Group of people

ESRC White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership

Funding:

PhD, Integrated PhD/PG Cert or Masters & PhD

Duration:

3.5 years, 3.75 years or 4.5 years

Application deadline:

17.00, 22 January 2025

About this project

We are looking for talented postgraduate researchers to join us for a world-class start to their careers by undertaking a social science research degree at Hull, as part of the White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership (WRDTP).

We want you to help us address some of society’s most pressing global challenges by devising your own Social Sciences research project. It needs to fit within one of the White Rose DTP’s seven Interdisciplinary Themed Pathways.

Each student will receive a tuition fee waiver and an annual stipend based on the ESRC’s current studentship rates. The current annual stipend is £19,237 (for academic year 24/25). Updated rates will be published in early 2025 for the 25/26 academic year. This will be paid for the duration of the funded research period. Full tuition fees will be paid for the duration of the funded research period. Further details can be found on the White Rose DTP website.

Once you have a research question in mind and know which Pathway(s) it aligns to, you need to find a suitable supervisor here at Hull, from one of the White Rose disciplines:

· Hull University Business School;

· History in the School of Humanities;

· Human Geography in the School of Environmental Sciences;

· Criminology in the School of Criminology, Sociology and Policing;

· Education in the School of Education;

· Psychology in the School of Psychology and Social Work.

We can help you do this – just contact whiterosedtp@hull.ac.uk.

About the Doctoral Training Partnership

The University of Hull is a member of the prestigious White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership (WRDTP), which is funded and accredited by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), part of the national research funding body UKRI.

This innovative Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) is a collaboration between the leading social science departments in the Universities of Bradford, Hull, Leeds, Manchester Metropolitan, Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam and York. The partnership distributes funded PhD places to train and nurture the next generation of world-class social science researchers with outstanding skills and potential.

About the awards

The White Rose DTP through its partner institutions is offering a number of PhD studentships to equip the next generation of social science researchers with the skills and knowledge necessary to address the most pressing challenges facing the world today:

· White Rose Pathway awards offer applicants the opportunity to develop proposals for impactful social science research that engages with the key themes and challenges identified in our thematic interdisciplinary pathways.

· White Rose Advanced Quantitative Methods (AQM) awards are aimed at applicants who will use cutting edge quantitative research methods to facilitate impactful research that is aligned with our thematic interdisciplinary pathways. These projects will use either primary or secondary quantitative data to answer research questions about society.

· Similarly, White Rose Advanced Data Analytics (ADA) awards are aimed at applicants who will use cutting edge data analysis techniques (which can be quantitative and/or qualitative), or will deploy large scale or ‘big’ data, to facilitate impactful research that is aligned with our thematic interdisciplinary pathways. These projects are likely to use forms of secondary data that are not commonly used in social science research, and that require particular techniques to understand and interpret those data.

Stuart Hall Foundation Awards for Black British Students

Reflecting White Rose DTP's commitment to addressing historic structural inequalities in education, White Rose also offers two Stuart Hall Foundation Awards for Black British students. Applicants to this scheme will have research interests that align with Professor Stuart Hall’s research legacy in the areas of securing wider access to education, race, ethnicity, cultural studies and structural inequalities. Further details can be found here.

Scholarship programme routes

There are three scholarship routes. We will help you determine which one is best for you, depending on your qualifications and previous social science research training.

Before you apply, you will need to discuss the scholarship routes with your proposed supervisor and indicate in your application which route you would like to be considered for. However, the final decision will be made by the White Rose DTP panel, so you may end up on a different route to the one you selected in your application.

Route 1: PhD

A PhD programme, incorporating a mandatory 3-month Research in Practice placement.

  • Funded research period: 3.5 years (full time), 7 years (part time).
  • Unfunded thesis finalisation period: 6 months (full time), 12 months (part time).
  • Research in Practice placement module: 3 months (full time), 6 months (part time) - can be taken pro-rata.
  • Additional mandatory training: Postgraduate Training Scheme.
  • Eligibility: Candidates with sufficient Social Science research – usually through a previous Social Sciences Masters qualification.

Route 2: Integrated PhD/PG Certificate

An integrated PhD/PG Certificate route, which also incorporates a mandatory 3-month Research in Practice placement. You also need to take and pass 60 Masters level credits taken from the Masters in Social Research DTP programme at Hull.

  • Funded research period: 3.75 years (full time), 7.5 years (part time).
  • Unfunded thesis finalisation period: 3 months (full time), 6 months (part time).
  • Research in Practice placement module: 3 months (full time), 6 months (part time) - can be taken pro-rata.
  • Additional mandatory training: 60 credits from Masters in Social Research modules passed within 12 months (full time) or 24 months (part time). Certain core PGTS training, with no assessment.
  • Eligibility: Candidates with a Masters but without experience or qualifications in Social Science research.

Route 3: Masters followed by PhD

This route is slightly different to the above in that you will study a taught programme first – the Masters in Social Research (DTP). You can get an idea of the types of modules you will study on your Masters programme by looking at the Masters in Social Research webpage, but please note it will differ for White Rose students. You must pass the Masters in Social Research DTP stage to progress to the PhD.

Masters
  • Masters period: 1 year (full time), 2 years (part time).
  • Eligibility: Candidates without a Masters qualification.
PhD
  • Funded PhD period: 3.5 years (full time), 7 years (part time).
  • Unfunded PhD thesis finalisation period: 6 months (full time), 12 months (part time).
  • Research in Practice placement module: 3 months (full time), 6 months (part time) - can be taken pro-rata.
  • Additional mandatory training: Postgraduate Training Scheme.
  • Eligibility: You will progress to the PhD element upon passing the MSc Social Research (DTP) programme.

How to apply

The deadline to apply is 17.00 On 22 January 2025. Any applications received after this time will not be accepted.

1. Before you apply, you must get in touch to with the named contact for the discipline you would like to study (please see below). They will decide whether we have the relevant expertise and resource at Hull to help you deliver your research project and if so, they will put you in touch with a potential supervisor.

2. At this stage you must have a good idea of your central research question i.e. the research project you would like to undertake at Hull.

3. You must also be able to demonstrate how your research project fits within one of the seven White Rose Interdisciplinary Pathways.

4. When applying to Hull, you must apply to the subject area where your supervisor is based. If you are unsure which area to apply to, ask your potential supervisor or contact whiterosedtp@hull.ac.uk

5. When you apply to Hull, you will need to submit a research proposal, and also complete an application form for the scholarship. You will also need to provide certain documents. You can find more details of the documents we need and what to expect from the application process by visiting our Applying to Hull webpages.

6. You will have the option to apply for the standard PhD in your chosen subject area, on either a full-time or part-time basis, but should you be successful in securing the White Rose scholarship, we will transfer you to appropriate White Rose scholarship programme route

7. The final decision on which route you are allocated to will be made by the White Rose DTP panel, so you may end up on a different route to the one you selected in your application.

 

Apply online

Business School

PhD Accounting Apply for a White Rose scholarship PhD Accounting.

Contact: Dr Mamoon Bashir M.M.Bashir@hull.ac.uk

 

PhD Economics Apply for a White Rose scholarship PhD Economics.

Contact: Dr Mamoon Bashir M.M.Bashir@hull.ac.uk

 

PhD Finance Apply for a White Rose scholarship PhD Finance.

Contact: Dr Mamoon Bashir M.M.Bashir@hull.ac.uk

 

PhD Management Apply for a White Rose scholarship PhD Management.

Contact: Dr Mamoon Bashir M.M.Bashir@hull.ac.uk

 

PhD Human Resource Management Apply for a White Rose scholarship PhD Human Resource Management.

Contact: Dr Mamoon Bashir M.M.Bashir@hull.ac.uk

 

School of Humanities

PhD History Apply for a White Rose scholarship PhD History.

Contact: Dr Amanda Capern A.L.Capern@hull.ac.uk

 

School of Environmental Sciences

PhD Human Geography Apply for a White Rose scholarship PhD Human Geography.

Contact: Dr Elsbeth Robson e.robson@hull.ac.uk

 

School of Criminology, Sociology and Policing

PhD Criminology Apply for a White Rose scholarship PhD Criminology.

Contact: Dr Jon Burnett Jon.Burnett@hull.ac.uk

 

School of Education

PhD Education Apply for a White Rose scholarship PhD Education.

Contact: Dr Duncan Hunter D.Hunter@hull.ac.uk

 

School of Psychology & Social Work

PhD Psychology Apply for a White Rose scholarship PhD Psychology.

Contact: Dr Rachel Anderson Rachel.Anderson@hull.ac.uk

 

PhD Social Work Apply for a White Rose scholarship PhD Social Work.

Contact: Dr Rachel Anderson Rachel.Anderson@hull.ac.uk

Postgraduate student reading in the Brynmor Jones Library
PGT entry requirements
Postgraduate Rebecca Humphries & Georgia Sykes walking by HUBS Wharfe Building

Watch: find out more about postgraduate study at the University of Hull

As a postgraduate researcher at Hull, you will be part of our ambition to be at the forefront of new developments in Social Sciences research. This is a hugely important area of research for us, so you will receive all the support you need to develop your talent, your research skills and your career.

You will be part of the ESRC White Rose community – a vibrant and growing collective of social science researchers. There will be opportunities to network with colleagues at the other WRDTP universities, as well as attending a range of training, conference and development activities run by the White Rose Consortium.

Funding

If you are successful in securing funding from the White Rose, you will receive a stipend, paid monthly into your account and you will receive a full tuition fee waiver, for the research period of your programme only. If you are authorised to enter the thesis finalisation / writing-up period in order to complete your thesis, you will not receive any funding and you will be required to pay a continuation fee.

You will also have access to Research Training Support Grant funds to support conference and other expenses and you may apply for additional funding to support overseas fieldwork, language training and overseas institutional visits, but you must include these plans and their costs in your application.

This scholarship does not cover the cost of flights, visas, NHS health surcharges or any other additional costs incurred either before or during the programme of study.

Funded research period


This is the phase of your study during which you are actively researching and writing up your thesis. It is also the period for which you will receive a tuition fee waiver and a stipend.

White Rose PhD programmes are funded for 3.5 years (full-time) with an unfunded thesis finalisation/writing-up period of 6 months. Part-time students are funded for 7 years with an unfunded thesis finalisation/writing-up period of 12 months.

White Rose Integrated PhD/ PG Certificate programmes are funded for 3.75 years (full-time) with an unfunded thesis finalisation/writing-up period of 3 months. Part-time students are funded for 7.5 years and have an unfunded thesis finalisation period of 6 months.

Masters in Social Research is funded for 1 year (full-time) and 2 years (part-time).

Unfunded thesis finalisation/writing-up period


This period is to be used only to finalise the last elements of your thesis if there are good reasons why you could not submit within your funded period. Candidates are permitted to enter the thesis finalisation period only in exceptional circumstances and if they are allowed to do so, the thesis must be submitted at the end of this period.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements vary by subject and can be found towards the end of these corresponding course pages:

International applicants


EU candidates who have settled, pre-settled (meeting residency requirements) or Indefinite Leave to Remain will need to provide evidence of their status when applying.

If you are an international student and wish to study part-time, you can apply for a part-time Student visa, but there are a number of restrictions associated with this, which include:

  • Part-time students cannot bring dependants to the UK.
  • Part-time students must pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for the full duration of the programme.
  • Part-time students cannot undertake any work in the UK. This includes unpaid work placements and internships.

This list is not exhaustive: it is your responsibility to find out about the type of visa you need and any associated restrictions. You can contact us for advice in advance of your application by emailing iect@hull.ac.uk.

International students studying the Masters + PhD route

You will require two visas for this route: one for the Masters and one for the PhD. The scholarship does not provide funding to cover the costs of visas for this or any other scholarship route.

Further information

An information session for applicants covering the WRDTP Pathway, AQM, ADA and WRDTP/SHF Awards was held online on Tuesday 8 October 2024, from 17:30 – 18:30. A recording of this session and the slides can be found here.

Drop-in session

A drop-in session will be offered as a follow-up to the information session detailed above on Thursday 7 November 2024, 17:30 – 18:30.

The purpose of this session will be to offer an opportunity for students to ask questions about the studentships schemes and application processes following the substantive content provided in the information sessions.

Register your interest in the drop in session here.

 

White Rose website - useful information

 

Assessment Criteria

Pathway, AQM, and ADA Award Assessment Criteria

WRDTP Collaborative Award Assessment Criteria

WRDTP/Stuart Hall Foundation Award Assessment Criteria

Guidance

WRDTP Collaborative Awards- Guidance for Applicants

WRDTP Pathway, AQM and ADA Awards- Guidance for Applicants

WRDTP Pathway, AQM and ADA Awards- Guidance for Supervisors and Nominating Universities

Call for nominations

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