Postgraduate research

Graduate Institute of Political and International Studies

Postgraduate research students are at the heart of what we do: we are passionate about both teaching and research. We are keen to recruit new PhD students who share our desire to learn more about the world around us through rigorous and sustained inquiry. Our own expertise spans many aspects of Political Theory, Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Strategic Studies. Please go to our Research Opportunities page to see whether your ideas fit with what we do.

At Reading, you will be part of a vibrant and close-knit research community. Our weekly research seminars provide opportunities to discuss cutting-edge research with leading academics from Reading and elsewhere. We also run two series of weekly postgraduate research seminars - one in Politics and International Relations, the other in Strategic Studies. These give students the chance to present their research in a friendly and constructive environment. There is a further PhD conference at the end of every year. Students also have full access to the new University Graduate School, which provides work spaces, meeting rooms, and a common room.

All our postgraduate research students have primary and secondary supervisors who provide individual guidance on their research projects. During the first year, we provide a full programme of research training to ensure you are fully equipped to complete your project to the highest standard. Further opportunities for general skills and language training are also available. We provide a research allowance, which you can use to support research trips and conference attendance. For more details, see Life of PGR Students.

Reading is proud to be a member of the ESRC South-East Doctoral Training Centre. This is a network of universities - it also includes Kent, Royal Holloway, and Surrey - givingfurther opportunities to exchange insights. All our postgraduate research students are able to attend specialist training courses at the other DTC universities where appropriate. The first annual DTC Politics Postgraduate Conference is being orgnized by our students and will be held at Reading in March 2012.

Our very best applicants have a good chance to obtain Scholarships, from the ESRC, the University, or other sources. If you are interested in one of these scholarships, we strongly encourage you to apply early.