1. PhDs in the School of Social Sciences
Introduction to the School of Social Sciences and Funding Opportunities
Dr Stuart Shields, Director of Postgraduate Study

2. What is a PhD …
A concentrated, extensive, intensive programme 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!

3. 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.
Motivation and commitment.

4. What do Social Science PhD students actually do?
Read a lot
Write a lot
Collect Research Data
Analyse Research Data
Think and theorise
Present their work
Network
Publish
Teach
Learn

5. Good reasons to do a PhD …
Intellectual Challenge.
Want an academic/research career.

6. Some employment data

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

8. What we do at Manchester – Social Science programmes
Economics PhD
Philosophy PhD
Politics PhD
Social Anthropology PhD
Social Anthropology with Visual Media PhD
Social Statistics PhD
Sociology PhD
Applied Social Research PhD

9. Think about inter-disciplinarity
Some research problems need interdisciplinary approaches.
You can be co-supervised by academics from different disciplines.
Funding agencies like inter-disciplinarity!
Some recent 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)

10. How to fund a PhD … School and discipline Studentships (approx 30)
President’s Doctoral Scholars (PDS) studentships (approx 5)
NWSSDTP studentships
AHRC (Phil & VA)
AQM
CASE
EPSRC studentships
Grant Linked Studentships

11. Crucial for SoSS … ESRC NWSSDTP
The North West Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) is a quasi independent virtual organisation which funds 48+ social science PhD studentships per year with ESRC funding.
A consortium of three universities:
Manchester
Lancaster
Liverpool
Keele
Has a methods training arm methodsNW which runs regional training events throughout the year

12. What do we mean by 1+3, +3, 2+2 +3: Three years of funding
a three year funded PhD programme
1+3: 4 years of funding.
1 year taught masters followed by a three year PhD Programme
2+2: Fours years of funding - economics only
A two year MRes followed by a further two years on the PhD

13. Funding examples
DTP standard studentships (0-50, realistically about 8-10)
£14296 stipend
Fees paid
£750 research training grant
1+3 or +3
Home students only

14. Funding examples DTP AQM (up to 10, realistically 4-5) £17296 stipend
Fees paid
£1000 Research training grant
+3 or 2+2 or 1+3
Home or overseas

15. Funding examples DTP Economics studentships £17210 stipend Fees paid
£1000 Research training grant
1+3 or 2+2
Home

16. Funding examples
President’s Doctoral Scholarship, school and DA studentships (25+)
£14210/£17210 stipend
Fees paid
£750/£1000 Research training grant
+3 (or 1+2) only
Home or overseas (but only home fees)

17. Funding examples Philosophy AHRC award £14296 stipend Fees paid RTSG
+3/1+3

18. Funding examples
EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council) Awards (up to 3 realistically 1-2); related to one of their key 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

19. 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)

20. Project Linked studentships
Recent examples
Privacy and big data
Accounting for Informative Item Nonresponse in Hierarchical Linked Data
Beyond numbers: do immigrant-origin MPs speak for immigrant-origin minorities in the UK Parliament?
British Election Survey – contact

21. Funding summary We have multiple sources of funding for studentships
About 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

22. How 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
DTP - a separate application will be necessary
AHRC DTP - a separate application will be necessary

23. Timetable for applications
Politics 23 November 2016
Applied Social Research 28 November 2016
Sociology 28 January 2017
Social Anthropology 28 November 2016 and
9 January 2017 (apply by first deadline to be considered
for NWSSDPT funding).
Social Statistics 20 January 2017
Economics 15 January 2017
Philosophy 20 January 2017
Best advice - apply early before the deadline

24. Timeframes Deadline for applications to the NWSSDTP 3rd February 2017
Deadline for applications to the AHRC DTP 20th January 2017 to submit PHD programme application and funding applications by 10 February 2017
Deadline for applications to EPSRC 28th February 2017 for receipt of a full on-line PhD application.
Apply well in advance!!
If you have your own source of funding then you could apply at any time.

25. Timeframe
By mid February: Applicants informed if they have been awarded a place on the programme.
By end March: Applicants informed if they have been awarded a funded studentship.
Exception Economics DA awards.

26. What you need to apply … Application form 2 referees (academic)
degree transcripts/certificates if available (interim transcripts if not yet awarded degree)
A research proposal

27. What is the 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 are the research questions?
Why are these questions interesting?
How will the research be carried out?

28. What is a good research proposal?
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.

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

30. Breakout groups
Economics - Dr Omer Edhan, PhD Admissions Tutor, 4.212, University Place
Politics – Prof Yoram Gorlizki, PhD Director, 4.214, University Place
Sociology - Dr Graeme Kirkpatrick, Head of Dept, , University Place
Social Anthropology - Dr Soumhya Venkatesen, PhD Director, 4.213, University Place
Philosophy - Dr Joel Smith, PhD Director 4.210, University Place
Social Statistics/Applied Social Research - Professor Yaojun Li, PhD Director, 4.211, University Place

31. 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!
And I hope to see you at induction in September.

32. One more thing … CDT

33. Data Analytics and Society CDT

34. New Centre for Doctoral Training
A consortium of four universities: Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield
Funded by ESRC
Focused on New forms of data
External partners from all sectors
At least 17 studentships per year
Fully funded four years at standard RCUK rates.
New Centre for Doctoral Training

35. New programme: Data Analytics
Integrated Masters and PhD in data analytics
Entry from either masters or undergraduate
You will be joining a vibrant and interdisciplinary cross institutional community
New programme: Data Analytics

36. New PhD programme: Data Analytics
Integrated Masters in data analytics
Training
Skills training
Machine learning, statistics, visualisation; programming for the social sciences; data management; ethics.
Research training
Case study work
Advanced training
Research
A portfolio of small research projects
New PhD programme: Data Analytics

37. What are new forms of data?
Data not traditionally used in the social sciences
Social Media data
Commercial Sector data
Stream data
Data from wearables
Sensor data; tracking data; meter data
Singularly or Linked
What are new forms of data?

38. New data for addressing pressing social questions
Healthy behaviours and lifestyles
Policing, Crime and Security
Mobility and Transport systems
Ethical consumption and production
Finance and the Economy
New data for addressing pressing social questions

39. You must be from UK or meet the length of residency requirements
Applications will made be via the centre’s web site
(not live yet).
You will need to provide a short expression of interest.
Types of research question and perhaps some thoughts about the types of data that might be used.
In the first instance:
or the centre manager for further information.
How to apply