Arts, Media and Communication Research Centre

New Adelphi building

The Arts, Media and Communications Centre bring research into arts, humanities and social sciences together. With over 100 post-graduate students it is the largest research centre within the university, with the centre focusing on domestic and international contemporary collaborative work. Recently having established the Salford International Innovation Studio at MediaCityUK this further brings together research staff, artists, designers and other creative practitioners.

The research conducted is often in anticipation of and influenced by the needs of our media industry neighbours such as ITV, BBC and Dock 10 working on developing high impact technologies. Our research also helps the lives of people in the community, for example our ‘Design against Crime’ research project which has helped to transform the design of our cities to ensure they are safer and better suited for our communities.

Contact

Arts, Media and Communication Research Centre
University of Salford
Adelphi Building
Salford
M6 6PU
United Kingdom

Arts, Media and Communication Research Centre
University of Salford
MediaCityUK
Salford Quays
United Kingdom

Research Groups

Culture, Communications and Media

The Cultural, Communication and Media research group aims to undertake excellent quality research in the conceptual, applied and practice-based aspects of cultural, film and media studies and traditional and new digital media. CCM research has been established formally at the University of Salford since 2005. In the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, a quarter of CCM research was judged to be world leading, with almost two thirds judged as internationally excellent or world leading. On a research power ranking CCM at Salford is ranked 21st in the UK.

More information about Culture, Communications and Media research at the University of Salford.

Music and Performance Research

The Music and Performance Research Group comprises practitioners of, and writers on, subjects related to music, theatre, drama and dance. Members of the group actively compose music, write drama and comedy, perform and devise theatre, work in applied theatre and digital contexts, create technological applications, record and engineer sound, and write about all aspects of cultural theory related to these practices. We are particularly adept at using collaborative and interdisciplinary and Practice as Research (PaR) methods in addressing research inquiries. We have well- established creative and research partnerships with the BBC Philharmonic orchestra, Tempo Reale (Italy), Groupe de Recherche de Musique Vivante (France), Studio Matejka (Poland), Imitating the Dog (UK), Blast Theory (UK), Triangle Theatre (UK) and Ridiculusmus (UK/Australia). Our researchers act as consultants for the Blue Note recording label, as well as regularly having work broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and 4.

More information about Music and Performance research at the University of Salford.

Contact

Performance:
Dr Richard Talbot
Co-Lead Music and Performance Research Group,
School of Arts and Media,

t: 0161 295 6367
e: r.talbot@salford.ac.uk

Music:
Professor Alan Williams
Professor of Collaborative Composition
School of Arts and Media

t: 0161 295 6234
e: a.e.williams@salford.ac.uk

Art and Design Research Engagement Group

The AnDRE Research Group brings together research active staff from across the School, including both senior, proactive researchers and emerging early career researchers. Members are engaged in theoretical and practice-based creative investigations across a broad range of arts and design-related areas, collaborating with academics from across the University as well as external practitioners and industry professionals.

Key researchers in this group were returned successfully to the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) and 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF), and will contribute towards REF 2020. Transformative projects—such as the longstanding Design Against Crime initiative, arts-based community engagement work and growing Designamics research—focus on achieving high quality research outputs that deliver real-world impact.

More information about Art and Design research at the University of Salford.

Contact

Andrew B. Wootton

t: +44 (0)161 2952693
a.wootton@salford.ac.uk

English Literature, Language and Creative Practice

The group takes an innovative approach to research, combined with an engagement with communities beyond academia. We explore hybrid and inter-disciplinary ways of working and in our examination of marginal, experimental and emergent practices. We are concerned with looking at the overlooked and teasing out readings of neglected and/or transgressive authors and cultural practices. From looking at writing conflict in Northern Ireland to Victorian Sensation fiction, from discontented minds in Early Modern Drama to the representation of serial killers in film and fiction, from African modernism to experimental poetry, from the hidden meanings of place names to discourse analysis – our work is searching, critically-engaged and culturally relevant.

English staff were returned to the last Research Excellence Framework (RAE 2014) with the University’s English Language and Literature submission (UoA 29). The results showed that nearly 50% of the work of researchers in the Centre was deemed to be internationally recognised or world leading, with 13% being graded at the highest possible level of 4*.

More information about English Literature, Language and Creative Practice research at the University of Salford.

Contact

Dr Scott Thurston
Reader in English and Creative Writing

t: 0161 295 3597
e: s.thurston@salford.ac.uk

Politics and Contemporary History Research Group

The Politics and Contemporary History research cluster is interested in a variety of political and historical themes grouped around the field of International Security in its broadest sense. At the same time, members of staff also have research interests around European party politics, ideologies, intelligence studies (including the history of intelligence), military history (especially land warfare, air power and theories of war), counter-insurgency, counter-terrorism, and several other aspects of international politics and security, covering Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia. Politics and Contemporary are viewed by the group as mutually reinforcing disciplines; Contemporary History is defined in the more traditional since of history since 1789. Our political scientists understand the importance of historical background; our historians are interested in applying historical knowledge and experience to contemporary problems and challenges. The group welcomes cross- and interdisciplinary research projects. The activities of the group fall most conveniently into ‘Area Studies’.

More information about Politics and Contemporary History research at the University of Salford.

Contact

Dr Dan Lomas

T: +44 (0)161 295 6805
E: d.w.b.lomas@salford.ac.uk

Salford Languages Research Group

The Salford Languages Research Group has particular expertise in the applied use of European languages in academic, professional and cultural contexts, and it also possesses expertise within Arabic translation and interpreting. Its members have participated in the National Centre of Languages Steering Group to review the National Standards in Translation; obtained external research funding from the AHRC; and possess specialized professional experience in environments ranging from the Jordan News Agency to European Works Councils. The Research Group members have been invited to give presentations at a range of institutions including the Université Rennes 2, The University of Stirling, and the Institute of Germanic and Romance Studies, London. Members of the group specialize in – and have published extensively in – interdisciplinary, real-world research areas focusing on language and contemporary society.

More information about Languages research at the University of Salford.

Contact

Dr William Hope
Salford Languages,
Room 805, Maxwell Building
The University of Salford,
Salford M5 4WT.

t: +44 (0)161 295 4914
e: w.hope@salford.ac.uk

Practice as Research

The role of the Practice as Research Centre of Excellence is to support, prompt and make visible Practice as Research activity across the research groups in the School of Arts and Media and beyond.  We aim to be at the forefront of current conversations in the wider field of practice-as-research, both strategically and methodologically, and to make this information accessible to university colleagues and postgraduate students. The Centre also has a remit to champion and celebrate research-through-practice in its concomitant variety of formats and disciplines, through events such as seminars, workshops and publications and we are particularly interested in developing and supporting interdisciplinary and collaborative ways of working. Finally, the Centre aims to increase the visibility of existing and developing PaR enquiries in the School, and increase our knowledge (in the School of Arts and Media and beyond) of differing definitions of PaR and how it is documented, disseminated and assessed.

More information about Practice and Research at the University of Salford

Co-conveners

Dr Alison E Matthews:
T: +44 (0)161 295 6866
E: a.e.matthews@salford.ac.uk

http://www.bitchuationistinternational.com

Dr Joanne Scott

T: +44 (0)161 295 5388
E: j.e.scott@salford.ac.uk
http://joanneemmascott.com

hub.salford.ac.uk/amc-practice-as-research/

Research Units

Community Finance Solutions

Community Finance Solutions (CFS) is an independent research and development unit specialising in financial inclusion and community finance. 

Our mission is to promote access to appropriate and ethical financial services for excluded businesses and households by developing, piloting and researching cost-effective solutions for policy-makers practitioners and funders.  

CFS offers independent research and advisory services to various organisations and agencies, including charities, social landlords and national government. 

Community Finance Solutions website

Design against Crime

The Design Against Crime research initiative led by Dr Caroline Davey and Andrew Wootton with Sam Ingleson at the University’s School of Art and Design provides leadership in the field of design-led, sustainable practice in crime prevention and community safety:

  • Using innovative design thinking to develop models, methods and solutions for improving crime prevention and community safety, through partnership and creative engagement with stakeholders and end users.

Funded Studentships

AHRC funded PhD studentships - 2022-23 entry

Arts and Humanities Research Council
North West Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership (NWCDTP)

Funded PhD Studentships for 2022-2023 entry

The NWCDTP brings together the Universities of Salford, Manchester, Keele, Lancaster, Liverpool, MMU, and the RNCM which between them award NWC PhD studentships annually. A full postgraduate award for full-time study provides funds to meet: 

  • The payment of approved fees to the institution
  • A maintenance grant

The level of the grant for the current academic year 2021-22 is as follows (the level of the grant for 2022-23 and the following years is subject to confirmation from the AHRC): 

  • Maintenance Grant £15,609 

The Consortium also provides access to additional funding for field research and further training.

The studentships and training initiatives of various kinds and span the full range of the AHRC’s disciplines. As part of the scheme, the AHRC is also funding placement opportunities and additional skills training, working alongside partner organisations including museums, galleries, cultural organisations and businesses.

Salford Pathway Representatives

Creative Writing

Dr Urula Hurley - u.k.hurley@salford.ac.uk

Dance, Drama and Performing Arts

Dr Richard Talbot – r.talbot@salford.ac.uk

English

Dr Jade Munslow Ong – j.munslowOng@salford.ac.uk 

History

Dr Brian Hall - b.h.hall1@salford.ac.uk 

Law

TBC, please contact s.simpson@salford.ac.uk 

Linguistics

Dr Jack Wilson - j.j.wilson@salford.ac.uk

Media and Cultural Studies

Dr Leslie McMurtry - l.g.mcmurtry@salford.ac.uk

Dr Carole O’Reilly - c.oreilly@salford.ac.uk

Heritage

Dr Juan Hiriart Vera – j.f.v.hiriart@salford.ac.uk 

Music

Prof Alan Williams - A.E.Williams@salford.ac.uk

Visual Arts

Dr Toni Sant – a.sant2@salford.ac.uk

Application Process:

The competition is now open for applications for the 2022/23 academic year and potential applicants are invited to submit to the University of Salford as follows:

Stage 1:

To apply for an NWC DTP award at the University of Salford, candidates must have applied for a place on a PhD programme at Salford by Friday 14 January 2022

Applications to the University of Salford can be made at the following link:

http://www.salford.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/applying/applying-for-research

Please contact the relevant Pathway Representative at Salford with an expression of interest as soon as possible.

Stage 2:

Candidates must then submit an NWCDTP funding application by Friday 4 February 2022 (5pm).

See: http://www.nwcdtp.ac.uk/funding-prospective-students/

Ring Fenced Studentships

The NWCDTP is committed to equality of opportunity and working to ensure our student cohort reflects the diverse community we serve. We have introduced a range of positive measures to assist in achieving these commitments, recognising in particular that Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) and disabled groups are currently underrepresented on our programmes and across the UK university sector. The introduction of these measures follows a review of our recruitment processes and forms part of a three-year plan we have developed to achieve greater diversity and better equality outcomes.

One of the steps we are taking as part of that plan is to introduce ring-fenced studentships during 2021 and 2022. In 2022, we will guarantee two candidates from BAME backgrounds a studentship. Applicants from these groups will, of course, also be considered as part of our recruitment to all of the available studentships.

Applicants wishing to apply for one of the ring-fenced studentships will have the opportunity to identify themselves on the application form as wishing to be considered for these targeted studentships. Their applications will be considered as part of the standard award competition and will be subject to the same assessment criteria and schedule

Applications workshops

The NWC will be running online application workshops via Zoom for those who are interested in applying. Please find below dates, times and details on how to join our workshops :

  • Tuesday 26th November 2021– 10-11am (GMT) via Zoom
  • Tuesday 11th January 2022– 10-11am (GMT) via Zoom

Applicants are strongly advised to discuss their interests with the relevant Pathway Representative and prospective supervisors before submission of a formal application to the University and to the NWC.

For general advice concerning the NWC studentship competition, please contact PGR-SupportSAM@salford.ac.uk in the first instance.