South West Doctoral Training Centre
Together with the Universities of Bristol and Exeter, we have formed one of the UK’s largest Centres of postgraduate research training for social scientists: the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) accredited South West Doctoral Training Centre (SWDTC).
The Centre draws together the established research excellence of more than 770 academic and research staff at the three institutions.
Research training pathways
The SWDTC delivers a number of research training pathways. Each pathway comprises two parts: a one-year MRes programme, followed by the three-year MPhil or PhD research programme (known as the ‘1’ and the ‘+3’ stages respectively).
Discipline-specific pathways (as part of the SWDTC)
| Pathway | 1 Stage: Masters of Research | +3 Stage: Doctor of Philosophy |
|---|---|---|
| Area and Development Studies | MRes International Development | Social & Policy Sciences PhD |
| Education | MRes Education | Education PhD |
| Management & Business Studies | MRes Management | Management PhD |
| Political Science & International Studies | MRes Politics & International Studies | Politics, Languages & International Studies PhD |
| Social Policy | MRes Social Policy | Social & Policy Sciences PhD |
| Social Work | MRes Social Work | Social & Policy Sciences PhD |
Interdisciplinary (SWDTC collaborative) pathways
| Pathway | 1 Stage: Masters of Research | +3 Stage: Doctor of Philosophy |
|---|---|---|
| Health & Wellbeing | MRes Health & Wellbeing | |
| Security, Conflict & Justice | MRes Security, Conflict & Justice | |
| Global Political Economy: Transformations & Policy Analysis | MRes Global Political Economy: Transformations & Policy Analysis | |
| Environment, Energy & Resilience | MRes Environment, Energy & Resilience |
Applying for a SWDTC Pathway
Applicants for any of the Discipline or Interdisciplinary Pathways (either 1 + 3 or +3) should apply for the appropriate MPhilor PhD programme following instruction on how to apply for a research degree.
Information on available studentships can be found in the funding section. If you have any further queries then please contact us.
Placement Programme
The SWDTC will offer many doctoral students the opportunity to undertake a placement programme with an external organisation.
The placement programme enables students to develop further their research skills and transferrable skills while based with government, business or third sector employers in the region, elsewhere in the UK or overseas. The placement programme aims to improve both the quality of PhD students and their employment prospects.
