School of Performance and Cultural Industries (PCI) Scholarships 2024

The School of Performance and Cultural Industries is delighted to offer three postgraduate research scholarship opportunities commencing October 2024. These scholarships are open to UK applicants and cover fees plus a maintenance stipend that matches UKRI rates. For exceptional candidates, we can fund an international studentship, so please do consider an application. <br /> <br /> The awards are open to UK full-time or part-time candidates or international full time candidates who have been offered a place on a PhD degree at the School of PCI. <br /> <br /> These funded PhD places provide an exciting opportunity to pursue postgraduate research in a range of fields relating to performance and cultural industries.

<p>We especially welcome applications that connect to the School&#39;s core areas of research, and we invite well developed proposals and applications that develop specific projects related to one of these broad areas in confluence with our school strategy:&nbsp;</p> <p>&bull;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;sustainability in culture (or cultural industries) or climate justice; &nbsp;<br /> &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;arts and culture&rsquo;s role in addressing global challenges;&nbsp;<br /> &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;digital innovation in performance and cultural industries.&nbsp;</p> <p>Or, innovative projects that engage with topics related to the five research groups: Place, Digital, Practice as Research, Pedagogy, Participation and Cultural Policy. You can find out more about the groups, and research staff on our <a href="http://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/performance">website</a>.</p> <p>Joining the <a href="https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/performance">School of Performance and Cultural Industries</a> will allow researchers to become part of an external-facing, vibrant research community as well as a member of an international, energetic and supportive cohort of post-graduate researchers. Our boundary-stretching <a href="https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/performance-research-innovation">research and impact</a> cuts across the fields of theatre, performance and the cultural industries, representing an arc of enquiry from the individual artist to the general public via creative practitioners, producers, managers, leaders, audiences, markets and policy-makers.&nbsp;(Please go to <a href="https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/performance">https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/performance</a> and search under the tab &lsquo;people&rsquo; to identify potential supervisors).&nbsp;</p> <p>PhD scholarship holders will be working in an environment that has collaboration and interdisciplinarity at the centre of its ethos, alongside internationally acclaimed researchers and scholar-practitioners, externally funded research programmes and centres, and a rich network of industry partners.&nbsp;<br /> <br /> Most of our <a href="https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/performance-research-innovation">research activity</a> is informed by our research groups: Place, Digital, Practice as Research, Pedagogy, Participation and Cultural Policy. We are seeking highly motivated individuals, with academic and professional experience and a willingness to contribute to the research interests of the school, to undertake fully funded doctoral research. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. For more on PCI&rsquo;s strategy see <a href="https://sway.office.com/pMcC4IFyjd20BdEk?ref=Link&amp;loc=play">here</a>.</p> <p><strong>Information about the Award</strong></p> <ul> <li>We are offering 3 full-time/ part-time PhD scholarships in the School of Performance &amp; Cultural Industries for UK or international candidates, matching UKRI maintenance stipend (currently &pound;18,622 in 2023/24) and tuition fees.&nbsp;</li> </ul> <p><strong>Duration of the Award</strong></p> <ul> <li>Full-time for 3 years or part time (UK only) for 5 years. The award will be made for one year in the first instance and renewable for a further period of up to two years (or 4 years if studying on a part time basis), subject to satisfactory academic progress.</li> <li>Please note, applicants must stipulate FT or PT when applying.&nbsp;</li> </ul> <p><strong>Other Conditions</strong></p> <ul> <li>Applicants must not have already been awarded or be currently studying for a doctoral degree.</li> <li>Awards must be taken up by 1st October 2024.</li> <li>Applicants must live within a reasonable distance of the University of Leeds whilst in receipt of this scholarship.</li> </ul>

<p><strong>Pre-application:&nbsp;</strong><br /> It is a good idea to contact the school in advance of formal application, both to identify potential supervisors and to establish the best possible proposal with some targeted development and support. We find this enables applicants to be better prepared for their research proposal, enabling better chances of success.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Brief tips for the proposal:</strong><br /> Your research proposal must include a clear rational for the proposed study, drawing on relevant recent literature. A good proposal indicates several research questions and puts forward a robust methodology as well as includes relevant references. It should be no more than 3000 words (excluding references). This is the foundation of your application, so please do start early. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Please do contact the Director of PGR Studies Prof Aylwyn Walsh in the first instance with queries or for more support on research proposals (a.m.walsh1@leeds.ac.uk).</p> <p><strong>Stage 1</strong></p> <p>First, apply for a research place of study, through the <a href="https://prod.banner.leeds.ac.uk/ssb/bwskalog_uol.P_DispLoginNon">online application form</a>. Please state clearly that the funding you wish to be considered for is &ldquo;The School of PCI Doctoral Scholarship&rdquo;. You will be expected to meet <a href="https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/performance-research-degrees/doc/doctor-philosophy-phd-6">our eligibility criteria</a> for PhD candidates.</p> <p>In order to be considered for the Scholarship you must submit all the required supporting documents for your application for PhD study together with (transcripts, references and research proposal). You can find all information <a href="https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/performance-research-degrees/doc/apply-14">on our website</a>.</p> <p>Once you have received your student ID number (a 9-digit number) move onto stage 2.</p> <p>Between the application in stage 1 and stage 2 you may be invited for an interview to assess your planned research application with a team of senior academics.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Stage 2</strong><br /> <br /> Apply for the School of PCI Doctoral Scholarship by completing <a href="https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/leeds/school-of-performance-and-cultural-industries-pci-doctoral-scho">the scholarship application form</a>.&nbsp; You must submit your scholarship application by <strong>17.00 p.m. on 1 March 2024.</strong></p> <p>If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence that you meet the University&#39;s minimum English language requirements (below).<br /> &nbsp;</p> <p><em>As an international research-intensive university, we welcome students from all walks of life and from across the world. We foster an inclusive environment where all can flourish and prosper, and we are proud of our strong commitment to student education. Across all Faculties we are dedicated to diversifying our community and we welcome the unique contributions that individuals can bring, and particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to Black, Asian, people who belong to a minority ethnic community, people who identify as LGBT+ and people with disabilities. Applicants will always be selected based on merit and ability.</em></p>

Applicants to this scholarship in the School of PCI should normally hold a good honours degree (upper second class or first class) in a related discipline, and hold, or expect to obtain, a Masters degree in a related subject. Applicants who are uncertain about the requirements for a particular research degree are advised to contact the School or Graduate School prior to making an application.

The minimum English language entry requirement for research postgraduate research study is an IELTS of 6.5 overall with at least 6.0 in each component (reading, writing, listening and speaking) or equivalent. The test must be dated within two years of the start date of the course in order to be valid.

<p>For further information please contact the Graduate School Admissions Office <a href="mailto:ahcpgradmissions@leeds.ac.uk">ahcpgradmissions@leeds.ac.uk</a> or the Director of PGR Studies, Professor A Walsh <a href="mailto:a.m.walsh1@leeds.ac.uk">a.m.walsh1@leeds.ac.uk</a></p>