Placements
Research placements are a key part of developing as a social science researcher. They give you space to test your skills in real‑world settings, build confidence, and understand how your research connects to policy, practice, industry, communities, culture, and beyond. Whether you’re interested in public engagement, knowledge exchange, advisory work, strategic partnerships, or simply exploring what other career paths look like in practice, a placement offers structured time to experience this first‑hand
NINE DTP enables this by:
- coordinating high‑quality placement opportunities through our partner network
- supporting students to design and propose their own placement ideas
- providing travel and expenses support during approved placements
DTP2 Students
(starting 2024 onwards)
A 3 month Research in Practice placement is an expected part of the studentship. Your studentship offer already includes three months of dedicated funding exclusively for completing a placement, and this time cannot be repurposed.
DTP1 Students
Placements are optional, available on application basis as part of the wider training offer. Students may apply for up to 3 months funded extension and additional funds to complete a placement.
What does a placement look like?
Placements are short, focused projects that allow you to make a meaningful contribution. Recent examples include:
- drafting briefing notes or consultation responses
- audience, user, or community research
- preparing internal or public‑facing reports
- analysing survey data or public records
- evaluating programmes or projects
- mapping the landscape of a sector or region
- supporting digital access, cataloguing, or archival work
What matters most is that your placement helps you deepen your research practice and understand where your skills can make a real‑world difference.
When should I do a placement?
Most students complete their three‑month placement sometime between the middle of Year 1 and the end of Year 3, depending on how their project develops.
DTP2 Students
- The placement can be completed in one block or split across phases of the PhD
- Part‑time or flexible scheduling is permitted
- Multiple hosts can be involved if that supports development
- The placement should be approved and scheduled at least nine months before the funding end date and completed before the final three months of the studentship
- Work with your supervisors to identify an appropriate time in your PhD project to pause and focus on your Research in Practice placement
- A dedicated Research in Practice Lead is available for advice
DTP1 Students
- Part‑time or flexible arrangements can be agreed with the host
- The placement must be completed before the final three months of the studentship
- Students require an approved extension request to access the additional three months of funding
- Planning should start early to allow time for approvals and funding requests
Sourcing a Placement
Alternatively, students who come with early or emerging ideas can also work with us to refine their aims, explore possible hosts, and develop a proposal before approaching an organisation.
Placement Process
- Health and safety
- Risk management
- Intellectual property
- Mode of work (e.g., on‑site, hybrid, remote)
- A student case study
- A student feedback survey
- A host organisation survey
This helps improve future placement experiences for the whole cohort.
What do I need to submit to NINE DTP for placement approval?
Before your placement can be approved, you will need to submit the following documents to NINE DTP:
- A completed NINE DTP placement application form
- A signed placement agreement with your host organisation. Sometimes this may take the form of a letter.
- A letter of support from your academic supervisor
- Any budget requests included in the application form must be supported by evidence such as quotes or screenshots of expected costs
Placement Agreement
Agreement between student and host setting out the expectations, structure and objectives of a Research in Practice Placement
Placement AgreementApplication Form
Submit the application and supporting documents to NINE DTP for approval of the proposed placement, and any additional funding required.
Placement Application FormResearch in Practice available placements
You will need to be logged into your institutional M365 account to access.
NINE DTP2 Placement OpportuntiesRinP Placements: Frequently asked questions
The host organisation, student, and NINE DTP must agree arrangements for the placement, including Intellectual Property (IP), employer liability before it begins. NINE DTP provides a template placement agreement. Students must then follow their institutional processes to ensure any required insurance is in place.
The host organisation determines the focus, scope, and required skills. Often this is done through conversation with the selected student, with many hosts tailoring the placement work to the skill, interest or development needs of the student.
Students continue to receive their stipend from NINE DTP. Hosts are invited to contribute to additional costs such as travel and subsistence.
NINE DTP studentships already include time for the Research in Practice placement, meaning students are funded for a total of 3.5, 3.75, 4, or 4.5 years depending on their award. Universities, however, issue offer letters for 3.25, 3.5, 3.75, or 4.25 years, with a clearly stated additional three months awarded once the placement is completed. This is an institutional administrative approach rather than a difference in funding entitlement, as it is simpler for universities to add time than to withdraw funding if a placement does not take place. The student’s full funding position, including the placement time, is made explicit in their PhD offer letter.
| NINE DTP2 funded award | University offer letter | Research in Practice time |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5 years | 3.25 years | + 3 months on completion |
| 3.75 years | 3.5 years | + 3 months on completion |
| 4 years | 3.75 years | + 3 months on completion |
| 4.5 years | 4.25 years | + 3 months on completion |
Students cannot receive both host remuneration and a stipend. If a placement is paid, the studentship must be suspended. Earnings may be taxable and visa conditions apply for international students.
No. Students cannot receive both a stipend and remuneration from a host organisation during a Research in Practice placement. If remuneration is paid, the studentship must be suspended.
If a placement is not agreed and approved nine months before the funding end date, a review process is triggered. If no placement can be completed in reasonable time, the funding period will be reduced by three months or the RinP extension opportunity removed, depending on institutional arrangements.
For international students, full-time placements must be integral to the PhD programme to comply with visa conditions. NINE DTP continues work to move all award holders to a 'PhD with Placement' Programme in collaboration with the consortium universities. Students must complete the evaluation and case study at the end of the placement.
NINE DTP will support students to confirm their visa requirements and PhD programme before committing to a full time placement.Academic placements are permitted where they meet skills needs identified through the Development Needs Analysis. They must be clearly distinct from the PhD project and involve working outside the student’s department or supervisory team.
Overseas placements are only permitted in exceptional cases where skills cannot be developed in the UK. DTP2 students may undertake both an overseas placement and an OIV, but normally not at the same host as the case for gaining 2 distinct and valuable experiences would not be strong.
No. Placements and fieldwork are considered distinct activities.
Short periods of sick leave may not need to be made up if objectives can still be met. Longer absences may require an extension. Annual leave should be taken outside the placement where possible; any leave taken must be made up to complete the full duration.
If your placement involves designing and conducting research (e.g. focus groups) and the work is being supervised and published by the host organisation, the host organisation is responsible for ensuring all ethics issues are complied with and that they have processes intact.
You are not normally expected to seek separate university ethics approval in this situation. However, if you have any concerns about how the research is being conducted, or feel that appropriate processes are not in place, you should raise this with your academic supervisor and/or the DTP team for further advice.
Where the host organisation does not have appropriate research experience or ethics processes in place (e.g. a small charity), and the project involves human participants (such as interviews or focus groups), you should seek ethical approval through your university with support from your academic supervisor.
If the work involves analysing existing data already held by the organisation, this will typically fall under the organisation’s existing data protection responsibilities. For low risk activities such as literature reviews, formal ethics approval is unlikley to be required.
