The Law unit of assessment has up to four DfE studentships and one VCRS studentship this year. The unit of assessment includes the work of the School of Law, Transitional Justice Institute as well as the Ulster University Law Clinic and Legal Innovation Centre. We welcome applications in specified thematic areas: human rights, international law, law and social justice, law and innovation, transitional justice, public law and legal theory.
Examples of proposals in the area of law and social justice would include:
Access to justice, including clinical legal education;
Legal Support, litigants in person, participation;
Social Security Law;
Citizenship rights;
Administrative justice and tribunal reform;
Poverty and destitution;
Welfare reform
The following staff are interested in supervising in these areas: Dr Cat Denvir, Dr John McCord; Prof Grainne McKeever; Dr Mark Simpson
Applicants are encouraged to contact potential supervisors in good time to discuss draft research proposals. Allocation of supervisors will be made during the selection process. The supervisory team will depend on the proposal. We list a number of named supervisors on the web pages for contact purposes but please note they may or may not be included on any supervision team.
We welcome interdisciplinary research proposals and may appoint supervisors from outside the law unit of assessment.
A sound research proposal (around 2000-3000 words) should have the following: 1) A tentative title 2 ) Research question(s) and any related hypotheses What do you want to find out? What is it that we currently do not know, and need to know, about this issue/topic/ country/institution? 3) Literature review/ survey of existing scholarship What have you already read, that has convinced you that your question is important and novel but can also be answered? 4) Methodology What exactly would you propose to do, and why would this be the best, or a good, way to answer the research question? Does your topic lend itself to theoretical work, black letter law, single case study, comparative case study, qualitative work, field work? 5) Contribution of the conclusions Say if possible what you think you will discover and why/ to whom it might matter. How might your research be useful or interesting if it turns out the way you anticipate? 6) Assessment of feasibility - show that you have thought about how you will fit the plan into a three year programme.
Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.
We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.
In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.
If the University receives a large number of applicants for the project, the following desirable criteria may be applied to shortlist applicants for interview.
The University offers the following levels of support:
The following scholarship options are available to applicants worldwide:
These scholarships will cover full-time PhD tuition fees for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance) and will provide a £900 per annum research training support grant (RTSG) to help support the PhD researcher.
Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year (or part-time equivalent) are NOT eligible to apply for an award.
Please note: you will automatically be entered into the competition for the Full Award, unless you state otherwise in your application.
The scholarship will cover tuition fees at the Home rate and a maintenance allowance of £19,000 (tbc) per annum for three years (subject to satisfactory academic performance).
This scholarship also comes with £900 per annum for three years as a research training support grant (RTSG) allocation to help support the PhD researcher.
Due consideration should be given to financing your studies. Further information on cost of living
Submission deadline
Monday 19 February 2018
12:00AM
Interview Date
mid March 2018
Preferred student start date
mid September 2018
Telephone
Contact by phone
Email
Contact by email