36 monthsProgramme duration
14,750 GBPTuition Fee/year
30 Apr, 2026Application Deadline
Feb, Jun, OctStarting Month
Programme overview
Degree
PhD
Study Level
PHD
Study Mode
On Campus
Game studies as an academic field investigates digital games from a humanities-oriented perspective, utilising critical, historical, and social research methodologies. Prospective projects may explore issues such as narrative, ethics, audiences, and semiotics, and apply theoretical approaches such as literary theory, philosophy, postcolonialism, political economy, or psychology.
Game studies at Abertay benefits from close collaboration with Abertay's leading Games programmes as well as Dundee's status as a UNESCO City of Design. Abertay University is 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. Dundee is one of the UK’s oldest and most successful games hubs, and we have longstanding relationships with local, national and international game studios.
Abertay has hosted international games conferences including Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA) and Foundations of Digital Games (FDG) as well as world-leading game studies scholars for seminars and lectures. As a member of SGSAH, a collaboration of Scottish universities whose goal is to provide the highest quality postgraduate education and research experience, Abertay is well-placed to deliver effective supervision. The programme will prepare you for a career as a researcher and academic, as well as an exciting range of roles outside of academia.
Game studies at Abertay benefits from close collaboration with Abertay's leading Games programmes as well as Dundee's status as a UNESCO City of Design. Abertay University is 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. Dundee is one of the UK’s oldest and most successful games hubs, and we have longstanding relationships with local, national and international game studios.
Abertay has hosted international games conferences including Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA) and Foundations of Digital Games (FDG) as well as world-leading game studies scholars for seminars and lectures. As a member of SGSAH, a collaboration of Scottish universities whose goal is to provide the highest quality postgraduate education and research experience, Abertay is well-placed to deliver effective supervision. The programme will prepare you for a career as a researcher and academic, as well as an exciting range of roles outside of academia.
Programme overview
Degree
PhD
Study Level
PHD
Study Mode
On Campus
Game studies as an academic field investigates digital games from a humanities-oriented perspective, utilising critical, historical, and social research methodologies. Prospective projects may explore issues such as narrative, ethics, audiences, and semiotics, and apply theoretical approaches such as literary theory, philosophy, postcolonialism, political economy, or psychology.
Game studies at Abertay benefits from close collaboration with Abertay's leading Games programmes as well as Dundee's status as a UNESCO City of Design. Abertay University is 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. Dundee is one of the UK’s oldest and most successful games hubs, and we have longstanding relationships with local, national and international game studios.
Abertay has hosted international games conferences including Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA) and Foundations of Digital Games (FDG) as well as world-leading game studies scholars for seminars and lectures. As a member of SGSAH, a collaboration of Scottish universities whose goal is to provide the highest quality postgraduate education and research experience, Abertay is well-placed to deliver effective supervision. The programme will prepare you for a career as a researcher and academic, as well as an exciting range of roles outside of academia.
Game studies at Abertay benefits from close collaboration with Abertay's leading Games programmes as well as Dundee's status as a UNESCO City of Design. Abertay University is 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. Dundee is one of the UK’s oldest and most successful games hubs, and we have longstanding relationships with local, national and international game studios.
Abertay has hosted international games conferences including Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA) and Foundations of Digital Games (FDG) as well as world-leading game studies scholars for seminars and lectures. As a member of SGSAH, a collaboration of Scottish universities whose goal is to provide the highest quality postgraduate education and research experience, Abertay is well-placed to deliver effective supervision. The programme will prepare you for a career as a researcher and academic, as well as an exciting range of roles outside of academia.
Admission Requirements
185+
7+
67+
95+
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. Degree studies must include an independent research component evidenced in the degree transcript, such as dissertation, project, or thesis.
30 Apr 2026
3 Years
Feb
Jun
- Candidates are required to submit references or letter(s) of recommendation for acceptance
Tuition fees
Domestic
5,006 GBP
International
14,750 GBP
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