Queen’s University Belfast (School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy, and Politics (HAPP)), in partnership with National Museums NI, invites applications from suitably qualified applicants for a Collaborative Doctoral Partnership (CDP) studentship, funded by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council, to conduct research leading to a PhD on the theme: Ulster-Americans: Ulster immigrant life in an American city tenement, 1840-1910. This PhD is based in social history, migration history, and Gallery and Museum Studies. While they are drastically understudied, emigrants from Ulster made up vocal and significant proportions of the United States’ urban Irish population. They were both part of diasporic Irish communities and, in some ways, separate to emigrants from the other three provinces. However, they remain siloed from the story of Irish migration, in academic and popular narratives. This PhD will therefore present an original and important intervention into the historiography of Irish emigration, United States history, and has the potential to present new opportunities for the framing of popular narratives of Ulster emigration.
This project will provide a comprehensive background to new interpretation at the Ulster American Folk Park. It will explore life and living conditions for Ulster migrants to American cities between 1840 and 1910. The researcher will spend time researching and contextualising the material culture of Ulster-American life, delving into relevant museum collections and, through consideration of other sites’ best practice, explore how the UAFP could best present case studies of Ulster emigrant life in American tenements.
The focus of this PhD will be on the experiences of Ulster emigrants to northern cities in the United States – an experience which is currently understudied in Irish migration history which tends to separate Protestant and Catholic experiences, and in Ulster historiography, which emphasises Ulster Presbyterian life in rural settings. It will therefore contribute to filling a gap in Irish diaspora scholarship while presenting opportunities for additional interpretation in the UAFP. The time-period studied allows for consideration of multigenerational community identity development, expanding the narrative from dominant male middle class experiences to familial structures, single working women, and children growing up in an American city. This, therefore, allows for the exploration of themes of class, gender, religion, and, as these migrants were living and loving in multi-ethnic urban spaces, ethnicity and race. In these ways, this project contributes to the historiography of Irish migration and the priorities of NMNI.
This project will be jointly supervised by lead supervisor Dr Sophie Cooper (Queen’s University Belfast) and Liam Corry (Curator of Emigration, National Museums NI), and second supervisors Victoria Millar (Senior Curator of History, National Museums NI) and Prof Elaine Farrell (Queen’s University Belfast). The student will be expected to spend time at both Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster American Folk Park (Omagh, Northern Ireland), and be part of a wider cohort of CDP funded students across the UK.
The studentship can be studied either full time (4 years) or part time (8 years).
Application procedure
Candidates should submit an online Queen’s University Belfast PhD application form (see procedure below), attaching a research proposal along with proof of academic qualifications. The research proposal should outline the applicant’s:
• Academic qualifications and/or relevant professional experience and expertise (max 300 words)
• Motivation to pursue this Collaborative Doctoral Partnership (max 500 words)
• A provisional outline of a research topic within the thematic parameters given above. The outline should set out indicative aims and objectives, relevant literature, research questions, and proposed methods, showing how you will develop an original PhD project based around the theme described above (max 250 words.
Candidates must also arrange for two references to be submitted to Queen’s University Belfast by the deadline. If possible, applicants should provide at least one academic reference.
Candidates will be notified of the outcome of their application by the end of day on the 30.05.2025.
Interviews will take place on 09.06.2025. All interviews will be online.
Research with National Museums NI
This research studentship is one allocated to Queen’s University Belfast by the AHRC to support the work of National Museums NI. Given the site-specific nature of the PhD, the successful student will be expected to spend a significant proportion of their time carrying out research and gaining relevant experience at the Ulster American Folk Park as part of the studentship.
We encourage the widest range of potential students to study for this CDP studentship and are committed to welcoming students from different backgrounds to apply. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply, even if you are not certain that you meet every criterion. We are keen to hear from individuals with varied expertise who can bring unique perspectives to the studentships. Experiences beyond academia, including other experience in a professional setting are also highly valued, this includes diverse lived experiences and those with an understanding of diverse research practices, outputs, impacts and engagement practice.
Students should have a Master’s degree in a relevant subject or be able to demonstrate equivalent experience in a professional setting.
The studentship is open to both home and international applicants.
Informal enquiries
To submit questions about the project and funding, contact Dr Sophie Cooper ([email protected]) or the NMNI team ([email protected])
Funding Information
CDP doctoral training grants fund full-time studentships for 4 years or part-time equivalent up to a maximum of 8 years.
The award pays tuition fees up to the value of the full-time home UKRI rate for PhD degrees. Research Councils UK Indicative Fee Level for 2025/2026 is £5,006.
The award pays full maintenance for all students both home and international students. The UKRI National Minimum Doctoral Stipend for 2025/2026 is £20,780, plus a CDP maintenance payment of £600/year.
The student is eligible to receive an additional travel and related expenses grant during the course of the project courtesy of National Museums NI worth up to £2,000 per year for 4 years (pro-rated for part-time students).
The successful candidate will be eligible to participate in events organised for all Collaborative Doctoral Partnership students who are registered with different universities and studying with cultural and heritage organisations across the UK.
Eligibility
• This studentship is open to both home and international applicants.
• To be classed as a home student, candidates must meet the following criteria:
o Be a UK or Irish National (meeting residency requirements), or
o Have settled status, or
o Have pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or
o Have indefinite leave to remain or enter
• Further guidance can be found here based on revisions to Training Grant Terms and Conditions for projects starting in October 2025 – Policy statement: review of the training grant conditions – UKRI
• International students are eligible to receive the full award for maintenance as are home students. To increase access to international candidates, Queen’s University has agreed to waive the difference between the UK fee and the international fees for this project.
• We encourage the widest range of potential students to study for this CDP studentship and are committed to welcoming students from different backgrounds to apply. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply, even if you are not certain that you meet every criterion. We are keen to hear from individuals with varied expertise who can bring unique perspectives to the studentships. Experiences beyond academia, including other experience in a professional setting are also highly valued, this includes diverse lived experiences and those with an understanding of diverse research practices, outputs, impacts and engagement practice.
• Applicants should ideally have or expect to receive a relevant Masters-level qualification in a relevant subject such as History and Museum Studies or be able to demonstrate equivalent experience in the cultural sector e.g. museums and archives.
• Applicants must be able to demonstrate an interest in the GLAM sector and potential and enthusiasm for developing skills more widely in related areas.
• As a collaborative award, students will be expected to spend time at both the University and the National Museums NI.
NB. All applicants must meet UKRI terms and conditions for funding. See:
https://www.ukri.org/funding/information-for-award-holders/grant-terms-and-conditions/