Our PhD studentships will support the next generation of researchers, practitioners and entrepreneurs working across the creative and cultural sectors.
Closing application date: Friday, 14 April 2023 (17:00 BST)
The School of Communication & Creativity (SCC) at City, University of London is a cosmopolitan, industry-focused, socially engaged and politically conscious centre of educational excellence and world-changing interdisciplinary research which shapes and influences professional practice.
In the last Research Excellence Framework (REF2021), 86 per cent of City’s research was rated as world-leading or internationally excellent.
SCC brings together the Departments of Journalism; Media, Culture and Creative Industries; and Performing Arts (including SPARC, our centre for Sound Practice and Research at City).
Our central London location and sector-leading facilities promise an unparalleled research experience. We support and develop the next generation of researchers, practitioners and entrepreneurs who work across the cultural, creative, music, heritage and media sectors.
We are deeply committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and we are working to transform these sectors by educating and empowering students and researchers from under-represented backgrounds, and supporting them to excel.
Areas of study
We welcome applications, which may be for practice-based projects, to the following PhD programmes:
- PhD Culture and Creative Industries
- PhD English
- PhD Journalism
- PhD Library and Information Science
- PhD Music, including projects based in SPARC
The proposed project should fit with one or more of the key themes of our research communities.
We want to support PhD research that will make a positive difference in the world, pushing forward knowledge and/ or practice in the creative and cultural industries, and are particularly interested in receiving proposals that are interdisciplinary and/ or engage with equality, diversity and inclusion.
Possible topics may include but are not limited to:
- transformative justice;
- radical creativity;
- social justice and communication and/ or creativity;
- power, representation and communication;
- anti-racist, feminist and queer futures;
- the role of creativity and/or communication in tackling climate change, crises, conflict and racism;
- race and migration;
- media freedom;
- criminalisation and media victimisation;
- digital/ new media;
- aural environmentalism;
- sonic cities;
- health humanities.
What is included
Funding is available for UK, EU and international students.
The doctoral studentships will consist of:
- An annual stipend (currently £19,688; will rise in line with UKRI guidelines) for three years full-time (pro-rata for part-time study), inclusive of London weighting
- A full tuition fee waiver
- £1500 in research expenses/ consumables over the course of the award
Eligibility
The studentships will be awarded on the basis of academic promise, creative thinking and/ or practice-based achievement, or professional equivalent. Projects demonstrating a commitment to interdisciplinarity, social change, and/ or equality, diversity and inclusion are particularly encouraged.
- Applicants must hold, or be on course to complete, at least a good Second-Class Honours degree and a Master’s degree in a relevant subject (or international equivalent), or provide equivalent qualifications or professional/ practice-based experience that evidences their preparedness for PhD study.
- Applicants whose first language is not English and whose qualifications were not completed in a majority English-speaking country must achieve at least 7.0 in IELTS or a recognised equivalent. Please see the entry requirements for further information.
- Applicants must not be currently registered as a doctoral student at City, University of London or any other academic institution.
Black British studentship
We are acutely aware of structural barriers to accessing higher education and are committed to redressing the significant underrepresentation of minoritised ethnic students in postgraduate research and throughout academia, including in our School, through funding opportunities.
We are therefore delighted to announce a Black British studentship for applicants domiciled in the UK who are from the following ethnic groups: Black or Black British African, Black or Black British Caribbean, Black or Black British other or Mixed Black or Black British.
The general eligibility criteria above apply.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
City, University of London is committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion in all its activities, processes, and culture, for our whole community, including staff, students, and visitors. As a global institution in the heart of London, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We actively embrace fairness and inclusivity and are dedicated to creating a place where everyone can thrive and belong.
We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are underrepresented in our workforce. These include people from:
- Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds
- disabled people
- LGBTQIA+ people
We also welcome applications from people of different:
- ages
- marital and pregnancy status
- nationalities, religions and beliefs
- socio-economic backgrounds, including those with caring responsibilities.
How to Apply
To apply for studentship funding:
- Identify a potential supervisor within SCC and discuss your project with them.
- Complete an application form by selecting ‘How to Apply’ and ‘Apply Now’ via the programme’s course page. You will be asked to register before you can complete your application. Please note that registering does not commit you to studying if you are not successful in gaining funding.
- Upload your transcripts, language test results (if applicable) and research proposal (max. 2000 words exclusive of bibliography). For guidance on preparing a proposal, read preparing your research proposal.
- Upload a short cover letter of no more than two sides of A4, with your application requesting that your application be considered for PhD Studentship funding. Please indicate in this cover letter if your application should be considered for a Black British studentship.
