study prescribed for full-time registered students is normally 12 months minimum and 18 months maximum. The period of study prescribed for students registered as part-time is 24 months minimum and 36 months maximum. 

Qualification: PhD
The period of study prescribed for full-time registered students is normally 36 months. The period of study prescribed for students registered as part-time is 48 months minimum and 72 months maximum. 

An additional period of up to one year maximum can be used as writing-up time for both full-time and part-time students registered on MPhil and PhD, if necessary.

Students can register with our existing Schools such as: Art (Drawing and Painting, Intermedia, Sculpture), Design (Design and Applied Arts, Fashion and Textiles, Visual Communication), Architecture and Landscape Architecture, or  directly with the Graduate Research School if their research area is interdisciplinary.  The Graduate Research School actively promotes work which crosses the boundaries between Schools and disciplines.