Is there a way to bring more diversity to doctoral recruitment?
It can be difficult to know whether or not a PhD is right for you. The journey to a PhD, and what it actually involves, can seem like an unsolvable puzzle. On top of this, the multitude of barriers and obstacles that many groups of people face can make a PhD feel out of reach.
University College London (UCL) and the Bloomsbury Learning Exchange (BLE) have developed a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), “Is a PhD Right for Me?” on FutureLearn. This is a free, three-week online course designed for prospective PhD applicants, especially for those from an underrepresented background. The course is designed to explore the realities, preparation, funding, and commitment involved in doctoral study through authentic student experiences. Swapping myths and misconceptions for useful tips and resources, this course will help you prepare for PhD applications and beyond. The course aims to help potential students make an informed decision about pursuing a doctorate.
Read the full article for yourself here. Links to the MOOC and information on how to sign up can be found by following the links to “Is a PhD Right for Me?“.
PIRS offers a “Master’s + PhD” studentship to an eligible UK (or UK-domiciled) student to support students from underrepresented groups. To be eligible, applicants must be:
- a UK domiciled student
- not already have a master’s degree from the University of Southampton
- be from a low-income household background, evidenced by, for example, being in receipt of a full maintenance loan or Special Support loan during their undergraduate studies
and/or
be one of the following categories of ethnicity:
- Black African
- Black Caribbean
- Black Other
- Mixed – White and Black Caribbean
- Mixed – White and Black African
- Other mixed background (including Black African, Black Caribbean and Black Other)
Freeman, R. (2025) WonkHE, “How to level the PhD playing field”. Available at: https://wonkhe.com/blogs/how-to-level-the-phd-playing-field/