Key facts
Award
MPhil, PhD
MPhil, PhD
Start date
1st day of any month
1st day of any month
Duration
3 years full-time, 6 years part-time
3 years full-time, 6 years part-time
Mode of study
full time, part time
full time, part time
PhD Public Relations
Our expertise in Public Relations has helped us build strong links with industry, giving PhD students at Stirling the chance to both learn from and contribute to the latest thinking in the arena.
Study for a PhD in Public Relations at the University of Stirling and you’ll be joining a vibrant PhD community, supervised by experienced world-leading and internationally published researchers in the field, whose impactful work is shaping new directions in research and practice. We have an established track record of promoting critical, socially and environmentally conscious research, and much of our research is interdisciplinary. Some of our main research areas of expertise include:
- critical and socio-cultural public relations studies;
- strategic communication and communication campaigns;
- media relations;
- public affairs, advocacy and activism;
- political, Health, Science and Environmental communication;
- gender in public relations and communications;
- public relations, professionalism and ethics;
- communication, democracy and power;
- promotional communication, policy and regulation;
- public relations, digital communications and social media;
- public relations and creative industries;
- (digital) publics and the public sphere.
Public Relations sits within the Division of Communications, Media and Culture, which has established connections with creative industries, institutions, cultural organisations, archives, museums, regulatory bodies and both national and international universities and academic and professional subject associations. As part of the Division, you will have the opportunity to attend research seminars, summer schools, fieldtrips and guest lectures. You will also join a growing community of postgraduate researchers in the wider Faculty of Arts and Humanities, which provides further access to dedicated working spaces, and holds an annual PGR conference. There are excellent training opportunities in place at University, Faculty and Divisional levels.
100% of our research environment and 88% of our overall research in Communication, Cultural and Media Studies is classed as world leading or internationally excellent. (REF 2021)
Entry requirements
An upper second class honours Bachelors degree or higher qualification. For some studentships and programmes of study a suitable masters degree may be specified.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:
- IELTS Academic or UKVI 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each sub-skill.
- Pearson Test of English (Academic) 62 overall with 60 in each sub-skill.
- IBT TOEFL 80 overall with 18 in reading, 23 in writing, 19 in listening and 21 in speaking.
Propose your own PhD topic
To propose your own PhD topic in Public Relations, follow the application guidelines below.
How to apply
Follow these steps to apply for a research degree at the University of Stirling.
Step 1: Develop your research proposal
Before applying for a research degree, it’s important that you have a clear idea of what you would like to research, what you hope to achieve, and how you plan to achieve it. Your research proposal is your chance to lay out all of these details as part of the application process.
A research proposal should include a background, rationale and context as to why you want to undertake your research, as well as detailing clear aims and objectives. The proposal should also include more detail about your expertise, methodology and how you will approach your study.
For guidance on how to produce a good research proposal, you can take a look at our guidance on writing a research proposal.
You’ll submit your research proposal as part of the online PhD application form.
Step 2: Choosing a subject area and finding a supervisor
Once you’re confident you have a good core idea for the research you’d like to carry out, you should identify the subject area your research will fall under.
Our PhD subject areas page shows all of the broad topics we offer supervision in, but we appreciate that every PhD is an original idea and may not sit neatly under a single subject area. You should apply for the area that seems most relevant to your research proposal, and we can always reallocate applications to the most suitable subject area after you apply.
Supervision
Before starting the application process, we recommend that you try to identify a supervisor who you would like to guide and mentor you during your studies. By using our Find a Supervisor tool, you can search for members of staff operating in your chosen field and make contact with them to check their availability and discuss your research proposal.
You can still apply for a research degree without naming a supervisor in your application form, but making initial contact with one of our experts can be a helpful way to ensure your application is as strong as possible.
Step 3: Apply
Use the apply link on any subject area page to start your PhD application.
The application form will ask you for a range of information and documentation, including your research proposal, how you plan to fund your studies, proof of qualifications, an academic reference and a CV.
If you’re applying for a PhD in English Studies, Publishing Studies, French, Linguistics, Religion, Spanish, Translation Studies, Global Cinema or Creative Writing, you’ll also be asked to upload a writing sample – see our supporting documents guidance for more information.
You can save your application form progress at any time, so even if you don’t have everything you need to hand right away, you can come back and fill in the blanks later.
If you meet the initial entry requirements, the Admissions Office will pass your application to Faculty for academic review. You will also receive an email with details of how to access the applicant portal and track the progress of your application. We look forward to hearing from you.
Fees and funding
| UK students | Overseas students | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time | £4,786 | £18,200 |
| Part-time | £2,393 | £9,100 |
| Registration-only fee | £480 | £480 |
| UK students | Overseas students | |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time | £5,006 | £19,500 |
| Part-time | £2,503 | £9,750 |
| Registration-only fee | £490 | £490 |
Important information about fees
If you're studying a PhD full time, fees will be payable for your first three years. For subsequent years you'll only pay an annual 'registration-only' fee. Part-time PhD fees are payable over six years, followed by the annual 'registration-only' fee.
If you're studying an MPhil full-time, fees are payable for your first two years, followed by an annual 'registration-only' fee. Part-time MPhil fees are payable over four years, followed by the annual 'registration-only fee.
Fees are charged each year. Overseas PhD fees are fixed at the point of entry, so you will be charged the same fee each year, based on when you started your programme. For UK students, fees are subject to change each year.
Funding opportunities and scholarships
Explore options for funding your PhD and associated living costs while you study
Supporting your studies
The Institute for Advanced Studies supports our thriving PhD research community with resources and networking opportunities. The Institute connects you with a global community of scholars, industry experts, leading academics and employers from a diverse range of interdisciplinary research areas.
Get in touch
If you have any questions about studying a PhD at the University of Stirling, please contact us.