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Are you ready to embark on an exciting journey towards making an original contribution to knowledge in politics and international relations? We are ready to provide expert supervision and a nurturing environment for PhD research.
Expert supervision
Doing a PhD at UEA, you will be part of a department working at the cutting-edge politics, IR and public policy with 90% of its research outputs being classed as world leading or internationally excellent. A PhD is an independent research project, but two supervisors will guide you through the process with monthly meetings (bi-monthly if part-time), regular feedback and professional advice.
See our staff pages to see who might be a good fit for your project.
Supportive and active community
Our research community includes a dynamic and engaged group of PhD scholars who benefit from collective work and social spaces, an excellent library, and the lovely surroundings that the city of Norwich and UEA Campus provide. They are active in our research groups, the “Politics on Wednesdays” research seminars, and organise their own seminars and an annual conference.
Research and Professional Training
PhD researchers in the department have access to a plethora of training opportunities, with identified training pathways designed to give you key competencies needed for completing your PhD and your future professional life. You will develop your own personal professional development plan with support from the Faculty of Arts and Humanities graduate school and your supervisors. The UEA’s participation in doctoral training networks and major academic associations also opens up training opportunities outside the university.
Mobility and Placements
We are part of a global research community and have strong ties to numerous non-academic institutions, such as public bodies and civil society groups. We will actively support you to take up opportunities to visit other academic institutions or take up professional placements during the course of your study.
Funding opportunities
The UEA participates in two UKRI funded studentship programmes: The AHRC Doctoral Landscape Awards and the South and East Network for Social Sciences (SENSS) and we will support applicants for either depending on the nature of the project. Applicants are advised to get in touch with potential supervisors as soon as possible.
Currently we are particularly interested in supervising projects on:
Public policy and policy processes especially related to: Energy, climate change, Artificial Intelligence, media & digital platforms, culture, and labour
British Politics and British political economy
US politics and political institutions
Political theory including contemporary issues of freedom, social justice, and democracy, the history of political thought, critical and continental theory, Marxism and post-Marxism, language, rhetoric and politics
Electoral systems and electoral integrity
Populist and far right politics, including extremist speech and digital political cultures
Activism and its role in democracy
Quantitative methods in politics and international relations
IR theory including on the roles of laws and norms, organisations, states and non-state actors, especially from a constructivist perspective
Security and foreign policy, especially related to nuclear deterrence, conflicts & peacekeeping, democratisation
International relations in the Asia Pacific, especially Japan and Korea
These and other topics in politics, public policy and international relations especially in the context of the UK, Europe/EU, USA, and the Asia Pacific region