Fully Funded ESRC Wales Graduate School for the Social Sciences (WGSSS) Studentship in the Journalism and Democracy Pathway

Funding providers: ESRC Wales Graduate School for the Social Sciences (WGSSS) and Swansea University

Subject areas: WGSSS ESRC studentship Journalism and Democracy pathway

Project description: 

This studentship is an ‘open’ award. Applicants must approach a potential supervisor before submitting their application to confirm that there is appropriate supervisory capacity within the University and to discuss their draft application. Information on the research interests of our staff can be found on the Swansea University webpages.

Media, Communications and Public Relations at Swansea has been consistently recognized for its excellence and is placed right at the top in UK league tables for various elements of its delivery. Priding itself on a strong sense of community, staff and students are involved at the cutting edge of the study of contemporary media and its impact. Our mix of esteemed practitioners and globally acknowledged scholars have expertise across a broad range of sub themes within the Journalism, Democracy and Digital Media pathway. 

 For example, while we attend to the traditional aspects of print and broadcast journalism and the way that these cover key areas such as politics, conflict, financial affairs, the climate crisis and sport, our expertise extends into alternative digital news media, fact checking, disordered information, hate speech, racism and misogyny. Colleagues have extensively researched social media and all its dimensions, the metaverse, virtual and augmented reality, the wider implications of surveillance and technological interventions into all elements of contemporary life. We have strong impact in the fields of digital access for minority groups and the ways that news and journalism are both governed and regulated, and overarching all of this, our film and TV studies scholars offer insight into how all such elements are represented to wider audiences. Our public relations scholars are research active in looking at both the corporate functioning and the more disruptive elements within that profession, and how organizations digitally manage and maintain crises and brand identities. We would welcome applications that tap into these themes and add new and important dimensions.   

Eligibility

To receive ESRC studentship funding, you must have qualifications or experience equal to an honours degree at a first or upper second-class level, or a master's from a UK academic research organisation.  

Students with non-traditional academic backgrounds are also welcome to apply.

WGSSS studentships are available to home and international students.

Please visit our website for more information on eligibility.

Funding

This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees and an annual stipend at UKRI rate (currently £18,622 for 2023/24).

Additional research expenses will also be available. 

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