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. [link to staff list]
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 regular seminars and an annual conference.
See our current PhD researchers [link to page with list of current students with blurbs about their projects]
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 HUM grad school and your supervisors. The UEA’s participation in two 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 both the ESRC funded SeNSS doctoral training programme and the AHRC funded CHASE doctoral training programme and we will support applicants for either depending on the nature of the project.
Currently we are particularly interested in supervising projects on:
- Political and IR theory including the role of laws and norms
- Electoral and political party politics and election integrity
- Populist and extremist political speech
- Public policy in: Energy, climate change, media & communications, culture, migration, and labour
- Security and foreign policy, especially related to nuclear deterrence, conflicts & peacekeeping, democratisation, or the Asia/Pacific region
The Faculty of Arts and Humanities in general, and PPL in particular, provided a remarkable ambiance by encouraging a vibrant research community which greatly enabled learning and spurred my research interests and aspirations considerably. I will forever cherish these memories, even as I remain grateful to the amazing people that I was privileged to work with during my doctoral studies
Kodili Chukwuma (UEA PhD 2022) Assistant Professor in International Security, Durham University
Alongside my independent research, I had the opportunity to develop interdisciplinary networks and maintain a focus on the research impact - both of which are crucial to those of us looking to research to make a positive difference in society. I also had the personal support of a close network of postgrads alongside my supervisory team to help me through the ups and downs of PhD life.
Dr Elizabeth Blakelock (UEA PhD 2020), Head of Energy Policy Department, Citizens Advice
Doing a PhD in Politics at the Department of Politics, Philosophy, Language and Communication (PPL) at UEA has been the best decision I have ever made. People care about you succeeding, the campus is lively, and Norwich is a lovely and easy place to live in. Would do it again!