Oxford Internet Institute – UC Berkeley School of Information Summer Doctoral Program

The UC Berkeley School of Information is partnering with the Oxford Internet Institute (OII) to bring the OII Summer Doctoral Programme (SDP) to Berkeley. It will be held at Berkeley and Oxford in alternating years, beginning at Berkeley in 2025, and brings together outstanding doctoral students from around the world for two weeks of study at the world-leading universities.

The program is structured around daily lectures, seminars, and tutorials with leading academics in the field of information and internet studies. It provides an academic framework to share and discuss students’ current research.

Since 2003, hundreds of doctoral students have come together for two weeks of intensive teaching and learning at the OII SDP. Now the opportunity will be offered at UC Berkeley as well. The international networks established endure over the years and deliver concrete examples of collaboration.

Key Information

Each year in July, the Summer Doctoral Program brings together up to 30 advanced doctoral students engaged in dissertation research relating to information studies, the internet, new media, and other digital technologies. By sharing their work, debating topics of mutual interest, and learning from leading academics, participants enhance the quality and significance of their thesis research. Our multidisciplinary approach means that students are exposed to new ways of thinking about their topics, while the strong focus on diverse methodologies encourages renewed focus on effective research design.

The program’s emphasis on generating positive interactions and providing safe spaces to talk through research problems also serves to create a tightly-knit peer network of excellent junior researchers, many of whom go on to collaborate academically, or just to support each other as friends.

The Summer Doctoral Program builds upon the research strengths of the Oxford Internet Institue (OII), the UC Berkeley School of Information (I School), and the Berkeley Center for New Media (BCNM), involving many of our faculty from across multiple disciplines and bringing in excellent guest speakers from other institutions. It emphasizes methodological innovation and good practice in research design and exposes students to the benefits of discussing their research in a multi-disciplinary teaching environment. 

How to Apply

Up to 30 places are available and will be awarded on a competitive basis. Only students at an advanced stage of their doctorate who have embarked on writing their thesis will be eligible to apply. All teaching will be in English, so all applicants should be able to demonstrate their competence in this language.

All applications must also be supported by at least one academic reference. This is generally provided by a dissertation supervisor, but we can also accept references from other faculty with close knowledge of your work. Similarly, students should be able to clearly explain how their doctoral studies will benefit from the program.

Fees and Funding

The cost of the course is $2,500 and includes accommodation, weekday breakfast and lunch at UC Berkeley, and all course tuition and fees. Some dinners and social events are also included. Travel to and from Berkeley is not included in this fee.

A limited number of partial scholarships are available. All applicants will be considered automatically and need not submit any additional information.

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Who Should Apply

The three main criteria for acceptance onto the SDP are academic excellence, overlap with the Berkeley I School, BCNM, and OII’s areas of interest, and a likelihood that the student will benefit from undertaking the program. When you assemble your application ensure that you provide clear evidence on each count.

Clarity on thesis research. 

One of the primary aims of the program is to help improve students’ dissertations, so make sure that your thesis abstract is clear and compelling. Remember that although the research is very familiar to you, we will never have heard about it before, so make sure you spell out the broad topic, research questions, and likely contribution as simply as possible. Practice this ‘elevator pitch’ on your peers to see if they can understand what your research is really about.

A thorough curriculum vitae (CV)

CVs are a great way to show off your strengths, so if you have given presentations, won prizes, or undertaken relevant research or teaching experience, make sure you highlight this.

What do you want to get out of the program? Do you have a particular problem with your survey structure, theory chapter, or computational method, so that we can see where we can add some value? 

Have a clear understanding of your goals for the SDP, and make sure your reference is aware of this as well. Do you have a particular problem with your survey structure or your theory chapter, so that we can see where we can add some value? Of course, networking is an excellent reason to attend, but the best experiences are had by students who know what they need to work on while they’re here.

In the words of a program alum: “Be honest about your research. Think about the strengths of your Ph.D.: what’s the gap in the literature that you want to fill and how are you going to achieve this? Remember that your readers might not be familiar with your theoretical background so be clear and concise in addressing the literature. Don’t forget to justify your methods and what you expect to find. If some things are still unclear about your research, that’s normal. Don’t be shy in articulating your expectations from SDP. You won’t find all the answers there but lots of useful hints and advice that will help you keep going.”

SDP students come from a wide variety of disciplinary and methodological traditions; what they all share is a genuine intellectual curiosity and a willingness to consider these different perspectives.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How much am I expected to know (or care) about other disciplines? What is the benefit of (for example) a law student, or economist engaging with people and ideas from outside their own discipline?

The simple answer is that you’re not expected to know about other disciplines, but you are expected to be interested in their possible contribution to your research field. One of the perks of running SDP is seeing all the water-cooler conversations striking up outside the formal seminars. So, for example, we’ve previously taken students focused on online privacy, some studying it from a sociological perspective, others from a regulatory one. Each may have knowledge of a common core of literature, but can still learn from the other’s expertise. Or in another case, students may not share a common disciplinary or even topic approach but could have similar interests in applying a particular method. In each case, there has to be a basic willingness to step back from your own work and see how others might understand it.

Do you accept candidates who study the Internet, new media, or information from outside the social sciences (e.g., sciences, engineering, or humanities)?

Yes, we certainly do, but with the proviso that most of our teaching will draw on social science theories and methods.

Do I have to study ‘the Internet’, or could my thesis research involve other topics?

We interpret the Internet, new media, and information in a very broad way, from research on ‘network of networks’ that incorporates the use and impacts of information and communication technologies to research that broadly considers the intersection of technology with society and the arts.

Should I have a clear idea / plan of what I want to get out of the program?

Yes, this is really vital. First of all, the program is going to cost you or your sponsor quite a bit of money and you have to be sure it’s worthwhile. But more importantly it will help to frame your application and your participation. For example, everyone who attends will benefit from the peer network established, but only those who have a genuine motivation to learn and a sense of their work’s weaknesses will be able to use the two weeks to really make progress on their thesis.

When is the ideal point in my doctoral studies to apply to the program?

Applicants should be at an advanced stage of their doctorate and have started writing their thesis.

I haven’t decided on a thesis title yet; is that a problem?

We will give priority to those who are more advanced in their doctoral study. If you don’t have a final title yet, at least give us a provisional one.

If my application is not accepted, can I still apply for subsequent year(s)?

Absolutely! We typically have more applicants than we can accept, and sometimes an application is stronger when the applicant’s work becomes more advanced.