PHDS IN THE SCHOOL OF
SOCIAL SCIENCES
OVERVIEW OF THIS AFTERNOON
Doing a PhD in Manchester Social Sciences.
 A view from current students

DOING A PHD

A PhD is:

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
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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!
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.

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

WHY DO A PHD?
Intellectual Challenge
 Want an academic/research career
 Want a (better) job

Other
professional
Nonprofessional
Unemployed
Other inactive
14
12
22
16
3
14
2
83
10
23
2
8
3
13
0
59
0
0
0
0
2
3
0
5
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
2
Total
Research
Anthropology
15
Econmics
28
Social Stats
2
Sociology
24
Philosophy
5
Politics
52
Social Change
0
SOSS
126
Unknown
Academic
EMPLOYMENT DATA
Positive
/Known
7 46 100.0%
7 70 100.0%
1 28 96.3%
24 74 96.0%
2 15 84.6%
17 100 95.2%
2
4 100.0%
60 337 96.8%
BAD REASONS FOR DOING A PHD
Carry on with the student life
 Don’t know what else to do
 Seems like an easy option

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

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:
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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)
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

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

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Has a methods training arm methodsNW which
runs regional training events throughout the
year
WHAT DOES X+Y MEAN?

+3: Three years of funding

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1+3: 4 years of funding.

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a three year funded PhD programme
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

FUNDING

DTC standard studentships (0-50, realistically
about 8-10)

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£14210 stipend
Fees paid
£750 research training grant
1+3 or +3
Home only
FUNDING

DTC AQM (up to 10, realistically about 4-5)

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£17210 stipend
Fees paid
£1000 Research training grant
+3 or 2+2 or 1+3
Home or overseas
FUNDING

DTC Economics (>=3) studentships

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£17210 stipend
Fees paid
£1000 Research training grant
1+2 or 2+2
Home or overseas
FUNDING

PDS studentships (5),school and DA studentships
(17)

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£14210/£17210 stipend
Fees paid
£750/£1000 Research training grant
+3 (or 1+2) only
Home or overseas (but only home fees)
FUNDING

Philosophy AHRC award (1)
£13283 stipend
 Fees paid
 RTSG
 +3/1+3

FUNDING

EPSRC Awards (up to 3 realistically 1-2); have to be
related to one of the EPSRC themes:
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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
FUNDING

EPSRC Awards (up to 3 realistically 1-2)

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~£14000 stipend
Fees paid
1000 Research training grant
+3 only
Home or overseas (but only home fees)
DA ENHANCED STUDENTSHIP AWARDS

DA Based funds
Can fund the difference between home and overseas
 Or occasionally used to top up exceptional applicants

PROJECT LINKED STUDENTSHIPS

Privacy and big data


Accounting for Informative Item Nonresponse in
Hierarchical Linked Data


Contact mark.elliot@manchester.ac.uk
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
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

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

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PSA
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this is sufficient to apply
DTC

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this is sufficient to apply
a separate application will be necessary
AHRC DTP

a separate application will be necessary
TIMETABLE FOR APPLICATIONS

Deadline for programme applications into the
school via the on-line applications system.
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Anthropology 19th January 2015
ASR 19th January 2015
Economics for DTC awards 19th January 2015
Economics for DA awards 30th April 2015
Philosophy: 19th Jnauary 2015
Politics: 15th December 2014
Social Statistics 19th January 2015
Sociology 19th January 2015
TIMETABLE FOR APPLICATIONS

Deadline for applications to the DTC via:
http://www.nwdtc.ac.uk/prospective.html.

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3rd February 2015
Deadline for applications to the AHRC DTP via:
?????
 ?????
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Deadline for applications to EPSRC
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3rd February 2015
If you have your own source of funding then you
could apply at any time.
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.

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Exception Economics Da awards.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO APPLY
Application form
 2 referees
 A research proposal

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?

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.

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).
NEXT STEPS: DA SESSIONS

After this event

Breakout groups
3.205
 3.211
 3.212
 3.213
 3.214

Economics
Sociology
Social Anthropology
Social Statistics and Applied Social Research
Politics and Philosophy
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!
