91Ö±²¥

Postgraduate research tuition fees

Home students

The tuition fee you pay in your first year will increase (in line with inflation) for each subsequent year of study. Tuition fees for part-time degrees are usually charged at half of the rate of full-time degrees across twice the number of years (subject to an increase in subsequent years in line with inflation).

Overseas students

The tuition fee you pay in your first year will be the same for each subsequent year of study. Tuition fees for part-time degrees are usually charged at half of the rate of full-time degrees across twice the number of years.

PGR tuition fees

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Current project opportunities 

Digital Inclusion in the E-IMMUNE Digital Care Pathway Study

Application Deadline: 28 February 2025

Directly Funded PhD Research Project 

Details

The School of Sociological Studies, Politics and International Relations at the University of 91Ö±²¥ is pleased to offer a PhD studentship exploring digital inequalities, funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research Pioneers Fund, as part of the E-IMMUNE research program. 

E-IMMUNE is a multi-institution interdisciplinary study focused on empowerment of patients and clinicians in the management of immunotherapy toxicity through a new digital care pathway. Immunotherapy has improved survival from many common cancers by giving drugs which enable the patient’s own immune system to destroy cancer cells. Thousands of people embark on immunotherapy treatment pathways each year. However, whilst this has improved survival from many cancers, many patients experience side-effects. We need new ways of managing these side-effects safely, to improve patients' lives, reduce the burden on patients (and their carers/supporters) of repeated hospital visits, and reduce demand on hospital services. E-IMMUNE will find out if these needs can be met by a new approach where patients will use an app to see test results, report symptoms, self-monitor, and be monitored by hospital staff. E-IMMUNE will carry out trials of this new approach in 91Ö±²¥ and Leeds. If successful it will be rolled out across Yorkshire and throughout the UK. 

This studentship focuses on how inequalities manifest in the above study. Existing scholarship demonstrates that people may decline to participate in digital health initiatives through lack of effective access, or because of the emotional/practical burdens of doing so, and that when they do engage this might involve a wider care network of people/technologies.

The student will investigate why patients decline to participate in or drop out of the immunotherapy digital pathway study, how these patients currently access and interact with digital technologies/platforms and what steps can be taken to ameliorate or accommodate patient concerns by considering novel ways of enabling access and engagement. This PhD will use mixed qualitative methods, for example interviews supplemented by creative material methods to explore both people’s thoughts about and practices with technologies in their everyday lives. 

The student will be supervised by sociologists Kate Weiner, Ros Williams, and academic General Practitioner Caroline Mitchell, within a multidisciplinary qualitative research group including Oncology and immunotherapy nurse specialist and qualitative researcher Jo Bird and a Research Associate yet to be recruited.

The studentship is offered on a 3.5 year basis, beginning October 2025 on a full-time basis. The studentship includes a stipend based on UKRI studentship rates, and full tuition fees at the home rate. Applicants are expected to have a strong first degree in a relevant social science and have completed or be in the process of completing a Masters degree with a significant social sciences research methods training component, or have equivalent professional training. 

Enquiries should be made to Kate Weiner (k.weiner@sheffield.ac.uk) or Ros Williams (r.g.williams@sheffield.ac.uk). Applications should be made through the . Applicants should provide a one-page proposal of how they would approach the studentship, and a one-page personal statement explaining how their skills, interests and career plans make them a suitable candidate, and a CV. Please cite the title of this studentship in your application.

The deadline for applications is Friday 28th February 2025.

The likely interview date for shortlisted candidates is early April 2025. 

Funding Notes

The studentship is offered on a 3.5 year basis, beginning October 2025 on a full-time basis. The studentship includes a stipend based on UKRI studentship rates, and full tuition fees at the home rate.

Postgraduate research scholarships

All scholarship applications are made through the University's Postgraduate Online Application Form. When you start the application, you will see a drop down box that asks you which scholarship/s you are interested in. You should tick all that apply. The system will then open the appropriate application form based on your selection.

Scholarship Opportunities for 2025/26 entry

You must have a study offer (a PhD place) in place to be considered for a scholarship. You must apply for the PhD place no later than Wednesday 8th January 2025 if you intend to also apply for a scholarship. This is a strict deadline. See how to apply for further details.

The scholarship opportunities for 2025/26 can be found below.

The White Rose Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership (WRDTP), accredited by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), is a collaboration across the social sciences at the Universities of 91Ö±²¥, Bradford, Hull, Leeds, Manchester Metropolitan, 91Ö±²¥ Hallam and York.

The following scholarships will be available for doctoral research students commencing their studies in October 2025.

WRDTP Pathway Awards (including the Interdisciplinary Research Awards and the WRDTP/Stuart Hall Foundation Awards for Black British students); WRDTP Advanced Quantitative Methods (AQM) Awards;  iii)) WRDTP Advanced Data Analytics (ADA) Awards.

These awards are available on a +3.5, +3.75 or 1+3.5 basis, and can be held full-time or part-time. Further information about each of these award schemes can be found on the , including assessment criteria which should be carefully consulted. Please direct queries to: enquiries@wrdtp.ac.uk

The deadline for applications is 22 January 2025 at 17:00 (GMT) but please note that a PhD place must be secured in advance of your scholarship submission. Scholarship applications are submitted via the University's Postgraduate Online Application system.

Other PhD Scholarship Opportunities

For information about, and the status of, other scholarship opportunities available through the university, please visit this webpage.

Funding opportunities for international students

The University holds a range of funding opportunities for international PhD applicants.

Where country specific scheme exist, they will be listed on the country pages here.

Our PhD finder also lets students search by funding status here.
 

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PhD training in the Faculty of Social Sciences

As part of the Faculty of Social Sciences you will have access to world class training alongside your doctoral study. The Social Sciences Doctoral Training programme is tailored to your individual needs to ensure you have the right skills you need to develop your research.

The training programme is designed to exceed current UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) training and development guidelines, and gives all our social science PhD students access to , regardless of your source of funding.

All our students receive interdisciplinary training and experience opportunities via the , and additional discipline specific training is provided in each of our departments.

Find out more about our Social Sciences Graduate School