Five Themed Studentships will be offered for 26/27. The PhD studentship proposals should address one (or more) of the following themes as an outcome of the research:
Creative economy
Projects under this theme might address issues relating to the regional/national and inclusive growth of the screen sector in the UK, for example, questions of infrastructure, content delivery, operations, transport, place-making, clusters and corridors, networks. Research could consider the creative economy for screen industry freelancers, SMEs or large organisations.
Screen sector work and freelancers
Projects under this theme might address the precarity of the work, the diversity of the workers, the sustainability of the workforce, the support they need and the challenges/opportunities they face from automation and artificial intelligence in terms of time, speed or production, creativity and intellectual property.
Diversity and serving diverse audiences
Projects under this theme might analyse policy and practices around race, ethnicity, gender, disability, class. How are these being addressed in screen, gaming and immersive industries production, distribution through data, creativity, accessibility, automation and AI, to better serve diverse audiences, players or end-users.
Sustainable screen, gaming or immersive production and distribution
Projects under this theme might address policy and practice on green transition, computing power, energy, carbon, water, recycling, waste and the circular economy in studios, on location or in virtual environments. Research could consider new (creative) methods for researching risk, adaptation and a changing environment.
The PhD could be Research-led or Practice-as-Research. If Practice as Research this could take various forms of applied research but not limited to: a critical video essay; a moving image and/or audio documentary or experimental film; curated screenings; an exhibition of creative works or artefacts; a digital installation. The balance between written and practical elements in this PhD will depend on the form that the applied practice takes.
Information about the Award
A maintenance grant (£20,780 in Session 2026/27 for full-time study, part-time will be pro-rata at 50%). This amount increases in line with the Research Council rate.
The award will be provided for 3.5 years, for full time study and pro rata for part time study. The award will be made for one year in the first instance and renewable subject to satisfactory academic progress.
You can apply for both a Project Studentship and a Themed Studentship in the same round, but they should be two distinct applications.
Conditions of the Award
The following conditions must be adhered to:
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Applicants must not have already been awarded or be currently studying for a doctoral degree.
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Awards must be taken up by 1st October 2026
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All students are expected to take part in our training programme which consists of an annual summer school at Leeds and an annual winter school at Warwick.
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Applicants must live within a reasonable distance of the University of Leeds or the University of Warwick whilst in receipt of this studentship.
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Please be aware that any expenses related to the relocation of international students to the UK (visa, insurance, NHS fees, flights etc) would be their responsibility and is not covered by this award.
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You can apply for both a Project Studentship and a Themed Studentship in the same round, but they should be two distinct applications.