PhD Politics and International Relations
The School of Politics and International Relations has long been respected for the quality of its research and teaching. We have strong links with leading institutions in the UK and overseas and a diverse teaching team and student body. You will study in a dynamic research environment that will allow you to explore the political landscape by focusing on a specialism of your choice.
You will be encouraged to play an active role in our research centres and institutes as well as the activities of the school.
You will be assigned two supervisors. You must ensure that we have at least one supervisor who has expertise in your proposed area of research before applying and name that person in your application. Ideally, you should contact your proposed supervisor before applying.
We offer supervision in most subject areas within international relations and security, British and comparative politics, and political theory.
The School of Politics and International Relations invites expressions of interest from suitably qualified candidates to undertake a PhD in Politics or International Relations.
Successful applicants will join a team of PhD researchers in the School of Politics and International Relations. You can find out more about our staff, their research interests and current doctoral supervision, as well as the pages of individual academics.
Prospective candidates are welcome to outline their own doctoral research topic, but we have identified a number of priority topic areas where we believe a PhD project would be particularly cutting-edge and where we strongly welcome expressions of interest. The topic areas are:
If you are interested in the priority topic areas listed above, our team will help you develop your ideas, offer feedback on your proposal drafts, and connect you with supervisors.
You must complete a written thesis of up to 100,000 words, with support and advice from your academic supervisor(s). You will also take a verbal examination called a viva voce, where you explain your project in depth to an examination panel.
You will also be required to take 20 credits of methodological modules offered by either the School of Politics and International Relations or relevant modules offered by other schools. During your first semester, you will also enrol in the school's Professional Development module.
As a research student in the school, you will also develop skills needed in a future academic career through taking training courses offered through the Researcher Academy. You are required to take five training points during the first and second year of studies.
Full-time students should meet with their supervisors at least 10 times each year. This would be at least six times in the same period for part-time students.
You will study this module in your first year of study. It will outline the diverse challenges and opportunities provided by doing a PhD in politics and international relations.
We run a weekly colloquium for postgraduate research students, giving you the opportunity to present your work in front of other research students and staff with similar research interests.
Organised by students and facilitated by the Director of Postgraduate Research, it acts as a supportive forum for presenting your work, testing your arguments, ideas and approaches, and developing your research design.
Students also run their own annual postgraduate research conference which attracts researchers from across the UK and internationally.
We offer research seminars for staff and postgraduate research students through our research centres and institutes. Each centre runs a full programme of workshops, reading groups, talks and conferences.
Suitably trained second and third-year research students can acquire paid teaching experience by delivering undergraduate tutorials. Free courses on teaching methods are on offer, though teaching is subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed.
The School of Politics and International Relations has long been respected for the quality of its research and teaching. We have strong links with leading institutions in the UK and overseas and a diverse teaching team and student body. You will study in a dynamic research environment that will allow you to explore the political landscape by focusing on a specialism of your choice.
You will be encouraged to play an active role in our research centres and institutes as well as the activities of the school.
You will be assigned two supervisors. You must ensure that we have at least one supervisor who has expertise in your proposed area of research before applying and name that person in your application. Ideally, you should contact your proposed supervisor before applying.
We offer supervision in most subject areas within international relations and security, British and comparative politics, and political theory.
The School of Politics and International Relations invites expressions of interest from suitably qualified candidates to undertake a PhD in Politics or International Relations.
Successful applicants will join a team of PhD researchers in the School of Politics and International Relations. You can find out more about our staff, their research interests and current doctoral supervision, as well as the pages of individual academics.
Prospective candidates are welcome to outline their own doctoral research topic, but we have identified a number of priority topic areas where we believe a PhD project would be particularly cutting-edge and where we strongly welcome expressions of interest. The topic areas are:
If you are interested in the priority topic areas listed above, our team will help you develop your ideas, offer feedback on your proposal drafts, and connect you with supervisors.
You must complete a written thesis of up to 100,000 words, with support and advice from your academic supervisor(s). You will also take a verbal examination called a viva voce, where you explain your project in depth to an examination panel.
You will also be required to take 20 credits of methodological modules offered by either the School of Politics and International Relations or relevant modules offered by other schools. During your first semester, you will also enrol in the school's Professional Development module.
As a research student in the school, you will also develop skills needed in a future academic career through taking training courses offered through the Researcher Academy. You are required to take five training points during the first and second year of studies.
Full-time students should meet with their supervisors at least 10 times each year. This would be at least six times in the same period for part-time students.
You will study this module in your first year of study. It will outline the diverse challenges and opportunities provided by doing a PhD in politics and international relations.
We run a weekly colloquium for postgraduate research students, giving you the opportunity to present your work in front of other research students and staff with similar research interests.
Organised by students and facilitated by the Director of Postgraduate Research, it acts as a supportive forum for presenting your work, testing your arguments, ideas and approaches, and developing your research design.
Students also run their own annual postgraduate research conference which attracts researchers from across the UK and internationally.
We offer research seminars for staff and postgraduate research students through our research centres and institutes. Each centre runs a full programme of workshops, reading groups, talks and conferences.
Suitably trained second and third-year research students can acquire paid teaching experience by delivering undergraduate tutorials. Free courses on teaching methods are on offer, though teaching is subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed.
