Anyone interested in further PhD study should look at the studentships being offered by Design Star, a consortium of top UK Design Research departments with AHRC funding for up to 12 studentships a year.  Design Star covers areas of history, theory, and practice in looking at contemporary social concerns and engaging with external partners.  The deadline for applications is 28th February and further details can be found through the links below: The main website: http://www.designstar.org.uk. This is the Brighton page for Design Star:

http://arts.brighton.ac.uk/research/doctoral-centre-arts/studentships/design-star-ahrc-studentships-at-brighton