Funding

Funded (UK/EU and international students)

Project code

SDTP5770121

Department

Department of Psychology

Start dates

October 2021

Application deadline

Closed

This project is now closed. The details below are for information purposes only. View our current projects here.

Applications are invited for a fully-funded three-year PhD or four-year Masters and PhD studentship to commence in October 2021.

The studentship is funded by the ESRC South Coast Doctoral Training Partnership (SCDTP), a collaboration between the universities of Portsmouth, Southampton and Brighton.

The studentship covers tuition fees and an annual maintenance grant of £15,285 (2020/21 rate).

The supervisors are Dr Lorenzo Stafford and Dr Daphne Kaklamanou.

The work on this project will:

  • Explore what are the direct experiences of those who live without a sense of smell
  • Study whether there are differences in gender and between different age groups
  • Explore what psycho-social interventions work best to improve their quality of life 

What is it really like to live without a sense of smell? Research has provided a general account on the sorts of problems anosmics face but what is missing are the direct experiences from the individuals themselves. Our lives are dominated by interactions with others and a central part of that experience is the social and emotional connection that comes from our senses; losing our ability to smell impairs that link and thus our quality of life. Understanding the lived experiences from those who have lost their sense of smell will widen understanding of this hidden disability.

Entry requirements

All candidates must hold a good honours degree (2:1 and above) from a recognised higher education institution. Please note, students applying without a Master's qualification containing a substantial Social Sciences methods component may be required to complete such a Master's beforehand. The Master's will be fully funded by the SCDTP and will be run from the University of Southampton.

English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 6.0.

 

Applicants for this PhD position should have at least a completed BA or BSc honours level degree in Psychology or a related discipline from an accredited course with a minimum 2.1 award. You should have experience in qualitative and quantitative methods and an interest in sensory related research.

How to apply

The first thing you will need is a University supervisor to support your SCDTP application -- so you’ll need to contact the project supervisors before you submit an application. 

The project will require you to discuss possible methods and research design as well as detailing how your skills, background, and research interests match the project. 

It is therefore very important that you discuss the project with the supervisor.  

Full instructions are given on the SCDTP application form and there are different word limits depending on whether you are applying for a 1+3 (ie Masters in Social Research Methods plus PhD) or +3 (PhD only).  

Please note: you will need to submit an online application to the University of Portsmouth plus an application for funding to the SCDTP.

For more details, visit the SCDTP website. When applying to the University, please quote project code: SDTP5770121