The White Rose Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership (WRDTP), accredited by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), is a collaboration across the social sciences at the Universities of Bradford, Hull, Leeds, Manchester Metropolitan, Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam and York.
We are pleased to announce the call for nominations to the first tranche of WRDTP2 social sciences studentship funding. Funding for Cohort 1 will be available for doctoral research students commencing their studies in October 2024.
About our studentships
We offer a range of social sciences PhD studentships starting in October each year at our partner universities:
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WRDTP Pathway Awards (including our Interdisciplinary Research Awards and our WRDTP/Stuart Hall Foundation Awards for Black British students)
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WRDTP Advanced Quantitative Methods (AQM) Awards
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WRDTP Advanced Data Analytics (ADA) Awards
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WRDTP Collaborative Awards
The Pathway, Advanced Quantitative Methods and Advanced Data Analytics Awards fund student-led research projects.
WRDTP Collaborative Award projects are designed by academic colleagues at our partner universities, and fund collaborative research with partners in the private, public or third sectors. Students can then apply for a studentship linked to their preferred project in early Spring each year.
To ensure that all students acquire the core research skills necessary to undertake a doctoral project, the structure and duration of the WRDTP’s awards depend on the applicant’s previous academic experience, and any social science research training or experience already undertaken. Our award types are:
- +3.5 programme: funding for a 3.5-year PhD. Typically, applicants with a social science masters degree and with 60 or more credits of M-level social science research training are those most likely to benefit from this option.
- +3.75 programme: funding for an integrated PGCert/PhD. Typically, applicants with a social science masters degree, but who have not undertaken core research training are those most likely to benefit from this option.
- 1+3.5 programme: funding for a 1 year Masters programme, followed by the 3.5 year PhD. Typically, applicants without a social sciences masters degree are those most likely to benefit from this option.
Applicants should choose a programme based on their prior academic and research experience, and in consultation with their proposed supervisor. Further information is provided in the guidance for applicants and the guidance for supervisors and nominating universities.
All awards are available for study on either a full-time or part-time basis.
How to apply
- Pathway/AQM Awards
- Virtual information sessions for applicants
- Collaborative Awards
- Information Sessions for staff/potential supervisors
Applicants who are interested in the WRDTP Pathway, AQM and ADA Awards are invited to attend an information session for guidance on the application process. There will also be an information session for Black British applicants who are interested in applying for a WRDTP/Stuart Hall Foundation Award.
These will be held online on the following dates:
- Pathway, AQM and ADA Awards:
- Wednesday 15 November 2023: 17:30 – 18:30
- Stuart Hall Foundation Awards (open to Black British applicants only):
- Tuesday 21 November 2023: 17:30 – 18:30
All sessions will run on a virtual basis, via Zoom. Please register in advance using this form to secure your place. You will receive a reminder email with the link to your session, nearer the time of your workshop.
If you can’t attend your preferred session(s) but would like to receive further information, please indicate this via the form. Slides/recordings from the event will be posted on our website in due course, and you will be emailed once these are available.
The WRDTP now welcomes applications for supervisor-led Collaborative Awards, involving a partner in the private, public or third sector. For further details, please visit our WRDTP Collaborative Awards webpage.
Student applicants: Please note that WRDTP Collaborative Awards are designed by academic colleagues at our partner universities. You will be able to view the list of successful projects and apply for a studentship linked to your chosen project in early Spring.
Pathway, AQM and ADA Award Information Session for staff/potential supervisors
University staff who would like to find out more about the WRDTP’s Pathway, AQM and ADA Awards are invited to attend an information session for guidance on assisting students through the application process. The session will be held online on the following date:
- Pathway, AQM and ADA Awards (open to university staff only):
- Wednesday 15 November 2023: 14:00 – 15:00
Collaborative Award Information Sessions for academic supervisors
Academic colleagues who are interested in submitting a proposal to the Collaborative Awards competition will be invited to attend an online information session for guidance on the process. This will be held online on the following date:
- Tuesday 24 October 2023: 14:00 – 15:00
All sessions will run on a virtual basis, via Zoom. Please register in advance using this form to secure your place. You will receive a reminder email with the link to your session, nearer the time of your workshop.
If you can’t attend your preferred session(s) but would like to receive further information, please indicate this via the form. Slides/recordings from the event will be posted on our website in due course, and you will be emailed once these are available.
Key information for Applicants
Key information for Supervisors and Nominating Universities
In addition to the documents listed in the section above:
Eligibility criteria
- We welcome applicants from eligible social science schools and departments in our seven partner universities (i.e. Bradford, Hull, Leeds, Manchester Metropolitan, Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam, and York). A full list of eligible schools and departments can be found here. To be eligible for a WRDTP award, applicants must hold an offer for a PhD place in an eligible school or department, and must be intending to undertake a social sciences research project that is within the ESRC’s remit.
- Applicants do not apply directly to the WRDTP for an award, but are instead nominated by their university. You should therefore allow sufficient time to liaise with potential supervisors. You should also ensure that you observe any processes or deadlines that the individual department, school or university has in place for assessing applications. All universities are required to have fair and equitable processes for determining which applicants should be nominated to the WRDTP for consideration.
- As part of the nomination process, you will be required to complete a WRDTP Studentship Application Form. Please note that this is a separate process, and is in addition to any form that you may have completed when applying for a place to study a PhD at your chosen university.
- Applicants must meet the entry requirements of their nominating school or department. The ESRC also stipulates that: ‘for all studentships, students must have qualifications of the standard of a good honours degree at first- or upper second-class level, from a UK academic higher education institution, or, through a combination of qualifications and/or experience, be able to demonstrate equivalence. In the majority of cases, students will have undertaken an undergraduate course at a recognised UK higher education institution or equivalent international qualification. Prior qualifications may be enhanced to meet these requirements by the acquisition of at least one satisfactorily completed academic year of full-time study or its part-time equivalent (i.e., two years) towards a UK higher degree, if applying for an award without an undergraduate degree’. Please note that applicants must satisfy their university’s entry requirements AND the ESRC’s minimum threshold.
- The ESRC limits the proportion of awards available to international applicants to 30%, which means that the WRDTP cannot offer any more than 30% of its awards to international candidates each year. To manage this, each of our universities has a limit on the number of international applications that it puts forward to the WRDTP. If you are an international candidate, you should speak to your school or department to find out about the selection processes that may be in place.
The WRDTP Training Offer
Further information on the training offered by the WRDTP for our funded students can be found here.
Links to MA Social Research programmes offered at our partner Universities can be found below:
