The Mercers' Company Studentship
Studentship for Doctoral Research on the History of London
Studentship for Doctoral Research on the History of London
Funding amount: £45,000 (ie. £15,000 per year for full-time study over three years, or pro rata for part-time students over a maximum of five years)
Hours: Full-time or part-time
Deadlines for applications: Applicants must already have been offered a place to study:
Closing date for applications to study to Birkbeck by 17 January 2016;
Closing date for applications for the award to The Mercers’ Company by 12 noon on Friday 12 February 2016.
The Mercers’ Company, as the premier livery company of the City of London, with a Company history of over 700 years, wishes to award one doctoral studentship in the history of London, starting in October 2016, with a second to be awarded the following year. The scheme is a partnership with Birkbeck, University of London, The Centre for Metropolitan History at the Institute of Historical Research, and University College London. The studentship must be held at one of these institutions.
Area of research: The area of research should be relevant to the history of the London in any period from the medieval to the modern (both ‘history’ and ‘London’ defined in the widest sense). Excellence in proposals, including originality and the expected level of contribution to the field of London history, is the first criterion, but preference will be given to research proposals which will use the archives of the Mercers’ Company and/or other City of London livery companies and the archives of the City of London Corporation and which have some connection with the general areas of their history, activities and context. Research areas which might be explored include: civic life, trade, economy, philanthropy, almshouses and other charitable institutions, religion, social networks, schools, education, material culture, the built environment, and many others.
Eligibility: To be eligible for the studentship starting in the 2016-17 academic year, candidates must have received an offer of a place to carry out doctoral research at one of the three participating institutions (listed above). Candidates must be a UK or EU citizen and meet the entry requirements of the institution they are applying to study at. Students in full-time employment are not eligible for the studentship.
Application process:
Student brief, application guidelines and details of potential supervisors
The Mercers' Company application form
For enquiries about applying to the Birkbeck PhD programme please contact Vanessa Harding at v.harding@bbk.ac.uk. The deadline for applications to Birkbeck for admission to the programme – a prerequisite for applying for the award - is 17 January 2016. For other enquiries please contact Tom Bell at tomb@mercers.co.uk.
Applicants will be required to submit the following to The Mercers’ Company by 12 noon on Friday 12th February 2016:
• the completed application form
• a research proposal (up to 1000 words)
• a CV
• a statement of support from the prospective academic supervisor.