Applying to do a research postgrad

Applying

If you are interested in pursuing a postgraduate research degree with us the first step is to contact a member of staff to discuss your research idea. They will gladly assist you to prepare your research proposal. For a list of staff research interests please see these pages. For further information on our department research interests, how to apply and doing a PhD please consult our Research Postgraduate Handbook.

If you decide to do postgraduate studies with us the second step is to complete an online application form and pay an application fee through the online PAC system based in Galway. You will need to provide a brief personal statement in the application form and this should focus on your reasons for pursuing a postgraduate degree at NUIM. Please note, when filling out the application form, that the fullest possible information should be provided.

The final step in the application process is to submit a research proposal in hard copy within ten days of submitting your electronic application form to the Postgraduate Applications Centre, 1 Court House Square, Galway, Ireland. Your proposal must be marked with your Postgraduate Application Number given to you by PAC.

The Research Proposal

The research proposal should be typed, double spaced and approximately 7-10 pages long. It should indicate:

• the central research topic that you wish to investigate;


• the central debates in the sociological and/or social science literature that the research will address;


• the main data that will be collected and/or analysed and the methods that will be used to do so;


• the significance of the proposed research for sociological work in the relevant field;


• any other critical issues regarding the research topic, approach and significance;

It is not expected that the student will stick blindly to this proposal should they be admitted as a research postgraduate student but it will provide a useful guide for students and the department in assessing the application and in developing the research. Applicants may be called for interview by departmental staff before a decision is made regarding admission.

Deadlines

 You may apply at any time to the department to start a PhD but the deadline for applications is August the 15th if you wish to start in September of the same year.

The Structured PhD

Please note that entrants from September 2010 will be required to take a programme of taught modules. There are three required modules within the Department of Sociology: 'Crafts and Logics of Social Research I and II' and 'Teaching and Learning in Social Sciences'.

These will be supplemented with a range of methodological and theoretical courses delivered at a Faculty, research institute and inter-institutional level. Your supervisor will advise you on the most appropriate programme for you.

Incoming students who already have an MA are required to take fewer credits than those without.

For more information on the structured PhD please see the relevant pages on the Graduate Studies website.