PhD Programmes

Technology and management research for real-world impact

  • PhD in Computer Science
  • PhD in Information Systems

Our Mission

To produce PhD graduates with expertise at the intersection of IT and business for R&D units and applied academic institutions. To establish SCIS as a distinct research and teaching school in Asia that attracts high-caliber professors, and influences academic research and industry practices.

Our Goal

To develop researchers/educators who address deep technology challenges in real computing systems that impact society or business, or who develop tools and methodologies to translate societal challenges or business goals into technology solutions. Our PhD graduates will be capable of collaborating with faculty members from different research areas, designing technological solutions for real-world problems and applications, while still producing top-rate academic publications.

Employment Prospects of our Graduates

Our graduates have gone on to secure job placements like Mississippi State University, New Mexico State University, University of Melbourne, Queensland University, National University of Singapore, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Microsoft Research, Salesforce, Booking.com, Huawei, Ant Financial, Alibaba, GRAB, etc.

Research & Development Units require PhD graduates with system/business-view of technology, to complement graduates from other institutions who are trained to work on component technologies.

Academic Institutions, particularly software schools require PhD graduates with application/ system building and management skills.

Industry requires PhD graduates with the skill to develop tools and methodologies to translate business goals into technology requirements, and also to build technology-based solutions that contribute to revenue growth or cost reduction.
Economies require start-ups to stay vibrant. Entrepreneurial minded students can work with SMU's Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship to translate their Ph.D. research into high potential globally scalable start-ups using the different funding schemes available to such start ups in Singapore.

Possible Opportunities in the Programme

Centre on Security, Mobile Applications and Cryptography (SMC) Research Opportunities

Funded by Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF), the Centre on Security, Mobile Applications and Cryptography (SMC) studies technologies and solutions to secure different layers of mobile computing systems (ranging from mobile platforms, mobile applications, to mobile Internet services) via implementation of a holistic and end-to-end approach. At SMC, PhD students get opportunities to not only create state-of-the-art mobile computing security technologies, but also evaluate the scalability and usability of these technologies through collaborations with public and private sectors to conduct experiments in real world settings.

Leverage opportunities at the Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE)

SMU's Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship will work with you in transitioning your technology innovation or a business model innovation into a commercial for profit company. Enroll in their workshops taught by serial entrepreneurs and acquire the skills required to translate your technology innovation into a business. Work with their Sandbox manager to explore the appropriate grants that can help you build a prototype of your innovation. Their Innovation manager can link you to Entrepreneurs-in-residence and business mentors who will work shoulder to shoulder with you in creating a company using your PhD research results. Benefit from their Entrepreneurs corner and Affiliates corner to develop networks that can help you achieve your entrepreneurial dreams.