Arts & Humanities - ed.ac.uk · PDF fileArts & Humanities PhD Studentships 2017 ... “An excepZonal proposal in all of its components – context, methods and sources will be well

Arts & HumanitiesPhD Studentships2017

Professor Neil MulhollandDean of Postgraduate Studies College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

TypesofPhDScholarship:

Internal:(checktheUniversitywebsiteforeligibility)

• CollegeofArts,Humanities&SocialScienceResearchAwards(earliest1Feb17,deadlinevariesbetweenSchools)

• UoEPrincipal’sCareerDevelopmentPhDScholarshipsx45(TBC;normallyFeb17)

• UoEEdinburghGlobalResearchScholarshipx30(1Feb17)

PhDStudentships2017

TypesofPhDScholarship:

External:(checkonlineforeligibility)

• ScottishGraduateSchoolfortheArts&HumanitiesArts&HumanitiesResearchCouncilAward

• YoumustapplyforanEdinburghPhDbyJan2017

• OtherExternalAwards:Carnegie,Caledonian&TrudeauPhDScholarships(checkonline)

PhDStudentships2017

RANKINGcriteria,forALLArts&HumanitiesScholarships:

• AHRCDoctoralTrainingProgrammeScotlandFundedCompetition2017

• Publishedhere:www.sgsah.ac.uk/dtp/#/howdoiapply?

PhDStudentships2017

ScottishGraduateSchoolfortheArts&HumanitiesAHRCStudentships

• Approximately 60 awards in 2017 across Scotland

• Fees for 3 years full-time and up to 6 years part-time, to the limits set each year by the Research Councils UK (RCUK)

• Stipend to cover living costs

• Student Development Fund: Enables you to extend the duration of a studentship by 6 months for training opportunity

• Additional training, residential and professional opportunities offered through SGSAH.

SGSAHResidencyRequirements

• ScottishGraduateSchoolfortheArts&HumanitiesStudentshipsavailabletoapplicantssettledintheUKandhavebeenordinarilyresidentforaperiodofatleastthreeyearsbeforethestartofPhD

• FeesonlyawardsaregenerallyavailabletoEUnationalswhoareresidentintheEEA

• Non-EUapplicantsarenoteligible

• Continuingdoctoralcandidatesareeligibletoapply,althoughmusthaveatleast50%oftheir3yearfull-timeor6yearpart-timePhDprogrammeremainingasat30September2017

SGSAHAHRCAwards:Eligibility

• YoumusthaveanunconditionalorconditionalofferofaPhDfromUoE.

• MustapplybybeforeDecember21st2016…..so:

• ApplynowforthePhDviatheweb:

SGSAHTimetable:

• DiscussionsbetweenpotentialSGSAHapplicantsandpotentialsupervisorsandthecompletionoftheapplicationshouldtakeplacebeforeDecember21st2016

• Yourpotentialsupervisorwillbeabletomentoryouthroughtheapplicationprocess.

SGSAHApplicationProcess:

“SGSAHisconcernedtofundtheverybeststudents.Wehavedevelopedasetofcriteriatohelpustomakedifficultdecisionsinatransparentway.

Inessence,thequestionsweaskare:

• Whythisstudent?• Whythisresearchproject?• Whythisconsortium?• WhythishostUniversityandsupervisoryteam?“


SGSAHGRADINGCRITERIA:Totalmarksavailable:37READandfollowthegradingcriteria.

28outof37markstendstoresultinanaward(78%)

Toachievethis,youneedtogethighSCORESineachcategory.

Draftandredraftyourproposaltofitthecategories:

1. QualificationsorRelevantProfessionalExperience-5marks[studentform]2. PreparednessforDoctoralResearchProject-5marks[studentform+InstitutionalStatementof

Support]3. QualityofResearchProposal-10marks[studentform+InstitutionalStatementofSupport]4. KnowledgeExchange,PublicEngagement&Impact-5marks[studentform]5. SupervisoryFit&NatureandLevelofSupervisorySupport-10marks[studentform+Institutional

StatementofSupport]6. PersonalStatement-2marks[studentform]


QualificationsorRelevantProfessionalExperienceCompletebothsections[300wordsmax,writtenbystudent]=5marks• AcompellingcasethatrelevantprofessionalexperienceisatleastequaltothecompletionofaMasters’degree,includingstrongevidenceofindependentresearchthinkingandexcellentqualityoutput.

• Youwillgreatlybenefitfromhavingadistinctioninyourmasters;thiswillleadyoutoscorehighlyhere.

• Notethat,forSGSAH,adistinctionrelatesonlytothefinal30ECTScreditsofyourPGprogramme,itmustbeatdistinctionlevel.SGSAHdonotrecogniseadistinctiononaggregate.Beclearaboutthis.

• Youmustcontextualiseyourdistinction(=rank/expectedrankinacohortof#students).ThisisespeciallyimportantwithprogrammessuchasUoE’sMSc(R),MResprogrammesandMPhils.

• EnsurethatyouexplainhowmanyECTScreditsapplytotheresearchcomponentofamasters(i.e.ECTScredits).Ifyoupassedatdistinctionlevel(70%+)intheresearchcomponent-beclearaboutthis.Apublishedthesisfromamasters(orcomparableexposition/publicdissemination)ishighlyprized.

• Ifyouarecurrentlyamastersstudent,thentakeyourinterimSemester1resultsasanindicationofhowyouexpecttorankamongyourcurrentcohort.YoushoulduploadatranscripttoprovewhereyouareatinthePGCertstageifthisapplies.ThisalsoappliestocandidateswhohavestartedtheirPhDalready.


+Preparednessfordoctoralproject[300words,writtenbystudent]+InstitutionalStatementofSupport[300words,writtenbysupervisor]=5marks

“Excellentevidencethattheapplicantiswell-preparedfortheirproposedresearch,inatleasttwoofthefollowingareas:

A-Previousstudy·B-RelevantprofessionalexperienceC-Professionaldevelopment”

SGSAH,Criteriaforawarding5marks…..


+Preparednessfordoctoralproject[300words,writtenbystudent]=5marks

• ExplainthevalueofyourpreviousstudyspecificallyinrelationtoyourPhDproposal.

• Experiencemustbecontextualised.Rememberthatonlyoneoftheeightpanellistsrankingapplicationswillbeaspecialistinyourfield-soyouneedtobeclearinhowyoucontextualiseyourexperience.Avoidjargon.

• Mentionifyouhavecompletedresearchtrainingaspartofamasters(e.g.MScR,MLA,MFA)orinaprofessionalcontext(PDP).


QUALITYOFTHERESEARCHPROPOSAL

+ResearchProposalTitle[writtenbystudent]+ResearchQuestion[100words,writtenbystudent]+ResearchContext,MethodsandSources[500wordsmax,writtenbystudent]+InstitutionalStatementofSupport[300words,writtenbysupervisor]=10marks

“AnexcepZonalproposalinallofitscomponents–context,methodsandsourceswillbewellthoughtoutandclearlyexpressed,demonstraZngexcellentknowledgeofthefieldandpreparednesstoundertaketheproposedresearchproject.TheproposalwillbeoriginalandinnovaZve–substanZvelyand/ormethodologicallye.g.engaginginchallenginginterdisciplinaryresearch.AcleargapinexisZngknowledgewillbeidenZfiedandthewriZngandpresentaZonwillbeexcellentinallpartsoftheproposal.”

SGSAH,Criteriaforawarding10marks


+ResearchQuestion[100words,writtenbystudent]

DO:

• Askagoodquestion• Ensurethatyourquestionengageswithone(ormore)paneloftheScottishGraduateSchoolfortheArts&Humanities

• Beconciseandclear

DON’T:

• Don’tprovideanswers(impliesthatthereisnoneedtoconductresearch)• Donotwriteashortthesis,thisisaproposal,notadissertation• Donotbloviate(lessismore)


+ResearchContext,MethodsandSources[500wordsmax,writtenbystudent]

WiththehelpofyourproposedSupervisor,youshouldpolishthismanytimes.Ithasto:

• beexceptional

• beclearlyexpressed/well-written(rememberthatitneedstobeunderstoodbyALL8panellists)

• showexcellentknowledgeofthefield(donotmissoutsomethingcruciallyimportanthere)

• showpreparedness

• beoriginalandinnovative

• Themethodologymustbeappropriateandclearlydemonstrated-itshouldalsobechallenging.


+KnowledgeExchange,PublicEngagementandResearchImpact[300words,writtenbystudent]=5Marks

“Thepotentialforknowledgeexchange,publicengagementand/orimpactwillbeexplicit,withrealisticandappropriateplansfordelivery–forexample,withasenseofpossiblepartnershipswithnon-HEIs.”-SGSAH,Criteriaforawarding5marks

• IMPACTofresearchmustbeexplicit.Thismustbeaddressedbyallapplicants.

• Applicationsthataddressimpactaremorelikelytobesuccessfulthanthosethatdonot.



ImpactQuestionstoaskyourself:

•Whatishappening–ornothappening–nowthatyouthinkyourresearchfindingscouldhelptochange?

•Whomightbeinterestedorinvolvedindeliveringorexperiencingthechangethatmayhappenasaresultofyourfindings?

•Whywouldthesecommunitiesbeinterested?Howmighttheybenefit?

•Howwillyouengage/communicate/networkwiththesecommunities?

•Howwouldyoudemonstrate/evidenceanychangesandthelinkbacktoyourresearchfindings,bearinginmindthatyouwillbeabletoapplyforfundingtodevelopimpact?



• AcademicImpact

• BoththeapplicantandsupervisorhavetofindawaytoengagewiththeAHRC’sdefinitionofimpact.http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/What-We-Do/Build-the-evidence-base/Impact-examples/Pages/Impact-examples.aspx

• LookattheaimsoftheSGSAHconsortiahereaswellasPanelthemes(especiallywhat’sbeingaskedfortheCohortDevelopmentFundingapplications)

• EngagewithwhatconstitutesanadvanceacrossSGSAH’sdisciplines.

• Whatcanyou,asastudent,getoutofthepotentialandpossibilitiesoftheSGSAHasawhole(notjustthepanelofsubjectarea)?



• EconomicandSocialImpact

• IsthereanyformalorinformalKnowledgeExchangeinvolvedinthePhD?

• KnowledgeExchangePartnerscanbeUoEapprovedoroneofSGSAH’s’Supporters’.http://www.sgsah.ac.uk/supporters/

• YoucanrecruitnewUniversityofEdinburghPartnersandSGSAHSupportersaspartofyourapplication!


+Personalstatement[200wordsmax,writtenbythestudent]=2marks,criteria:

“Thestatementprovidesclearevidenceof:theapplicant’scommitmenttobecomingamemberoftheAHRCDTPScotlandandtheSGSAH;awarenessofthespecificityofwhattheAHRCDTPScotlandandtheSGSAHoffersandhowthiswillbenefitthemspecifically;andconsiderationofwhattheythemselvesmightseektocontributetothedevelopmentofacohort.

Thismightincluderealisticplansto:organisestudent-ledacademiceventsortrainingusingCohortDevelopmentFunding;undertakeaninternshiporspecificadditionaltrainingusingStudentDevelopmentFunding(SDF);applyforSDFfundingtorealisetheimpactofresearchorcarryoutpublicengagement;applyforaSGSAHVisitingDoctoralResearcheraward.Previousexamplesofinnovationandinitiativewillbeinevidence.”

-SGSAH,Criteriaforawarding2marks


+Personalstatement[200wordsmax,writtenbythestudent]=2marksThisisnotanautobiography.ItconcernsthevalueofyourPhDspecificallyinrelationtotheUoEandtheSGSAH.

YourPersonalStatementmustengagewiththeSGSAHandyourPanel(s):

• ExplainwhattheSGSAHuniquelyhastoofferyouintermsoftrainingandopportunities.

• ExplainwhyisSGSAHandUoEisthebestfit.

• LookatwhatSGSAHisdoing,lookatitsaims,lookatthePanel’sstrategicthemesonSGSAH’sWebsite.Howwillyouaddvaluehere?

• Sellyourselfa(potential)leaderinyourfield.

• Explainthevirtuesofyoursupervisoryteam,leadHEIs(youcanhavethree)andtheirrelationshipswiththeSGSAHandtheArts&Humanitiesmorewidely.


+SupervisoryFit&NatureandLevelofSupervisorySupport-InstitutionalStatementofSupport,writtenbySupervisor[300words]=10marks+TrainingNeedsAssessment,writtenbystudent[200words]=notassessed

NB:Whatyouwritehereisnotassessed,butwhatyoursupervisorwritesis.Thetwonarrativesthatyouwriteineachsectionmustbeclearlyconnected.

• AllPhDstudentsneedtraining.Donotwrite“IalreadyhaveeverythingIneed”-youdon’t.

• Thinkwhattrainingneedsyoumighthaveinyear1,2,3and4ofyourPhD.Howwilltheychange(e.g.willtheymovefrompreliminarytoprofessional?)

• LookattheAHRC’sDoctoralResearchTrainingFrameworktoseewhattheyexpect:http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/What-We-Do/Research-careers-and-training/Documents/Doctoral%20RTF%20%20SC-JL%20FOR%20WEB.pdf


+TrainingNeedsAssessment,writtenbystudent[200words]

Considerwhatyoumightneedandhowwecansupportthisinside:

• YourSubjectArea/School

• CollegeofArts,Humanities&SocialSciences/UniversityofEdinburgh

• withnon-HEIpartners(SMEs,PublicBodies,PrivateEnterprise,etc.)

• SGSAHStudentDevelopmentFundingandCohortDevelopmentFunding

• withSGSAH’supporters’http://www.sgsah.ac.uk/supporters/


+TrainingNeedsAssessment,writtenbystudent[200words]

• Ensurethatyourindividualtrainingneedsarementionedandthattheycanbemet(e.g.youmayhavetoengagewitharangeoftrainingprogrammes,notjustaPhDMethodscourse.WhatcoursescanyouauditinUniversityofEdinburgh?Searchpath.is.ed.ac.uk)

• ReadtheStudentDevelopmentFundingguidancetoseehowtheSGSAHcanassistwithspecificindividualtrainingneedsbyenablingyoutoextendyourPhDstudentshipby6monthstoengagewitharangeofactivities.

• ConsiderhowhavingyouasaPhDstudenthelpstoincreaseresearchtrainingcapacityinSGSAH(notjustUoE/YourchosenSchool/SubjectArea)

SGSAHApplicationProcess:+SupervisoryFit&NatureandLevelofSupervisorySupport-InstitutionalStatementofSupport,writtenbySupervisor[300words]=10marks

PerfectfitwithSupervisors&OptimumResources:

• HowUoEandyourproposedsupervisoryteamoffertheperfectfitwithyourproposal.[Youmusthavetwosupervisors;threeideally.ThePrincipalSupervisorhastobeinUniversityofEdinburgh;theotherscanbeinanyArts&HumanitiesResearchCouncilawardingHEImemberoftheScottishGraduateSchoolfortheArts&Humanities.]

• Ifyoucan’tfindthreeofthebestsupervisorswithinUoE,thenarrangenowtoworkwithanotherHEIintheSGSAHconsortiumtogenerateaworldleadingteam.

• Argueconvincinglythatthesupervisoryteamareworldleading(don’tassumeanyonewillknowwhoanyoneis).

• Whatuniqueandhelpfulresourcesdowehave?Libraries,workshops,IT,collections,non-HEIparters,etc.e.gEdinburghisoneofonlyfourcitiesintheUKthathasacopyrightlibrary(NationalLibrary);thisisaUSPforus(asareourmemorandaofagreementwithNationalGalleriesandNationalMuseums,etc.)

SGSAHApplicationProcess:+SupervisoryFit&NatureandLevelofSupervisorySupport-InstitutionalStatementofSupport,writtenbySupervisor[300words]=10marks

ResearchEnvironmentFit:

• Theproposalfitswithapre-existingresearchclusterorastrategicresearchpriority.Whatisyoursubject-area’sresearchnarrative?ThePhDbeingproposedmustalignwiththis.Ifitdoesnot,thenyourSupervisorshouldupdateitnowtoensureitalignswiththePhDssubmittedtotheSGSAHforsupport.

• EnsurethatyourPhDwillaugmentyoursubject-area’sstrategicresearchpriorities-PhDstudentsaremembersofstaffwhowilldevelopasubjectarea.Doesyoursubjectareateachyourresearch?Canyourresearchcontributedirectlytoteaching?


+SupervisoryFit&NatureandLevelofSupervisorySupport-InstitutionalStatementofSupport,writtenbySupervisor[300words]=10marks

WiderUniversityofEdinburghResearchEnvironmentFit:

WeneedtobeclearthattheUniversityenvironmentisnotjustidealbuttheonlyappropriateoneforyouasanapplicant.So,askyoursupervisortofocusonwhatitisaboutEdinburghthatmakesitTHEplacetoberegistered.e.g.

• ResearchGroups(whichonesarerelevantinallofUniversityofEdinburgh?)

• ResearchCentres(whichonesarerelevantinallofUniversityofEdinburgh?)

• KEandmemorandawithnon-HEIs(UoEagreementsorwithSGSAH‘partners’)


Fieldwork[100words](notassessed)

“Pleasesetouthereanyfieldworkthatisnecessarytothecompletionoftheproject.Werecognisethattheneedforfieldworkmaybecomeapparentduringdoctoralresearch;whereitisanessentialandforeseeablepartofaproposalyoushouldincludeithere.Pleaseindicatehowyouintendtofundthisi.e.throughStudentDevelopmentFunding;Universityfunds;othersource(pleasespecify).”

Notethatyouareaskedheretoconsiderhowyou’dengagewiththeCohortDevelopmentFund;this,again,showsthatyouunderstandwhatSGSAHhastooffer!

PleasemakesurethatyourScholarshipApplicationis:

• Clear(writtenfornon-experts)• Concise• Evidenced• Contextualised

• Well-situatedwithinthe:• Fieldofstudy• Supportinginstitutions

Summary