PhD Social Anthropology with Visual Media

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Please ensure you include all required supporting documents at the time of submission, as incomplete applications may not be considered.

Application Deadlines

For consideration in internal funding competitions, you must submit your completed application by 1 December 2023.

If you are applying for or have secured external funding (for example, from an employer or government) or are self-funding, you must submit your application before the below deadlines to be considered. You will not be able to apply after these dates have passed.

• For September 2024 entry: 30 June 2024
• For January 2025 entry: 30 September 2024

Before you start your application, you should:

1. Develop your own research proposal and project title.
2. Find a supervisor by browsing our academics' profiles, and reach out directly to discuss if they are interested in supporting your research.
3. Consider how you plan on funding your research and discuss this with your supervisor.

When you submit your application, you must include each of the below required documents:

• A 1,500 word PhD research proposal;
• Copies of the academic transcript and certificate from both your Bachelor's and Master's degrees. If your Master's degree is pending, please provide an interim transcript;
• An up to date academic CV, detailing your education and qualifications; employment history; publications; and any other relevant information.
• You must nominate two academic referees (including one from your most recent institution). Your referees will be contacted directly via the Referee Portal following submission of your application form. You may wish to contact your referees to request they submit your reference in a reasonable timeframe as this forms part of the review process;
• International applicants must additionally provide English Language evidence (e.g IELTS).
• After you submit your application, we may request evidence of a prior interest and/or potential ability in the practical use of visual and/or acoustic media, for example, we may request a limited hard-copy sample of your practical work (i.e. a collection of photographs or a DVD). Applicants should note, however, that the University will not be able to return any practical work materials submitted by applicants.

The three/four year full-time (or part-time equivalent) PhD in Social Anthropology and Visual Media programme is intended for those who wish to incorporate the use of visual and/or audio media whilst pursuing doctoral research.  

Substantial original research, including ethnographic fieldwork of 12-18 months, will lead to the production of a thesis. You are required to produce visual and/or audio media as a necessary and integral feature of your thesis. There is an expectation that the textual component should be no more than 60,000 words or a 25% reduction on the normal maximum length for the PhD in Social Anthropology.  

Throughout, you will work closely with an expert supervisor, with further guidance from at least one extra supervisor. 

The structure depends on prior qualification:

• You will, during the first year, take a set of research training courses. After about 10 months (or 20 in part-time study) you will produce a 12,000-15,000 word research proposal. This proposal is examined in an oral viva.  
• After fieldwork, you will return to the University and start writing your dissertation and editing your audio-visual material under the guidance of your supervisors. 
• If you have successfully completed our MA Anthropological Research course (or an equivalent ESRC-recognised course in another UK institution), you may be in a position to start fieldwork as soon as is practicable, provided that you have submitted a satisfactory research proposal as part of your previous degree and it has been approved by the School of Social Sciences. 

Social anthropology at Manchester has a lively PhD community working in all of the world's continents and on a variety of topics. This programme is delivered in conjunction with the Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology .

During Year 1 on this PhD programme, if you have not taken the MA Anthropological Research, you will normally take a number of research training course units. Two core units are Issues in Ethnographic Research 1 and 2, geared towards research design and planning of your field study.

In addition, the Postgraduate Seminar provides a forum for presentation, discussion and reflection amongst peers. A series of optional courses offer skills in additional methods, such as:

• quantitative approaches;
• archival research;
• working with memory;
• conducting elite interviews.

There is also the Fieldwork and Film work seminar, open to all postgraduates, at which post-fieldwork students screen 'works-in-progress', in order to receive feedback from fellow students and staff.

Under the individualised guidance of your supervisors, you will read extensively around your research topic and relevant theoretical literature. To deepen your knowledge, you may also take particular units in social anthropology.

The objective of units and supervision during the first year is to produce a 12,000-15,000 word research proposal, which is examined in an oral viva. Successful completion of this, and of coursework at satisfactory level, is a condition to proceed to field research. After fieldwork, normally 12-18 months depending on concrete case, you will return to the University and start writing your dissertation and editing audio-visual material. During this time, you will continue to work with supervisors and present your written work to the Postgraduate Seminar.

You will join a diverse and vibrant community of doctoral students from nearly 100 different countries, all studying within the Faculty of Humanities.

You'll be assigned to a specific research grouping that complements your research interests and have access to a variety of interdisciplinary research institutes.

Our working environments are spacious and open-plan, giving you plenty of opportunities to communicate with colleagues and staff within the School. You will have your own desk space as well as access to our fantastic range of libraries on campus.

All of our academic supervisors are research active and support you to work on challenging research problems and develop rigorous, creative and original research. You can expect to meet your supervisor at least once a month to discuss progress on your project.

You have access to a large and diverse community of internationally recognised academic experts offering an environment that will stimulate intellectual debate and development.

We provide additional financial support for activities related to your PhD, including:

• presenting at international conferences;
• attending workshops that provide relevant professional opportunities;
• conducting fieldwork in the UK and overseas.

Graduate Teaching Assistants

You can also get hands-on, paid teaching experience as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. They are valued members of the teaching team. As such, we take pride in the opportunities provided for your professional development.

Our training includes preparation for application to the Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy . This brings a range of benefits:

• consolidates your personal development and emphasises your professional practice in HE;
• entitlement to use post-nominal letters - AFHEA;
• provides a valuable measure of success and is increasingly sought by employers across the education sector as a condition of appointment and promotion;
• recognised and valued by a growing number of international institutions.

The School of Social Sciences is now based in a brand new purpose-built building which allows 24/7 access. There is shared workspace available for research students, including networked computers and printing facilities.  

There are also many work areas elsewhere in the building and in the University including The University of Manchester Library, which has an excellent collection of social anthropology books and journals, many of which can also be accessed online.

The University has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate. At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help support you with your goals for the future .  

Many graduates have gone on to academic posts involving an audio-visual dimension. Whilst a number of these have been in the UK, others have been further afield, in countries as diverse as China, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Estonia and Norway. Visit our careers and employability page for a list of career destinations of our recent PhD graduates.   

The bonds established between students as a consequence of the collaborative teaching methods on this programme, usually carry over into post-graduation life. Due to the international nature of the student body, these links reach all over the world.  

The programme offers access to training in visual and audio methods and ethnographic documentary film-making, a genre that has a direct relevance to a university career in social or cultural anthropology, it also equips you in a broad range of transferable skills that are applicable to a variety of careers, including:

• the development of team-working and presentation skills;
• interpersonal skills required to carry out ethnographic fieldwork; 
• an awareness of the legal and ethical issues raised by this research activity. 

You will have access to a dedicated Researcher Development Team who will support your professional development throughout your PhD journey and beyond.  

Our researcher development programme will enable you to become more aware of your developing researcher identity, equipping you with the skills you need during your PhD and preparing you to integrate into the researcher community.   

We offer training sessions to build your skills and confidence in writing and presenting, with specific sessions on viva preparation, thesis submission and preparing for your Review Panel.   

You'll also have access to a range of workshops, covering areas such as:

• increasing research impact through blog posts; 
• making the most of social media;   
• publishing in journals;  
• applying for fellowships;  
• designing academic posters; 
• improving time and self-management.  

In addition, our Humanities training hub gives you additional training opportunities in public engagement, wellbeing, language training and teaching, alongside more specialist courses in tools and software such as Python, R and NVivo.   

methods@manchester is an initiative that gives you the chance to learn from the very best in research methods expertise at Manchester and beyond. Regular talks, workshops and other methods-related events are organised throughout the academic year.   

Finally, taking a placement provides a great opportunity to engage in knowledge exchange and to develop professional networking opportunities for your future career development.  

We have established programmes with a small number of institutions around the world, offering you the opportunity to visit another institution, access research resources and experience another academic culture as well as build professional networks. Successful applicants will receive some funding towards travel expenses, accommodation, subsistence, education materials and/or other education-related costs.   

Learn more about Research training and professional development .