Medicine: Fully Funded Diabetes UK MPhil Studentship in Human Agency & Leveraging Technology (HALT) to prevent diabetes complications (RS853)

Funding provider: Diabetes UK 

Subject areas: Medicine, Population Health, Diabetes 

Project start date: October 2025 ** (Please see the note below regarding potential later start dates)

Supervisors: Dr Rebecca Thomas, Prof Stephen Bain 

Aligned programme of study:  MPhil – Medical and Health Care Studies

Mode of study: Full-time  

Project description: 
Prevention and delaying the progression of diabetes complications requires tight glycaemic management for people with diabetes. Screening currently detects microvascular changes once they develop so treatment can be most effective. However, Novel Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare offers the potential to transform diabetes care through the early detection of the risk of complications prior to symptoms of microvascular changes developing. Precise and actionable information that empowers individuals with diabetes to make informed self-management decisions is required to prevent complications. Therefore, it is crucial to bridge the gap between technology, human understanding, and emotional well-being of people with diabetes.

This research programme will investigate the impact of current screening for diabetes complications on people with diabetes, evaluate how AI in healthcare is perceived by individuals living with diabetes and explore ways to build trust in AI systems and understanding of AI risk prediction. This will involve a mixed-methods approach including questionnaires, voice notes, interviews, and focus groups.

The findings will be used to develop recommendations in collaboration with a consensus panel composed of people with diabetes and healthcare professionals. The goal is to optimise the potential of AI for the benefit of people living with diabetes and healthcare systems.

The scholarship is open to UK fee-eligible applicants. 

Due to funding restrictions, this scholarship is open to applicants eligible to pay tuition fees at the UK rate only, as defined by UKCISA (Full list of categories for HE in Wales) 

MPhil: Applicants for MPhil must hold a minimum of an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level (or non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University). See - Country Specific Entry Requirements page. 

English Language
IELTS 6.5 Overall (with no individual component below 6.5) or Swansea University recognised equivalent. Full details of our English Language policy, including certificate time validity, can be found here.

This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees and an annual stipend at (£18,700 for 2024/25).

Additional research expenses of up to £26,060 will also be available. 

To apply, please complete your application online

In order to be considered for this scholarship award the following steps are also required. 

1) In section ‘Programme Related Information’ please input the relevant RS Code for the scholarship award i.e. RS853 

2) In section ‘Research’ you will see ‘Proposed project title/studentship title’* (Mandatory) 

1. In ‘Proposed project title/studentship title’ please input both:  
   1. the RS Code RS853, and 
   2. the scholarship title.   
2. Please leave Proposed Supervisor field blank 
3. Please leave Research Project (if applicable) blank 
4. In ‘Do you have a proposal to upload?*’(Mandatory) Please select Yes 
5. Then upload copy of advert (you can save the advert by clicking print, and then print to pdf) 

3) In section ‘Funding information’ please choose the option ‘Scholarship Funding’ only. Please ensure no other options are selected.  

*It is the responsibility of the applicant to list the above information accurately when applying, please note that applications received without the above information listed will not be considered for the scholarship award. 

One application is required per individual Swansea University led research scholarship award; applications cannot be considered listing multiple Swansea University led research scholarship awards. 

If you’ve previously applied for this programme, the system will display an “Application Submitted” warning and block a new submission. In this case:

1. Apply for the same course with the next available start date (e.g., select January if October is unavailable).
2. Email pgrscholarships@swansea.ac.uk with your student number and the relevant scholarship RS code, requesting the start date be amended to match the advert.
3. Admissions staff will then update your application accordingly.

NOTE: Applicants for MPhil/PhD/EngD/ProfD/EdD - to support our commitment to providing an environment free of discrimination and celebrating diversity at Swansea University you are required to complete an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Monitoring Form in addition to your programme application form.    

Please note that completion of the EDI Monitoring Form is mandatory; your application may not progress if this information is not submitted. 

As part of your online application, you MUST upload the following documents (please do not send these via email): 

• CV 

• Degree certificates and transcripts (if you are currently studying for a degree, screenshots of your grades to date are sufficient) 

• A cover letter including a ‘Supplementary Personal Statement’ to explain why the position particularly matches your skills and experience and how you choose to develop the project. 

• One reference (academic or previous employer) on headed paper or using the Swansea University reference form. Please note that we are not able to accept references received citing private email accounts, e.g. Hotmail. Referees should cite their employment email address for verification of reference. 

• Evidence of meeting English Language requirement (if applicable). 

• Copy of UK resident visa (if applicable) 

• Confirmation of EDI form submission  

Informal enquiries are welcome; please contact Dr Rebecca Thomas at r.l.thomas@swansea.ac.uk  

*External Partner Application Data Sharing – Please note that as part of the scholarship application selection process, application data sharing may occur with external partners outside of the University, when joint/co- funding of a scholarship project is applicable.

** In exceptional circumstances, and subject to the discretion of the University and/or the relevant funding body, a deferral of offer may be granted to the next available enrolment period. Such deferral will typically not exceed a duration of three calendar months from the originally stipulated commencement date. Please note that only one deferral may be considered, and any such deferral is not guaranteed.