PhDs in the School of Social Sciences

1. PhDs in the School of Social Sciences

2. Overview of this afternoon • Doing a PhD in Manchester Social Sciences. • A view from current students

3. Doing a PhD • A PhD is: • A concentrated, extensive, intensive program of research. • Applied training in research skills in a particular discipline. • The first step on an academic career. • An entry badge for an academic/research career. • An apprenticeship. • A qualification!

4. What does it take to do a PhD • Excellent research skills. • An appetite for learning/curiosity. • The capacity for independent thought and work. • The capacity to persist in the face of difficulties. • A willingness to work hard. • A good relationship with one’s supervisor.

5. What do Social Science PhD students do? • Read a lot • Write a lot • Collect Research Data • Analyse Research Data • Theorise • Present their work • Network • Publish • Teach • Learn

6. Why do a PhD? • Intellectual Challenge • Want an academic/research career • Want a (better) job

7. Employment data

8. Bad Reasons for doing a PhD • Carry on with the student life • Don’t know what else to do • Seems like an easy option

9. The Social Science Programs • Economics PhD • Philosophy PhD • Politics PhD • Social Anthropology PhD • Social Anthropology with Visual Media PhD • Social Statistics PhD • Sociology PhD • Applied Social Research PhD

10. Consider Interdisciplinarity • Some research problems such interdisciplinary approaches. • You can be co-supervised by academics from different disciplines. • Funders like interdisciplinarity! • Some combinations we have seen: • Sociology & Social Stats. • Politics &Philosophy • Politics & Economics • Economics & Health, Econ & Environment, Econ and Development Studies • Latin American Studies and Anthropology; Anthropology, Media and Performance (with Drama)

11. Funding • School and discipline Studentships (17) • President’s Doctoral Scholars (PDS) studentships (5 expected) • NWDTC studentships (0-64) • Standard • Economics • AQM • CASE • EPSRC studentships (0-3) • Grant Linked Studentships

12. What is the NWDTC? • The North West Doctoral Training College (DTC) is a quasi independent virtual organisation which funds 64+ social science PhD studentships per year with ESRC funding. • A consortium of three universities: • Manchester • Lancaster • Liverpool • Has a methods training arm methodsNW which runs regional training events throughout the year

13. What Does X+Y mean? • +3: Three years of funding • a three year funded PhD programme • 1+3: 4 years of funding. • A 1 year taught masters followed a three year PhD Program • 2+2: Fours years of funding • within economics only • A two year MRes followed by a two year PhD program

14. Funding • DTC standard studentships (0-50, realistically about 8-10) • £14210 stipend • Fees paid • £750 research training grant • 1+3 or +3 • Home only

15. Funding • DTC AQM (up to 10, realistically about 4-5) • £17210 stipend • Fees paid • £1000 Research training grant • +3 or 2+2 or 1+3 • Home or overseas

16. Funding • DTC Economics (>=3) studentships • £17210 stipend • Fees paid • £1000 Research training grant • 1+2 or 2+2 • Home or overseas

17. Funding • PDS studentships (5),school and DA studentships (17) • £14210/£17210 stipend • Fees paid • £750/£1000 Research training grant • +3 (or 1+2) only • Home or overseas (but only home fees)

18. Funding • Philosophy AHRC award (1) • £13283 stipend • Fees paid • RTSG • +3/1+3

19. Funding • EPSRC Awards (up to 3 realistically 1-2); have to be related to one of the EPSRC themes: • Digital economy • Energy • Living With Environmental Change (LWEC) • Global uncertainties • Healthcare technologies • Engineering • Information and communication technologies (ICT) • Manufacturing the future • Mathematical sciences • Physical sciences • Quantum technologies • Research infrastructure

20. Funding • EPSRC Awards (up to 3 realistically 1-2) • ~£14000 stipend • Fees paid • 1000 Research training grant • +3 only • Home or overseas (but only home fees)

21. DA enhanced studentship awards • DA Based funds • Can fund the difference between home and overseas • Or occasionally used to top up exceptional applicants

22. Project Linked studentships • Privacy and big data • Contact mark.elliot@manchester.ac.uk • Accounting for Informative Item Nonresponse in Hierarchical Linked Data • Contact natalie.shlomo@manchester.ac.uk • Beyond numbers: do immigrant-origin MPs speak for immigrant-origin minorities in the UK Parliament? • Contact maria.sobolewska@manchester.ac.uk

23. Funding summary • We have multiple sources of funding for studentships • About 35-50 in total • Some programme specific • Some home only some overseas or home • Some +3 (or 1+2) only some also 1+3 to 2+2

24. To apply for funding • On your application form there is a section for funding. You should indicate each source of funding you are interested in: • School • this is sufficient to apply • PSA • this is sufficient to apply • DTC • a separate application will be necessary • AHRC DTP • a separate application will be necessary

25. Timetable For Applications • Deadline for programme applications into the school via the on-line applications system. • Anthropology 19th January 2015 • ASR 19th January 2015 • Economics for DTC awards 19th January 2015 • Economics for DA awards 30th April 2015 • Philosophy: 19thJnauary 2015 • Politics: 15th December 2014 • Social Statistics 19thJanuary 2015 • Sociology 19thJanuary 2015

26. Timetable For Applications • Deadline for applications to the DTC via: http://www.nwdtc.ac.uk/prospective.html. • 3rd February 2015 • Deadline for applications to the AHRC DTP via: • ????? • ????? • Deadline for applications to EPSRC • 3rd February 2015 • If you have your own source of funding then you could apply at any time.

27. Timetable • By 15th February: Applicants informed if they have been awarded a place on the programme. • By 28th March: Applicants informed if they have been awarded a funded studentship. • Exception Economics Da awards.

28. What do you need to apply • Application form • 2 referees • A research proposal

29. What is a Research Proposal? • A document which outlines the Why, What and How of a proposed programme of research. • What is the field in which the proposed research is located? • What is the research questions? • Why are these questions interesting? • How will the research be carried out?

30. What does a good research proposal look like? • The language should be precise and concise. • Proposal length is 1500 words. • The proposal should demonstrate the curiosity and independence of thought that will be required. • The “How” question is important – if you don’t know how you are going to go about your research then that will not inspire confidence in the reviewers.

31. Next steps. • Attend your DA recruitment event. It helps if you have some idea about: • Research Topic. • Research questions. • Methods. • Your DA’s will identify a potential supervisor (assuming there is one).

32. NEXT STEPS: DA sessions • After this event • Breakout groups • 3.205     Economics • 3.211     Sociology • 3.212     Social Anthropology • 3.213     Social Statistics and Applied Social Research • 3.214     Politics and Philosophy

33. Next steps. • Draft your proposal and send it to your potential supervisor for feedback. • Revise your proposal (possibly in consultation with your proposed supervisor) and then submit your application!