Applications are invited for a three-year PhD studentship. The studentship will start on 01 October 2025.
Successful applicants will be part of a large, vibrant, highly collaborative community of PhD students and academic staff. PhD students will have access to extensive, modern and well-equipped laboratory facilities supported by a dedicated team of technical staff, a Baby- and School-Lab, as well as the newly constructed Brain Research and Imaging Centre (BRIC; https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/psychology/brain-research-and-imaging-centre).
For more details of the School’s research activity, please visit our research pages (https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/psychology) and our individual staff pages (https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/schools/psychology/academics).
Projects
Research in the School covers a wide range of topics in areas such as cognition, learning, memory, developmental, emotion, health, clinical, decision making, social psychology, and neuroscience.
A list of potential projects can be found here
It is essential that candidates discuss their proposal/plans with their intended supervisor(s), prior to writing their proposal and submitting an application. The School can only consider PhD research proposals that have the support of a supervisor (see required documents).
Eligibility & funding
Applicants should have a first-class honours degree in an appropriate subject and preferably a relevant MSc or MRes qualification.
If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum English requirements for the programme, academic IELTS score of 6.5 (with no less than 5.5 in each component test area) or equivalent.
The studentship is supported for 3 years and includes full Home tuition fees plus a stipend of at least £18,655 per annum 2024/25 rate (25/26 rate still to be determined). The studentship will fully fund those applicants who are eligible for Home fees with relevant qualifications. Applicants normally required to cover overseas fees will have the option to apply for an overseas tuition fee waiver.
There is no additional funding available to cover NHS Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) costs, visa costs, flights etc.
NB: The studentship is supported for three years of the four-year registration period. The fourth year is a self-funded ‘writing-up’ year.
To apply
To apply for this position please click on the Apply button above.
Please refer to the Psychology ‘Open topic’ advert on our website to view the mandatory documents to be included in your application.
Please clearly state the name of the studentship that you are applying for and the name of your supervisor on the top of your personal statement.
Informal enquiries about projects and supervisors may be sent to Dr Patricia Kanngiesser, Postgraduate Research Coordinator (patricia.kanngiesser@plymouth.ac.uk).
The closing date for applications is Friday, 9th May 2025 (midnight, UK time).
The University of Plymouth is committed to equality of opportunity, promoting a diverse and inclusive culture, demonstrated through our commitment to the gender equality Athena SWAN Charter and as a Stonewall diversity champion. Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently under-represented, for example Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic groups.
The studentship is supported for 3 years and includes full Home tuition fees plus a stipend of £18,655 per annum 2024/25 rate (2025/26 rate TBC).
