Paths for People

Outline

Cardiff University School of Social Sciences invites applications for PhD study with the possibility of being awarded a fully-funded ESRC DTP Studentship, available to start in October 2020, which is available in the area of Sociology.

Working alongside Ramblers Cymru, this PhD project will document the uptake of the ‘Paths for People’ project in one community, using the project as a jumping off point from which to explore the impact of green corridors on people’s everyday lives. Using a range of innovative sensory/multimodal and mobile methods, the PhD student will work with one community to map their neighbourhood. This could include go-along interviews with local residents, and workshops with different community groups (e.g. school children and older people), using video, photographic, and audio methods and devices to make sensory maps. This data will be used to understand the impact of local green infrastructure on communities, and to explore how different people develop a sense of place and connection to nature. The project will pay particular attention to access and inclusion, look at how landscapes and communities change over time, and seek new ways of connecting people with nature. More broadly, it will contribute to scholarship on place, space and mobilities, and to the development of sensory/multimodal methods. Findings from the project will have direct impact, strengthening Ramblers Cymru’s evidence base and understanding of the importance of green corridors and providing them with new resources.

What is funded

Studentship Awards commence in October 2020 and will cover your tuition fees as well as a maintenance grant (currently £15,009 p.a. for 2019/20 for full-time students, updated each year); and includes access to an additional Research Training Support Grant (RTSG), though an element of this latter fund may be ‘pooled’ and require separate applications from 2020 onwards. There are other opportunities and benefits available to studentship holders, including an overseas fieldwork allowance (if applicable), internship opportunities, overseas institutional visits and other small grants.

Duration

Applications are invited from exceptional candidates with a first class or strong upper second class honours degree, or appropriate Masters’ degree. We welcome applications for both full and part-time study, and studentships are available as either ’1+3’ (i.e. one full year of research training Masters followed by three years full-time Doctoral study, or the part-time equivalent), or ’+3’ (i.e. three years of full-time doctoral study or its part-time equivalent), depending on the needs of the applicant. Further details on types of awards http://walesdtp.ac.uk/studentships/.

Applications welcomed by 01 June 2020.

These studentships are ‘collaborative’ awards. Applicants should take careful consideration of the working title and description of the project and may wish to contact the named member of staff for a discussion prior to applying.

Further details on types of awards http://walesdtp.ac.uk/studentships/

Eligibility

http://walesdtp.ac.uk/studentships/

How to Apply

Applicants should apply to the Doctor of Philosophy in Social Sciences with a start date of October 2020.

In the research proposal section of your application, please specify the project title and supervisors of this project and copy the project description in the text box provided. In the funding section, please select ’I will be applying for a scholarship/grant’ and specify that you are applying for advertised funding from WALES ESRC DTP PHD ‘COLLABORATIVE’ STUDENTSHIP - School of Social Sciences: Paths for People.

Please include:

1. Covering letter Set out your reasons and motivation for applying to study at Cardiff University and the pathway; your understanding and expectations of doctoral study; your academic interests generally, and particularly of those relating to your proposed research. The letter should be no more than two pages.

2. Academic / Professional Qualifications Where appropriate, this should also include proof of English Language Competency (7.0 IELTS minimum).

3. References Two academic references. Candidates must approach referees themselves and include references with their application.

4. Curriculum Vitae It should be no longer than two pages.

5. Research Proposal. The proposal should be up to a maximum of 1000 words, not including bibliographic references. We suggest that you use the following headings in your proposal:

• Title, aims and purpose of the research;

• Brief overview of the academic literature relevant to your field;

• Proposed design/methods;

• Academic contributions of your research;

• Indicative bibliographic references.

Mae’r rhaglen hon ar gael drwy gyfrwng y Saesneg yn unig. I wneud cais am wybodaeth yn Gymraeg, cysylltwch â’r Tîm Recriwtio Ôl-raddedigion (postgradmarketing@caerdydd.ac.uk).

This program is available in English only. To request information in Welsh, please contact the Postgraduate Recruitment Team (postgradmarketing@cardiff.ac.uk).

The closing deadline for applications is Monday 01 June 2020. Short-listed applicants will be invited to interview, which are expected to take place week commencing 15 June. After interview, a final short-list of applicants will be put forward to a Panel convened by the ESRC Wales DTP Management Group at which final decisions with regard to studentship awards will be made.