Funded PhD Opportunities in the School of Psychology at Queen’s University Belfast 2025-26

The School of Psychology at Queen’s University Belfast invites applications for the following fully funded PhD projects:

DfE funded studentships

Fully-funded PhD studentships are available for the following projects that will start in the 2025-2026 academic year. These studentships are all funded by the Department for the Economy (DfE, NI) and may cover maintenance and course fees for a maximum of three years. For further details re eligibility criteria (including citizenship and residency criteria), please see the DfE Research Eligibility Guidance Notes.

The application deadline is Friday 7th February. It is recommended that you contact the project supervisor before submitting an application.

Adversity and Parenting: Exploring personality as a component of resilient functioning in families - Dr Tayler Truhan

Collective victimhood, imagined futures, and the constitutional status of Northern Ireland - Dr Andrew McNeil

Combining and optimising Brain Computer Interfaces and Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation to aid motor rehabilitation - Dr Emmet McNickle

Individual Differences in Depersonalisation-Derealisation (DPDR) - Dr Emanuele Fino

Mobilising Death Literacy in Rural and Remote Communities on the Island of Ireland: The Role of Compassionate Communities (CAST) - Dr Lisa Graham-Wisener

Psychological Outcomes Following Early Pregnancy Loss - Dr Martin Robinson

Shall I read you a story? Investigating the mechanisms underlying reading improvement from reading to dog interventions in primary school classrooms (CAST) - Dr Tim Fosker

NINE Doctoral Training Programme

The School is part of the NINE Doctoral Training Programme funded by the ESRC. This doctoral training programme offers fully-funded PhD studentships of different time periods depending on the student’s pre-existing research training. Candidates can apply for NINE DTP funding regardless of their residential status or nationality. It is essential that candidates work closely alongside a potential supervisor to develop a research proposal and an application. Projects can be in any area that matches the remit of the ESRC and you are advised to approach potential supervisors as early as possible.  The application deadline is 20th January 2025. Further application details are given here.

Currently unfunded projects

A number of staff in the School of Psychology are offering PhD projects that are currently unfunded. Successful applicants will need to self-fund or locate an alternative funding source, although it should be noted that funding occasionally becomes available later in the academic year. The application deadline is Friday 7th February. 

Are children’s intuitions about ownership impacted by concerns for human flourishing? - Professor Aidan Feeney

Communicating Truth: Consumption and transmission of polarised information amongst young people in a divided society - Dr Jocelyn Dautel

Developing Belief Network: Cross-cultural research on the development and diversity of religious cognition, beliefs and identities - Dr Jocelyn Dautel

Developing Trauma Informed Care principles for Health Professionals - Professor Donncha Hanna

How human perceptual and motor abilities shape human-robot interactions - Dr Joost Dessing

Identifying as “Other”: Disidentification with Traditional Identities in a Divided Society - Dr Danielle Blaylock

Identifying psychological mechanisms which promote resilience post-trauma - Professor Cherie Armour

Individuality in Complex Skill Learning - Dr Matthew Rodger

Lost in Thought: Exploring Children's Awareness of Mind Wandering - Dr Agnieszka Graham

Reference frames used for coding target and body information for interception - Dr Joost Dessing

Remembering the baby’s first year: Do new parents forget negative experiences more than positive ones? - Dr Anna Truzzi

Staying Focused: How Mind Wandering Impacts Students' Ability to Delay Gratification and Achieve Academic Success - Dr Paddy O’Connor

The mediating role of trauma appraisals following potentially traumatic life events - Professor Donncha Hanna

Training goalkeepers to improve performance in stopping penalties - Dr Joost Dessing

Transgenerational Contact: Exploring how a Child’s Positive Intergroup Relationships Improves Parental Intergroup Attitudes and Behaviours - Dr Danielle Blaylock

Two halves make a whole: Exploring the role of the families in caring for police officers with occupational related psychological distress - Professor Cherie Armour

Words for Feelings: Exploring the Development of Emotional Granularity in Children and Adolescents - Dr Agnieszka Graham

The School welcomes applications from international students.  Mobility allowances of up to £500 per year to cover travel expenses to Belfast will normally be available to successful candidates eligible for QUB international tuition fee rates. Note that international students do not normally meet the residency criteria set out for DfE funded studentships.

For a full description of these projects please visit the following link https://www.qub.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate-research/phd-opportunities/ and go to School of Psychology.

Applicants must have at least a 2.1 degree (or equivalent) in Psychology or a related subject.

The University welcomes and encourages applications from disabled people or those with long term conditions.

The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity. Prospective students with a disability or long term condition are encouraged to disclose as early as possible in the application and selection process by contacting admissions@qub.ac.uk. Upon disclosure the University will ensure appropriate reasonable adjustments and additional supports can be put in place for applicants. Reasonable adjustments and additional supports will be determined on an individual basis, in line with the course entry requirements to ensure selection standards are maintained.