School of Geography and Sustainable Development PhD Studentship Competition 2020

Title of project: School of Geography and Sustainable Development PhD Studentship Competition 2020

Type of Funding: School of Geography and Sustainable Development PhD studentship

Supervisor(s): based in the School of Geography and Sustainable Development

Project Description:

The School of Geography and Sustainable Development (SGSD) is delighted to announce the 2020 PhD Studentship Competition. Two fully funded PhD scholarships are available to join the School’s vibrant research community. This is a new investment, representing the School’s commitment to postgraduate research.

The successful candidates will receive funding for three years as follows: a stipend of £15,285 (in line with 2020 UKRI rates), an annual Research and Training Grant of £750, payment of tuition fees (home/international). The competition is open to candidates of all nationalities.

Deadline for Application: Monday 23^rd March, 17.00 (UK time).

Entry Requirements: 1) A first class or an upper secondary undergraduate or master’s degree in any area of social, environmental or health sciences (including statistics and applied mathematics); 2) Interest in application of advanced quantitative methods in social and/or health sciences; and 3) Interest in working with spatial and longitudinal data. Coding skills are an advantage (e.g. in R, Stata or SAS), but not required.

How to apply: Applications should be made via the central University of St Andrews system: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/study/apply/postgraduate/research/. You should select School of Geography and Sustainable Development and clearly indicate in the funding section “SGSD Scholarship Competition 2020”.

For the application you will need:

1. A covering letter that outlines your reason for wishing to undertake PhD study at SGSD.
2. A Curriculum Vitae focusing on your academic track record.
3. Transcripts and/or certificates of academic qualifications.
4. A Research proposal which should comprise the PhD project title, a project abstract (no more than 300 words), and the case for support (maximum 2000 words) which should include:

• Overview and rationale for project, aims, research questions and methods
• Proposed first and second supervisors
• Statement on the fit of the proposed project with research of the School
• Anticipated project outcomes in terms of research output and likely impacts
• Statement of the feasibility of the project, identifying risks and how these will be mitigated

1. A Statement of support from your primary supervisor
2. Names of 2 Referees who can provide references (references are not required in advance)
3. Evidence of English language capability, which may include evidence of prior Higher Education study in English or relevant certification (e.g. IELTS)

Selection Process

Applications will be reviewed by a panel of staff from SGSD Chaired by the Director of Postgraduate Studies, Dr Nissa Finney. The panel will score applications in 3 domains: academic track record, research proposal (including fit to SGSD), support from supervisor. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview; video conferencing interviews are possible and expenses will be paid for those attending in person. Candidates will be informed of the outcome following interviews. Successful candidates will be expected to start on 27^th September 2020.

Contact

Please address enquiries to gsddopg@st-andrews.ac.uk. This account is monitored by the Director of Postgraduate Studies (Dr Nissa Finney), the Deputy Director of Postgraduate Studies (Dr Tim Stojanovic) and the PGR Administrator (Helen Olaez).

Eligibility: For general criteria for entry to PhD programmes at the University of St Andrews see: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/study/apply/postgraduate/research/. Minimum academic qualification (Faculty of Science) is a 2:1 Honours Degree (or overseas equivalent) in a relevant subject.

For further information please see https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/geography-sustainable-development/prospect…