PhD Study : Transitional Justice

Apply and key information  

Summary

The Law unit of assessment has up to four studentships 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 Transitional Justice would include:

Peacebuilding, peace processes  and political; Truth, truth recovery and truth commissions; Enforced disappearances; Justice, accountability and amnesty; Reparations, victims and survivors; Guarantees of non-repetition, including institutional reform, transformative justice, socioeconomic rights, land reform; Memory and memorialisation; Transitional justice in democratic states (‘intra-democratic’ transitions) and in ongoing conflicts; Gender and transitional justice, including sexual violence, domestic violence, masculinities;  Transitional justice in Northern Ireland; Regional perspectives on transitional justice including African and Latin American perspectives.

The following staff are interested in supervising in these areas:

Applicants are encouraged to contact potential supervisors in good time to discuss draft research proposals. For general enquiries please contact the Research Director for Law Prof Rory O’Connell or one of our PhD coordinators, Prof Cath Collins, Dr Thomas Hansen.

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
    1. 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
    1. What have you already read, that has convinced you that your question is important and novel but can also be answered?
  4. Methodology
    1. 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
    1. 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.

Essential criteria

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.

  • Sound understanding of subject area as evidenced by a comprehensive research proposal

Desirable Criteria

If the University receives a large number of applicants for the project, the following desirable criteria may be applied to shortlist applicants for interview.

  • Completion of Masters at a level equivalent to commendation or distinction at Ulster
  • Experience using research methods or other approaches relevant to the subject domain
  • Work experience relevant to the proposed project
  • A comprehensive and articulate personal statement

Funding and eligibility

The University offers the following levels of support:

Vice Chancellors Research Studentship (VCRS)

The following scholarship options are available to applicants worldwide:

  • Full Award: (full-time tuition fees + £19,000 (tbc))
  • Part Award: (full-time tuition fees + £9,500)
  • Fees Only Award: (full-time tuition fees)

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.

Department for the Economy (DFE)

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.

  • Candidates with pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, who also satisfy a three year residency requirement in the UK prior to the start of the course for which a Studentship is held MAY receive a Studentship covering fees and maintenance.
  • Republic of Ireland (ROI) nationals who satisfy three years’ residency in the UK prior to the start of the course MAY receive a Studentship covering fees and maintenance (ROI nationals don’t need to have pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme to qualify).
  • Other non-ROI EU applicants are ‘International’ are not eligible for this source of funding.
  • 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.

Due consideration should be given to financing your studies. Further information on cost of living

The Doctoral College at Ulster University

Key dates

Submission deadline
Friday 7 February 2020
12:00AM

Interview Date
27 March 2020

Preferred student start date
Mid September 2020

Applying

Apply Online  

Contact supervisor

Professor Cath Collins

Other supervisors