Funded Studentships at Northumbria University via the Northern Ireland and North East Doctoral Training Partnership (NINE DTP)

Northumbria is a core partner of the ESRC-funded Northern Ireland and North East Doctoral Training Partnership (NINE DTP), a collaboration of seven universities in North East England and Northern Ireland dedicated to offering world class training. We are seeking applications to join the DTP to undertake doctoral research with an ESRC studentship. The next intake of students will be in October 2026.

At Northumbria we are offering studentship opportunities across the following training pathways – you can find detailed descriptions of these pathways by visiting the Northumbria NINE DTP webpage.

Conflict, Security and Justice (Advert Reference NINE26/BRANLEY-BELL)

Preferred Proposal topics: various aspects of conflict, security, and/or justice, provided they adopt a psychological approach. We actively encourage proposals that explore the intersection between technology and issues pertaining to these topics.

Contact Dr Dawn Branley-Bell. dawn.branley-bell@northumbria.ac.uk

Criminology, Prisons and Policing (Advert Reference NINE26/HALLCPP)

Preferred Proposal topics: all aspects of crime, harm and justice. Proposals that are interdisciplinary in nature are particularly encouraged.

Contact: Dr Alex Hall. alex.hall@northumbria.ac.uk

Economic and Social History (Advert Reference NINE26/ANDELIC)

Preferred Proposal topics: Global and Transnational History, Environmental Humanities, Conflict and Society, Medieval and Early Modern Studies, Histories of Activism, and American Studies.

Contact Dr Patrick Andelic. patrick.andelic@northumbria.ac.uk

Environment, Climate and Sustainability (Advert Reference NINE26/JENKINS)

Preferred Proposal topics: how individuals, communities, policymakers, and civil society are impacted by and responding to the challenges of environmental degradation and pollution, the climate crisis, large-scale resource extraction, biodiversity and habitat loss, water scarcity, conflict, migration and displacement.

Contact: Professor Katy Jenkins. katy.jenkins@northumbria.ac.uk

Environmental Planning (Advert Reference NINE26/HIPWOOD)

Preferred Proposal topics: innovative approaches to addressing environmental challenges in urban and rural settings, considering the intricate relationships between built environments, natural systems, and human communities.

For more information or to discuss your application please contact Dr Tara Hipwood. tara.hipwood@northumbria.ac.uk

Human Geography (Advert Reference NINE26/CASSIDY)

Preferred Proposal topics: context-sensitive approaches to tackling global injustices - environmental, social, economic, political - in their multiple and differentiated forms and which draw on decolonial, creative and participatory methodologies. 

Contact: Professor Kathryn Cassidy. kathryn.cassidy@northumbria.ac.uk

Health, Wellbeing and Society (Advert Reference NINE26/WILSON-MENZFELD)

Preferred Proposal topics: health and health and social care provision and practices in their widest sense via interdisciplinary approaches which demand integration of practice-led concerns with those of health-related social sciences (including e.g. health economics, health policy, health psychology, medical geography, medical sociology, social gerontology, social epidemiology, sociology, social policy, social work and education).

Contact: Dr Gemma Wilson-Menzfeld. gemma.wilson-menfeld@northumbria.ac.uk

Law (Advert Reference NINE26/BESSANT)

Preferred Proposal topics: broad alignment with Law & Society; Evidence & Criminal Justice; or Law in Emerging Contexts (encompassing space, cyber and environmental law).

Contact: Dr Claire Bessant. claire.bessant@northumbria.ac.uk

Management, Business and Economics (Advert Reference NINE26/ALRAJA)

Preferred Proposal topics: social contexts in which organisations and businesses operate, and the responses of those who might consume their services; the business world from alternative contexts and which celebrate marginalised and ignored voices, from service workers to consumer typologies.

Contact: Dr Mansour Alraja. mansour.alraja@northumbria.ac.uk

Psychology (Advert Reference NINE26/O’BRIEN)

Preferred Proposal topics: human mind and behaviour, specifically exploring psychological phenomena and practices that are experienced by people across society

Contact: Dr Nicki O’Brien. nicki.obrien@northumbria.ac.uk

Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work (Advert Reference NINE26/WIPER)

Preferred Proposal topics: pressing challenges facing our communities, such as wellbeing and happiness; work and employment; activism around class, gender and the environment; media and digital-related topics; oppression of marginalised groups; and any aspects of gender-based violence.

Contact Dr Clare Wiper. clare2.wiper@northumbria.ac.uk

Sport and Society (Advert Reference NINE26/POTRAC)

Preferred Proposal topics: relationship between sport and society, especially those that connect practice and policy-led concerns with those of sport related social sciences (e.g., sport coaching and pedagogy, the sociology of sport, sport management, and the social-psychology of sport).

Contact: Professor Paul Potrac. paul.potrac@northumbria.ac.uk

Eligibility and How to Apply

Home and International students are eligible. Studentships include a full stipend, paid for three years at UKRI rates and full tuition fees.

For more details of this doctoral training partnership, visit https://www.ninedtp.ac.uk and for more detailed descriptions of the pathways visit the Northumbria NINE DTP webpage.

It is essential that you engage with the identified pathway lead prior to application. Your formal application to Northumbria University must be submitted by 4pm on Friday 9^th January 2026 quoting the relevant advert reference above via our online application form available here.

For enquiries relating to eligibility or application process please contact pgr.admissions@northumbria.ac.uk

Start date: 1 October 2026