University of Birmingham
School of Social Science
Institute of Applied Social Studies
www.iass.bham.ac.uk/programmes.htm
The Institute of Applied Social Studies has a flourishing portfolio of
research, teaching and scholarship. We also like to think that our
research and teaching makes a real difference to people’s lives.
2 ESRC CASE/Collaborative (1+3 or +3) full time PhD Studentships October
2007
A three/four year tax free maintenance grant of £14,300, programme fees at
Home or EU rates and a research training support grant of £750 are
offered. Award holders will also gain experience of working in public
sector agencies.
1 Asset-based welfare in practice: Older people, debt and housing equity
withdrawal (ESRC CASE studentship)
Funded by the ESRC and Age Concern England and supervised by Karen
Rowlingson, Professor of Social Policy working alongside John Doling,
Professor of Housing Policy, the overall aim of this project is to
investigate the use of equity release schemes, and how such schemes are
seen in relation to other forms of welfare support. A mixed methods
approach including a postal survey of 500 users of such schemes and
interviews with users and non-users will be adopted. The successful
candidate will join the Institute’s new Research Centre on Wealth, Welfare
and Wellbeing, headed by Professor Stephen McKay.
2 Developing evidenced, outcome-based commissioning in children’s services
(ESRC Collaborative Studentship with DfES)
Funded by the ESRC and the Department for Education and Skills (England)
and supervised by Dr Nathan Hughes and Stephen Nixon (Institute of Applied
Social Studies), the overall aim is to investigate how ‘priority outcomes’
are identified by commissioning bodies, how targets are then defined and
the subsequent experiences of service users and providers. The research
will build on the National Evaluation of the Children’s Fund previously
undertaken in the Institute. Commissioning structures, processes and
decisions in two or three case study sites will be examined, using a
qualitative approach. Documentary analysis, observations, interviews and
focus groups will be carried out with stakeholders. Participative
techniques will be used with service users.
For both studentships you should be a UK citizen or EU citizen with three
years residency in the UK. All applicants will be expected to hold a good
undergraduate degree in social science. Applicants for +3 studentships
will also need a suitable Masters degree with a strong research training
element (preferably an ESRC recognised postgraduate qualification in
research methods, or satisfying most of the ESRC research training
requirements http://www.esrc.ac.uk).
Further project details are available from Pat Wright, Postgraduate
Research Programmes Administrator, [log in to unmask]
Applications should include: 1) a c.v.(giving details of all academic
experience e.g. modules taken and marks received on both undergraduate and
any postgraduate courses to date),2) a letter saying why they are
interested in the project and what relevant academic and personal skills,
understanding and experience they could offer, 3) the names of two
referees (one must be academic), 4) a copy of some recent written work.
The closing date is 22 June 2007 and applications should be sent to Dr Jan
Waterson, Director of Postgraduate Research Programmes, Institute of
Applied Social Studies, University of Birmingham B15 2TT
It is expected that interviews for studentship 1 will be held on 5 July
and for studentship 2 on the 18 July. Travel expenses to the interview
will not be available.
|