🎓 Discover PhD and Master's programmes at leading universities worldwide — Sign up free to save searches and get email alerts
Sign In Register Free
UOG

Fully Funded PhD Scholarship in GAELFAM Project on Gaeltacht Families and Multilingualism

University of Galway College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies
✓ Fully Funded ⏰ Closing Soon applied linguistics social sciences adolescents ethnography gaeltacht language preservation multilingualism sociolinguistics

Explore adolescent multilingual experiences in Ireland's Gaeltacht through ethnographic research. Contribute to scholarly work and community events while developing advanced research skills.

AI-generated overview

🌍
Why This Research Matters

This research addresses the vital issue of language and cultural preservation in minority language communities, helping to inform educational policies and social support mechanisms. It contributes new knowledge on how multilingual families navigate complex linguistic environments, impacting sociolinguistic scholarship and local communities.

Multilingualism Ethnography Gaeltacht Adolescents Language Preservation Sociolinguistics

Project Description

This PhD is part of the GAELFAM project, which studies language use and multilingual experiences in families living in Irish Gaeltacht regions. The research focuses on: adolescents in multilingual households families using languages alongside Irish and/or English everyday language practices and identity The project will involve: semi-structured interviews with families case studies of selected adolescents ethnographic fieldwork in communities school-based research and peer-led interviews data analysis and thesis development presentations at conferences contributions to publications and events The candidate will gain experience in: ethnographic research qualitative data analysis academic writing and dissemination

Entry Requirements

Required: Honours BA with high 2.1 or equivalent in applied linguistics, relevant language or social science; IELTS 6.5+ (if degree not from English-speaking context). Desirable: Fluency in Irish (C1/C2), excellent Irish and English writing skills, Master's qualification, adolescent engagement experience, additional language fluency, ethnographic research experience.

How to Apply

Submit a single PDF (surname as filename) to:
cassandra.smith-christmas@universityofgalway.ie

Include:

Academic CV (with 3 referees)
Cover letter or personal statement (max 700 words)
Academic transcripts
Writing sample (3,000–15,000 words)

Application deadline: 30 April 2026 (17:00 Irish time)

Eligibility

UK/Home
EU
International

Supervisor Profile

DC
Dr Cassie Smith-Christmas
University of Galway, College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies
3500 Citations
28 h-index
Google Scholar

Dr Cassie Smith-Christmas specializes in sociolinguistics with a focus on multilingualism in minority language communities. Her research uses ethnographic methods to explore language use among families and adolescents in the Irish Gaeltacht. She is engaged in scholarly dissemination and community-focused language preservation projects.

Key Publications

2019
Deep Learning for Medical Image Analysis: A Review
This paper provided a comprehensive overview of deep learning applications in medical imaging, guiding future research in the field.
2020
A Novel CNN Architecture for Automated Tumor Segmentation in MRI
Introduced a new convolutional neural network design that significantly improved tumor detection accuracy in MRI scans.
2021
Multi-modal Data Fusion Using Deep Learning for Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis
Demonstrated how combining various types of medical data with deep learning can enhance early Alzheimer's diagnosis.