About the DTP

We are delighted to be able to build on the success of our Doctoral Training Centre with our ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP).

Cambridge ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership

Our DTP is part of a national network of 14 DTPs funded by the ESRC. At least 33 doctoral studentships will be offered each year between 2017-2023 to outstanding candidates wishing to benefit from the excellent postgraduate education and research environment offered at Cambridge.

We offer a range of studentships in the following broad social science areas:

  • Sustainability, prosperity and wellbeing.
  • Inequality, equity, justice, and economic growth.
  • Conflict, culture, mobility and development.
  • Emerging technologies, human behaviour and productivity.
  • Cognition, behaviour, language and learning.

DTP students are asked to identify a project linking with one or more of these very broad themes which will be pursued through one of our DTP Departments.

You will also have close ties with social science academics and students working within the thematic clusters (above) as well as being located within an academic department. DTP students can study full or part time – please get in touch if you have any questions about part time study for a research degree (esrcdtp@admin.cam.ac.uk).

Cambridge has significant experience of supporting doctoral students to success across a range of disciplines and modes of study and the structure of our training programme means that it is accessible to all students.

All students, full or part-time, are part of an interdisciplinary scholarly community as members of their College (https://map.cam.ac.uk/colleges) and all DTP students attend the Training and Engagement days once a term, alongside other cohort-building activities to help students build strong links with their student peers.

Our participating Departments offer the opportunity to study through a research preparation Masters year progressing to a further three years of doctoral study, or to commence at the doctoral level with appropriate prior training elsewhere.

Social Sciences at Cambridge offers world-class expertise in research in a wide range of fields, and provides in-depth research training, high-quality subject supervision by acknowledged subject experts, and comprehensive personal and professional development opportunities.

As part of a social science research community, DTP students will have access to leading scholars, policymakers and esteemed visitors through their Department, through the College network and through a range of interdisciplinary and other collaborations.

DTP students follow a tailored pathway drawing on core research methods and subject skills, monitored and developed through regular skills reviews and needs analysis so that individualised additional training can be identified and built in.

DTP students will also benefit from the personal and professional development opportunities offered by the University’s Researcher Development Programme, tailored development work within Colleges and Departments, seminars and other networking activities within the DTP cohort, and a wide range of lectures, workshops and other activities available across the social sciences.

The Cambridge DTP also actively supports students in finding opportunities for collaborative activity with non-academic partners, including internships and placements with government, business and third-sector organisations.

If you’re interested in applying, please visit our Prospective Students page.

Research Council