Students, AI, and Scholarly Integrity: A Hermeneutic Phenomenology of Postgraduate Research Practices in Saudi Higher Education

Background: This qualitative study explores how Master’s students in educational psychology at a Saudi university negotiate artificial intelligence AI use in research and coursework. Methods: The study adopted a hermeneutic phenomenological design, drawing on semi-structured interviews with seven eligible students in Medina, and analysed them thematically. The interpretive lens was informed by the Technology Acceptance Model/Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (perceived usefulness, ease of use, social influence), Bourdieu’s cultural capital (1977), and a sociocultural perspective (e.g., Vygotsky, 1978) on institutional norms. Findings: Five interconnected themes captured student engagement with AI: (1) patterns of use and functional perceptions, (2) social acceptance and cultural influence, (3) digital skills and cultural capital, (4) ethical considerations and institutional context, and (5) self-perception versus actual use. Adoption emerged as a negotiated practice shaped by peer cues, policy signals, and scholarly identity. While AI supported brainstorming, drafting, and organisation, students emphasised verification, attribution, and boundaries to avoid over-reliance. Implications: The study introduces the AI-in-HE model and highlights the need for ethics, verification strategies, and capital-sensitive AI literacy programmes that can be aligned with institutional policy and can inform AI literacy across postgraduate contexts.