PhD/MPhil by research

Within EPRC we have an active and engaged community of post-graduate students. The Centre has a record of successful supervision of PhD and MPhil candidates. Its international focus and close interaction with public policy practitioners and researchers makes it a stimulating environment for ambitious PhD candidates.

Research Themes

EPRC welcomes high-quality applications for MPhil or PhD research in its core areas of activity:

  • Regional  economic  development  in  Europe:  regional  disparities  in  the  context  of  the crisis/austerity;  regional  innovative  business  networks  and  regional  innovation  strategies; the role of universities in regional development;  
  • Regional  policy  in  Europe:  the  design  and  implementation  of regional  policy  by  national governments;  policy  interaction  between  European,  national  and  sub-national  levels;  the evaluation of regional policy; future challenges for regional policy;
  • EU  Cohesion  policy  and  other  structural  policies:  the design  and implementation  of  EU regional policies (Structural and Cohesion Fund programmes, pre-accession instruments);
  • Regional State aid policy and competition policy: State aid control policies under the EC and EEA Treaties and the Europe Agreements;
  • European  spatial  development  and  policy:  territorial  cooperation;  city  regions  and  urban development; peripheral, rural regions.

Research requirements

We're  particularly  interested  in  research  proposals  that  combine  theoretical  and  applied  research and  contribute  to  the  design  and  delivery  of  policy.  Comparative  research  projects,  analysing regional development and policy across countries, regions and jurisdictions are welcomed. EPRC also welcomes  externally-funded  visiting  postgraduates  based  in  other  institutions,  but  engaged  in research related to EPRC core areas of activity.  

Candidates for the degree of PhD must  normally hold a first or  upper second-class Honours degree of  a  UK  university,  or  an  equivalent  qualification  from  a  foreign  university,  and  must  undertake research for a period of three years full-time or a minimum of 48 months part-time. Each candidate is  normally  assigned  a  primary  and  secondary  supervisor  from  the  academic  staff  of  the  School  of Government and Public Policy. A PhD dissertation is usually around 80,000-100,000 words in length.

Candidates for the degree of Masters by research are also normally required to hold a first or upper second  class  Honours  degree  of  a  UK  university  or  an  equivalent  qualification.  Candidates  must submit a thesis embodying the results of their research; this may be a record of original research, a critical  review  of  existing  knowledge  or  a  combination  of  these  two  forms. An  MPhil  dissertation  is usually around 50,000 words in length. 

For further information, please see the Postgraduate  section of the School of Government & Public Policy. 

Current and recent postgraduate research at EPRC

EPRC  has  a  record  of  successful  supervision  of  PhD  and  MPhil  candidates,  a  testament  to  the excellent supervision provided by the centre.  Current and recent postgraduate EPRC research includes: 

  • Administrative capacity-building and EU Cohesion policy. 
  • Configurations of implementing actors and the performance of financial instruments. 
  • The role of institutional capacity in the planning and implementation of EU regional policy. 
  • Politicisation of Cohesion policy performance in Central and Eastern Europe. 
  • Network analysis of variation in Cohesion policy implementation.
  • The accountability of Cohesion policy in Italy and the United Kingdom following devolution  

For more information on current and recent postgraduate EPRC research please see this page.

Make an enquiry

To enquire about studying at EPRC contact Dr Martin Ferry (Postgraduate Convenor).