Humanitarianism and Conflict Response

Our PhD in Humanitarianism and Conflict Response is inspired by the need to conduct rigorous, in-depth research and analysis on the impact and outcomes of contemporary and historical crises.

It is driven by a desire to inform and support policy and practice and to optimise joint working between partner organisations. It seeks to foster increased understanding and debate within the fields of conflict studies, humanitarianism, disaster studies, and global health.

This is a three-year PhD (or six years of part-time study) in which you prepare a thesis under the guidance of two supervisors with specialist expertise.

Your progress is monitored at regular meetings of your research panel. This comprises of two supervisors plus a reviewer who is independent of the supervisory team. They also provide guidance on research training and career development.

We welcome applications from students wishing to study in the interdisciplinary research areas of conflict studies, humanitarian response, global health, disaster studies and climate change.

As a postgraduate researcher in HCRI, you will join an active and accessible research community. Our interests are varied in terms of disciplines, geographies, time periods, and topics.

We also encourage researchers to connect with other departments across the University.

Integrated with our research goals, the HCRI PhD programme offers a flexible approach to the provision of teaching. We look to identify and challenge current assumptions about issues such as aid, conflict response and governance.

The programme aims to prepare the next generation of crisis response researchers and practitioners. It also seeks to understand the experiences of people affected by crises, to engage with their perspectives and help make their voices heard. Therefore, this PhD reflects the need for structured forms of professional development and reflective thinking that can function across academic and non-academic contexts. 

It will introduce students to a range of dynamic and challenging concepts and methods with which to reflect critically and constructively on their professional context and experience.

The aim of the programme is to produce students who are critical, independent researchers. You are from the outset encouraged to disseminate your work at seminars and conferences and by publishing in high-quality forums.

The programme culminates in the submission of an 80,000-word dissertation (or alternative format) that makes an original contribution to knowledge.