ANNOUNCING 4-year funded PhD Scholarship University College Cork
Background
Cork University Business School (CUBS), University College Cork is offering a PhD scholarship to commence no later than October 2026, funded by the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine as part of the GENMILK project. The scholarship is open to both Home/EU and international students and will cover fees (EU/non-EU) and a monthly stipend for a 4-year period.
Research Study
Technological innovations in the dairy sector, including genetic breeding and feed additives, offer significant benefits such as improved animal welfare, enhanced productivity, and reduced environmental impacts (e.g., lower methane emissions). These innovations can also influence key product characteristics, including nutritional composition, safety, and environmental credentials, shaping both market value and consumer perception. However, such advances may raise socio-cultural concerns related to naturalness, animal ethics, health implications, and public trust. This study will first examine how innovations within the dairy sector have been framed in the media, and second, explore the socio-cultural factors influencing the acceptability and uptake of these technologies among diverse food system stakeholders, in light of the product, and environment-related benefits they present.
Requirements
We are seeking a passionate and motivated individual with a strong academic background and good interpersonal skills. You should hold at least an honours degree in a relevant discipline relating to psychology, social-psychology, marketing, agri-business or communications. A Master’s degree is highly desirable as is an aptitude for both qualitative and quantitative research methods. If English is not your first language you will need to satisfy the English language requirement:
- IELTS: 6.5 - with no individual section lower than 6.0
- TOEFL: 90 - with minimum scores as follows: Listening- 20; Reading - 19; Speaking - 21; Writing – 20
Award
This prestigious four-year PhD Scholarship offers a generous annual stipend of €25,000, along with a fee contribution of €5,500 per annum. This funding is provided as part of the GENMILK project funded by the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine, in collaboration with UCC, UCD and Teagasc. The scholarship will start in October 2026.
Further Information
For more details about this exciting opportunity, please contact PhD project supervisors at MFDSApplications@ucc.ie:
- Prof. Mary McCarthy, Department of Marketing & Management, Cork University Business School, UCC.
- Dr Sean Tanner, Department of Management & Marketing, Cork University Business School. UCC.
Applications
To apply, please complete the application form at the following link: https://forms.gle/aso4xPawFfZfKfte7. As part of the application, you will be asked to provide a:
- copy of your CV (max 2 pages)
- short research proposal (max 500 words)
- summary proposed research design (max 500 words)
- motivation statement (max 400 words)
The deadline for receipt of applications is 17:00 (local time) on the June 8th 2026. Applications received after this time will not be considered.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview shortly thereafter.