We are delighted to announce funding for a Graduate (DPhil) Scholarship based at the Ruskin School of Art and TORCH (The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities). This opportunity is funded by TORCH’s ‘Humanities and Identities’ grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, which supports research and researchers related to areas of diversity and inclusivity.
The DPhil Scholarship is based in the Ruskin School of Art and is part of the Faculty’s vision to encourage Graduate Researchers to contribute to areas of contemporary art practice and contemporary art history and theory. The Ruskin School of Art provides an exceptional research environment that enables artists, art historians and art theorists to work closely together in a world-leading, research-intensive university.
The Ruskin DPhil programme includes two strands: the practice-led DPhil (which includes a substantial written component) and the contemporary art history and theory DPhil (by written thesis only). In the case of the contemporary art history and theory DPhil, the Ruskin can offer supervision across a wide range of research projects. These may include aspects of exhibition curating and organisation, as well as the historiography of twentieth-century art and the theorisation of contemporary artistic practices. In the case of the practice-led DPhil, studio work will be undertaken as a central component of the registered research programme, and will be presented in relation to the argument of a written thesis that engages with the relevant theoretical, historical, or critical context.
The two strands of the DPhil programme are brought into a productive dialogue, both in a structured way at the weekly research seminar and informally in the studios. For an indication of the range of practical, historical and theoretical topics addressed at the Ruskin, please have a look at the list of current graduate researchers available on the Faculty website. Further information on the programme can be found here.
As well as participating in the Ruskin’s research community, the holder of this studentship would also be expected to contribute to broader activities within the Division, TORCH, and Faculty communities. These could include conferences, workshops, and public engagement with their research and practice. The successful candidate will also be encouraged to participate, alongside Faculty, with outreach events with schools and to contribute to the UNIQ summer school programme.
The Humanities Division of the University of Oxford is committed to increasing the portfolio of opportunities available to researchers and to attract the best, irrespective of background. The under-representation of UK-BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) students suggests that more can be done to increase opportunities for students from these backgrounds to pursue opportunities in the Humanities. This DPhil scholarship will offer financial support to UK applicants from a BAME background. Funding for this is from the ‘Humanities & Identities’ grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, specifically to support research and researchers related to areas of diversity.
Award value: The studentship covers fees at the Home rate, and provides a stipend (tax-free maintenance grant) of £15,285 per year (2021-22 rates to be confirmed) for three years of full-time study.
Applications will be through the University portal. Note that applications must be received by the 8th January 2021 deadline.
