PhD Studentship - Work, Employment, Management & Organizations in Adult Social Care

About the Project

CARBS/CARE PhD Studentship

We are offering an exciting opportunity for a funded PhD studentship as part of the ongoing joint work between the CARE Centre at Cardiff University & Cardiff Business School. The Centre for Adult Social Care Research (CARE) is based on advancing multi-disciplinary expertise and cutting-edge research in adult social care and is funded by Health and Care Research Wales and Cardiff University and located within SPARK/SBARC (Social Science Park).

The PhD studentship will be situated within Cardiff Business School and will focus on examining issues of relevance to adult social care as part of the School’s commitment to public value scholarship. We are looking for proposals which demonstrate an interest and/or experience in adult social care in the UK. Students will be required to be located in Cardiff to be an active part of the PhD community within the Business School and the CARE Centre. International candidates can apply for the scholarship, but fees only cover the costs for home students and therefore additional fees will be applied.

Outline

Adult social care is an area which brings together many strands of interest in contemporary society which raise questions about how we fund the welfare system, manage the intersections between health and social care and treat those who draw on care and support and who work in the sector. In these ways, the PhD offers an opportunity to explore some of the grand-challenges facing this sector in relation to the nature of work and employment as well as in the management and organization of care. In so doing, there is a potential to contribute to an important and growing public debate about the future of care, as indicated currently in the UK by the Cassey Commission. The call includes exploring the nature of these challenges relating to scholarship of relevance to Cardiff Business School & the CARE Centre, an indication of the ranges of themes of interest, includes the following topic areas:-

Employment – to examine issues such as working time, precarity, pay and pensions as well as types of employment roles such as personal assistants, care home staff or service managers. Themes relating to human resource management scholarship can also be developed in relation to recruitment and retention as specific challenge in the sector.

Work – this theme can address theoretical debates and concepts including skills, job quality/fair work, emotion work and dirty work as applied to social care. As well as examining how diversity of provision and approaches to care can inform discussions about co-productive ways of working, the impact of deep relational work and work meanings.

Workforce & Equality, Diversity and Inclusion - to explore issues of gender, ethnicity, aging, sexuality and disability within the workforce. For example, men and younger workers are under-represented in the workforce, whilst the experiences of international workers can also be explored further.

Organizations & Management – to examine different types of organizational providers within care which includes innovative approaches to organizing such as micro-enterprises, care cooperatives and employee-owned businesses. This theme can also explore management philosophies, leadership styles, and approaches within the sector.

Innovations – to explore innovative methods of service delivery including the application of new technology as well as in how work is designed, organised and managed.

How to apply:

To apply for this studentship, candidates must be eligible for Home fees status.

A completed online application form for doctoral admission in Cardiff University should be submitted via our online application portal. This must be received by the deadline of 12.00pm GMT on 19th June 2026. In the funding source section please enter “CARE studentship”.

Incomplete applications, applications sent via email, ‘register your interest’ or applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

The application must contain the following documents:

1. Covering letter (two pages maximum)
2. Degree certificates and Transcripts (including translations if applicable)
3. Two academic/professional references. Candidates must approach referees themselves and include references with their application
4. Academic CV: maximum two pages.
5. Research Proposal: The following headings are suggested:
   • Title, aims and purpose of the research;
   • Brief overview of the academic literature relevant to your field;
   • Proposed design/methods;
   • Academic contributions of your research;
   • Bibliographic References.

Funding Notes

Studentship Awards commence in October 2026 and will cover your home tuition fees as well as a maintenance grant (currently £20,780 p.a. for 2025/26 for full-time students); and includes access to an additional Research Training Support Grant (RTSG). If you have a disability, you may be entitled to a Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) on top of your studentship. For further information about eligibility and how to apply, please read the project details.

References

Applications are invited from exceptional candidates with a first class or strong upper second class honours degree, and preferably an appropriate Master’s degree. Students with non-traditional academic backgrounds are also welcome to apply.
Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive environment for all. We welcome applications from all members of the global community irrespective of age, disability, sex, gender identity, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief and sexual orientation.
Preference will be given to candidates who hold a relevant research training Masters degree (or an equivalent background in research training) for entry onto a three year, full-time doctoral study (or its part-time equivalent) programme but consideration may be given to strong applications for a 4 year programme.
To apply for this studentship, candidates should be eligible for Home fee status.