HSS - School of Communications header
School of Communications

PhD Programme

Our current PhD Scholarships Call for 2025 is here.

The School of Communications at DCU is home to almost 1,000 students at undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD levels. With a tradition stretching back over 40 years, the School is defined by excellence in both teaching and research in journalism, multimedia and communications studies. In the latest QS global subject rankings DCU was in the top 200 of almost 4,500 universities worldwide in the area of communications. DCU is ranked number 1 nationally in Communications & Media Studies. 

The School offers highly dedicated supervision of research students, by expert, research-active members of staff. We welcome applications to our postgraduate research programmes: MA by Research and PhD. Students may register on either a full-time or part-time basis.

The school provides a supportive atmosphere for research postgraduates, with excellent supervision, work spaces and receive financial assistance for journal publications and conferences (allocated on a competitive basis). 

The School of Communications welcomes applications from postgraduates interested in research in the areas of expertise of our faculty.

Application Process

The first priority for any applicant is to identify an academic member of staff willing to act as research supervisor. Therefore you should ensure that your intended research topic reflects the research interests of at least one academic staff member. Thereafter the application process may commence. See here for information on Application Process. 

Writing a Research Proposal

When preparing your research proposal please ensure you:

  • Clearly outline your chosen research question.
  • Display evidence of your familiarity with relevant literature relating to your research question, including knowledge of published research from appropriate research journals.
  • Position your research question(s) in the relevant research literature.
  • Indicate the contribution your research will make to this body of knowledge.
  • Suggest a possible methodology that is suitable for your study.

 

 

Scholarship Opportunities

The School usually advertises scholarships on its website and social media channels around March every year. Funding may also be available from the Irish Higher Education Authority and the Irish Research Council. 

Further Information