AHRC Doctoral Award in English

We have one doctoral studentship available for an October 2012 start and would especially welcome applications in the fields of the Gothic, women's writing, literature and science, post-holocaust literature, modern poetry or periodicals and print culture.

For details of research interests and potential supervisors please see the Centre for English Language and Literature.

Eligibility

AHRC Studentships are available only to UK and EU students.

To be eligible for a full studentship award (fees plus maintenance stipend) a student must have been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least three years prior to the start of the course. British citizenship or holding a British passport in itself does not satisfy the residential eligibility requirement. To be eligible for the full award, EU Nationals must satisfy the UK residency requirement.

EU Nationals who do not meet the residency requirement are eligible for a fees-only award, provided that they have been ordinarily resident in the EU for at least three years prior to the start of their proposed course.

Full information on AHRC eligibility criteria can be found here.

If you are unsure about eligibility please contact us prior to submitting your application.

How to apply

Students are strongly advised to contact the potential supervisor before submitting an application. For details of research interests and areas of supervisory strength please see the Centre for English Language and Literature.

If you do not know who this is, please email your enquiry and you will be put in touch with the appropriate person.

To apply for an AHRC doctoral award you must complete the following:

You must submit your online application by 5pm on 17 February 2012.

Your must submit your AHRC outline research proposal by e-mail to Sara Lockett, Research and Innovation Division by 5pm on 17 February 2012.

Further guidance for completion of the outline research proposal

This is a key document in assessing your application. (Please note that there is a strict limit of 1,000 words.) In preparing this statement you should consider the following (you may wish to use these as subheadings):

1. Your reasons and purposes for undertaking this project

  • Key areas/issues of the project, and why you wish to pursue this research
  • How the proposed work relates to what you have studied already
  • How the doctoral research relates to your eventual career aims

2. Your research project

  • A working title
  • The research problems or questions you intend to address
  • The research context in which those problems or questions are located
  • The particular contribution to knowledge and understanding in this area that you hope to make, explaining why the work is important
  • The methods and critical approaches that you plan to use
  • Any ethical issues relating to the research project
  • How the project will develop or how you will structure the work over the period of the award

3. Preparation and previous experience

  • A brief indication of any previous experience or preparation that is relevant to your proposed research project (e.g. aspects of your Master’s study, additional degrees, qualifications, training or relevant skills)
  • For practice-led subjects, you should include details of relevant professional experience.

References

You should provide two references as part of your on-line application. These should be from individuals who are in a position to assess your potential to undertake higher degree research and offer a provisional view of the promise of your outline research proposal. As competition for these awards is so fierce, you are strongly advised to ask your referees to consider the guidance notes for referees provided.

The selection process

All applications will be assessed by a panel of senior academics from within the subject area and shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview in late March 2012.

Timetable:

17 February 2012 (5.00pm) - Deadline for Applications

February - early March 2012  - Short-listing

Late March 2012  - Interviews for Short-listed Applicants

Early April 2012  - Applicants informed of outcomes and nominations forwarded to AHRC

The final offer of an AHRC Studentship is subject to confirmation by AHRC.

Enquiries

For informal subject enquiries please contact Professor Lucie Armitt.

Please direct all other enquiries to the Research & Innovation Division.

Sara Lockett
Research & Innovation
University of Salford
Salford
M5 4WT

Tel. 0161 295 2811
Email: s.lockett@salford.ac.uk