Employment-based PhD scholarships launched

17 Apr 2020

The College of Business and Law at University College Cork has launched new employment-based PhD scholarships. The scheme is a collaborative arrangement between UCC, the student and their employer and there are five scholarships on offer.

The Employment-based PhD is a research project that is undertaken by a PhD candidate who is in employment. The PhD candidate remains employed by the employment partner and is concurrently registered as a PhD student at UCC for the duration of the PhD project. UCC will fund fees plus €5,000 per annum for associated research costs.

An employment partner is a business, company, higher education institution, registered charity, social, cultural, not-for-profit organisation and national/ international public body. The employment partner must be financially independent of the university, be able to offer suitable facilities to host, mentor and provide the necessary supports for the duration of the PhD candidate. In certain circumstances self-employed may also be considered although in confirmation of suitability is required before submission.

How to Apply

Applicants must obtain agreement from the employment partner and identify a mentor within the employment partner’s organisation. The applicant must then identify a supervisor in the College of Business & Law at UCC. Together with the supervisory/mentor team the applicant defines a research project. Once the employment partner’s agreement is secured, a supervisory team has been established and a project agreed, only then can an applicant apply for admission to the Employment-based PhD Scholarship by completing the Application Form and sending it electronically to Dr Seán Lucey, Head of Graduate School, College of Business & Law, UCC (sean.lucey@ucc.ie). Applicants are advised to submit their Application Form at least three months in advance of the estimated start date. PhDs can start in October, January, April and July.

Applications are invited on a rolling basis until such time as all scholarships have been awarded. Preference will be given to applications received before 30 June 2020. If all five scholarships are not awarded, the next collection date of applications will be 30 September 2020.

Eligibility

Applicants must be in employment and have attained at least Second-Class Honours, Grade I in an Honours level primary degree in a discipline relevant to the research project. The PhD candidate is admitted to a PhD programme in the College of Business & Law at UCC, like all other PhD students, but shares his/her working time between the employment partner and UCC.

Employment-based PhD candidates are subject to the same requirements as all other UCC PhD students. These include formation of an individual supervisory team to support and supervise the student, in line with the policies of the College of Business & Law.

Research Project

The PhD research project can be within any research field, as long as the project’s research significance and potential impact can be demonstrated. Employment partners host the PhD candidate and provide the necessary supports to allow the candidate to complete the PhD within the prescribed time limits.

Maximum registration for 4 years (full-time) or 8 years (part-time) is necessary for consideration for the award of PhD.

Funding and Requirements

Scholarships will fund fees plus €5,000 per annum for associated research costs. The employment partner must finance the PhD candidate’s salary.

Selection

Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee appointed by the Head of the Graduate Studies, Dr Seán Lucey, in consultation with the Schools’ Directors of PGR Research (Prof Stavroula Leka in CUBS and Dr Patrick O’Callaghan in Law School).

Further Information

Dr Seán Lucey

Research Manager & Head of Graduate School

College of Business & Law

University College Cork, Cork Ireland Email: sean.lucey@ucc.ie 

For more info on the UCC School of Law PhD programme, visit: https://www.ucc.ie/en/law/courses/phd/