SCADR PhD Scholarship: Studying work, welfare and health through linked administrative data

Information on the School/Research Group

The Scottish Centre for Administrative Data Research (SCADR) is an UKRI ESRC-funded research Centre which started in 2013 as the Administrative Data Research Centre for Scotland. It is part of a UK-wide infrastructure, the Administrative Data Research UK. Both are fully funded through to 2026, providing a stable base for this studentship.

The Glasgow group is based within the Urban Studies subject and is part of the School of Social & Political Sciences. Urban Studies is the leading centre for urban and social policy research in the UK. It runs an expanding portfolio of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, including an MA in Social and Public Policy and research-training MScs which meet ESRC standards for PhD training.

The MRC/CSO Social & Public Health Sciences Unit (SPHSU) is one of the MRC’s major investments into research focusing on understanding and harnessing the social determinants of health to address health inequalities. The Unit includes over 100 researchers spanning diverse disciplines including clinicians, social scientists, statisticians and computer scientists. More information about the Unit is available here: https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/healthwellbeing/research/mrccsosocialandpublichealthsciencesunit/

Project details

Please note that this is restricted to UK residents (i.e. those eligible for the Home fee rate).

The Scottish Centre for Administrative Data Research (SCADR) is delighted to invite applications for a University-funded PhD studentship (+3), commencing in October 2023. Established in 2013, the Centre is a consortium of Scottish universities, focused on research which exploits the power and potential of linked administrative data. This studentship will be based at the University of Glasgow where the team focuses on the analysis of data from welfare benefit systems and the labour market in particular, but also on wider areas including health. In this area, the team has a range of projects, including a collaboration with colleagues from the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit at the University of Glasgow.

SCADR (https://www.scadr.ac.uk) is an international centre-of-excellence in using linked administrative data for research. Administrative data are those collected in the process of delivering public services or related activities. They include records related to health services, education, employment and earnings, and welfare benefit receipt. Records for the same individual can be linked to provide greater insights into social outcomes and the effectiveness of public policies. The scale of these data and their ability to provide a historical picture mean they have huge potential to generate new insights. At the same time, they also pose distinctive challenges for the researcher, such as needing to understand why data have been collected and the nature of the recording process, as well as ensuring the privacy of data subjects is protected.

Working with an interdisciplinary supervisory team from SCADR and the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, the successful applicant will develop a project exploring the relationships between work, welfare and health. Candidates should be able to demonstrate a keen interest in developing advanced skills in quantitative social research and/or social epidemiology, and in applying these to real-world social and public policy problems.

The studentships provide an unrivalled opportunity to develop cutting-edge expertise and experience in this fast-growing field. SCADR offers a vibrant, multi-disciplinary and collegiate base in which to develop as a researcher. You will enjoy excellent supervisory support from leading researchers in the field as well as the ability to develop connections with our wider community of 40+ researchers across the Scottish consortium and beyond. You will have access to a wide range of advanced training opportunities as well as the Centre’s dedicated infrastructure for administrative data research.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria

• A good first degree (2:1 or higher) in an appropriate discipline including, but not limited to: social sciences, economics, statistice, or health-related disciplines (e.g. nursing)
• Able to demonstrate quantitative or data-driven research skills appropriate to their level of qualification
• Able to demonstrate an interest in and appreciation of the challenges of research using administrative data

Please note that all applicants must also meet the entry requirements for the Urban Studies, PhD. 

Award details

The scholarship is available as a full-time +3 (3 year) programme only. The programme will commence in October 2023. The funding includes:

• An annual stipend at the UKRI rate
• Fees at the standard home rate
• Students can also draw on a Research Training Support Grant, usually up to a maximum of £750 per year

Application process

Applicants must apply via the Scholarships Application Portal, uploading the following documentation:

• SCADR PhD Scholarship application form (in Word format)
• Academic transcripts (All relevant Undergraduate and Master’s level degree transcripts (and translations, if not originally in English) – provisional transcripts are sufficient if you are yet to complete your degree).
• 2 written references (where possible your referees should include an academic familiar with your work. Both references can be from academics but you may include a work reference, especially if you have been out of academia for more than 5 years).
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) (academic where applicable).

Closing Date: 04 July 2023

Selection process

Applications will be assessed by the project team. Shortlisted applicants may be requested to attend a remote (online) Interview.

All scholarship awards are subject to candidates successfully securing admission to a PhD programme in the School of Social and Political Sciences.. Successful applicants will be invited to apply for admission to the relevant PhD programme after they are selected for funding.

Key contact

Professor Nick Bailey (Nick.Bailey@glasgow.ac.uk)

School of Law PhD Scholarships

Information on the School/Research Group

The University of Glasgow, founded in 1451, is one of Scotland’s ancient universities and the 4th oldest university in the English-speaking world. Today, the University’s School of Law is a vibrant and cosmopolitan centre for world-leading legal scholarship, recognized by the 2021 Research Excellence Framework as one of the top 5 law schools in the United Kingdom for academic research. Further information about the University of Glasgow’s School of Law can be found at https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/law/. The following pages may be of particular interest:

• Research in the School of Law: https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/law/research/ 
• Postgraduate research in the School of Law: https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/law/postgraduateresearch/
• Current research students: https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/law/research/researchstudents/

Abstract

The School of Law invites applications for up to two funded PhD scholarships for doctoral research in Private Law or Public Law, commencing in October 2023.  The scholarships are tenable in any area of Private or Public Law (not including Public International Law), although preference may be given to research that relates to Scots law and/or the law of devolution in the United Kingdom. 

Eligibility

The scholarships are open to anyone who, by September 2023, will hold an honours degree in Law or an honours degree in another discipline followed by a graduate LLB. A Master’s degree (or overseas equivalent) may be an advantage but not essential. Applicants without a Master’s degree may, if successful, be asked to register initially for the LLM by research with a view to transferring to the PhD programme at the end of their first year of study.

Applicants must have a minimum of an upper second-class honours undergraduate degree (or overseas equivalent), which should include evidence of at least some performance at first-class level (or overseas equivalent). Applicants without a Master’s degree (completed or in progress) must either have achieved (or be predicted to achieve) a first-class honours (or ‘distinction’) degree classification in their LLB (or overseas equivalent).

Please note that all applicants must also meet the entry requirements of the Law, PhD.

Award details

The scholarship is available as a +3 (3 year) programme only. The programme will commence in October 2023.  The funding includes:

• An annual maintenance grant (stipend) indexed to the UKRI rate
• Fees at the standard Home rate rate
• Students can also draw on a Research Training Support Grant.

Applicants may apply to hold the scholarship on a part-time basis over five years: where this is the case it should be made explicit in the application. Part-time applicants must be able to commit 50% of full-time equivalent to PhD study and must include a realistic assessment of how the time required to complete a PhD will be balanced with other commitments.

The scholarship does not cover fees at the international rate but successful applicants who are required to pay international fees may be able to apply separately for a waiver of the difference in fees. There will be no obligation to accept any award before a decision on such an application is confirmed.

Other information

Applicants may wish to contact potential supervisors for advice before applying; potential supervisors cannot suggest a topic but may be able to advise on the feasibility of - and suggest potential refinements to - a proposed area of study. 

Application process

Applicants must apply via the Scholarships Application Portal (please see Scholarships Application Portal - Applicant Guide for further details) uploading the following documentation:

• School of Law PhD Scholarships application form (in Word format)
• Academic transcripts (All relevant Undergraduate and Master’s level degree transcripts (and translations, if not originally in English) – provisional transcripts are sufficient if you are yet to complete your degree).
• Academic Prizes
• 2 written references (where possible your referees should include an academic familiar with your work. Both references can be from academics but you may include a work reference, especially if you have been out of academia for more than 5 years).
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) (academic where applicable).

Closing Date: 30 May 2023

Selection process

Applications will be assessed by a selection panel and shortlisted applicants may be requested to attend a remote (online) interview.

All scholarship awards are subject to candidates successfully securing admission to a PhD programme in the School of Law. Successful applicants will be invited to apply for admission to the relevant PhD programme after they are selected for funding.

Key contact

Susan Holmes (Susan.Holmes@glasgow.ac.uk)