PhD Scholarship in Occupational/Organizational Psychology – focus on careers and/or vocational guidance

A PhD Scholarship in Occupational/Organizational Psychology – focus on careers and/or vocational guidance

The trustees of the T Ritchie Rodger Research Fund invite applications for financial support to undertake a programme of doctoral studies (PhD) in a UK university.  The Fund was originally set up to promote research in the broadly defined areas of vocational guidance and careers. Applicants should plan to undertake research with a primary focus on these or closely related topics to further knowledge in the field. The Fund plans to support a full-time studentship for three years (or part-time equivalent in exceptional circumstance), at a rate equivalent to the ESRC funding where for 2025/6 the maintenance grant was set at £20,780 (with an additional top up for students based in London) and fulltime fees at £5,006. Note that the trust will only fund registration fees at UK home rates.

Applications from PhD applicants should consist of a research proposal (the context; brief critical synthesis of literature; the research question(s); methods; proposed time-plan of research activity) of up to 2,000 words, together with an academic CV and a short supporting statement from a supervisor/supervisor team at a UK university indicating their agreement in principle to supervise the applicant; and confirmation that the applicant has applied for a place on the relevant local MPhil/ PhD programme (note that practice doctorates are out of scope). The supervisor CV(s) should also be provided with clear indication of successful PhD completions to date.

Normally, applicants should have obtained or should be close to completing an MSc in Occupational/ Organizational Psychology or a closely related subject. Exceptionally well qualified candidates by other routes will only be considered if they demonstrate sufficient domain knowledge of relevant psychological career and vocational guidance theories, concepts and appropriate research methods.

Applications may alternatively be submitted by potential supervisors with reference to a specific potential PhD candidate, including the 2,000-word research proposal as well as their own and the applicant’s CVs.

Applications should be sent to Professor Almuth McDowall (a.mcdowall@bbk.ac.uk) who will answer informal queries. The closing date for applications is Tuesday 7^th April 2026 at 23.59 UK time; late applications cannot be considered.  Applications will be reviewed by the trustees of the Trust, interviews arranged (by remote technology) and decisions communicated by early May 2026. All candidates will be reviewed annually regarding their progress and all payments administered via the British Psychological Society.

The T Ritchie Rodger Research Fund was set up by Professor Alec Rodger, the founding professor of the Department of Organizational Psychology at Birkbeck, in memory of his father.  The fund is held by the British Psychological Society, and the current trustees are Professors John Arnold, David Guest and Almuth McDowall.

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