Birmingham Centre for Media & Cultural Research
Research Studentship worth £16,680
Popular music and radio in the digital age
The Birmingham Centre for Media & Cultural
Research is a rapidly developing centre of
research excellence based at Birmingham City
University with a community of over thirty
academics and research degree students. Centre
staff conduct research into all aspects of the
media and popular culture, but have a
particularly strong reputation in work about the
changing form of popular music and radio media.
The research would form part of the work of the
Interactive Cultures group, and you would be
supervised by Prof Tim Wall Dr Paul Long and
Andrew Dubber. Their work in popular music,
radio and cultural politics is internationally
recognised with both academic and media
communities, and you would have the opportunity
to be involved in a number of major research and
knowledge transfer initiatives including the
Music and Radio Innovation and the Music
Consumption in the Digital Age projects.
You can find out more about this research team
and the individual staff at
<http://www.interactivecultures.org/>www.interactivecultures.org
We are offering a three-year, full-time research
studentship, linked to our doctoral programme.
The studentship is open to both home and
overseas students, although you would be
responsible for any fee or living expenses beyond the value of the studentship.
Applications can be made to undertake research
degree work in a study relevant to one of the following themes:
· The music industry in the digital age
· Music culture in the digital age
· Radio in the digital age
Applications from any academic background are
welcome, but the successful candidate must be
able to demonstrate familiarity with the music
or radio industries, and the implications of new
technologies. We will select the successful
candidate primarily upon the quality of their research proposal.
Normally we would look for applicants with a
masters degree which included research training,
but we welcome non-traditional applications from
those with strong industrial backgrounds and
experience in research and written communication.
A willingness and ability to contribute to our
research community is particularly desirable.
The studentship period will start in March 2010
or as soon as possible thereafter. The
studentships will attract a bursary of £13,290
per annum in addition to a waiver of the tuition
fees up to the home student rate of £3,390.
Successful candidates will usually be expected
to participate in the wider activities of the
research centre, and there may be opportunities
for an additional paid research assistant or
teaching role for up to 180 hours per year.
How to apply
Complete and submit
the<http://www.bcu.ac.uk/docs/downloads/misc/research/BCU%20%20Research%20App%20Form.pdf>
<http://www.bcu.ac.uk/docs/.../research/BCU%20%20Research%20App%20Form.pdf>'Application
for Research Degree Course? form
[<http://www.bcu.ac.uk/docs/downloads/misc/research/BCU%20%20Research%20App%20Form.pdf>http://www.bcu.ac.uk/docs/downloads/misc/research/BCU%20%20Research%20App%20Form.pdf]
which should include a research degree proposal
of no more than 600 words. We may ask you to
supply more information if you are selected for
interview. Please indicate that you are
applying for the research studentship in popular
music and radio in the digital age, or we may
inadvertently treat your application as one
simply for our research degree programme.
The final closing date is Monday 1st March 2010
but we will select appropriate candidates for interview as applications arrive.
You should return the completed application form to:
Dr John Mercer
Research Degree Coordinator
Birmingham Centre for Media and Cultural Research
Birmingham City University
Perry Barr
Birmingham
B42 2SU
Or via email to: <mailto:(john.mercer /at/ bcu.ac.uk)>(john.mercer /at/ bcu.ac.uk)
More information
You can contact the Research Degree Coordinator,
Dr John Mercer
[<mailto:(john.mercer /at/ bcu.ac.uk)>(john.mercer /at/ bcu.ac.uk)]
for information on our research degrees
programme and advice on presenting your
proposal, or to the Director of Research,
Professor Tim Wall
[<mailto:(tim.wall /at/ bcu.ac.uk)>(tim.wall /at/ bcu.ac.uk)]
for information on our research centre or the
specifications of the studentship.
