The School of Textiles and Design at Heriot-Watt University actively supports practice-based MPhil and PhD degrees as a structured route for working designers and researchers to develop their own creative visions, methodologies, and techniques through rigorous academic research.

This research model combines practical, studio-based inquiry with scholarly written work, allowing students to explore a subject through design practice while producing an intellectually grounded thesis. The School welcomes diverse applications that align with its key research themes.

Research Themes

Students may align their practice-based research within the following areas:

  • Archive Studies

  • Colour Science and Technology

  • Design Innovation

  • Drawing and Visual Thinking

  • Educational Innovation in Design

  • Fashion and Wearable Design

  • Knit Design and Manufacture

  • Textile Design and Clothing Manufacture

  • Textile Science and Technology

Research Structure and Expectations

This route is grounded in the principles of academic research as defined by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and includes:

  • A clearly defined series of research questions or problems to be addressed

  • A robust research context, highlighting the contribution to knowledge, creativity, and understanding

  • A clearly articulated research methodology and rationale

  • A practice component, such as design work, that is conceptually and methodologically integrated with the written thesis

  • For PhD candidates, the research must demonstrate originality and make a substantial contribution to the field

While the balance between practice and theory varies per project, both components must be structurally and intellectually interconnected.

Research Areas in Detail

Textile Science and Technology
Research in this area addresses both traditional and modern developments, particularly the expanding field of technical textiles, with a focus on medical and healthcare applications.

Textile Design and Clothing Manufacture
The Research Institute for Flexible Materials (RIFleX) explores the interface between textiles and clothing. Projects include innovations in textile aesthetics, fabric mechanics, and wearable technologies.

Why Choose This Route?

This program is ideal for professionals and academics seeking to:

  • Bridge creative practice with academic research

  • Contribute original insights to design, textiles, and related fields

  • Develop a deeply personal yet academically robust body of work

  • Engage with interdisciplinary and forward-thinking design research