Project Management in the Built Environment

We welcome proposal submissions from students to undertake research in the following indicative areas, although other areas will be considered:

• The Built Environment: Improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings - Dr Amar Bennadji
• Smart cities and smart city design – Professor Richard Laing
• Sustainable urbanism, including mobility - Professor Richard Laing
• User and public participation in design and planning - Professor Richard Laing
• Collaborative working in design teams - Professor Richard Laing
• Collaborative/interdisciplinary design-construction management - Professor Richard Laing
• Global Border Urbanism – Dr Quazi Mahtab Zaman
• Healthy City – interdisciplinary approach to planning directives – Dr Quazi Mahtab Zaman
• Future of hydro-electric projects across the world with regards to climate change and ecological issues – Dr Naeimeh Jafarifar
• Collaborative and behavioural competencies for teams’ development - application of system dynamics – Dr Bassam Bjeirmi
• Multi-criteria decision making for efficient interdisciplinary collaboration – Dr Bassam Bjeirmi
• Asset Management knowledge transfer from Oil and Gas to Construction – Dr Bassam Bjeirmi
• Board games and collaboration: how to break the collaboration barriers within construction professionals - Dr Bassam Bjeirmi
• Collaborative working in design teams – Dr Tahar Kouider
• Collaborative/interdisciplinary design-construction management– Dr Tahar Kouider

• Disaster management and the role of stakeholders collaboration - Dr Bassam Bjeirmi
• Case base reasoning/argumentation based reasoning applications for built environment collaboration - Dr Bassam Bjeirmi
• Decommissioning optimisation through optimised collaboration - Dr Bassam Bjeirmi
• Carbon Management – Reducing embodied carbon of the built environment - Dr Michele Victoria
• Applying capability maturity model as a tool for continuous improvement in construction process enhancement – Dr Naeimeh Jafarifar
• Procurement, construction cost control, continuous improvement in construction and construction cost management – Dr Bassam Bjeirmi
• The socio-economic impact of poor city planning strategies in developing countries – Dr Bassam Bjeirmi
• Applying capability maturity model as a tool for continuous improvement in construction process enhancement – Dr Bassam Bjeirmi

We are also interested in the following broad research opportunities: 

• IT Applications within the design and evaluation of built environments
• User involvement and decision support with planning and design
• Improving the design, construction and performance of built environments
• Project management process and the optimum operation of the team
• Implementation of life cycling costing
• Organisational, contractual and asset management arrangements

Normal entry requirements are a first or upper second class honours degree from a University of the United Kingdom, or from an overseas University, or degree equivalent qualification, subject to the approval of Robert Gordon University. Applicants holding qualifications other than those above shall be considered on their merits and in relation to the nature and scope of the proposed research programme. 

Applicants holding qualifications other than those above shall be considered on their merits and in relation to the nature and scope of the proposed research programme. Applicants will normally register for an MSc/PhD or MRes/PhD with transfer to PhD dependent on satisfactory progress. However, applicants who already possess a Master’s degree which includes a significant research component could be registered directly for a PhD, subject to a satisfactory research proposal, and clear evidence of research expertise. 

English Language

Any applicant whose first language or language of previous University-level instruction is not English must normally demonstrate competence in English. This should be a score of IELTS 6.5 or equivalent.

We accept a variety of in-country and secure English language tests, find out more:

English Language requirements

Our Pre-Sessional English Programme (PSP) is available for students who have not yet reached the required English level and those who would like to improve their language competency.

Pre-Sessional English Programme at RGU

Please note, some courses may require a higher standard of English than stated in this page. Contact admissions@rgu.ac.uk for further information.

For Academic Year 2022/2023

ALL UK/EU STUDENTS

• Full time - £4,596 per academic year
• Part time MPhil/PhD - £2,760 per academic year
• Part time MRes/MSc by research - £2,298 per academic year

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

• Full time - £15,130 per academic year
• Part time MPhil/PhD - £9,078 per academic year
• Part time MRes/MSc by research - £7,565 per academic year

Additional Costs

The following course-related costs are not included in the course fees:

• The cost of books that you may wish to purchase
• Costs associated with your placement / study abroad
• Accommodation and living costs
• Printing

Alumni Discount

Robert Gordon University is delighted to offer a 20% loyalty discount on course fees for all alumni who have graduated from RGU.

Student Funding

Postgraduate students will normally make their own arrangements for payment of fees. However, there are a limited number of SAAS funded places on certain postgraduate courses.
There are also sources of funding that are applicable to categories of student.

Scholarships and Financial Awards

You may also qualify for a scholarship or financial award:

Disclaimer 

For new intakes course fees are reviewed and published annually for each mode of delivery. Tuition fees are fixed for the duration of a course at the rate confirmed in the offer letter. For further information see:

All applications should be made via the University's online application for research students.

Our Research degrees usually start in February and October each year. There is no official deadline for you to submit your application, though we recommend you submit it as early as possible in order to ensure we can help you join us at your preferred time.

Completed application forms should be accompanied by:

• Two academic references
• A transcript or mark sheet for all graduate qualifications
• A draft research proposal, or at least a short summary to indicate the potential area of research (Refer to Section 8 of the Application Form)

For applicants whose first language or language of university education is not English, applications must include:

• Certificate of English language competency score of IELTS 6.5 in each of the four test components (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking).
• Students who can demonstrate successful completion of tertiary (university or college) studies in a country whose national language is English, may be exempted from this requirement.