sociology phd london

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Mphil/phd sociology, course information.

3-4 years full-time or 6-8 years part-time

Course overview

We offer MPhil and PhD research programmes in Sociology for full or part-time study.

The Department of Sociology is home to some 40 scholars and researchers whose work is known and cited internationally.

We offer a stimulating research environment for undertaking postgraduate research in a wide range of sociological fields, including:

• race, ethnicity, religion and nationalism
• gender and social life
• sociology of culture
• inventive and sensory methods
• urban culture, world cities, economies and social exclusion
• medicine and the life-sciences, health, illness and disability
• science and technology
• children and young people
• human rights and political sociology
• socio-legal studies and global justice
• social and cultural theory
• political theory and political sociology
• philosophy of social sciences
• visual sociology

We particularly encourage cross- and interdisciplinary research in emerging fields of study and creative practice.

Our community of postgraduate researchers is an integral part of the Department's vibrant research culture. We actively foster the full participation of our research students in the work of our research Centres and Units. This includes contributing to departmental publications, running research blogs, hosting student-led seminars, conferences, and reading groups, constructing new platforms for mediated intellectual spaces, and much more.

Doing a PhD is an amazing discipline. It shapes you in terms of your career, but also personally in terms of how you think about the world and yourself. It also has the potential to make an impact on the world. To get a sense of how, come to the department to meet us and some of the students. Email us to book an appointment.

Find out more about research degrees at Goldsmiths , and  visit our FAQ page .

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact the Postgraduate Research Officer, Sociology .

First year  

In the week before the beginning of the academic year in September there is an Induction Programme for all new research postgraduates at Goldsmiths. You will be introduced to College and Departmental facilities and procedures, and attend workshops on what is involved in doing a research degree.

In the first year, work on your own research project is coupled with general training in sociological research methods – run both within the Department and by the College Graduate School.  Mandatory training modules take place during the first term of the first year (for full-time students) or can be spread over two years (for part-time students). You may apply to be exempted from mandatory training modules if you can demonstrate that you have already received equivalent training of comparable, MA-level standard as part of a previous qualification.

Training for students on the MPhil/PhD in Sociology consists of:

• Core Qualitative Research Methods
• Modelling Social Data I

You may also take other modules depending on your specific training needs, such as learning a language, or auditing an MA course, either in the Department or elsewhere, of particular relevance to your research project. You are also encouraged to attend seminars in other parts of the University of London, attend conferences, and go on outside modules such as those organised by SeNSS (South East Network of Social Science) or CHASE (Consortium for the Humanities and Arts South East England).

From the beginning of your programme you will receive regular supervision, and you will be expected to produce work to be discussed in supervision.  In May/June of each year your progress and any outstanding training requirements will be formally reviewed by the Departmental Postgraduate Research Advisory Committee. 

Fieldwork, upgrade from MPhil to PhD, and writing up your thesis 

Unless you are writing a theoretical dissertation, your fieldwork or other process of data collection will typically start sometime between your first and your second year – in any case, after you have obtained ethical clearance for the research (theoretical dissertations are also subject to a research ethics approval process).

Between 18 and 24 months from your initial date of registration you are required to present a detailed thesis outline and two draft chapters for consideration by an internally appointed panel of examiners. This formal assessment (also referred to as 'upgrade') includes an oral examination and normally sanctions your transfer from MPhil to PhD registration.

You are expected to complete a PhD in three to four (full-time registration) or six to eight years (part-time registration) .

Teaching Experience

Ideally, we would like all our students to gain some teaching experience. The department has Graduate Tutors and Post-Doctoral Teaching Fellows who do undergraduate teaching. We also encourage our students to do some teaching at other institutions. However, we require that all students who wish to teach have successfully upgraded to PhD status before doing so.

Assessment for the PhD in Sociology consists of a written thesis (not exceeding 100,000 words) and a viva voce examination.

Entry requirements

You should normally have (or expect to be awarded) a taught Masters in a relevant subject area, of at least high merit standard. We normally also expect an undergraduate degree of at least upper second class standard.  

You might also be considered if you are not a graduate or your degree is in an unrelated field, but have relevant experience and can show that you have the ability to work at postgraduate level.

You do not need a degree or MA in Sociology to apply to do a PhD in Sociology, but you will need to be familiar with sociological ideas and debates. If you don’t have a background in sociology, you may be required to sit additional courses in order that you become familiar with the discipline.

International qualifications

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification ) of 7.0 with a 7.0 in writing to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate-level study .

Fees, funding & scholarships

Annual tuition fees.

These are the fees for students starting their programme in the 2024/2025 academic year.

• Home - full-time: £TBC
• Home - part-time: £TBC
• International - full-time: £TBC

If your fees are not listed here, please check our postgraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office , who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.

It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time under a student visa. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.

If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment .

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page .

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments.

Funding opportunities

Find out more about postgraduate fees and explore funding opportunities . If you're applying for funding, you may be subject to an application deadline.

• AHRC studentships
• ESRC studentships

For more information about applying for ESRC studentships, please see the South East Network for Social Sciences website , and be sure to check guidelines for prospective students.  

How to apply

We welcome proposals for research in any area of sociology. We give priority to those with proposals for research within the areas of interest of our staff . When you apply, please indicate your intended research area and any preference for a particular supervisor.

You apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system. 

Before submitting your application, you'll need to have: 

• Details of  your education history , including the dates of all exams/assessments
• The  email address of your referee  who we can request a reference from, or alternatively an electronic copy of your academic reference
• Contact details of a second referee
• A  personal statement – this can either be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online
• If available, an electronic copy of your educational transcript (this is particularly important if you have studied outside of the UK, but is not mandatory)
• Details of your  research proposal

           Please see our guidance on writing a postgraduate statement  

You'll be able to save your progress at any point and return to your application by logging in using your username/email and password.

We are only able to offer you a place on the programme if a suitable supervisor has agreed to supervise your proposed research. Before you apply for a research programme, we advise you to study our academic staff pages  to identify one or more potential supervisors for your research, and to get in touch with them to discuss your plans.  Your prospective supervisor will need to confirm their willingness and ability to supervise your thesis before an offer can be made. 

How detailed a research proposal are we looking for on the application form? 

What you put on the form and exactly what you end up researching may be rather different, but in order to judge whether or not to offer you a place, the Department needs to know whether you have the broad outlines of a viable project. This means:

• a project that is both worthwhile and interesting, but not over-ambitious
• a project that can realistically be achieved within the confines of PhD on a full-time (4 years maximum) or part-time (8 years maximum) basis
• we need to be sure that you have thought about it carefully and are fully committed to the research
• we need to be sure that you understand what is involved in doing a PhD
• your research proposal should give us enough information to be able to reach a decision about whether to interview you.

When to apply  

For information on when to apply please visit the Graduate School webpage .

Applications from candidates who are self-funded are accepted throughout the year. Interviews will be arranged on an ad hoc basis.

Selection process 

Admission to the programme is based on an interview and the panel’s assessment of your application. Online interviews can be arranged when necessary. Find out more about applying.

Find out more about applying .

Sociology at Goldsmiths celebrated its 50th anniversary  in 2014.  Research by staff in the Department is esteemed internationally, and has been externally funded by the ESRC , the AHRC , the British Academy , the Wellcome Trust , the Leverhulme Trust , and the European Research Council .  

Find out more about research in the Department of Sociology , including the work of our research Centres and Units.

You will develop advanced research skills covering a wide range of qualitative and quantitative sociological methods, and an ability to develop advanced and extended forms of written argument and scholarly practice.

Our PhD students have taken up academic posts in sociology and related fields all over the world. Some have joined NGOs, GOs, or companies in the private sector, and taken employment as researchers, teachers, designers, and managers.

For more information about Sociology Staff at Goldsmiths, visit the department's staff pages .

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Course Overview

An MPhil/PhD is an advanced postgraduate research degree that requires original research and the submission of a substantial dissertation of 60,000 to 100,000 words. At Birkbeck, you are initially registered on an MPhil and you upgrade to a PhD after satisfactory progress in the first year or two. You need to find a suitable academic supervisor at Birkbeck, who can offer the requisite expertise to guide and support you through your research.  Find out more about undertaking a research degree at Birkbeck .

Birkbeck supports sociologically oriented research across a number of departments, which takes a wide variety of forms depending on topic. It is frequently interdisciplinary in focus, but the common thread is a distinctively sociological perspective. Research students benefit not only from the advisory insight of leading academics, but also from a wider culture of support and advice from staff and other students undertaking social research.

The Birkbeck Institute for Social Research is a considerable resource, and provides a focus for social research across Birkbeck as a whole. It is a hub for the dissemination and discussion of critical and socially engaged social science in London and beyond. The Birkbeck Graduate Seminar, run by BISR, brings together PhD students working on empirical social research theses and aims to support and enhance the supervision students receive.

Key information

Sociology mphil/phd: 7 years part-time, on campus, starting 2024-25, sociology mphil/phd: 4 years full-time, on campus, starting 2024-25.

Find another course:

• Birkbeck’s research excellence was  confirmed in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework  with 83% of our research rated world-leading or internationally excellent.

Entry Requirements

A good degree in sociology or a relevant subject.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests.

If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement,   we offer pre-sessional English courses, foundation programmes and language support services   to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.

Visit the International section of our website to find out more about our  English language entry requirements and relevant requirements by country .

Visa and funding requirements

If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa.

The visa you apply for varies according to the length of your course:

• Courses of more than six months' duration: Student visa
• Courses of less than six months' duration: Standard Visitor visa

International students who require a Student visa should apply for our full-time courses as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. If you are living in the UK on a Student visa, you will not be eligible to enrol as a student on Birkbeck's part-time courses (with the exception of some modules).

For full information, read our visa information for international students page .

Please also visit the international section of our website to find out more about relevant visa and funding requirements by country .

Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study.

Sociology MPhil/PhD: 7 years part-time or 4 years full-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2024-25

Academic year 2024–25, starting october 2024.

Part-time home students: £2,539 per year Full-time home students: £4,786 per year Part-time international students : £7,525 per year Full-time international students: £14,885 per year

Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases. For more information, please see the College Fees Policy .

If you’ve studied at Birkbeck before and successfully completed an award with us, take advantage of our Lifelong Learning Guarantee to gain a discount on the tuition fee of this course.

Fees and finance

PhD students resident in England can apply for government loans of over £26,000 to cover the cost of tuition fees, maintenance and other study-related costs.

Flexible finance: pay your fees in monthly instalments at no extra cost . Enrol early to spread your costs and reduce your monthly payments.

We offer a range of studentships and funding options to support your research.

Discover the financial support available to you to help with your studies at Birkbeck.

International scholarships

We provide a range of scholarships for eligible international students, including our Global Future Scholarship. Discover if you are eligible for a scholarship .

Our research culture

We seek to teach and research issues of fundamental importance to humanity and offer an invigorating educational experience, built upon  our international reputation for research excellence .

Our research spans a number of fields, spanning arts and humanities, social sciences and sciences, and is notable for its collaborative, interdisciplinary and innovative nature. In all our departments there is a particular focus on issues of social justice, on pressing questions of ethics and politics, and on making academic research important to the wider community.

Read more about  our vibrant research culture .

Follow these steps to apply to an MPhil/PhD research degree at Birkbeck:

1. Check that you meet the entry requirements, including English language requirements, as described on this page.

2. Find a potential supervisor for your MPhil/PhD research. You can look at the Find a Supervisor area on this page for an overview or  search our Experts’ Database . Sociological research at Birkbeck is focused in the School of Social Sciences.

3. Contact the academic member of staff - or the school they teach in - for an informal discussion about your research interests and to establish if they are willing and able to supervise your research. (Please note: finding a potential supervisor does not guarantee admission to the research degree, as this decision is made using your whole application.)  Find out more about the supervisory relationship and how your supervisor will support your research .

4. Draft a research proposal. This needs to demonstrate your knowledge of the field, the specific research questions you wish to pursue, and how your ideas will lead to the creation of new knowledge and understanding.  Find out more about writing a research proposal .

5. Apply directly to Birkbeck, using the online application link on this page. All research students are initially registered on an MPhil and then upgrade to a PhD after making sufficient progress.

Find out more about the application process, writing a research proposal and the timeframe . 

Application deadlines and interviews

You can apply at any time during the year. Entry for the programme is October of each year.

If you wish to apply for funding, you will need to apply by certain deadlines. Consult the websites of relevant bodies for details.

Apply for your course

Apply for your course using the apply now button in the key information section .

Finding a supervisor

A critical factor when applying for postgraduate study in sociology is the correlation between the applicant’s intellectual and research interests and those of one or more potential supervisors.

Psychosocial studies

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• Stephen Frosh
• Amber Jacobs
• Yasmeen Narayan
• Margarita Palacios
• Silvia Posocco
• Brendan McGeever
• Kerry Harman
• Ian Sanjay Patel
• Margarita Aragon
• William Ackah
• Jasmine Gideon
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• Penny Vera-Sanso
• Karen Wells
• Kalpana Wilson
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  Film, media and cultural ctudies

• Scott Rodgers

Related courses

• Psychosocial Studies (MPhil/PhD)

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Site search, key information.

Duration: 4 years full time

Institution code: R72

Campus: Egham

UK fees * : £4,786

International/EU fees ** : £18,200

The multidisciplinary Department of Law and Criminology is home to applied, theoretical and doctrinal research across Criminology, Forensic Psychology, Law, Social Work, and Sociology. In the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), 100% of our submission was assessed as world leading or internationally excellent for research impact.

The Department is home to about 50 research active staff and 50 PhD students. We offer a stimulating research environment in which PhD students are expected to be a part of the multidisciplinary research groups and contribute to PhD-led seminars and development activities. Our students benefit from opportunities for research methods training and we have a network of external organisations who are willing to support optional short-term placements and knowledge exchange opportunities.

You can find detailed  research profiles  of our staff here, by selecting the Departmental Research Group of most relevance to your proposed research and following the links to staff profile pages.

Alternatively, you can find a list of staff here (use the Criminology and Sociology drop down menu to locate Sociology staff).

Please note that by studying this degree your award title will not include the subject of study but will simply state you've completed a PhD. 

Research facilities and environment

Our activities are organised around the Departmental Research Clusters which cover interdisciplinary domains of Crime and Punishment, Families and Children, Health and Social Care, and Rights and Freedoms. Many staff and PhD students are members of more than one research group.

Research Clusters organise monthly seminars and annual research impact-related events with external stakeholders, which PhD students are invited to attend. During the academic year PhD students are expected to attend Departmental workshops and to attend research and professional development events organised by the College-wide Doctoral School. There are also opportunities for students to organise mini conferences or seminar series.

We understand the importance of fostering professional and transferable skills for doctoral students, and fully support presenting papers at academic conferences in the UK and abroad. We are committed to our students' success, providing mock vivas, annual reviews, and personal advice on issues such as managing time pressures, meeting deadlines, and career development.

Students register for an MPhil and then participate in an upgrade process before the 20 th  month of studies, if in full time study (40 th  month part time). The upgrade requires submission of thesis chapters for consideration by a panel of Departmental staff and a formal presentation to this panel. Following upgrade, students follow a PhD registration and are expected to submit the thesis by the end of their third year of full time study, or at the latest by the end of their fourth year (part time by the end of the 8 th  year).

Part of the training throughout the programme is attending internal and external seminars. In addition, we run a PhD seminar series where students present their on-going research and receive feedback from their peers and the faculty.

Entry requirements

Candidates for a place on the MPhil/PhD programme will have undergraduate and taught Masters degrees in a relevant subject. The Masters degree would typically have included training in advanced research methods, and be awarded with a Distinction or high Merit.

The Department welcomes applications from suitably qualified and highly motivated candidates. The application process for our postgraduate research programmes is interactive.

Please follow these steps for enquiring about and applying for a PhD in Sociology:

1. Make an informal enquiry before you apply

In the first instance, you should check the research interests of  members of academic staff  to see who is active in the area that you are interested in. Follow the drop-down menu for Criminology and Sociology to identify staff with relevant expertise. When you have identified a potential supervisor (with relevant expertise to your proposed research), send to them an outline research proposal and a CV, setting out your qualifications and experience. You should expect to have a series of discussions with this member of staff (by email, by telephone/MSTeams, or in person) about the project, options for funding, and your career aspirations. These discussions will help the member of staff decide whether or not they would be an appropriate supervisor for your proposed project, if they have availability for supervision.

2. Submit an application

When a member of staff has agreed in principle to supervise your project, you should then submit an application form using the  online application system . Ensure that you indicate the name of the proposed supervisor/s.

One of the most important aspects of your application is the research proposal. The purpose of the research proposal is two-fold: first, to help determine whether your topic corresponds with the interests and expertise of the proposed supervisor(s) and, second, to make clear how the research will make an original contribution to theoretical and applied knowledge in the field.

The proposal is important as it will allow the Department to assess your aptitude for doctoral-level research, to allocate supervision appropriately, and to ensure we are fully able to support the study you propose. Although you are required formally to submit the proposal with your application for doctoral study, it is a document you should develop in discussion with a member of staff in the Department of Law and Criminology before you submit this formally.

The proposal should be approximately 2,000 words in length (excluding the reference list) and include the following sections:

At this stage, a working title that summarises the proposed focus is more than adequate.

b. Introduction, Research Question and Rationale

The introduction should, in a succinct way, provide an overview of, and rationale for, the proposed project. You should explain the project focus, main research question and broad aims, and how it will make an original contribution to theory and practice. The introductory section needs to outline the basic argument the thesis intends to advance, as well as what it will aim to demonstrate. In simple terms, explain what the project is about, why it is innovative, why the project matters, why you are the right person to undertake it, and why the Department of Law and Criminology is the most appropriate place to be based.

c. Literature Review

Any proposed project should make clear how it relates to existing research on the topic (or related topics). In this section, you should summarise the current state of scholarship on your topic and explain the ways in which your project will draw from, and build on, that work. In this part of the proposal, you are demonstrating your knowledge of the field and the ways in which your project will make meaningful contributions.

d. Data and Methodology

Detail the sources of data (qualitative and/or quantitative) that you will require in order to answer your research questions and the specific methods you intend to apply in order to collect or generate those data. You should offer a clear explanation for your selection of research methods: Why one method rather than another?

This section should also offer an account of your analytical strategy. How will you make sense of your data? Will you require any specialist software to complete that analysis? Will your project involve fieldwork? If so, to where? How will that fieldwork be financed and supported?

Include a section on the ethical implications of your proposed topic. Which ethical issues are raised by your project? How do you intend to address them?

e. Proposed thesis structure and timeline

In this section you should outline the structure of your thesis and demonstrate that you have thought about how you are going to structure and organise the argument put forward in your thesis. Additionally, you should propose a timeline for your project, and demonstrate how you think you will organise your time in the three years you will work on your thesis.

f. Reference list

List here, using the citation system common to your discipline, the sources referred to in the proposal.

3. After applying

All applications are subject to review by a panel of academic members of staff in the Department of Law and Criminology. Applicants will be informed of the outcome as soon as the panel has met.

Further details

For further information concerning applications for postgraduate research in the department, please contact  Dr Caterina Nirta , Departmental Lead for Postgraduate Research.

English language requirements

All teaching at Royal Holloway is in English. You will therefore need to have good enough written and spoken English to cope with your studies right from the start.

The scores we require

• IELTS: 6.5 overall. Writing 7.0. No other subscore lower than 5.5.
• Pearson Test of English: 61 overall. Writing 69. No other subscore lower than 51.
• Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English (ISE): ISE III.
• Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) grade C.

Country-specific requirements

For more information about country-specific entry requirements for your country please see  here .

Our PhD programme is very successful and our alumni have gone on to undertake careers in a variety of roles, particularly in the criminal justice, education, and health and social care sectors. Our graduates have also gone on to have extremely successful careers in a variety of Universities including here at Royal Holloway, University of London, as well as at other institutions both inside and outside the UK.

The Department actively supports the placement of PhD students in external organisations that can enhance PhD research impact, employability skills, and knowledge exchange.

Fees & funding

Home (UK) students tuition fee per year*: £4,786

EU and international students tuition fee per year**: £18,200

Other essential costs***: There are no individual costs greater than £50 per item.

…How do I pay for it? Find out more about   funding options,   including loans, grants,   scholarships   and bursaries. 

* and ** These tuition fees apply to students enrolled on a full-time basis in the academic year 2024/25.

* Please note that for research courses, we adopt the minimum fee level recommended by the UK Research Councils for the Home   tuition fee. Each year, the fee level is adjusted in line with inflation (currently, the measure used is the Treasury GDP deflator). Fees displayed here are therefore subject to change and are usually confirmed in the spring of the year of entry.   For more information on the Research Council Indicative Fee please see the   UKRI website.

** This figure is the fee for EU and international students starting a degree in the academic year 2024/25.   

Royal Holloway reserves the right to increase all postgraduate tuition fees annually, based on the UK’s Retail Price Index (RPI). Please therefore be aware that tuition fees can rise during your degree (if longer than one year’s duration), and that this also means that the overall cost of studying the course part-time will be slightly higher than studying it full-time in one year. For further information, please see our  terms and conditions .

***   These estimated costs relate to studying this particular degree at Royal Holloway during the 2024/25 academic year and are included as a guide. Costs, such as accommodation, food, books and other learning materials and printing, have not been included. 

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Research degrees: anthropology and sociology.

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Key information

Home student fees (full-time) : £4,860 per year Home student fees (part-time) : £2,430 per year Overseas student fees (full-time) : £22,490 per year Overseas student fees (part-time) : £11,245 per year

Please note that fees go up each year.   See  research fees  for further details.

A BA and/or MA degree in Anthropology, with a merit or equivalent in the Masters Degree and a MA dissertation grade of 65% (UK) or higher. Applicants must provide a clear and coherent research proposal of 2000 words, plus one academic reference. In exceptional cases we may accept applicants who do not meet these criteria if they show evidence of a strong Masters degree and/or appropriate level of relevant work experience. International applicants should also see  Doctoral School English language requirements.

Course overview

A majority of our PhD graduates have embarked on an academic career, taking up lectureships in universities in the UK as well as abroad, or pursuing further their interests through post-doctoral fellowships and other research-based posts.

At the same time, SOAS anthropology PhD graduates have gone on to a range of occupations in the fields of social and market research, development organisations at home and overseas, international and national government and policy, heritage and museum services, journalism and in advisory services of many kinds.

Social anthropology is widely regarded by employers as an excellent training, equipping holders of the degree with a range of sought after skills. The MPhil/PhD offers graduates the opportunity to enhance their qualitative research skills and advance their expertise in their chosen field of study. Thus equipped, they are valuable not only for generating the empirical data required for reaching certain decisions, but also for providing the necessary critical tools that enable organisations to innovate and address the challenges of a fast changing world.

The SOAS PhD in Social Anthropology is recognized by the ESRC as both a +3 and 1+3 course. (See ESRC Scholarships  and MRes in Social Anthropology )

Research pathways

There are several possible research pathways available to research students in the department. These are:

• The +3 pathway
• The 1+3 pathway
• The 2+3 pathway
• The +4 pathway

The +3 pathway is our standard MPhil/PhD pathway suitable for candidates with an existing Masters-level degree in anthropology. Candidates are initially registered as MPhil students. For full-time students, the first year of registration includes research methods training and project development, culminating in upgrade to PhD registration. Subject to successfully upgrading, the second year is generally spent conducting fieldwork. The third year is spent writing-up.

1+3 pathway

The 1+3 pathway involves one year on our ESRC-recognised MRes Social Anthropology programme followed by three years on the MPhil/PhD programme. This pathway is suitable for candidates with an undergraduate degree in anthropology but no Masters-level training in the discipline. The dissertation for the MRes Social Anthropology constitutes the basis for the research report and fieldwork proposal required for upgrading from MPhil to PhD status. Consequently the upgrade process generally occurs early in the first year of the +3 part of the pathway and the student may expect to leave for fieldwork after about one term.

2+3 pathway

The 2+3 pathway is intended for those with an undergraduate degree in anthropology but who require additional intensive training in a designated African or Asian language in order to undertake fieldwork. It comprises the two-year MRes Social Anthropology and Intensive Language, followed by three years on the MPhil/PhD programme. As with the 1+3 pathway, candidates are able to upgrade and embark on fieldwork earlier in the first year of MPhil/PhD registration than students on the standard +3 pathway.

The +4 pathway is intended for students with an existing Masters-level degree in anthropology who require additional intensive language training in order to undertake fieldwork. The pathway comprises of a two-year fieldwork training period, including intensive language training, and the opportunity, where appropriate, for short pre-fieldwork familiarisation visits to expected fieldwork sites and/or in situ language training. Candidates are expected to upgrade to PhD status at the start of their second year of registration.

The above descriptions are based on full-time registration. Each of these pathways is also available on a part-time basis (e.g. the +3 pathway can be taken part-time over six years). Students on each of these pathways may also be eligible to apply for an additional year of writing up at reduced fee level on ‘continuation’ status.

As described, the expectation is that candidates for the above research degree pathways will already have training in anthropology at undergraduate or postgraduate level (depending on pathway). We recognise, however, that some candidates may have anthropological training without a formal degree in anthropology. Prospective students should contact the Director of Doctoral Studies to discuss their particular circumstances. Where candidates do not have sufficient anthropological foundation, they may be advised first to take one of our taught MA programmes (rather than the MRes Social Anthropology) in order to qualify for the +3 or +4 MPhil/PhD pathways.

For more information, contact the current Director of Doctoral Studies.

In the first year, every MPhil student is appointed a three-person research committee comprising a principal supervisor, a second supervisor and the Research Tutor. MPhil students attend the weekly Research Training Seminar and the Research Methods course, and they take relevant language training. MPhil students may also be required to take additional regional, thematic or theory courses related to their chosen specialisation. Upon successful completion of a 20,000-word research report and fieldwork proposal, MPhil students are upgraded to PhD status and commence fieldwork. The fieldwork experience forms the basis of a 100,000-word dissertation which should demonstrate original thinking and make a significant contribution to the discipline. During the post-fieldwork period, PhD students attend the weekly post-fieldwork seminar and have the opportunity to present their work in progress. MPhil and PhD students are encouraged to attend the variety of seminars and workshops that take place across the School.

Required courses

Students undertaking a PhD have a few requirements in their first year. They are required to take the Research Methods in Anthropology (15Cr) 15PANH091  course and attend the research training seminar each week. They are expected to attend the Departmental Seminar Series events (advertised weekly). They are required to write a Research Report and Fieldwork Proposal. They are required to submit an Ethics form. They will meet their supervisors at regular intervals. Generally, this will be fortnightly for full time students, however it may be appropriate to meet more or less frequently at different stages. Some supervisors may ask doctoral students to take additional modules in the first year of their PhD.

• Research Methods in Anthropology (15Cr) 15PANH091

All students enrolled in their first year of an MPhil/PhD are required to take and pass the assessments for this course.

Statistical methods for research

MPhil students are strongly encouraged to complete a not-for-credit online module, Statistical Methods for Research - Social Sciences run by Epigeum.

Alternatively, MPhil students can enroll for Introduction to Quantitative Methods in Social Research, a module for students with no prior knowledge of quantitative methods used in social research, available at SOAS and offered by the Department of Politics and International Relations.

Introduction to Quantitative Methods in Social Research

Research training seminar

The aim of this seminar is to help students prepare for their upgrade by thinking through what an anthropological research project should be about. The seminar has also the over-arching objective of supporting the students preparing their upgrade documents, fieldwork plan and ethics review. It consists of students’ presentations, workshop-style exercises and invited talks by members of staff as well as returning PhD students. In term 1, students will introduce their research topic and outline the objectives of their PhD research through collaborative work with their colleagues. In these presentations, students are expected to engage with the materials they are reading or viewing with the aim of an discussing the writing and presentation techniques involved. Questions to consider include: what makes good ethnography? What is an effective way of organising and conveying an argument? What are the boundaries of ethnography, and how have they changed, and continue to change? Student presentations in term 2 focus on questions of ethics and the practicalities of and the choices involved in fieldwork.

In addition to supporting the written work students do and the ideas they explore in their individual sessions with supervisors, the Research Training Seminars also aims to introduce and hone transferrable skills. These include the ability to compose and communicate both brief and more sustained seminar presentations, the skill to assess ethnographic writing and each other’s work in a productive manner; and the ability to contribute to discussions and the making of knowledge as a member of a group. The seminar provides a vital forum for students to recognise, discuss and evaluate competing theoretical positions and approaches and to consider different forms, techniques, and styles of ethnographic (re-)presentation and communication. All such aspects are aimed at contributing to the intellectual and organisational development of the upgrade report.

Other required courses

Some first-year research students may be required to register for specific courses and they must complete the coursework set by the teacher. This will have been indicated in their letter of acceptance to the research programme. If you fall into this category, your supervisor will remind you of your commitment and will follow your progress on the course, as will the Director of Doctoral Studies and with the Head of the Doctoral School.

Training needs analysis

All students complete an annual Training Needs Analysis by the end of October, via PhD Manager. The TNA is a conversation between a doctoral researcher and their lead supervisor at the beginning of each academic year, whereby both parties identify skill areas that need further development and make prioritised action plans from that year.

PhD Manager

Doctoral students use PhD Manager to record and request a wide variety of things, supervisors should be able to provide support if you are having any issues; however if they are unable to assist, then the Doctoral School should also be able to help.

Research report and fieldwork proposal

In your first year, as part of your degree, you will write a Research Report and Fieldwork Proposal of 20,000 words on a topic you have chosen and agreed with your supervisor. This is due at the beginning of term 3 of your first year and any late submissions must be supported by your supervisor and approved by the Director of Doctoral Studies. All students are expected to submit this report and be examined in a viva voce by the end of term 3. Late submissions may require delays in examinations and a delay to the upgrade from MPhil to PhD status. No student is granted permission to leave for fieldwork until they have been examined and a decision has been made about upgrading.

Dissertation

In your second year, you are normally expected to do twelve months of fieldwork based on your Fieldwork Proposal. Requests for longer periods of fieldwork must be approved by the Head of the Doctoral School and supported by your supervisor. On return from the field you will be expected to begin work on your PhD dissertation of 100,000 words. This dissertation must adhere to the University of London Regulations for Anthropology Degrees.

Part-time students

If you are a part-time, then, like all first-year research students, you must meet your supervisor at the beginning of the academic year to agree your training needs and define the appropriate mode for supervisory contact. It is normally advised that you take the Ethnographic Research Methods course in your first year; and you are expected to attend the Research Training Seminars in your second year. During the term, supervision will take the form of a mix of face-to-face meetings and email contact; face to face supervision tends to occur during the Christmas, Easter or summer break.

The majority of departmental seminars, and many subject-based seminars, are held throughout the week and in the evenings. Access to the library and computing facilities is possible during normal opening hours. Formal teaching and an increasing amount of subject-based research material is available via electronic resources available through the Library internet connection (including a growing number of specialist search engines by subject/region).

The variety of seminars you might like to attend at SOAS, and across London, is enormous, and you will need to be selective. The Anthropology Departmental Seminar meets on Wednesday afternoon and is a crucial element of the shared intellectual life of staff and postgraduate students. All first year students are expected to attend. Invited speakers will present work in progress, much of which should be at the cutting edge of anthropological research. There is also a regular PhD Post-Fieldwork Seminar given by students returning from fieldwork. While this seminar is primarily aimed at post-fieldwork students (and all post-fieldwork students in residence are expected to attend regularly), MPhil students are strongly encouraged to attend and participate in discussion.

SOAS hosts a variety of public lectures, conferences and seminars which are prominently advertised on the SOAS events page. SOAS staff usually belong to an academic department and a Regional Centre (some also belong to Special Purpose Centres). If you have a regional interest, then make a point early in the year of locating the relevant Regional Centre where you will find an information board displaying forthcoming meetings. Some Regional Centres also publish a Newsletter.

Outside SOAS you might want to explore the facilities of the University of London. The LSE, University College and Goldsmiths College have substantial anthropology departments and also run weekly seminars. Some of you might have specialist interests which make it worthwhile seeking out London University colleges concerned with higher studies in medicine, law, education etc. The possibilities are too extensive and varied to itemize here; if you have particular interests then ask a member of staff who shares your enthusiasms.

You might also consider taking out a Junior Fellowship of the Royal Anthropological Institute (RAI) which will include a journal subscription to Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute and Anthropology Today. Membership also includes access to the RAI library located in the British Museum, which also hosts seminars and film screenings.

Second and third year (and beyond)

The second year of the PhD involves fieldwork, and the third year involves writing up (100, 000 words). In the third year, it is expected that you will meet with your supervisor around once a month. As a post-fieldwork student, you will also be expected to give two seminar presentations in the post-fieldwork seminar in the third year of your course of study. This is an opportunity to get feedback on your work from other members of the department as well as from your fellow doctoral students. The aim of the third year is to help you complete the work or produce the large part of a first draft of the dissertation. Many students then seek a fourth year of study, or Continuation. All changes in status must be supported by your supervisor and approved by the Director of Doctoral Studies and the Doctoral School. For students to proceed to continuation status, they must submit to their supervisors for their approval a large part of a first draft of the thesis, equivalent to no less than 60,000 words, itself organised in separate chapters of solid ethnographic description and of good potential for making an original contribution to the discipline. During the writing-up period, your supervisor may encourage you to attend conferences and present papers outside of SOAS. In the last year of writing the dissertation, you should also start considering postdoctoral work and applying for fellowships and to job advertisements. Normally, your supervisor will guide you in preparing your applications, but it is your responsibility to identify opportunities and meet application deadlines.

Important notice

The information on the website reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session. The modules are indicative options of the content students can expect and are/have been previously taught as part of these programmes. However, this information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. 

Teaching and learning

MPhil/PhD students are expected to work independently for the most part. There are, however, certain requirements for the first year of the programme which all students are expected to fulfil.

• Fortnightly tutorials with your supervisors are the norm if you are full time, although there will be times when you will see your supervisor more frequently and others when you might need three weeks between appointments. You will also be required to attend and do the coursework for the Research Methods in Anthropology class in term 1 and the Research Training Seminar in both terms .
• In consultation with your supervisor, you may also decide to take a language course and you will be expected to follow classes and do the related coursework.
• Some students may be required to enrol on one or more MA core courses as part of their first year of study and to attend the seminars/tutorials, write essays and take the exams.
• Other students also may decide to audit BA or MA core theory lectures in anthropology, or special interest lectures in other departments which will require attending lectures only.
• Most courses involve a weekly one hour lecture . Please consult the timetable on the SOAS website for days and times. Once again, you will need to seek agreement from the convenor to audit a course.
• Post-fieldwork students (year-three students) are expected to meet regularly with their supervisor to discuss the work and progress of their PhD thesis.
• Following the fieldwork year, all students are required to present two papers in the Post-Fieldwork seminar . Throughout postgraduate studies, many students also participate in the student run workshops, reading groups and seminar series.
• The lectures for any courses you are required to attend or audit serve merely to introduce new topics, theories, and debates. Ideally, lectures serve as a basis and catalyst for your further reading and research into the subject. Please note, therefore, that lectures are not a substitute for your own independent reading and study which will be monitored by your supervisor.

Auditing courses in the Department of Anthropology

Students are strongly recommended to consider auditing some of the lectures for courses offered at undergraduate and postgraduate level in the Department. Particular mention should be made of:

• Theory in Anthropology (second-year BA core course)
• Concepts in Anthropology (A + B) (third-year BA course)
• Anthropology of Sustainability: Global Challenges and Alternative Futures
• Politics, Place and Mobility
• Diet, Society and Environment
• Medical Anthropology: Global Perspectives
• Medical Anthropology: Bodies and Cultures
• Migration, Borders and Space: Decolonial Approaches
• African and Asian Diasporas: Culture, Politics, Identities

Students are also welcome to audit other lectures at BA and MA levels within the Department, and are free to audit other lectures within the School with agreement from the course convenor. As a matter of courtesy, please ask the lecturer concerned whether or not your attendance will raise any problem in face of over-subscription or limited room space (especially for small lecture groups). Please note that auditing is possible for lectures but not for tutorial classes. Auditing a language is, therefore, normally precluded. Please also note that students cannot be examined in audited courses, nor is work set or marked.

Auditing courses in the University of London

Please note that auditing other courses at other colleges within the University of London is an option, but this must be recommended by your supervisor and approved. Auditing within the University of London can involve a course fee and, if you are not willing to pay this out of your own pocket, the faculty may elect to do so if an argument can be made for the necessity of the course. SOAS reserves limited funds for this propose, but applications must be supported with a supervisor’s reference.

Language classes

If you wish to apply for funding for separate language tuition offered outside SOAS, then this must be specified at the time of application. When you arrive, your supervisor must give their approval and help you make the application. For more information, please contact the Director of Doctoral Studies .

The precise coursework requirements for each course you take (rather than audit) are indicated on the course cover sheets which accompany reading lists. It is your responsibility to acquaint yourself with this information. Reading Lists will be distributed to students in the first week of teaching.

Coursework is an important part of your first year of study, not only because it contributes toward your overall mark for a course, but because it enables tutors to assess your grasp of the key concepts and principles introduced, and your ability to present them in argument. Perhaps more importantly, it is only through concerted study of ideas, developed understanding, and active problem solving, that sustainable (not just measurable) progress in your learning and comprehension can be achieved.

All courses involve at least an element of written coursework which is formally assessed. Essays must be properly referenced: the standard form of anthropological referencing is that used in the 'Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute (JRAI, previously Man)'.

Fieldwork awards

The Doctoral School has responsibility for Fieldwork Grant Funding from the Santander Mobility Allowance and University of London. A small amount of funding (between £500 - £1,000 per applicant) is available, though this amount will vary by the allocation we receive each year. Please see our  Doctoral School grants  for further details on deadlines and how to apply.

Post-field work seminar and student status

The work of writing the PhD dissertation is yours alone, supported, of course, by regular (normally monthly) meetings with your supervisor. As a post-fieldwork student you will also be expected to give two seminar presentations in the Post-fieldwork seminar in the third year of your course of study. This is an opportunity to get feedback on your work from other members of the department as well as from your fellow PhD students. The aim of the third year is to help you complete the work or produce the large part of a first draft of the dissertation. Many students then seek a fourth year of study, or Continuation. All changes in status must be supported by your supervisor and approved by the Head of the Doctoral School. For students to proceed to continuation status, they must submit to their supervisors for their approval a large part of a first draft of the thesis, equivalent to no less than 60,000 words, itself organised in separate chapters of solid ethnographic description and of good potential for making an original contribution to the discipline.

During the writing-up period, your supervisor may encourage you to attend conferences and present papers outside of SOAS (as noted above, some funding is available from the Doctoral School – please contact the Doctoral School Administrator) . You will also have available to you the various seminars and workshops run by the Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching Unit and the English Language Support should you feel that your writing, organisational or language skills have suffered during fieldwork or simply need to be honed. Further skills training will be offered to you via the School (IT for example) or the Bloomsbury group. You may also, if it does not interfere with the writing of the dissertation, be encouraged to prepare at least one journal article for publication. Students, whose work is progressing satisfactorily, may wish to acquire paid teaching experience as Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA) for undergraduate anthropology courses within the department. The Head of Department organises the GTA teaching each year and will ask your supervisor if your work is progressing before approving your application to do teaching within the department. Students are not allowed to do more than six hours of teaching a week.

In the last year of writing the dissertation, you should also start considering postdoctoral work and applying for fellowships and to job advertisements. Normally, your supervisor will guide you in preparing your applications, but it is your responsibility to identify opportunities and meet application deadlines.

Useful websites to search for postdoctoral funding

• Economic and Social Research Council
• British Academy

SOAS Library

SOAS Library is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources.

Scholarships

Fees and funding, fees for 2023/24 entrants per academic year.

Please note that fees go up each year.

Various sources of funding for training and research are available for Anthropology MPhil/PhD programme applicants, read more on funding your studies

Students from SOAS’ Department of Anthropology and Sociology develop an in-depth understanding of the world. Employers value our graduates’ cultural awareness and global perspective, as well as their skills in analysis, data interpretation and problem-solving.

Recent graduates have been hired by:

• Allen & Overy
• British Council
• Hackney Migrant Centre
• IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development)
• IOM- UN Migration
• New York Times
• Social Mobility Foundation
• United Nations Development Programme
• World Bank Group

Find out about our  Careers Service

SOAS Voices

Saffronizing Bollywood: How India’s Hindu right is controlling its prolific Hindi film industry

The Bollywood industry is commercially driven, so how has it been influenced by Hindu nationalist politics? For his MA dissertation at SOAS, Kaashif Hajee conducted fieldwork and interviewed prominent Bollywood figures to find out.

Fashion has a deadly reliance on oil. Are biomaterials the solution?

MA student Charlotte Cheal explores fashion's environmental impact, advocating for a shift away from oil-based materials to biomaterials and circular economy models to combat waste and promote sustainability.

What does it mean to care for the environment and each other?

MA student Bejal Desai explores the complex nature of ecological care and its potential to be co-opted or corrupted, particularly in contexts like greenwashing and colonial attitudes towards land.

The problematic history and ecological impact of the UK houseplant industry

MA student Francesca Nicol examines the colonial history and ecological impact of the houseplant industry, challenging the perceived 'green' image of houseplants.

A tale of two mines connected by legacies of imperialism

MA student Nina Stibling contrasts the post-mining landscapes of the Lausitz region in Germany and the Tsumeb mine in Namibia, highlighting the social and environmental injustices.

Neom: The true cost of Saudi Arabia's 100% renewable futuristic city

MA student Silas Lehane considers whether Saudi Arabia's 'The Line' is a 'revolution in urban living' or an example of greenwashing and humanitarian violation.

Collaborative Ethnographies of Parliaments

Exploring collaborative ethnographies of parliaments, politicians and people in Brazil, Ethiopia, Fiji, India, the US, and the UK.

Supporting research on parliaments in Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Myanmar

Creating interdisciplinary research opportunities and supporting research capacity development in Ethiopia, Myanmar and Bangladesh by funding a range of local projects

Ethnography as an approach for understanding parliament

Ethnography as an approach for understanding parliament and transforming working practices in the House of Commons.

Enriching fiction and film: Gambian youth and the Tablighi Jamaʻat

An investigation of the fate of the Tablighi Jamaʻat, a transnational Islamic missionary movement that originated in India, and using this knowledge to inform a best-selling novel.

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What do you want to do?

Find out about the research we do in sociology, communication and media.

• Sociology and Communication PhD

Find a supervisor

Mode of study

3 years full-time

6 months part-time

International   £21,260

UK   £4,786

Entry requirements

Research profile.

The Sociology and Communications group is a dynamic, international and globally respected community of researchers. Members are at the forefront of study into subjects as diverse as globalisation and social transformation, political communication, communication and social change; gender and sexuality, the body, human-animal studies, the senses and embodiment, race and ethnicity, the environment, urban space and cities, digital cultures, public communication, young people, rights and the global south; popular culture, comedy/humour studies, experimental multi-media, and sports studies. 

• Join an expert interdisciplinary community that publishes innovative and world-leading research addressing contemporary concerns and emerging social and cultural challenges.
• Be part of a thriving research culture where researchers have received regular grants from the AHRC, ESRC and British Academy.
• Benefit from our excellent multi-Supervisory teams to support your postgraduate study.
• Enjoy being part of a collegial and active research environment.

Find out about the exciting research we do in this area. Browse profiles of our experts, discover the research groups and their inspirational research activities you too could be part of. We’ve also made available extensive reading materials published by our academics and PhD students.  

Learn more about research in Sociology and Communications and Media Studies .

While we welcome a wide range of topics in the areas of Sociology & Communications, here is an example list of potential research topics that we would like to supervise:

• Digital antagonism, exclusions and discrimination
• Environmental Communication
• Popular communications and Social change
• Public sphere, deliberative democracy and free speech
• Public space and protest movements
• Surveillance and algorithmic profiling
• Creative industries, inequality and diversity
• Comedy, Identity and Society
• Intersectional Veganisms
• Transgenderism and ‘Transracialism’
• Reality Television and Ethnic Minority Girls
• Cities, urban change and place
• Sensory Sociology
• Culture, Space, Time and Cities
• Political economy of communication/media
• The digital revolution and social change
• The rise of the far-right and neo-fascism
• Radical social movements, the precariat and digital labour
• Democratisation and the clash of civilisations
• World-systems analysis
• Anarchist social thought
• Emergent Digital Media Technologies
• Film & Media History
• Globalisation and youth activism
• Children and international development
• Globalisation of education
• Science and society
• Urban Space and Experience

You can explore our campus and facilities for yourself by taking our virtual tour .

Our researchers create knowledge and advance understanding, and equip versatile doctoral researchers with the confidence to apply what they have learnt for the benefit of society. Find out more about working with the Supervisory Team .

You are welcome to approach your potential supervisor directly to discuss your research interests. Search for expert supervisors for your chosen field of research.

List of potential supervisors by theme

• Bodies, Space & Culture - Dr Monica Degen; Dr Sara De Benedictus; Dr Meredith Jones; Dr Sharon Lockyer
• Comedy Cultures - Dr Sharon Lockyer; Dr Simon Weaver, Hauke Riesch
• Environmental Communication - Dr Lesley Henderson; Dr Hauke Riesch; Dr Peter Wilkin; Dr Jingrong Tong
• Communications and Social change - Dr Lesley Henderson; Dr Sanjay Sharma; Dr Jingrong Tong
• Digital Cultures, Networks and Social Media - Dr John Roberts; Dr Sanjay Sharma; Dr Peter Wilkin; Dr Meredith Jones; Dr Monica Degen; Dr Jingrong Tong
• Race, Racism and Representation - Professor Sarita Malik, Dr Sanjay Sharma; Dr Simon Weaver; Dr Meredith Jones; Dr Paul Moody
• Approaches to political economy - Dr Peter Wilkin, Dr John Roberts, Dr Paul Moody
• The far-right, neo-fascism and the clash of civilizations - Dr Peter Wilkin, Dr Thomas Linehan (Politics)
• Radical social movements and the precariat - Dr Peter Wilkin, Dr Sara de Benedictis, Dr John Roberts, Prof Nicola Ansell
• The City, Public Sphere and Public Space - Dr John Roberts; Dr Monica Degen; Dr Peter Wilkin; Prof Nicola Ansell; Dr Gary Armstrong
• World-systems analysis - Dr Peter Wilkin, Dr John Roberts
• Anarchist social thought - Dr Peter Wilkin, Dr Rohn Roberts
• Emergent Digital Media Technologies - Dr Paul Moody; Dr Christian Stiegler (Journalism)
• Film & Media History - Dr Paul Moody; Dr Leon Hunt (Film & TV)

While we welcome applications from student with a clear direction for their research, we are providing you with some ideas for your chosen field of research:

• Design fictions, supervised by Joseph Giacomin
• Design for meaning, supervised by Joseph Giacomin
• Externalisation and Securitisation of Asylum and Migration, supervised by Ermioni Xanthopoulou

Research journey

This course can be studied 3 years full-time or 6 months part-time, starting in January. Or this course can be studied 3 years full-time or 6 months part-time, starting in October. Or this course can be studied 3 years full-time or 6 months part-time, starting in April.

Find out about what progress might look like at each stage of study here:  Research degree progress structure.

Research support

Excellent research support and training

The Graduate School provides a range of personal, professional and career development opportunities. This includes workshops, online training, coaching and events, to enable you to enhance your professional profile, refine your skills, and plan your next career steps as part of the Researcher Development Programme . The researcher development programme (RDP) offers workshops and seminars in a range of areas including progression, research management, research dissemination, and careers and personal development. You will also be offered a number of online, self-study courses on BBL, including Research Integrity, Research Skills Toolkit, Research Methods in Literature Review and Principles of Research Methods.

Library services

Brunel's Library is open 24 hours a day, has 400,000 books and 250,000 ebooks, and an annual budget of almost £2m. Subject information Specialists train students in the latest technology, digital literacy, and digital dissemination of scholarly outputs. As well as the physical resources available in the Library, we also provide access to a wealth of electronic resources. These include databases, journals and e-books. Access to these resources has been bought by the Library through subscription and is limited to current staff and students.

Dedicated research support staff provide guidance and training on open access, research data management, copyright and other research integrity issues.

Find out more: Brunel Library

Careers and your future

You will receive tailored careers support during your PhD and for up to three years after you complete your research at Brunel. We encourage you to actively engage in career planning and managing your personal development right from the start of your research, even (or perhaps especially) if you don't yet have a career path in mind. Our careers provision includes online information and advice, one-to-one consultations and a range of events and workshops. The Professional Development Centre runs a varied programme of careers events throughout the academic year. These include industry insight sessions, recruitment fairs, employer pop-ups and skills workshops.

In addition, where available, you may be able to undertake some paid work as we recognise that teaching and learning support duties represent an important professional and career development opportunity.

Find out more.

UK entry requirements

The general University entrance requirement for registration for a research degree is normally a First or Upper Second Class Honours degree (1st or 2:1). 

An interview will be required as part of the admissions process and will be conducted by at least two academic staff members remotely via MS Teams, Zoom, or face to face.

Applicants will be required to submit a personal statement  and a research statement. Please contact your proposed supervisor, where possible, to receive feedback and guidance on your research statement before submitting it. Learn how to prepare a research statement  here .   

EU and International entry requirements

If you require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK, you must prove knowledge of the English language so that we can issue you a Certificate of Acceptance for Study (CAS). To do this, you will need an IELTS for UKVI or Trinity SELT test pass gained from a test centre approved by  UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and on the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) list . This must have been taken and passed within two years from the date the CAS is made.

English language requirements

• IELTS: 6.5 (min 6 in all areas)
• Pearson: 59 (59 in all subscores)
• BrunELT : 63% (min 58% in all areas)
• TOEFL: 90 (min 20 in all) 

You can find out more about the qualifications we accept on our  English Language Requirements  page.

Should you wish to take a pre-sessional English course to improve your English prior to starting your degree course, you must sit the test at an approved SELT provider for the same reason. We offer our own BrunELT English test and have pre-sessional English language courses for students who do not meet requirements or who wish to improve their English. You can find out more information on English courses and test options through our  Brunel Language Centre .

Please check our Admissions  pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants. This information is for guidance only and each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Entry requirements are subject to review, and may change.

Fees and funding

2024/5 entry, international.

£21,260 full-time

£10,630 part-time

£4,786 full-time

£2,393 part-time

Fees quoted are per year and are subject to an annual increase.

Some courses incur  additional course related costs . You can also check our  on-campus accommodation costs  for more information on living expenses.

Brunel offers a number of funding options to research students that help cover the cost of their tuition fees, contribute to living expenses or both. Recently the UK Government made available the Doctoral Student Loans of up to £25,000 for UK and EU students and there is some funding available through the Research Councils. Many of our international students benefit from funding provided by their governments or employers. Brunel alumni enjoy tuition fee discounts of 15%.

Scholarships and bursaries

• Brunel Graduate Discount

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Sociology PhD

Key information, full-time - 4 years, part-time - 8 years.

Research brochure

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Why choose this programme

• The Department has an excellent reputation for its innovative and ground-breaking research. The Research Excellence Framework (REF) in the REF 2021, we were 9th for research that is world-leading and internationally excellent (4* and 3* research combined). Our research environment has been ranked 11th for Sociology.
• Our standing in league tables reflects our strong postgraduate community, diverse research centres, research training activities, and funding successes. We are proud to be ranked 6th in the UK and top 50 in the world for sociology in the Global Ranking of Academic Subjects (Shanghai Ranking) 2023 .
• Centre for Criminology
• Centre for Research in Social Simulation
• Centre for Research on Ageing and Generations
• Sex, Gender and Sexualities
• Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis .
• A number of academic journals are based in or edited from the Department.
• As a postgraduate researcher in the Department of Sociology at the University of Surrey, you will join a diverse community of full and part-time PhD students from the UK, the EU and around the world. Our PhD students play an important part in the life and culture of our vibrant and friendly department.
• We have a global reputation for our expertise in a wide range of research methods, from qualitative and ethnographic work to statistical analysis of large and complex data sets, and online research and social simulation. As a postgraduate researcher you will be offered the opportunity to undertake in-depth methodology training via a range of taught courses.
• As a department we are renowned for our applied approach, something reflected in the way we work in partnership with a range of private, public and third-sector organisations. These include the Ministry of Justice, the Home Office, the Environment Agency, the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Police Dependants’ Trust.

Frequently asked questions about doing a PhD

What you will study

Exactly what you'll study will depend on the topic of your PhD. We can supervise a wide range of areas relating to criminology, sociology, gender, and digital media and communications – please see the ‘ themes and facilities ’ tab for a full list.

The PhD programme centres on close individual tuition and guidance from your supervisory team, comprising a principal supervisor, a co-supervisor and, in some cases, an additional third supervisor. Supervisors offer advice, feedback and guidance on all aspects of the PhD process, as well as – where appropriate – on career and CV development, and research dissemination through publications and conference papers.

We formally review your progress twice a year, offering the opportunity for medium and longer-term research planning, the identification of training needs, and provision of CV and career advice. Progress reviews also offer you the opportunity to raise any queries, concerns or suggestions.

Close to the end of your first year, you will complete a PhD confirmation process in which you will receive detailed feedback and guidance on your work, from staff outside your supervisory team.

You will also attend a range of courses, workshops, seminars, conferences and other events as appropriate to your project. As well as offering training in research skills or different aspects of the PhD process, such events offer opportunities for you to present your work to one another, or exchange findings and ideas with staff or external speakers.

You will also have the option to take relevant modules from our MSc courses in your first year of study, to extend and deepen your field of knowledge.

Establishing a vibrant academic environment where PhD students develop supportive relationships with one another and with staff, is central to our approach. In addition to close one-to-one mentoring and tuition from supervisors, you will benefit from a range of bespoke departmental events.

Doctoral students can also attend the Department's day courses in social research and the extensive range of courses run by the  CAQDAS Networking project . There is also an extensive  Researcher Development Programme  run at university-level where you can benefit from the extensive central resources and research training opportunities provided by the University’s  Doctoral College .

Your final assessment will be based on the presentation of your research in a written thesis, which will be discussed in a viva examination with at least two examiners. You have the option of preparing your thesis as a monograph (one large volume in chapter form) or in publication format (including chapters written for publication), subject to the approval of your supervisors.

Research support

The professional development of postgraduate researchers is supported by the Doctoral College , which provides training in essential skills through its Researcher Development Programme of workshops, mentoring and coaching. A dedicated postgraduate careers and employability team will help you prepare for a successful career after the completion of your PhD.

You'll have access to an annual allowance to help with the cost of external conferences and other training events relevant to your work, as well as other research expenses. Doctoral students are able to apply for graduate teaching assistant roles and have access to training, to support them in developing their teaching skills.

Research themes

• Age and ageing
• Computational social science
• Crime prevention
• Criminology and criminal justice
• Digital media technologies and society
• Environment and sustainability
• Everyday consumption and food
• Families and parenting
• Gender and sexualities
• Health and illness
• Higher education
• Identity and difference
• Media and communications
• Methodological innovations and developments
• Race, ethnicity and migration
• Sociology of sleep
• Science and science policy
• Youth and youth cultures.

Our academic staff

See a full list of all our  academic staff  within the Department of Sociology.

Research areas

Research facilities.

PhD students have access to office space, a computer and a range of research tools and resources, from transcription equipment to data analysis software. The University Library offers access to extensive collections of physical and electronic resources to support research in sociology, criminology and digital media and communications.

Rosie Macpherson

Rosie Macpherson is a PhD student in Sociology. Here she describes the draw of the academics in the Sociology Department and how she has grown in confidence as a researcher and teacher.

Melissa Pepper

Before arriving at Surrey to study for a PhD in the Department of Sociology, Dr Melissa Pepper read Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Portsmouth, followed by an MSc in Social Research Methods at London South Bank University. Melissa was keen to pursue a career in academia – which, with the support of the team at Surrey, she was able to do.

Entry requirements

Applicants are expected to hold at least an upper second-class (2:1) UK degree in sociology or a related discipline.

International entry requirements by country

English language requirements.

IELTS Academic: 7.0 or above with a minimum of 6.5 in each component (or equivalent).

These are the English language qualifications and levels that we can accept. 

If you do not currently meet the level required for your programme, we offer intensive pre-sessional English language courses , designed to take you to the level of English ability and skill required for your studies here.

Application requirements

Applicants are advised to contact potential supervisors before they submit an application via the website. Please refer to section two of our  application guidance .

After registration

Students are initially registered for a PhD with probationary status and, subject to satisfactory progress, subsequently confirmed as having PhD status.

Selection process

Selection is based on applicants:

• Meeting the expected entry requirements
• Being shortlisted through the application screening process
• Completing a successful interview
• Providing suitable references.

Student life

At Surrey we offer the best of both worlds – a friendly campus university, set in beautiful countryside with the convenience and social life of Guildford on your doorstep.

Start date: October 2024

Start date: January 2025

Start date: April 2025

Start date: July 2025

• Annual fees will increase by 4% for each year of study, rounded up to the nearest £100 (subject to legal requirements).
• Any start date other than September will attract a pro-rata fee for that year of entry (75 per cent for January, 50 per cent for April and 25 per cent for July).

Additional costs

There are additional costs that you can expect to incur when studying at Surrey.

A Postgraduate Doctoral Loan can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate doctoral course.

Apply online

If you are applying for a studentship to work on a particular project, please provide details of the project instead of a research proposal.

Read our application guidance for further information on applying.

To apply online first select the course you'd like to apply for then log in.

1. Select your course

Select the course you wish to apply for.

To apply online sign in or create an account.

Code of practice for research degrees

Surrey’s postgraduate research code of practice sets out the University's policy and procedural framework relating to research degrees. The code defines a set of standard procedures and specific responsibilities covering the academic supervision, administration and assessment of research degrees for all faculties within the University.

Download the code of practice for research degrees (PDF) .

Terms and conditions

When you accept an offer to study at the University of Surrey, you are agreeing to follow our policies and procedures , student regulations , and terms and conditions .

We provide these terms and conditions in two stages:

• First when we make an offer.
• Second when students accept their offer and register to study with us (registration terms and conditions will vary depending on your course and academic year).

View our generic registration terms and conditions (PDF) for the 2023/24 academic year, as a guide on what to expect.

This online prospectus has been published in advance of the academic year to which it applies.

Whilst we have done everything possible to ensure this information is accurate, some changes may happen between publishing and the start of the course.

It is important to check this website for any updates before you apply for a course with us. Read our full disclaimer .

Course location and contact details

Campus location

Stag Hill is the University's main campus and where the majority of our courses are taught. 

University of Surrey Admissions

University of Surrey Guildford Surrey GU2 7XH

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Doctor of philosophy - mphil / phd.

Many of our students are eligible for a Postgraduate Loan of over £10,000.

Entry requirements

You will be required to have:

• a good honours degree from a UK university or equivalent (first or upper-second class), although applicants will usually tend to have obtained a master's degree before entry

Candidates with other qualifications are considered on their merits.

As a part of the application process, you are required to submit a research proposal outlining how you intend to investigate your topic of interest. In the proposal, you will need to clearly state your research questions, aims and objectives, as well as your review of the literature on the topic and the corresponding research design. The document needs to specify what your original contribution to the knowledge will be. You can find more information about the structure and content of the research proposal . Please note that your application cannot be processed without the proposal and you will be able to upload it, once you click 'Apply now' and start the application process.

The University only offers supervision to candidates if there is adequate available supervisory expertise in the area of the research project.

Accreditation of Prior Learning

Any university-level qualifications or relevant experience you gain prior to starting university could count towards your course at London Met. Find out more about applying for Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) .

English language requirements

To study a degree at London Met, you must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. If you require a Student visa (previously Tier 4) you may need to provide the results of a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. This course requires you to meet our standard requirements .

If you need (or wish) to improve your English before starting your degree, the University offers a Pre-sessional Academic English course to help you build your confidence and reach the level of English you require.

Modular structure

We have PhD students in all our Schools: the School of Art, Architecture and Design; Guildhall School of Business and Law; the School of Computing and Digital Media, the School of Human Sciences, the School of Social Professions and the School of Social Sciences.

Each PhD project is unique, and yours will be fine-tuned in consultation with the two supervisors dedicated to your research. Recent research areas include:

• Gujarati women in London learning English
• Putting the Syrian “Spring” in context
• Occupational stress in Malta
• Counter-terrorism in the UK
• The Left in West Germany
• The experiences of counselling trainees
• Childhood malnutrition in Khartoum
• Depression among black and ethnic minority men
• Smartphones and machine learning
• Managers and self-directed learning
• Leadership development in the hotel industry

This is in addition to many others across all schools and disciplines.

PhD study is self-directed. Students are allocated a supervisory team composed of a lead supervisor and at least one other supervisor. These are allocated on the basis of the candidate's application, research topic and interview. We only offer supervision to candidates when we have adequate available supervisory expertise.

What our students say

"The supervisory team was excellent - they had first rate knowledge and research expertise, were highly supportive and always willing to help. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at London Met and would recommend studying here for a doctorate."

Dr Deborah Butcher

Where this course can take you

Many people with an PhD become lecturers, teachers or researchers, but these are by no means the only destinations.

Depending on your discipline, you may go into industry (this is frequently the case for graduates in biological or computer science), the City (business and law graduates), public sector management and/or policy-making (social science and business graduates), international governmental organisations (social science and business graduates), the social professions or non-governmental organisations.

Many of our graduates are mid-career and use their degree for career enhancement in areas such as social services, education, counselling, health and social care, or diplomacy.

Distance learning

There is a distance learning option available. 

PhD by prior publication/output

The University will award the degrees of Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) to registered students who successfully complete approved programmes. All proposed research programmes will be considered for research degree registration on their academic merits.

A PhD by prior output allows students who don't have traditional qualifications but have produced research and developed their knowledge to a doctoral level to gain academic recognition.

The publications of the student must be accessible to scholars or other interested persons. The work submitted must have been subjected to peer review by the relevant academic community and also provide evidence of an independent, original and significant contribution to knowledge and critical judgement. All work should have been published in the last 10 years and be traceable in publicly available databases, catalogues etc.

Programmes of research may be proposed in any field of study, as long as the proposed programme is capable of leading to scholarly research. The written thesis may be supplemented by material other than written form, if special provision has been made and agreed.

What is the difference between the MPhil and PhD?

Research students at London Met can work towards a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). To obtain a PhD you’re expected to investigate a topic and make an original contribution to knowledge. At MPhil level, your research should represent an extension of existing knowledge, although the demands of originality and sustained enquiry are less than those required for a PhD.

Additional costs

Please note, in addition to the tuition fee there may be additional costs for things like equipment, materials, printing, textbooks, trips, fieldwork, specialist conferences or professional body fees.

Additionally, there may be other activities that are not formally part of your course and not required to complete your course, but which you may find helpful (for example, optional field trips). The costs of these are additional to your tuition fee and the fees set out above and will be notified when the activity is being arranged.

Important information for international applicants

Due to unprecedented demand for our courses for the autumn 2023 intake, international admissions are now closed for this course. Any future intakes that are already open to applications can be found in the fees and key information section of this course page. If no future intakes are available, please check back at a later date.

How to apply

Use the apply button to begin your application.

If you require a Student visa and wish to study a postgraduate course on a part-time basis, please read our how to apply information for international students to ensure you have all the details you need about the application process.

When to apply

September entry:

• Application deadline: 1 July (international applicants)
• Application deadline: 1 August (home applicants)

January entry:

• Application deadline: 1 November (international applicants)
• Application deadline: 1 December (home applicants)

Apply for this course

Please select when you would like to start:

Our research centres

Biological security research centre (bsrc), centre for communications technology, centre for life writing and oral history (clioh), centre for primary health and social care, child and woman abuse studies unit, cyber security research centre, global diversities and inequalities research centre, higher education research group, performance with purpose research centre.

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MPhil/PhD Programmes

There are over 400 research students at the Institute who come from a range of backgrounds including psychology, psychiatry, nursing, social work and basic sciences.

Our MPhil/PhD programme allows students to carry out research in any of our 14 departments and in a wide variety of areas;  from molecular genetics and biology, to neuroscience, neuroimaging, clinical research studies, psychological studies and new treatments; from longitudinal studies to clinical trials, bio statistics, epidemiology and health services research and transcultural studies. 

Please see their departmental webpages and online prospectus entries to see research options/areas currently being undertaken:

Is a PhD for me?

Our PhD students come from a variety of backgrounds, with a variety of qualifications and experience. Take a look at the following information and recent/current student profiles, to find out whether a PhD is right for you:

King's College London says:

• All candidates should usually possess the normal minimum entry qualifications for registration prescribed in the King’s  Core Code of Practice for Postgraduate Research Degrees . This is normally a 2:1 in a relevant field. 
• Candidates should possess an adequate level of English competence. Candidates for whom English is not the first language will be required to provide proof that they possess an adequate level of English competence . The minimum level accepted is an IELTS score of 6.5. Grade C or above in GCSE English is also acceptable. Candidates must also satisfy their appointment panel of their competence. 

The Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) says:

• It is useful to have a Masters degree, or related work experience in your chosen area of interest.  

EU and International students should check the list of equivalent grades for international qualifications . Please contact the  Health Schools Admissions Centre  for further enquiries.

If you wish to study full time:

• You will be expected to submit your thesis within 3 years.
• You are permitted to work part time, but students are expected to work on their PhD for 35 hours a week and we encourage any part time work to be agreed with your supervisors.

If you wish to study part time:

• You will be expected to submit your thesis within 6 years. 
• You are allowed to submit your thesis early (as early as 4 years) but this must be agreed with your supervisors and other conditions apply. Please contact the  Postgraduate Research Team  for more information.

The current fees for the 2022/2023 academic year are:

• Full time Home = £7,050 per year
• Full time Overseas = £26,640 per year
• Part time Home = £3,525 per year
• Part time Overseas = £13,320 per year

If you are a member of staff at the IoPPN you may be eligible for a discount on fees. Please contact the  Postgraduate Research Team  for more information. 

Please note that tuition fees are subject to an annual increase of up to 5%. For more information, see the Fees webpage.

Students can start in either October (when most students start), February or June. 

Students who are being funded by an external source should check whether there are any limitations on start dates.

If you are not able to self fund your PhD studies, then you will need to find funding from another source. 

The IoPPN offers a number of full time studentships on an annual basis, funded by the Institute itself, and partly by the Medical Research Council. These studentships offer students full payment of tuition fees for 3 years and a monthly tax free stipend for living. These studentships are for set projects. 

Individual academics and departments also offer full time fully funded studentships, on an ad hoc basis, if they receive funding themselves. These are also usually for set projects.

All funded studentships are advertised on our Studentships webpage.

If you have your own project in mind and would like to find funding, browse these links:

• Centre for Doctoral Studies Funding Database
• Research & Development Office
• Research grants office
• Medical Research Council
• Economic and Social Research Council
• British Council
• Government Loans

For more information on funding at Kings, please see the  Funding  webpage.

Student Profiles

Students take classes together in their first year and all have offices on the same floor, which makes it a very social and friendly place to study. It also means that students researching different areas of psychiatry, psychology, neuroimaging, and genetics are in constant contact, which helps to broaden your exposure to research. 

Students and staff alike are always keen to get involved in collaborative projects, whether small or large, allowing students to explore areas of interest outside those strictly relevant to their PhD. 

The PhD itself is usually very independent, driven by the student's own ideas and interests. These collaborations often also extend beyond the Centre, allowing for research and conference opportunities abroad. 

All in all, it's a great place to be!

I wanted to understand how pioneering brain imaging could lead to new ways for diagnosing the condition, and as a result, I applied for a PhD with Dr Andy Simmons at the Department of Neuroimaging. 

As a PhD student, the Institute has provided outstanding research facilities for postgraduate education and the provision of college organised training courses for personal development and teaching has been fantastic. 

I have enjoyed this experience so far, and benefited from excellent supervision in a friendly and stimulating research environment. 

The IoPPN has great research facilities and I'm really pleased that I have had the chance to study here.  

With Psychosis Studies being one of the larger departments at the IoPPN, I've found there are always lots of opportunities to attend relevant talks and seminars, including weekly Psychosis Studies meetings with internal and external speakers.

I am really enjoying being a student here and one of the best things is that you can create your own opportunities.  I set up a problem-based learning group to help students gain a greater understanding of magnetic resonance imaging, including the physics and basic analysis. They have been really well attended and the group has grown considerably since it was first stated.  I have also had the opportunity to be the student representative for Psychosis Studies and be a mentor to some MSc students too.

When I graduate, I would like to continue working in research as a post doc, working my way up the academic ladder to professor.

The Next Steps

• The Application Process
• Funded PhDs
• Contact the Postgraduate Research Team
• Covid-19 study update
• LISS CASE funded PhD studentship
• Our research
• Our connections
• Diversity & inclusion

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PhD in Anthropology and Sociology

Soas university of london, different course options.

• Key information

Course Summary

Tuition fees, entry requirements, university information, similar courses at this uni, key information data source : idp connect, qualification type.

PhD/DPhil - Doctor of Philosophy

Subject areas

Anthropology

Course type

Social anthropology is widely regarded by employers as an excellent training, equipping holders of the degree with a range of employable skills. The value and relevance of the discipline are evidenced by the great variety and distinction of careers SOAS anthropology graduates have embarked upon with success.

Anthropologists have a global perspective when they come to make career choices. The speed and ease of worldwide communication networks is expanding the need to understand and interpret the socio-cultural patterns, values and life styles of others. Social anthropologists therefore find opportunity in diverse fields including international business, information technology, the media, library and museum services, and tourism. The multi-cultural nature of modern society has triggered a need in many spheres for staff with a trained awareness of the socio-cultural norms of minority communities, and our graduates may be found throughout the education sector, health sector, local government, and in advisory services of many kinds. Increasing numbers work in the field of development at home or overseas, with UN agencies or non governmental organizations, and others work as freelance consultants. PhD students are encouraged to attend the variety of seminars and workshops that take place across the School.

Teaching & Learning

PhD students are expected to work independently for the most part. There are, however, certain requirements for the first year of the programme which all students are expected to fulfil. Fortnightly tutorials with your supervisors are the norm if you are full time, although there will be times when you will see your supervisor more frequently and others when you might need three weeks between appointments. You will also be required to attend and do the coursework for the Anthropological Research Methods class in term 1, Statistics course in term 2 and the Research Training Seminar in both terms. In consultation with your supervisor, you may also decide to take a language course and you will be expected to follow classes and do the related coursework. Some students may be required to enrol on one or more MA core courses as part of their first year of study and to attend the seminars/tutorials, write essays and take the exams. Other students also may decide to audit BA or MA core theory lectures in anthropology, or special interest lectures in other departments which will require attending lectures only. Most courses involve a weekly one hour lecture. Please consult the timetable on the SOAS website for days and times. Once again, you will need to seek agreement from the convenor to audit a course.

Post-fieldwork students (year-three students) are expected to meet regularly with their supervisor to discuss the work and progress of their PhD thesis. Following the fieldwork year, all students are required to present two papers in the Post-Fieldwork seminar. Throughout postgraduate studies, many students also participate in the student run workshops, reading groups and seminar series.

UK fees Course fees for UK students

For this course (per year)

International fees Course fees for EU and international students

Students need a BA and/or MA degree in Anthropology, with a merit or equivalent in the Masters Degree and a MA dissertation grade of 65% (UK) or higher. Applicants must provide a clear and coherent research proposal of 2000 words.

At SOAS University of London, postgraduate students are encouraged to challenge the status quo and think globally. SOAS is the leading higher education institution in Europe specialising in the study of Africa, Asia and the Near and Middle East. Postgraduate courses are taught by respected academics engaged in ground-breaking fieldwork and research. The work of researchers at SOAS influences both government policy and the lives of individuals... more

MPhil in Anthropology and Sociology

Full time | 2 years | 23-SEP-24

MA Social Anthropology

Full time | 1 year | 23-SEP-24

MSc Migration Mobility and Development

Ma anthropology of food, mres social anthropology.

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MPhil/PhD Social Policy

• Graduate research
• Department of Social Policy
• Application code L4ZA
• Starting 2024
• Home full-time: Closed
• Overseas full-time: Closed
• Location: Houghton Street, London

Social policy at LSE is about the development, design, analysis, and evaluation of public policies. We cover a wide range of policy areas including crime, education, migration, population, social disadvantage, inequalities, and social security. The issues underpinning our work are global in application. What determines the needs, rights, and wellbeing of citizens and non-citizens? What is, and what should be, the roles of the state, the family, the market, and civil society?

This programme offers the chance to undertake a substantial piece of work that is of publishable quality and which makes an original contribution to the field of social policy. You will begin on the MPhil, and will need to meet certain requirements to be upgraded to PhD status.

You will be offered supervision in a wide range of specialist topics and will become a member of a vibrant and exciting research community. You will have access to a full collection of UK, US and EU public documents, parliamentary papers and statistical data as well as use of cutting edge networked computer facilities dedicated to research students, in the Social Science Research Laboratory within the Department.

Alongside the PhD programme, students have the opportunity to access broad LSE resources such as the PhD Academy and audit courses across the School. The Department of Social Policy is also associated with research centres such as the International Inequalities Institute (III), Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion (CASE) and the Mannheim Centre for Criminology which students can be involved with.

Programme details

For more information about tuition fees and entry requirements, see the fees and funding and assessing your application sections.

Entry requirements

Minimum entry requirements for mphil/phd social policy.

The minimum entry requirement for this programme is an upper second class honours (2:1) bachelor's degree (or equivalent), plus high merit (65+) in a master’s degree or equivalent, preferably in social policy, or public policy and a high merit (65+) in the dissertation.

Competition for places at the School is high. This means that even if you meet our minimum entry requirement, this does not guarantee you an offer of admission. 

If you have studied or are studying outside of the UK then have a look at our  Information for International Students  to find out the entry requirements that apply to you.

Assessing your application

We welcome applications for research programmes that complement the academic interests of members of staff in the Department, and we recommend that you investigate staff research interests before applying. See Department People page .

We carefully consider each application on an individual basis, taking into account all the information presented on your application form. Your application must include:

-a CV - a personal statement - details of academic achievement (including existing and pending qualifications with transcripts) - 2 academic references - sample of written work - a research proposal of up to 4000 words with a title and abstract (300 words max) included at the beginning. More details on the  Department MPhil/PhD webpage

Your research proposal should give  details of the particular issue/problem to be addressed; relevant literature and previous research in the field; the theoretical/conceptual framework to be adopted; the proposed research question(s); and the planned research methods to answer the research question(s).  This will enable the Department to make an informed decision about the proposal and, equally important, to establish if there are appropriate supervisors available to supervise the planned research. Two supervisors are normally identified at this stage. Please include an abstract (300 words max) at the beginning of your proposal which clearly covers what you intend to research, including your methodological approach. 

See further information on supporting documents

You may also have to provide evidence of your English proficiency. You do not need to provide this at the time of your application to LSE, but we recommend that you do check  our English language requirements  for further information.

When to apply

The application deadline for this programme is 15 January 2024 . However, to be considered for any LSE funding opportunity, you must have submitted your application and all supporting documents by the funding deadline. See the fees and funding section for more details.

Fees and funding

Every research student is charged a fee in line with the fee structure for their programme. The fee covers registration and examination fees payable to the School, lectures, classes and individual supervision, lectures given at other colleges under intercollegiate arrangements and, under current arrangements, membership of the Students' Union. It does not cover  living costs  or travel or fieldwork.

Tuition fees 2024/25 for MPhil/PhD Social Policy

Home students: £4,829 for the first year (provisional) Overseas students: £22,632 for the first year

The fee is likely to rise over subsequent years of the programme. The School charges home research students in line with the level of fee that the Research Councils recommend. The fees for overseas students are likely to rise in line with the assumed percentage increase in pay costs (ie, 4 per cent per annum).

The Table of Fees shows the latest tuition amounts for all programmes offered by the School.

Fee status​

The amount of tuition fees you will need to pay, and any financial support you are eligible for, will depend on whether you are classified as a home or overseas student, otherwise known as your fee status. LSE assesses your fee status based on guidelines provided by the Department of Education.

Further information about fee status classification.

Scholarships, studentships and other funding

The School recognises that the  cost of living in London  may be higher than in your home town or country, and we provide generous scholarships each year to home and overseas students.

This programme is eligible for  LSE PhD Studentships , and  Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funding . Selection for the PhD Studentships and ESRC funding is based on receipt of an application for a place – including all ancillary documents, before the funding deadline.   Funding deadline for LSE PhD Studentships and ESRC funding: 15 January 2024

In addition to our needs-based awards, LSE also makes available scholarships for students from specific regions of the world and awards for students studying specific subject areas.  Find out more about financial support.

External funding 

There may be other funding opportunities available through other organisations or governments and we recommend you investigate these options as well.

Further information

Fees and funding opportunities

Information for international students

LSE is an international community, with over 140 nationalities represented amongst its student body. We celebrate this diversity through everything we do.  

If you are applying to LSE from outside of the UK then take a look at our Information for International students . 

1) Take a note of the UK qualifications we require for your programme of interest (found in the ‘Entry requirements’ section of this page). 

2) Go to the International Students section of our website. 

3) Select your country. 

4) Select ‘Graduate entry requirements’ and scroll until you arrive at the information about your local/national qualification. Compare the stated UK entry requirements listed on this page with the local/national entry requirement listed on your country specific page.

Programme structure and courses

You will attend a seminar series run by the doctoral programme director and are also encouraged to take courses in the Department of Methodology and in the Department of Social Policy as necessary. In the first year, you will register initially for the MPhil programme, and undertake specific training in research methods as required. In subsequent years, you will continue your research under the guidance of your supervisors, participate in seminars and present your work from time to time, by giving seminar presentations and conference papers.

In addition to progressing with your research, you are expected to take the listed training and transferable skills courses. You may take courses in addition to those listed and should discuss this with your supervisor.

* denotes a half-unit course

First year 

Training courses 

Understanding Policy Research (Advanced)* Optional   (not examined) If not already taken previously:

Case Studies and Comparative Methods for Qualitative Research*

Fundamentals of Social Science Research Design* Introduce the broad range of design options and to foster an appreciation of these alternatives for particular research objectives. Qualitative Research Methods* Prepares students to design, carry out, report, read and evaluate qualitative research projects. Students learn how to collect data using methods including interviewing, focus groups, participant observation, and documentary and historical work. Introduction to Quantitative Analysis* An intensive introduction to quantitative data analysis in the social sciences. The course is intended for students with no previous experience of quantitative methods or statistics. You will discuss with your supervisor any other methodological training that may be relevant for the successful completion of the MPhil/PhD programme. Transferable skills courses Compulsory (not examined) Research Student Seminar 1 Provides background sessions for MPhil/PhD students in their first year of study. It also provides the forum in which first year full-time and second year part-time MPhil/PhD students must present their work in advance of submitting their major review documents.

Optional (not examined) Relevant courses provided by the Library, Teaching and Learning Centre and Methodology Department.

Second year

Training courses Optional (not examined) Applied Regression Analysis* Focuses on deepening the understanding of the generalised linear model and its application to social science data. 

Multivariate Analysis and Measurement* Examines the  modern multivariate methods used in the social sciences, with particular focus on latent variable models for continuous observed variables, and their application to questions of measurement in the social sciences. 

Transferable skills courses Optional (not examined) Research Student Seminar 2 Provides background sessions for MPhil/PhD students in their second and third years of study. It also provides the forum in which first year full-time and second year part-time MPhil/PhD students must present their work in advance of submitting their third year review documents.

Transferable skills courses

Optional (not examined) Research Student Seminar 2 Provides background sessions for MPhil/PhD students in their second and third years of study. It also provides the forum in which first year full-time and second year part-time MPhil/PhD students must present their work in advance of submitting their third year review documents.

Fourth year

For the most up-to-date list of optional courses please visit the relevant School Calendar page.

You must note, however, that while care has been taken to ensure that this information is up to date and correct, a change of circumstances since publication may cause the School to change, suspend or withdraw a course or programme of study, or change the fees that apply to it. The School will always notify the affected parties as early as practicably possible and propose any viable and relevant alternative options. Note that the School will neither be liable for information that after publication becomes inaccurate or irrelevant, nor for changing, suspending or withdrawing a course or programme of study due to events outside of its control, which includes but is not limited to a lack of demand for a course or programme of study, industrial action, fire, flood or other environmental or physical damage to premises.  

You must also note that places are limited on some courses and/or subject to specific entry requirements. The School cannot therefore guarantee you a place. Please note that changes to programmes and courses can sometimes occur after you have accepted your offer of a place. These changes are normally made in light of developments in the discipline or path-breaking research, or on the basis of student feedback. Changes can take the form of altered course content, teaching formats or assessment modes. Any such changes are intended to enhance the student learning experience. You should visit the School’s  Calendar , or contact the relevant academic department, for information on the availability and/or content of courses and programmes of study. Certain substantive changes will be listed on the  updated graduate course and programme information page.

Supervision, progression and assessment

Supervision

You will be assigned a lead supervisor who is a specialist in your chosen research field, though not necessarily in your topic. You will also be assigned a co-supervisor/second supervisor. Lead-co supervisors guide you through your studies. During your first year you will attend and contribute to the Department's Research Student Seminar 1 and research training courses. These are designed to strengthen your methodological skills, language skills or background knowledge of specific topics related to your research. During your second and third years you will also attend and contribute to the Department’s Research Student Seminar 2.

Prospective candidates for the MPhil/PhD in Social Policy are not expected to contact potential supervisors in advance of their application. Identifying supervisors is part of the selection process. Due to the high volume of enquiries, potential supervisors are normally unable to provide feedback on enquiries and outline proposals.

Progression and assessment

You are required to undertake Major Review in the Spring Term of your first year (second year for part-time students). For Major Review you must submit a 10,000 word document with a detailed proposal for  your thesis, your research question(s), a literature review, a description of your methodology, your plans for data collection and analysis and a timetable through to completion. You are interviewed on this document by senior staff who make the decision on upgrading. 

Each pre-Major Review student is required to make a presentation on his or her proposed research to the Research Student Seminar prior to the submission of the major review document and to address issues raised by the Doctoral Programme Director. Post-Major Review, each student is required to submit a 1,000- to 2,000-word progress report at the end of the second year.

In the third year (full-time), each student is expected to make a presentation to the Research Student Seminar 2 of two substantive chapters/papers of the thesis prior to submission of the Third Year Review, which must be submitted at the end of the third year.

Third year students are expected to submit a Third Year Review document at the end of the year which should contain an introduction including the context of chapters submitted and an overall chapter outline, an outline of research methods, a minimum of two empirical chapters and a timeline to completion. The document is then reviewed by two senior academic from the Department who make a decision on re-registration. Continued registration depends on satisfactory progress each year.

Student support and resources

We’re here to help and support you throughout your time at LSE, whether you need help with your academic studies, support with your welfare and wellbeing or simply to develop on a personal and professional level.

Whatever your query, big or small, there are a range of people you can speak to who will be happy to help.  

Department librarians   – they will be able to help you navigate the library and maximise its resources during your studies. 

Accommodation service  – they can offer advice on living in halls and offer guidance on private accommodation related queries.

Class teachers and seminar leaders  – they will be able to assist with queries relating to specific courses. 

Disability and Wellbeing Service  – they are experts in long-term health conditions, sensory impairments, mental health and specific learning difficulties. They offer confidential and free services such as  student counselling,  a  peer support scheme  and arranging  exam adjustments.  They run groups and workshops.  

IT help  – support is available 24 hours a day to assist with all your technology queries.   

LSE Faith Centre  – this is home to LSE's diverse religious activities and transformational interfaith leadership programmes, as well as a space for worship, prayer and quiet reflection. It includes Islamic prayer rooms and a main space for worship. It is also a space for wellbeing classes on campus and is open to all students and staff from all faiths and none.   

Language Centre  – the Centre specialises in offering language courses targeted to the needs of students and practitioners in the social sciences. We offer pre-course English for Academic Purposes programmes; English language support during your studies; modern language courses in nine languages; proofreading, translation and document authentication; and language learning community activities.

LSE Careers  ­ – with the help of LSE Careers, you can make the most of the opportunities that London has to offer. Whatever your career plans, LSE Careers will work with you, connecting you to opportunities and experiences from internships and volunteering to networking events and employer and alumni insights. 

LSE Library   –   founded in 1896, the British Library of Political and Economic Science is the major international library of the social sciences. It stays open late, has lots of excellent resources and is a great place to study. As an LSE student, you’ll have access to a number of other academic libraries in Greater London and nationwide. 

LSE LIFE  – this is where you should go to develop skills you’ll use as a student and beyond. The centre runs talks and workshops on skills you’ll find useful in the classroom; offers one-to-one sessions with study advisers who can help you with reading, making notes, writing, research and exam revision; and provides drop-in sessions for academic and personal support. (See ‘Teaching and assessment’). 

LSE Students’ Union (LSESU)  – they offer academic, personal and financial advice and funding.  

PhD Academy   – this is available for PhD students, wherever they are, to take part in interdisciplinary events and other professional development activities and access all the services related to their registration. 

Sardinia House Dental Practice   – this   offers discounted private dental services to LSE students.  

St Philips Medical Centre  – based in Pethwick-Lawrence House, the Centre provides NHS Primary Care services to registered patients.

Student Services Centre  – our staff here can answer general queries and can point you in the direction of other LSE services.  

Student advisers   – we have a  Deputy Head of Student Services (Advice and Policy)  and an  Adviser to Women Students  who can help with academic and pastoral matters.

Student life

As a student at LSE you’ll be based at our central London campus. Find out what our campus and London have to offer you on academic, social and career perspective. 

Student societies and activities

Your time at LSE is not just about studying, there are plenty of ways to get involved in  extracurricular activities . From joining one of over 200 societies, or starting your own society, to volunteering for a local charity, or attending a public lecture by a world-leading figure, there is a lot to choose from. 

The campus 

LSE is based on one  campus  in the centre of London. Despite the busy feel of the surrounding area, many of the streets around campus are pedestrianised, meaning the campus feels like a real community. 

Life in London 

London is an exciting, vibrant and colourful city. It's also an academic city, with more than 400,000 university students. Whatever your interests or appetite you will find something to suit your palate and pocket in this truly international capital. Make the most of career opportunities and social activities, theatre, museums, music and more. 

Want to find out more? Read why we think  London is a fantastic student city , find out about  key sights, places and experiences for new Londoners . Don't fear, London doesn't have to be super expensive: hear about  London on a budget . 

Quick Careers Facts for the Department of Social Policy

Median salary of our PG students 15 months after graduating: £30,000

Top 5 sectors our students work in:

• Government, Public Sector and Policy   
• Education, Teaching and Research            
• International Organisations         
• Health and Social Care  
• NGOs and Charities

The data was collected as part of the Graduate Outcomes survey, which is administered by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Graduates from 2020-21 were the fourth group to be asked to respond to Graduate Outcomes. Median salaries are calculated for respondents who are paid in UK pounds sterling and who were working in full-time employment.

Recent doctoral graduates have pursued careers in academia, in the government and public sector, in research, consultancy, education and teaching, NGOs and charities.

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

Support for your career

Many leading organisations give careers presentations at the School during the year, and LSE Careers has a wide range of resources available to assist students in their job search. Find out more about the  support available to students through LSE Careers .

Find out more about LSE

Discover more about being an LSE student - meet us in a city near you, visit our campus or experience LSE from home. 

Experience LSE from home

Webinars, videos, student blogs and student video diaries will help you gain an insight into what it's like to study at LSE for those that aren't able to make it to our campus.  Experience LSE from home . 

Come on a guided campus tour, attend an undergraduate open day, drop into our office or go on a self-guided tour.  Find out about opportunities to visit LSE . 

LSE visits you

Student Marketing, Recruitment and Study Abroad travels throughout the UK and around the world to meet with prospective students. We visit schools, attend education fairs and also hold Destination LSE events: pre-departure events for offer holders.  Find details on LSE's upcoming visits . 

How to apply

Virtual Graduate Open Day

Register your interest

Related programmes, mphil/phd sociology.

Code(s) L3ZS

MRes/PhD International Development

Code(s) Y2ZI

MRes/PhD Political Science

Code(s) M1ZN

MPhil/PhD Social Research Methods

Code(s) L9ZM

MPhil/PhD Demography (Social/Formal)

Code(s) M9ZD

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Gender and Sexuality Studies MPhil/PhD

London, Bloomsbury

Gender and Sexuality Studies is an inter-faculty programme drawing on the unique breadth of disciplines for which UCL is renowned. The degree is offered by the Centre for Multidisciplinary and Intercultural Inquiry, and involves staff from the faculties of Arts and Humanities, Social and Historical Sciences, Laws, and Built Environment, together with the School of Slavonic and East European Studies and the Institute of Education.

UK tuition fees (2024/25)

Overseas tuition fees (2024/25), programme starts, applications accepted.

• Entry requirements

In the first instance, candidates should establish a dialogue with a potential supervisor before making a formal application. Admission is normally dependent on the submission of a detailed research project proposal.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 4

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website .

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

Research students can specialise in any aspect of gender or sexuality studies for which suitable supervision is available. Potential supervisors' disciplinary expertise comes from anthropology, architecture, development studies, education, geography, history, history of art, law, literary and film studies, queer studies, sociology and urban studies.

Who this course is for

This MPhil/PhD is for applicants with a strong interest in conducting multi-disciplinary research, who may have completed post-graduate training or study and want to develop an advanced critical analysis in a specific research area. The programme is for graduates with a background or interest in gender or sexuality studies which may include disciplines such as anthropology, development studies, education, history, literary or film studies. It is suitable for both recent Masters graduates as well as early or mid-career professionals.

What this course will give you

As a multi-faculty institution in the heart of cosmopolitan London, covering an exceptionally wide range of disciplines, UCL offers an ideal environment for gender and sexuality studies. Research students normally have a primary and secondary supervisor from different disciplines, so studying at UCL provides an opportunity to take full advantage of these interdisciplinary strengths.

UCL was the first British university to admit women on equal terms with men. Women associated with UCL have included family planning pioneer, Marie Stopes, novelists Stella Gibbons and A.S. Byatt, anthropologist Mary Douglas, architect Eileen Gray, crystallographer Kathleen Lonsdale and artists Rachel Whiteread and Paula Rego. Other former students were celebrated by UCL's Queer Tapestry exhibition; they include Jeffrey Weeks, one of the first UK academics and activists to write about sexuality from a sociological perspective.

Training programmes are designed on an individual basis by the student's supervisor, and generally involve participation in activities offered by the department of the primary supervisor. Students also take advantage of training provided by the UCL Doctoral School and participate in CMII research student seminars.

The foundation of your career

The PhD demonstrates the ability to produce original knowledge and ideas, to work independently and creatively on a substantial research project and to construct convincing and well-founded arguments. Links with the Gender, Society and Representation MA offer potential teaching assistant opportunities that provide valuable academic experience in skills development, planning and organising learning and teaching, facilitating group-based learning and evaluating student work.

Recent graduates have used their skills to work in various fields such as consultancy, publishing, teaching, research, public health and international relations. PhD candidates can choose Gender Studies or Sexuality Studies as the field of study on statements confirming the degree award; other options may be possible.

Employability

PhD students may go on to academic careers or careers in research. Gender is now an integral aspect of research and planning in a wide range of areas. The need to address different forms of discrimination has created a demand in both public and private sectors for highly qualified graduates with a broad theoretical background in gender and/or sexuality studies, a familiarity with equality issues from an intersectional perspective and a commitment to social change.

Supervision and mentorship is available from world-leading researchers from SELCS and CMII, with 83% of SELCS-CMII research activity being graded 4* ‘world leading’ and 3* ‘internationally excellent’ in the REF 2021. An additional benefit of studying at UCL is the opportunity to meet students from a wide range of national and disciplinary backgrounds. These links create valuable networking opportunities, both in the UK and overseas.

The interdisciplinary nature of the programme means that networking opportunities extend to the different contributing departments in which supervisors are based. Those working on gender-related themes can participate in UCL's Gender and Feminism research network; those working on sexualities, the UCL LGBTQ research network .

Teaching and learning

Research students undertake relevant induction sessions and can take advantage of the Doctoral Skills Development Programme. PhD students meet regularly in term time with their supervisors and may be offered opportunities to gain valuable teaching experience and participate in reading groups and conferences.

To successfully upgrade to a PhD you are required to submit a piece of writing (this is usually based on one chapter from your thesis and a chapter plan for the remainder). You are also required to present and answer questions about this work to a panel consisting of your subsidiary supervisor and another member of the Faculty who acts as an independent assessor.

PhD students should treat their research programme as a full-time job, which equates roughly to 35 hours per week, or 15 hours for Part-time students. Students agree to a timetable of regular meetings with the Principal Supervisor to effectively manage the progression of project aims. This is flexible, at some points it may be necessary to meet more or less often.

Full-time students can expect to meet supervisors every two weeks during the academic year, and part-time students every four weeks. If a student has external funding, they should also ensure they meet the Terms & Conditions of the funder.

Research areas and structure

Potential supervisors have a very varied set of research interests with a focus on different parts of the world in both contemporary and historical perspective. Their interests include nationalism and sexuality; gender and urban development in the Global South; contemporary gay and queer cinema; gender and sexuality in medieval and modern European and world literary or visual culture; feminism and social movements; historical, sociological and legal perspectives on intimacy, sexuality, care and the home; sexuality, migration and health; and cultural discourses of AIDS.

Research environment

Research students are encouraged to participate in research seminars across and outside SELCS-CMII including networks such as the Bloomsbury Gender Network. Students contribute significantly to the research environment through the organisation of annual conferences, and participation in seminars and online journals. Students can access special collections at UCL and other world-class libraries (Senate House and British Library) within walking distance of campus. As well as access to research support in the form of academic skills courses, student-led workshops and reading groups.

In the first instance, candidates should establish a dialogue with a potential supervisor before making a formal application. The length of registration for the research degree programmes is usually three years for full-time and five years for part-time. You are required to register initially for the MPhil degree with the expectation of transfer to PhD after successful completion of an upgrade viva 9-18 months after initial registration.

Upon successful completion of your approved period of registration you may register as a completing research student (CRS) while you write up your thesis.

In the first year, you will be required to take part in a mandatory Skills Seminar Programme. You are expected to agree with your supervisor the basic structure of your research project, an appropriate research method and a realistic plan of work. You will produce and submit a detailed outline of your proposed research to your supervisor for their comments and feedback and be given the opportunity to present your research to UCL academic staff and fellow PhD students.

In the second year, you will be expected to upgrade from MPhil to a PhD. To successfully upgrade to a PhD you are required to submit a piece of writing (this is usually based of one chapter from your thesis and a chapter plan for the remainder). You are also required to present and answer questions about this work to a panel consisting of your subsidiary supervisor and another member of the Faculty who acts as an independent assessor.

The length of registration for the research degree programmes is usually three years for full-time and five years for part-time. You are required to register initially for the MPhil degree with the expectation of transfer to PhD after successful completion of an upgrade viva 9-18 months after initial registration.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk . Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team .

Fees and funding

Fees for this course.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees .

Additional costs

Additional costs may include expenses such as books, stationery, printing or photocopying, and conference registration fees.

A student planning to undertake fieldwork outside the UK will have to find funding to cover the costs.

The department strives to keep additional costs low. Books and journal articles are usually available via the UCL library (hard copies or via e-journal subscriptions).

The wealth of departmental seminars / colloquiums / symposiums and student organised work in progress sessions give ample opportunities to present research, receive feedback and participate in discussion.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs .

Funding your studies

Applicants may be eligible for funding from the ESRC UBEL Doctoral Training Centre, AHRC London Arts and Humanities Partnership, Commonwealth Scholarship Commission or UCL Overseas/Graduate Research studentships. Anyone applying for funding will normally need a first class first degree from the UK together with a distinction in an already completed UK Master's degree, or equivalent qualifications from elsewhere. We expect similar levels of academic performance from all applicants, together with excellent written English (IELTS 'Advanced' level).

For information about available scholarships please visit the SELCS/CMII Funding and Scholarships website . For information about ESRC or AHRC funding, please visit the UBEL or LAHP websites, respectively. Anyone seeking funding must submit their UCL application by December (earlier than for other SELCS/CMII programmes), after first discussing their plans with the programme director.

Please note that no references can be provided for candidates for Commonwealth Scholarship Commission funding unless they have already applied and been accepted for this programme.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website .

Quirk PhD Scholarship

Deadline: 26 January 2024 Value: Fees and maintenance (3yrs) Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need Eligibility: UK

All prospective applicants must send the programme director an initial research proposal and curriculum vitae so that she can advise on who might supervise. Proposals should be 1,000-1,500 words long, with a title, an overview of existing scholarship related to the research aims and objectives, specific research questions and a indication of the methodology to be employed. They should be sent to the Programme Director.

Those wishing to apply for funding should contact the programme director in October and submit the formal UCL application by 1 December. Those wishing to apply for UBEL funding, however, should submit the UCL application by 1 November, since preliminary applications to UBEL have to be made by the end of November. 

We recommend that you apply in the autumn to start the programme the following September.

For more information see our ' Need to Know ' page.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2024-2025

Got questions get in touch.

Centre for Multidisciplinary and Intercultural Inquiry

[email protected]

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Loughborough ranked 3rd for Sociology in Complete University Guide 2025

Loughborough has been ranked 3rd in the UK overall for Sociology and Criminology in the Complete University Guide 2025. We have also ranked 1st for research quality in Sociology and 5th overall for Social Policy.

The league table is based on ten measures: Entry Standards, Student Satisfaction, Research Quality, Research Intensity, Graduate Prospects – outcomes, Graduate Prospects – on track, Student-Staff Ratio, Spending on Academic Services, Spending on Student Facilities, and Continuation.

Head of the Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy Department Professor Line Nyhagen commented: “We are delighted to once again be ranked so highly for our sociology and Criminology programmes. We pride ourselves on our student experience and the quality of our research, so we are thrilled to be recognised for this in these results.”

The Complete University Guide rankings can be found  here . Further information about Loughborough’s success in the rankings can be found here.

Discover some of the opportunities in the department of Criminology, Sociology and Social Policy offered at Loughborough here.