student-supervisor briefing for 2016 sedtc scholarships 18th november 2015 professor diane houston,...

Student-Supervisor Briefing for 2016 SEDTC Scholarships

18th November 2015

Professor Diane Houston, Dean of the Graduate School

Dr Tim Hopthrow, Social Sciences Associate Dean (Graduate Studies)

The Graduate School

Why apply for ESRC Funding?

• The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) currently provides funding for over 600 new postgraduate students each year through a network of 21 Doctoral Training Centres (DTCs)

• Being an ESRC student means that you are:

• funded to receive research training in one of the UK’s top social science training institutions

• able to access a Research Training Support Grant to cover the costs of additional training, conference attendance and fieldwork

• eligible to apply for a number of additional ESRC-funded opportunities, from Overseas Institutional Visits to internship opportunities

• invited to attend student conferences which are specifically designed to help you make the most of your PhD.

What is the SEDTC?

The South East Doctoral Training Centre is a consortium of four partner institutions accredited by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). The SEDTC draws on a rich variety of collaborations in research and in research training across the partner institutions and benefits from advanced training links to other HEIs in the region.

The SEDTC partner institutions are:-

•University of Kent

•University of Surrey

•University of Reading

•Royal Holloway University of London

How does the SEDTC fund studentships?

• The grant covers the cost of a studentship based on fees (£4,052) and maintenance (£14,057) (this year).

• Successful applicants can draw on a Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) – notional value £750.

• Applicants can apply for additional funds to cover Difficult Language Training and Overseas Fieldwork (must be included in original SEDTC application)

• Payments are made monthly in advance on the last Friday of the month (first payment is end of September).

2016 Studentships

A wide range of Social Science disciplines and related multidisciplinary areas can be funded:

•Economics

•Environment, Energy and Resilience

•Management and Business Studies

•Political Science and International Studies

•Psychology

•Social Anthropology

•Social Work and Social Policy

•Socio-Legal Studies

•Sociology

Eligibility

• International students are not eligible for studentships

• EU citizens qualify for full award only if ordinarily resident in UK for 3 years prior to application

• EU citizens qualify for fees only awards

Key Dates

31st January Kent deadline – all Kent applicants must have applied for a place on the relevant PhD programme to be automatically considered for funding. Apply online NOW at http://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/apply/

Tuesday 2nd February

SEDTC deadline for ESRC scholarship applications

3rd– 14th Feb Selection process in academic schools

16th–19th Feb

Applicants selected for submission to the SEDTC studentship competition work with supervisors to finalise SEDTC application form

Monday 22nd February

Unsuccessful candidates will be informed that they have not been selected to be put forward to the DTC

End March Outcome of competition

SEDTC application guidance and application forms on SEDTC website:http://southeastdtc.surrey.ac.uk/apply/

Programme structures

SEDTC funding structures:

•+3 programme: funding for a 3 year PhD (assumes that a student has already met the majority of the core training requirements or the PhD focus is largely on more advanced training)

•1+3 programme: an integrated masters programme precedes the 3 year PhD which will deliver the majority of the core training requirements

(Selection Panel is unlikely to approve a 1+3 application where the student already holds a relevant Masters degree).

•+4 programme: up to 4 years funding for a PhD which assumes that core and advanced training requirements can be met during the course of the programme

•2+3 programme: an extended masters for specialist training followed by a standard 3 year PhD programme.

Supervision

• At least one supervisor must have at least one completed PhD supervision.

• All supervision will involve teams of supervisors (not less than two) - sole supervision not permitted.

• Research-active staff with relevant social science expertise from units of the partner institutions not included in the DTC can be members of supervisory teams but cannot be lead supervisor.

• The SEDTC is keen to promote joint supervision which would involve a supervisory team with members from at least two different partnering institutions (eg. one supervisor from Kent and one supervisor from Reading).

Section 12: Proposed Research Project

• Summary of Supporting Statement – maximum 3,800 characters

• Supporting Statement for Research Project – maximum 10,000 characters

• Key to your application – should be discussed with your proposed supervisor(s)

• Assessors look for high quality and strong potential for doctoral study (evidence of intellectual purpose and originality, reasons for, and approach towards, undertaking your proposed study, awareness of the research context)

• Description of research project and reasons for undertaking it should include:

• key areas/issues of the project, and why you wish to pursue this research;

• 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; noting relevance to non-academic beneficiaries, as appropriate;

• the methods and critical approaches that you plan to use, and the sources, if appropriate;

• how the project will develop over the period of the award (e.g. key stages, timetable);

• how the doctoral research relates to your eventual career aims.

SEDTC Awards Assessment Criteria

1. Quality and feasibility of the proposal

This will be based on the applicant's account of the proposed research project, their reasons for pursuing it, and its wider significance. It will also be based on the information supplied by the potential supervisors. The assessors will be looking for evidence of the applicant's ability to articulate a research project, a coherent and well thought-out plan for doctoral study, a good awareness of the place of his/her research within the current field, and potential impact. Reference will be made to the Supporting Statement written by the applicant in his/her application.

Grade 1 to 10 (Weighting 50%)

2. Preparedness of the candidate

This will be based on the applicant’s description of how his/her previous experience (academic and professional) has prepared him/her for doctoral study and research, the referees’ acknowledgement of the applicant’s suitability for doctoral research and his/her research project (through evidence provided about the applicant's performance at undergraduate and postgraduate level, and of any relevant professional experience), and their description of how the programme will contribute to their long-term career aims. Reference will be made to Degree Transcripts, individual module marks and degree results.

Grade 1-10 (Weighting 30%)

3. Supervision and training needs

This will take into account the expertise and relevance of the supervisors’ research areas in relation to the proposed project, the individual roles of the supervisory team, how the particular knowledge and expertise of the supervisors will work synergistically to enhance the student’s project, and the training needs listed and how they are envisioned to supplement the student’s research. Reference will be made to the information provided by both supervisors and the list of intended pathway training modules mentioned by the student.

Grade 1-10 (Weighting 20%)

Application Form - Guidance

•References must be substantial and evidence-based (only one referee can be member of supervisory team; Master’s dissertation supervisor can be a referee). Referees should have a good knowledge of your academic record to date and your plans for the research project.

•Requirement for Overseas Fieldwork and Difficult Language Training must be included in the original application – cannot be applied for retrospectively

•The following create a negative impression in otherwise strong proposals:• typos

• lack of clarity

• extreme jargon

• brief proposal with long references section

Key Contacts

• Professor Diane Houston – Dean of the Graduate School ([email protected] )

• Dr Tim Hopthrow – Social Sciences Associate Dean (Graduate Studies) ([email protected] )

• Ros Beeching – Graduate School Coordinator ([email protected] )

• Ann Tull – Postgraduate Funding Officer ([email protected] )

student-supervisor briefing for 2016 sedtc scholarships 18th november 2015 professor diane houston,...

Documents