DCU PhD Scholarship - Anti-Money Laundering in the EU

The School of Law and Government at Dublin City University invites applications for its four-year fully funded PhD programme, starting in September 2025. Outstanding PhD candidates will be offered fee waiver and a tax-free scholarship of €25,000 per annum for four years.

Topic

This PhD project aims to explore the evolving landscape of anti-money laundering (AML) in the European Union (EU), focusing on legal, political, and governance dimensions. Recent reforms mark a major shift, i.e. the AML Single Rulebook and the EU AML Authority. The research could examine effectiveness, enforcement challenges, and institutional power shifts, while considering international standards. The project may follow an interdisciplinary approach that integrates law, political economy, and governance studies. Candidates from law, politics, or related disciplines are encouraged to apply, particularly those interested in financial regulation, EU and international cooperation,  and economic governance.

The successful applicant will work under the supervision of Dr Christy Ann Petit, Assistant Professor in European Law, and Dr Michael Breen, Associate Professor in International Political Economy.

The School of Law and Government

The School of Law and Government is a research active school with world-class faculty willing to supervise PhD students on topics in their areas of research www.dcu.ie/lawandgovernment/people-law-and-government. DCU regularly ranks among the top "100 under 50" universities as per Times Higher Education and hosts various research centres. The School is committed to embedding a culture of equality, diversity and inclusion, and to that end welcomes applicants from all backgrounds. 

The School operates a full-time structured four-year PhD programme with a range of taught courses in the first year and further professional training offered in other years. The programme combines the rigour and professionalism of the largely taught US approach with the independence and imagination of the traditional European supervisory programme, and it is designed to prepare its students to conduct cutting-edge research and pursue successful academic careers. As well as a tax-free stipend, we may support our students with limited funding for conference and research travel. The School also gives its PhD students opportunities to contribute to teaching.

How to apply

The deadline for application is 3 April by 5pm GMT. Late applications will not be accepted. Applicants should send 1) a full CV with contact details for 2 referees, 2) the grades/full transcripts achieved in Masters degree with copies of transcripts, 3) a research proposal (c. 2-3,000 words).

Applications should be sent to: james.gallen@dcu.ie by 17:00 GMT 3 April. Applications that do not include all required information (1 to 3 above) will not be considered. Applications will be acknowledged by email. Candidates are not required to apply formally through the university system at this stage; they first will be assessed internally by a School panel.

We intend to shortlist and interview selected candidates either in person or online in April. Successful candidates will then be required to apply formally to be admitted as PhD students and may also need to show proficiency in the English language. Successful candidates will begin their studies in September 2025 and are expected to be resident in Dublin for the duration of the programme.

Prospective applicants may make informal contact with the supervisory panel in advance of an application.

Please find additional information about doing a PhD in DCU at the faculty page: https://www.dcu.ie/humanities-and-social-sciences/doctoral-studies-hub

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