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Midlands Graduate School ESRC DTP Studentship Application Form (Birmingham) - Section 2

Please complete the form below in order to complete your application for a Midlands Graduate School ESRC PhD studentship starting in October 2023. The deadline for applications is Tuesday 24th January 2023 (23:59 GMT). This online application form cannot be saved and must be completed in one go. Therefore, in order to help you complete the online form, applicants may find it useful to download a copy of the application form available here. This copy of the form includes both Section 1 and Section 2.


 

No personally identifying information will be collected in Section 2, which is the section that will be sent to reviewers along with the documents that you are required to upload in Question 14. We only require your ID number so that DTP administrative staff are able to link up both Sections of your application in their records.


1: The University, School/Department in which you intend to study and your intended programme of research


 
Name of supervisors (You must have identified two supervisors in order to be considered for ESRC DTP funding)

2: Qualifications


 
Provide details of the institutions you have attended (or are attending), and the courses you have taken at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. For the first set of details please outline your undergraduate course, and then complete the remaining sections if applicable.
 
Mode of attendance (required)
Month and year in which your course started and finished (or will finish)
 
For the second set of details please outline your postgraduate course if applicable
 
Mode of attendance
Month and year in which your course started and finished (or will finish)

3: Previous Research Methods and Core Skills Training

Please outline any previous Research Methods and Core Skills Training you have undertaken as part of a Masters.

You should give details of the composition of your Masters course by listing modules you have (or will have) undertaken. You must provide sufficient information for us to assess whether the Masters course contained the requisite training in Research Methods and Core Discipline Skills to prepare you for an ESRC-funded research degree.

Notes:

  • If you are applying for a +3 programme you must hold, or have completed by the time you begin the programme, a Masters qualification with a high grade which meets all of the minimum ESRC training in Research Methods as detailed in the Guidance Notes.
  • If you are applying for a +3.5 programme you must hold, or have completed by the time you begin the programme, a Masters qualification with a high grade which meets at least half of the minimum ESRC training in Research Methods as detailed in the Guidance Notes.
  • If you have already started your PhD, you must have completed by the expected start date of the studentship all of the minimum ESRC training in Research Methods as detailed in the Guidance Notes. Please select the +2 scheme for your award length.

The ESRC expects all DTP researchers to be trained in the following areas:

  • Philosophy of Social Science Research
  • Research Design, Practice and Ethics
  • Quantitative Research Methods
  • Qualitative Research Methods
Based upon your previous Research Methods training outlined above, please indicate which scheme you are applying for: (required)

Please refer to the Guidance Notes for detailed information about which scheme you should apply for.


 

4: Professional Experience that is relevant to this application


5: Other Experience and/or Awards


6: Project Details

 

Please attach your research proposal as a Word Document. This should be a maximum of 1,000 words, no smaller than Arial font 11 (you may include an additional 1 side of A4 for references and figures only). You must state the project details word count at the top of your ‘Project Details’ attachment. If your research proposal exceeds the word limit it will be cut off at 1,000 words prior to being sent for review. Please do not include your name or any other identifying details in your research proposal.

The case for support should include:

  • An outline of your research project and its theoretical background
  • How your project relates to previous and current research in the field
  • The significance of the proposed research (intellectual, practical, etc.)
  • The methodology and why it is a good fit for your project
  • How your project relates to your previous research and experience

1+3 programme applicants need to give an indicative answer as your research interests will develop further during the year of your Masters training. We are not looking for a refined research proposal with full methodological details at this stage, but an indication of your probable research area, an indicative topic and a case for why this is important. You should show how this will build towards a PhD. +3 and +3.5 programme applicants should give a provisional thesis title/topic, explain the context of the research, its aims and objectives and its potential research outcomes. Students should give a description of their proposed research topic including the questions or hypotheses to be addressed, the methods to be used, the sources to be consulted and a brief timetable covering the period of study. Details of field work should be included in the timetable. If you have already begun your doctoral study, please remember to refer to the research you have undertaken to date. Your research proposal should be attached at the end of this online application under Question 14. Uploading Supervisor Supporting Statement and other Documentation


7: Personal Statement


8: Details of Project Partners and Collaborators

If your project is likely to involve collaboration with an external partner please provide details below and include:

  • Name of the organisation
  • Name and details of contact at the organisation
  • Sector of organisation (public, private, voluntary/charitable)
  • Nature of collaboration (e.g. internship, placement, allocated workspace)

Only complete this section if applicable. (Maximum 200 words)


9: Overseas Fieldwork


10: Language Training


11: Ethical and Intellectual Property Issues


12: Please enter the names and contact details (email addresses) of the referees you have listed in your application to the University of Birmingham and confirm the following:


 
I confirm that I understand that the references are an important component of the application review process and that if they are not received in time then it will not be possible for references to be considered alongside the application (required)

For applicants who are yet to commence their PhD study:

I confirm that I also provided the names and contact details of these referees in my application to the University of Birmingham and they are aware that they will be contacted by the university

For applicants who are already on their PhD programme:

I confirm that I have contacted my referees and arranged for updated references to be sent directly to the relevant administrator in my department
13: Have you applied for an ESRC award at any other DTP for a 2023 start? (required)

14: Uploading Supervisor Supporting Statement and other Documentation


 

In addition to uploading your 'Project Details' as outlined in Question 6 please also upload:

  • The completed 'Supporting Statement from Prospective Lead Supervisor'
  • Transcripts of your previous qualifications

 
Attach file
No files are currently attached.
I confirm that the research proposal submitted is my own original work (required)
I confirm that the research proposal submitted has not previously been submitted to any other Midlands Graduate School competition (required)

You must ensure that you complete all relevant sections of the application form and upload all relevant documentation. Incomplete applications will not be considered.


15: How did you find out about us?

Please select all options that apply (required)
Privacy notice

The University of Warwick will use the data provided in this application form for the purpose of assessing your application and eligibility for the Midlands Graduate School ESRC DTP Studentship. This data will not be shared or disclosed to any third parties external to the University of Warwick except a limited number of administrators and academics across the 6 institutions that form part of the Midlands Graduate School ESRC DTP (Universities of: Aston, Birmingham, Leicester, Loughborough and Nottingham) who will use this data for the purposes of assessing your application and eligibility only. If successful in your application, the Midlands Graduate School ESRC DTP will also use this data for the purposes of administering your studentship. By submitting this application you understand that this data will be processed and used by the University of Warwick and the Universities of: Aston, Birmingham, Leicester, Loughborough and Nottingham for the purposes outlined above and will be kept for the lifetime of the Midlands Graduate School ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership. For further information regarding: how your information is held, including how we maintain the security of your information, your rights to access information we hold about you, how to update us on any changes to your details or to withdraw your consent for your data to be used for the purposes outlines above then please contact: esrcdtp@warwick.ac.uk

The University of Warwick is the Data Controller of any information you have entered on this form and is committed to protecting the rights of individuals in line with Data Protection Legislation. The University's Data Protection webpages provide further information on your rights and how the University processes personal data. If you wish to submit a data subjects rights request, make a complaint or report a suspected personal data breach, please contact the University’s Data Protection Officer by email at infocompliance@warwick.ac.uk.