social science research phd

Social Science MPhil/PhD

London, Bloomsbury

This is the programme information for 2025 entry

If you require details of the previous year's programme, Social Science MPhil/PhD (2024), click here

The MPhil/PhD at the Social Research Institute provides a route for students to carry out their own research project within a multidisciplinary and multi-method environment. Our research students engage with the academic community within UCL and benefit from a comprehensive research training programme. This programme is available to study both face-to-face and online.

UK tuition fees (2025/26)

Overseas tuition fees (2025/26), programme starts, applications accepted.

• Entry requirements

The normal minimum requirement is a Master’s degree from a UK university in a subject appropriate to the programme to be followed, or a qualification of equivalent standard appropriate to the programme to be followed awarded by a university (or educational institution of university rank) outside the UK. The majority of our successful applicants hold a Merit at Master’s level, and may have additional relevant experience.

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

The Social Research Institute is one of the largest multidisciplinary social science research and teaching centres in London. Our staff include sociologists, psychologists, social scientists and economists. We have research-active staff able to supervise research in our key areas of expertise.

Who this course is for

We welcome candidates who have a commitment to social research. They are expected to identify two potential supervisors prior to applying.

What this course will give you

IOE is a world-leading centre for research in education and related social science. We host the UK's largest doctoral cohort in these areas. We are home to many prestigious research centres and projects. In the QS World University Rankings by Subject (2024), the Institute was ranked first for education for the eleventh year running, ahead of Harvard, Stanford, Oxford and Cambridge. In the UK's recent Research Excellence Framework (2021), we were ranked first for research strength and research power in Education, according to the Elsevier REF 2021 Results Analysis Tool. We attract extensive research funding each year and host many prestigious research centres and projects.

Doctoral students at IOE have access to the wider UCL community as well as the education cluster constituting the ESRC  UBEL Doctoral Training Partnership . The Institute's programme has been designed to provide comprehensive and broadly based research training and to meet the requirements of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and the UK Researcher Development Framework.

Students are able to engage in a unique area of research and make an 'original contribution to knowledge'. As part of a vibrant research culture, they work with supervisors and peers, helping to develop new responses to local, national and global challenges.

The foundation of your career

Students develop general and specialist skills in research methodology, academic writing and presentation, as well as experience of engaging with a wide range of practitioners across different social science sectors.

Employability

Social Science doctoral graduates are found in a variety of occupational fields and a wide range of career paths including social research, media research, marketing research, human resources, government, health, policy development, charities, education, NGOs, youth work and managerial posts in business and retail.

The Social Research Institute has a wide range of research seminars where students can join discussion of our ongoing projects, and IOE is the base for national and international conferences. The Centre for Doctoral Education holds two annual conferences for doctoral students. There are also opportunities for students to offer specialist reading groups and workshops and to act as facilitators on courses within the research training programme.

Teaching and learning

Our PhD students work closely with a principal supervisor and subsidiary supervisors. At SRI, we have expertise on a wide range of topics. Students will have opportunities to engage in research activities and seminars. In addition, the UCL Doctoral School also offers a range of skills development courses for PhD students.

In addition to UCL's Doctoral Skills Development Programme, IOE's Centre for Doctoral Education provides a comprehensive Research Training Programme.

The Core Course aims to meets the needs of early stage doctoral students.

There is also a wide range of introductory, advanced methods, advanced theoretical, and generic academic skills courses, as well as student-led workshops and reading groups.

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) consists of a piece of supervised research, normally undertaken over a period of three years full-time or five years part-time. Assessment is by means of a thesis, which should demonstrate your capacity to pursue original research based upon a good understanding of the research techniques and concepts appropriate to the discipline. It must also represent a distinct and significant contribution to the subject, whether through the discovery of new knowledge, the connection of previously unrelated facts, the development of new theory, or the revision of older views. It should reflect the exercise of critical judgement with regard to both your own work and that of other scholars in the field.

For those who decide not to pursue the full PhD, or are unable to do so, the degree of Master of Philosophy (MPhil) consists of a piece of supervised research, normally undertaken over a period of three years full-time or five years part-time. Assessment is by means of a thesis, which should represent a contribution to the subject, either through a record of your original work or a critical and ordered exposition of existing knowledge.

You must ensure you have adequate time to devote to this research, at least six hours a day (2-3 days a week part time).

Research areas and structure

Our expertise at the Social Research Institute covers the following specialising fields:

• Children’s rights and advocacy; childhood studies; child development; children in care; maternal and child health; reproductive health; health behaviours; health promotion
• Families; family formation; parenting; work and family life; fatherhood; motherhood; food practices
• Gender; sexualities and intimate lives
• Longitudinal analysis; cohort studies cross-cohort and international comparisons
• Lifecourse transitions; intergenerational studies; demography; youth and young adulthood
• Social inequalities; intergenerational and intragenerational social mobility 
• Education; skills and employment; labour market behaviour
• Migration; transnational families; sociology of religion; culture and ethnicity
• Cultural and social psychology
• Political sociology and the study of social movements
• Advanced qualitative and quantitative methods; mixed methods and visual methods
• Systematic reviews of research evidence; study of how research evidence is used in policy, practice and decision making 
• Time use research; time use data to study social life, gender, work/family balance, family and economics

Research environment

The Social Research Institute (SRI) is one of the leading centres in the UK for multidisciplinary teaching and research in the social sciences. With more than 180 academic, research and professional staff, we work to advance knowledge and inform policy in areas including gender, families, education, employment, migration, inequalities, public health, health and child/adult wellbeing. At SRI, our postgraduate research students from all over the world work alongside supervisory teams, staff and current students. Students work closely with their supervisor(s) to develop each stage of research; supervisors also help put together a programme of additional courses and activities to support progress towards completion of the final thesis. We offer a wide range of seminars and teaching opportunities. As research students, you will have opportunities to organise your own reading groups, workshops, and seminars, working with other research students in other departments in IOE and UCL.

In addition to the campus-based mode, we offer the option to study online in a distance-learning mode. Choosing the distance-learning mode means that there are no residency requirements and it is not necessary to attend during doctoral study, the viva examination take place in-person at UCL or online. However, you are welcome to visit and use campus facilities including the library, attend seminars etc. In the first year of full-time study (and first two years of part-time study), distance learners take a series of compulsory research methods modules that are studied online. This typically involves provision of materials (articles, eBooks, videos etc.), forums to facilitate discussion of various tasks, and synchronous sessions to discuss the activities. Alongside these you will work with your supervisors on your research (e.g., using Teams/Zoom and email). In addition, there are other resources and training opportunities to support distance-learning students, e.g., sessions to develop generic skills.

The length of registration for the research degree programmes is 3 years for full-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.

The Centre for Doctoral Education at IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society provides an extensive Research Training Programme. A mandatory core course is provided that aims to meet the needs of early-stage doctoral students. There is also a wide range of introductory, advanced methods, advanced theoretical, and generic non-credit bearing academic skills courses, as well as student led workshops and reading groups which you can attend.

Full-time MPhil/PhD students are required to fulfil minimum 20 ‘points’ of training activity in their first year, and are encouraged to fulfil the same in their subsequent years of study. This training can be selected from the UCL Doctoral Skills Development Programme, IOE faculty’s Research Training Programme, the multi-institutional Bloomsbury Postgraduate Skills Network, and from other sources. Each point is worth approximately a half-day of face-to-face training, or an online equivalent. Other activities such as attending and presenting at conferences also count towards research training. Students may undertake additional training beyond these minima, as relevant to their research and/or as agreed with their supervisors.

You are expected to upgrade from MPhil to PhD status towards the end of your first year of study if full-time. Students whose performance is satisfactory will transfer from MPhil to PhD status.

Processes aimed at assisting you during your course of study include the Research Student Log (an online project management tool), and periodic reviews of students’ progress.

Upon successful completion of your approved period of registration you may, if necessary, register as a completing research status (CRS) student while you finish writing your thesis.

The length of registration for the research degree programmes is 5 years for part-time.

IOE Centre for Doctoral Education provides an extensive Research Training Programme. A mandatory core course is provided that aims to meet the needs of early-stage doctoral students. There is also a wide range of introductory, advanced methods, advanced theoretical, and generic non-credit bearing academic skills courses, as well as student led workshops and reading groups which you can attend.

Part-time students are required to fulfil minimum 12 ‘points’ of training activity in each year of study. This training can be selected from the UCL Doctoral Skills Development Programme, IOE faculty’s Research Training Programme, the multi-institutional Bloomsbury Postgraduate Skills Network, and from other sources. Each point is worth approximately a half-day of face-to-face training, or an online equivalent. Other activities such as attending and presenting at conferences also count towards research training. Students may undertake additional training beyond these minima, as relevant to their research and/or as agreed with their supervisors.

You are expected to upgrade from MPhil to PhD status at around 18 months if part-time. Students whose performance is satisfactory will transfer from MPhil to PhD status.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble . Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services 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

Students are responsible for covering any travel, accommodation, and other expenses involved in conducting research for their thesis and should account for these costs when planning their finances.

UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide .

Funding your studies

UCL's Research Excellence Scholarships (RES) are available annually to prospective and existing UCL research students from any country: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/scholarships/research-excellence-scholarship . The UCL, Bloomsbury and East London Doctoral Training Partnership offers studentships annually. More information is found here: https://ubel-dtp.ac.uk/

UBEL, RES and other funding programmes are not available to online and non-resident students.

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

Applications for this programme are accepted throughout the year. It is highly recommended that students start their programme at the beginning of the academic year (usually the end of September-beginning of October). Two supervisors must be identified and agreed upon prior to submitting a formal application. To identify potential supervisors, check the areas of research interest of staff from the departmental staff lists https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/departments-and-centres/departments/ucl-social-research-institute/

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: 2025-2026

Year of entry: 2024-2025, got questions get in touch.

Social Research Institute

[email protected]

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Social Science PhD Program

Where Interdisciplinary Scholarship Produces Innovative Solutions

At the heart of a Maxwell education is the fundamental belief that analyzing and developing measurable solutions to today’s complex challenges requires both disciplinary excellence and interdisciplinary cross-pollination of ideas. 

Since its founding in 1946, our interdisciplinary social science Ph.D. program has been a leading center for innovative scholarship for students whose intellectual interests do not easily fit within the confines of a single social science discipline. With guidance from the social science Ph.D. chair, social science doctoral students develop their own programs of interdisciplinary study, incorporating social theory and research methods from Maxwell’s highly regarded social science and professional programs, including:

• anthropology,
• international relations,
• political science,
• public administration and

our alumni hold a broad range of academic, research and leadership roles

we offer the only interdisciplinary social science Ph.D. program in the country

determine the mix of disciplines appropriate for your unique research interests

One degree, many paths

The Ph.D. in social science prepares students to undertake a broad range of careers including college and university research and teaching, non-academic research, consulting, public service, organizational administration, and institutional leadership.

Notable Alumni

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Olga Boichak

Diane lyden murphy, gearoid millar, deborah alexander, priti ramamurthy.

Professor, Gender, Women & Sexuality Studies, University of Washington

Nicholas Armstrong

Innovative scholarship, diverse viewpoints.

I am Maxwell.

I took urban anthropology and urban geography and urban sociology. I studied with some extraordinary people, and the degree that I got gave me such a broad, interesting education. Whether I was jumping into solving the New York City fiscal crisis or sitting over at HHS trying to figure out how we were going to straighten out a very complex Medicare system, all of that came out of very good training.”

Donna Shalala M.A., PH.D. (SOCIAL SCIENCE) Former: U.S. Representative (FL-27); president and CEO Clinton Foundation; president, University of Miami; U.S. Secretary, HHS

Read our story “Freshman Rep From Florida”

Graduate students will conduct cutting edge research alongside faculty mentors and in Maxwell's 15 research centers.

Doctorate in Human Development and Social Policy

• Graduate & Professional
• Human Development and Social Policy
• PhD in Human Development & Social Policy

About the Program

The Human Development and Social Policy (HDSP) doctoral program is grounded in the study of relations between public policy and human development. Faculty and students conduct research on how public policy affects human development and well-being, how research on human development across the life span informs policy, and how people affect policy.

• Info session

Core Themes

Positive trajectories and transitions.

• Study of human development and intergenerational issues spanning across children, adolescents, and adults  
• Promote positive developmental trajectories and transitions across the life span.

Inequality Reduction

• Understand and reduce economic, education and health inequalities.
• Recognize and interrogate existing systems of inequality and its impact on communities through our roles and research.

Social Policy Implementation

• Examine how policies are developed, how they change incentives and infrastructures, and how they interact with contextual factors to influence behavior.
• Evaluate how people affect policy through public opinion, civic engagement, political participation, policy implementation and research.

Multidisciplinary Research

• Answer big questions by drawing from multiple disciplines: anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, sociology, and more.
• Employ multiple research methods, combining various quantitative and qualitative approaches to create cutting-edge social science research designs.

Curriculum Overview

Course work in the Human Development and Social Policy (HDSP) doctoral program includes a core curriculum and electives.

View Curriculum

Our Students

HDSP students are prepared through course work, participation in a vibrant community of scholars and active engagement in faculty research to conduct multidisciplinary research that combines cutting-edge empirical research methodologies.

“ Having experience collaborating and communicating across the different traditional disciplines represented within HDSP was also incredibly valuable as I searched for policy jobs after grad school.”

Human Development and Social Policy at Northwestern

Explore the breadth of academic courses offered in the curriculum.

Contact Human Development and Social Policy

Phone Number: 847-491-4329 

Email: [email protected]

Physical Address: Walter Annenberg Hall 2120 Campus Drive Evanston, IL 60208

• Doctoral Programs
• Programs of Study
• Joint/Dual Doctoral Programs
• Masters Programs
• Joint/Dual Masters Programs
• MA and PhD Certificates
• Joint BA/MA Degrees
• Undergraduate Programs

Doctoral research is the culmination of graduate study, marking a transition from taking courses to becoming an independent scholar and doing original and significant work. The Division of the Social Sciences offers PhD programs in 10 programs as well as opportunities for joint degrees with other divisions and professional schools at the University of Chicago.

Anthropology Comparative Human Development Conceptual and Historical Studies of Science Economics History Political Economy (in partnership with the Harris School) Political Science Psychology Social Thought Sociology

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Doctoral Degree Programs

The PhD program in the Department of Sociology at Stanford offers rigorous training in sociological knowledge and research methods, and prepares students to embark on successful professional careers in sociology.  Our program prides itself on world-renowned faculty, cutting-edge research programs, and close interactions between faculty and students.

Through coursework, workshops, research assistantships, and teaching assistantships, students work closely with faculty members to develop research skills and experience and gain expertise in the substantive areas of sociology.  In collaboration with Stanford Law School, as well as other research programs on campus, we offer a JD/PhD joint degree and a multidisciplinary environment for students to pursue their intellectual interests in different areas.

Finalists for the Knight Hennessy scholarships work with Stanford lecturers. Photo credit: Linda A. Cicero / Stanford News Service

Knight-Hennessy Scholars

The Knight-Hennessy Scholars  develops a community of future global leaders to address complex challenges through collaboration and innovation. Each year, up to 100 students are awarded with funding to pursue any graduate degree at Stanford and participate in an experiential leadership development program that emphasizes collaboration and innovation. Citizens of any country may apply. Visit  khs.stanford.edu  to learn more.

MPhil/PhD Social Research Methods

Introduction.

Through this programme, you'll expand your expertise and creativity in developing and applying rigorous social research methodologies. By doing so, you'll contribute to tackling important intellectual and social problems in your substantive area of interest.

Throughout your studies, you’ll benefit from our interdisciplinary expertise in areas such as political science, statistics, sociology, social psychology, anthropology and criminology.

Alongside your research, you’ll have the chance to complete training in research design, computational, quantitative and qualitative methods. You’ll begin your studies on the MPhil and move on to the PhD (subject to certain requirements).

We support both qualitative and quantitative research, as well as novel combinations of the two approaches.

We encourage you to apply if you want to work on a research project that applies established methodological approaches rigorously in new contexts, and/or that contributes to methodological developments.

Entry requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this programme is an upper second class honours (2:1) degree and a merit in an MSc broadly similar to the MSc Social Research Methods, or equivalent.

Please select your country from the dropdown list below to find out the entry requirements that apply to you.

English language requirements

The English language requirement for this programme is Research . Read more about our English language requirements .

Competition for places at LSE is strong. So, even if you meet the minimum entry requirements, this does not guarantee you an offer of a place.

However, please don’t feel deterred from applying – we want to hear from all suitably qualified students. Think carefully about how you can put together the strongest possible application to help you stand out from other students.

Programme content

In addition to progressing with your research, you're expected to take a selection of training and transferable skills courses. You'll discuss with your supervisor whether the first year courses you take will be examined. You may take courses in addition to those listed, and should discuss this with your supervisor. The courses you take may also include ones from other institutes or departments at LSE, dependent on your needs.

A selection of training courses from an approved list

Department of methodology seminar.

In addition to the research seminar, you'll take transferable skills courses.

At the end of your second year (full-time), you'll need to satisfy certain requirements and if you meet these, will be retroactively upgraded to PhD status.

Programme regulations at LSE

For the latest list of courses, please go to the relevant School Calendar page .

A few important points you’ll need to know:

We may need to change, suspend or withdraw a course or programme of study, or change the fees due to unforeseen circumstances. We’ll always notify you as early as possible and recommend alternatives where we can.

The School is not liable for changes to published information or for changing, suspending or withdrawing a course or programme of study due to events outside our control (including a lack of demand, industrial action, fire, flooding or other damage to premises).

Places are limited on some courses and/or subject to specific entry requirements so we cannot therefore guarantee you a place.

Changes to programmes and courses may be made after you’ve accepted your offer of a place – normally due to global developments in the discipline or student feedback. We may also make changes to course content, teaching formats or assessment methods but these are always made to improve the learning experience.

For full details about the availability or content of courses and programmes, please take a look at the School’s  Calendar , or contact the relevant academic department.

Some major changes to programmes/courses are posted on our  updated graduate course and programme information page .

Why study with us

Discover more about our students and department.

Meet the department

The department is an internationally recognised centre of excellence in social science research methodology.

We offer postgraduate programmes in social research methods, applied social data science and demography, welcoming around 80 students each year.

As a department, we also provide training for thousands of students and staff across LSE on research design, qualitative, quantitative and computational methods. From workshops on computer programming and methods-related software through to short courses, we want to ensure that students and staff have the expertise to maintain the School’s excellence in social scientific research.

The department has a vibrant and collaborative ethos. We’re proud to have won the 2023 LSE SU Teaching Award for Departmental Excellence – based on student nominations.

Our teaching team include leading researchers in sociology, political science, international relations, anthropology, economics, psychology, criminology, and statistics. We also work closely with colleagues in the departments of Statistics and Mathematics on interdisciplinary topics, such as the social applications of data science.

Our aim is to make the School the pre-eminent centre for methodological training in the social sciences.

Department of Methodology

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Your application, when to apply.

We welcome applications for research programmes that complement the academic interests of our staff at LSE. For this reason, we recommend that you take a look at our  staff research interests  before applying.

We encourage prospective students to email their proposals to potential supervisors before applying to gauge their interest. Browse our list of potential supervisors for MPhil/PhD Social Research Methods under "academic staff" .

We carefully consider each application and take into account all the information included on your form, such as your:

• academic achievement (including existing and pending qualifications)
• statement of academic purpose
• outline research proposal
• sample of written work.

See further information on supporting documents .

You may need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency. See our English language requirements .

Please note that LSE allows part-time PhD study only under limited circumstances . If you wish to study part-time, you should mention this (and the reasons for it) in your statement of academic purpose, and discuss it at interview if you're shortlisted.

Research proposal requirements

The Department of Methodology requires you to submit a proposal summarising and justifying your proposed research, to be attached to your formal application. This will provide the selectors with an idea of the topics of interest, and help in matching candidates to potential supervisors.

The research proposal should include the following questions:

• Why is the topic interesting?

What is the central research question? Is there a theoretical and empirical "gap" that your research will seek to fill? Is there a theoretical or empirical contradiction that your research will seek to resolve? How will your research take our understanding forward in your chosen field? What core theories and concepts will you draw on?

• What are the relevant literature(s) and field(s) the work will contribute to?

What are the main theories in the area? What are the critical empirical phenomena in the area? Specify the key references relevant to the proposed research.

• How will you address the empirical aspects of the research?

What empirical (qualitative and/or quantitative) information do you propose to collect, how, from where, and why? What methodology of analysis is appropriate and why? If the research question requires a combination of different methodologies, how will they be related? Do you foresee any practical difficulties in pursuing the research (eg finding suitable participants or data sources)? If so, how might they be overcome?

The application deadline for this programme is 25 April 2025 .

However, if you’d like to be considered for any funding opportunities, you must submit your application (and all supporting documents) by the funding deadline.

See the fees and funding section below for more details.

Fees and funding

The table of fees shows the latest tuition fees for all programmes.

You're charged a fee for your programme. Your tuition 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 doesn't cover living costs or travel or fieldwork.

Home student fee (2025/26)

The fee is likely to rise over the full duration of the programme. The School charges home research students in line with fee levels recommended by the Research Councils.

Learn more about fee status classification .

Overseas student fee (2025/26)

The fee is likely to rise over the full duration of the programme in line with the assumed percentage increase in pay costs (ie, four per cent each year).

At LSE, your tuition fees, and eligibility for any financial support, will depend on whether you’re classified as a home or overseas student (known as your fee status). We assess your fee status based on guidelines provided by the Department for Education.

Further information about fee status classification .

Scholarships, bursaries and loans

Scholarships, studentships and other funding

We recognise that the  cost of living in London  may be higher than in your home town/city or country and we provide generous scholarships to help both home and overseas students.

For this programme, students can apply for  LSE PhD Studentships , and  Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funding . To be considered, you’ll need to submit your application (and any supporting documents) before the funding deadline.

Funding deadlines

Deadline for the LSE PhD Studentships and ESRC funding: 15 January 2025 .

In addition to our needs-based awards, we offer scholarships for students from specific regions of the world and awards for certain subjects .

External funding

Additional funding opportunities may be available through other organisations or governments. We strongly recommend you investigate these options as well.

Further information

Learn more about fees and funding , including external funding opportunities.

Learning and assessment

How you learn, how you're assessed, supervision.

You'll be assigned a lead supervisor (and a second supervisor/adviser) who is a specialist in your chosen research field, though not necessarily in your topic. Lead supervisors guide you through your studies.

Progression and assessment

First year review

In the Spring Term of your first year, you're required to produce a 10,000-word "first year review" that outlines the aims and methods of your thesis: this means summarising the key literature(s), motivating your specific research questions, and highlighting the planned contributions of your work. A first year review document typically includes a general introduction, a comprehensive literature review (covering relevant empirical and theoretical work), a motivation of the research questions and hypotheses, and an indication of the literature(s) that you seek to contribute to (ie, the gaps in knowledge that will be addressed). You'll also give an oral presentation of your proposal at the Department of Methodology PhD day.

Written and oral work will be assessed by two academics (not on the supervisory team), normally members of Department of Methodology staff. This work has to reach an acceptable standard to enable you to progress to the second year. It's particularly important that the first year review clearly states the objectives of the doctoral research and indicates how the empirical work will be carried out.

If the panel deems the first year review to be not suitably clear, they can choose not to accept the submitted document and give you up to a month to clarify. This decision will be taken maximum one week after the Department of Methodology PhD Day. Examples of unclear work might include (but not be limited to):

• a first year review that doesn't state clear research questions
• a first year review that doesn't adequately review the specific literatures that the empirical work is contributing to
• a first year review that doesn't give enough methodological detail, showing how the design will produce data that allows you to address the theoretical issues at stake in a systematic and rigorous way.

After your first year

After the first year you'll spend more time on independent study under the guidance of your supervisor(s). This will involve the collection, organisation and analysis of data, and writing up the results. During your second year of registration, you'll typically submit three (minimum) draft chapters of your thesis plus a short introduction and a detailed plan for its completion. The three draft chapters will typically include a detailed literature review, specification of research problem(s) and two empirical chapters. If you're pursuing a paper-based thesis, your upgrading documents will typically include a short introduction, a literature review and at least two empirical papers. Whether a traditional or paper-based thesis, the material will be evaluated by an upgrading committee (two academics, not necessarily of the MI or even LSE) who will recommend transferral to PhD registration if your work is judged to be of sufficient quality and quantity.

Throughout the MPhil/PhD and PhD, you'll attend the department's research seminar and other specialist workshops and seminars related to your interests. You must present at every Department of Methodology PhD day.

Graduate destinations

Career support.

Students who successfully complete the programme often embark on an academic career.

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

Top 5 sectors our students work in:

From CV workshops through to careers fairs, LSE offers lots of information and support to help you make that all-important step from education into work.

Many of the UK’s top employers give careers presentations at the School during the year and there are numerous workshops covering topics such as job hunting, managing interviews, writing a cover letter and using LinkedIn.

See LSE Careers for further details.

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The PhD in Sociology is designed for students who have completed the Sociology MA at The New School for Social Research or a comparable master's degree from another university.

The PhD offers qualified scholars the theories and methods necessary to develop sociological study in innovative and imaginative ways, in sustained treatment of a single topic across disciplinary boundaries and/or subcategories of the field.

• Degree Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Credits 60 credits
• Format Full-time or part-time, on-campus
• Start Term Fall

View current tuition and fees View fellowship and funding opportunities

As of the 2024–2025 academic year, NSSR is waiving tuition for all new and continuing PhD students. NSSR is also providing guaranteed financial support for four years for most new PhD students and additional financial assistance for several continuing PhD students. 

Applicants to NSSR PhD programs are automatically considered for the additional financial support when they apply; no separate application is necessary.

A full account of degree requirements and procedures is contained in the  Sociology student handbook . 

PhD candidates must earn 30 credits in addition to the 30 credits and MA Examination taken in the Sociology MA program, for a total of 60 credits. Transfer students who already have an MA in sociology (or its equivalent) from another institution may be assigned credit for all or part of their previous graduate studies up to a maximum of 30 credits. Incoming students who already have an MA in Sociology from another institution are still required to take and pass the Sociology department's MA examination.

To earn the PhD in Sociology, a student must complete 30 credits beyond the MA, including:

• One sociological methods course besides Logic of Inquiry
• Four departmental seminars or proseminars
• Electives up to the total of 60 credits, of which no more than 12 credits may be for courses from other NSSR departments or other divisions of The New School that are not cross-listed with Sociology

PhD Field Statements Exam

By the end of students' tenth semester in the program (or four semesters after the last course was taken, whichever comes first), students must pass the PhD comprehensive exam, also known as the Field Statements Exam. This examination consists of two requirements:

• Two written field statements (with bibliographies)
• One oral examination based on the field statements

Dissertation

Before being advanced to candidacy for the PhD, students must submit a dissertation proposal for evaluation in an oral exam conducted by a dissertation committee. Students must pass the PhD comprehensive exam (Field Statements Exam), complete 60 credits, and successfully defend their dissertation proposal. The final dissertation must be submitted, approved, and defended orally before a committee consisting of four members.

Foreign Language Requirement

All PhD candidates must demonstrate reading knowledge in a foreign language appropriate to their dissertation topic by passing a language examination administered by the department.

Graduate Minors

Students can use elective courses toward completing one of the university’s graduate minors . These structured pathways of study immerse master's and doctoral students in disciplines outside their primary field and expose them to alternative modes of research and practice. Completed graduate minors are officially recorded on students' transcripts.

MPhil Degree

With the permission of the department chair, the Master of Philosophy degree will be conferred upon a registered student who has satisfactorily fulfilled all the requirements of the department for the PhD except the dissertation and dissertation proposal defense. Registered students in satisfactory academic standing who have fulfilled the requirements for the MPhil can petition for the degree and receive it en route to the PhD or take it as a terminal degree. Students cannot be re-admitted or re-enrolled for the purpose of receiving the MPhil.

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PhD Degree Requirements

Phd overview.

PhD students receive training in qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, sociological theory, and major substantive fields within sociology such as gender, sexuality, environment, race and ethnicity, culture, social networks, labor, immigration, and political economy. The department places a strong emphasis on research, and many students will find opportunities to participate in projects conducted by faculty members.

MA or MS and PhD in Sociology

Students are required to complete 55 credit hours of graduate-level work for the master’s degree, and an additional 20 credits, plus 18 dissertation credits, for the PhD. Students who have earned a master’s degree from another program must still complete the master’s paper requirement from the department as one of the steps toward earning the PhD. 

Students having completed graduate-level work in sociology prior to admission to the department may transfer credits to fulfill department requirements if a formal request is submitted to and approved by the Curriculum Committee. Most graduate courses are five (5) credit hours. All required courses must be taken on a graded basis. Students who are Graduate Employees (almost all students their first few years) usually take two or three (2-3)courses per term. The minimum number of credits required for students to enroll in is nine (9) if they have a contract, and three (3) if they do not.

Required Courses

Sociology 607 (Introduction to Graduate Sociology): All incoming students must take this seminar for three (3) credits. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the department and the university community and should be taken their first term.

• Sociology 512 and 513 (Sociological Research Methods): These courses cover quantitative methods, including hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, multiple regression, regression methods with dichotomous and limited dependent variables, and an overview of other advanced quantitative methods. 
• Sociology 612 (Research Design): This course provides hands-on coverage of research design issues, including problem/question formulation, literature review, hypothesis construction, sampling decisions, choice of method for data collection, and strategies for data analysis. The final assignment is a comprehensive proposal for research suitable for the master’s paper requirement. To assist their progress toward the proposal, students work through exercises resulting in draft components of the proposal. Enrollment is normally restricted to sociology graduate students. 
• Two (2) advanced methods courses (Sociology 613), one (1) of which can be taken post-master’s. Advanced methods classes taken must include two (2) separate methods, as determined by the judgment of the student’s advisor.
• One (1) advanced theory course (Sociology 615): These courses focus on specialized traditions of social theory or the works of a major theorist. A second advanced theory course can be substituted for one of the substantive graduate seminars (see G below), as long as the content differs substantially from the first 615 course, as determined by the student’s advisor. The second course may be taken post-master’s. 
• Sociology 617 and Sociology 618 (Sociological Theory I and II): These courses cover major 19th, 20th, and 21st century social theorists, especially Marx, Weber, and Durkheim, and major themes in contemporary sociological theory.

Substantive Seminars

Students must take four (4) substantive graduate seminars or three (3) substantive seminars and a second advanced theory course. In either case, at least two (2)substantive seminars must be taken pre-master’s. 

The substantive seminars are: 

• Sociology 616 (Environment and Resources)
• Sociology 644 (Race and Ethnicity)
• Sociology 646 (Work and Organizations)
• Sociology 656 (Issues in the Sociology of Gender)
• Sociology 664 (Political and Economic Sociology)

Any of the above seminars may be taken more than once, so long as the class content differs substantially each time. Both syllabi must be submitted to the Curriculum Committee to confirm the difference.

Master’s Paper and Electives

To meet the master’s requirement, students take two (2) classes (10 credits) of electives in sociology at the 500- or 600-level. Only one (1) independent study course (SOC 601 - Research or SOC 605 - Reading), taken for a grade, can  be used to meet elective requirements.

Students register for five (5) credits of SOC 608 - Master’s Paper in the term they complete their master’s paper.

Master’s Paper

• All students must complete a master’s paper. Students should be able to complete the course requirements for a master’s degree and the master’s paper requirement in their first six (6) terms of enrollment. Students can be granted an extension to a seventh term without consequence if they make a formal request in writing before the end of their sixth term providing a brief explanation of the reason the extension is required, and so long as this request is approved by both committee members and the director of graduate studies. Students who have not completed the requirements within the first six (6) terms will not be in good standing and will not be assured of a GE position until they complete the requirements (they may receive one if a position is available). Students who do not complete the requirements by the end of nine (9) quarters of enrollment will need to appeal for an extension. This extension will only be granted if both committee members, the director of graduate studies, and the department head agree that it is warranted. 
• The paper is to report original empirical research with an appropriate theoretical context. The paper should be of a style, length, and content appropriate for submission to a peer-reviewed journal in the social sciences. The standard of assessment is whether the paper is worthy of submission to the selected journal. 
• The student may base the paper on research conducted for an academic degree at another institution or in another program at the University of Oregon. With the approval of the committee, the student may also submit for this requirement an article already published or accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed social science journal. A student who has completed an empirically based master’s thesis that is sociological in content in another program may revise it so that it fits with the department’s expectations and format and submit it for the master’s paper requirement. 
• For the master’s paper, the student will need to select a committee of two faculty members, one of whom is the chair. The thesis committee does not require an outside member or an oral defense. The Master’s Paper requirement is met when both committee members approve the paper.

Comprehensive Examination 

The Comprehensive Examination (c-exam) will determine the degree to which a student has gained a mastery over the substantive knowledge, theory and methodology of one area of sociological inquiry distinct from the area to which the master’s paper contributes as determined by the c-exam committee. 

• The area of the examination is selected by the student in consultation with a special committee consisting of at least three (3) faculty members, two (2) of whom must be sociology faculty; the chair of the committee must also be a sociology faculty member. The committee will be responsible for preparing and evaluating the examination. The examination is a three-day (3-day) written examination of the student’s mastery of a reading list approved by the committee. Although the student may suggest a list of questions for the examination, the committee decides on the questions. The committee poses the questions to the student at the start of the exam, and the student has three (3) days to submit their answers.
• In defining the areas of examination, the committee has the responsibility of guarding against both narrow specialization and unrealistically broad aspirations on the part of the student. The current list of sections within the American Sociological Association should serve as models for balancing breadth and depth.
• Students who fail to pass an examination on the first attempt will be permitted to take the examination a second time. Students failing an examination twice will be terminated from the program. 
• To remain in good standing, a requirement for assurance of departmental funding, students must complete the c-exam by the end of their ninth term of enrollment (excluding summers) in the department based on the regular academic calendar.
• Students should negotiate in advance with the c-exam committee for when they can commit to completing the evaluation. The committee should be given at least three (3) weeks to complete its evaluation.
• Students are advanced to candidacy after completing coursework and passing the c-exam. Students will be promoted to GE 3 the term after advancement.  

Doctoral Dissertation 

Once the c-exam and coursework are complete, students are advanced to candidacy and begin work on their dissertation proposal.

• The doctoral dissertation committee will be composed of at least three (3) sociology faculty members and an additional outside member of the UO graduate faculty not affiliated with the Department of Sociology who serves as a representative of the Dean of the Graduate School. This committee should be proposed to the Dean of the Graduate School by the fall of the student’s fifth year of enrollment and no later than six (6) months before the date of completion of the Ph.D. degree.
• The dissertation committee will be formed at the student’s initiative after passing the Comprehensive Examination (c-exam). All PhD candidates must prepare a dissertation proposal and formally defend it before their committee no later than the fall of their fifth year of enrollment, or they will not be in good academic standing, potentially making them ineligible for departmental funding. Students are encouraged to defend before the end of their fourth year in the program.
• The student should refer to the Style Manual for Theses and Dissertations published by the graduate school. This manual includes regulations for the dissertation and a checklist of timing for completion of certain administrative procedures.
• Students are required to enroll in at least three (3) credits of SOC 603 both the term before they defend AND the term they defend.

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Graduate Program Director

Kari Marie Norgaard Email: [email protected] Phone number: 541-346-8615 Office hours: By appointment

Graduate Coordinators

Sharon Kaplan Email: [email protected]

Rachel Claric Email: [email protected]

Doctoral Program

Phd-phs in social and behavioral sciences.

Prospective doctoral students interested in the Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences should apply to the Doctor of Philosophy ( PhD ) Program in  Population Health Sciences  and choose  Social & Behavioral Sciences as their Field of Study.

The PhD in Population Health Sciences is offered under the aegis of the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) and is awarded by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Students in this program will gain broad, interdisciplinary knowledge in quantitative and qualitative methods of enquiry for understanding the health of populations, and developmental approaches to population health science. In addition, students will belong to one of the following Fields of Study associated with the departments of: Environmental Health , Epidemiology , Global Health and Population , Nutrition , or Social and Behavioral Sciences .

For further details on the PhD program, please visit this website .

Curriculum Guide

2024-25 SBS-PhD Curriculum Guide

What are the admission requirements for the PhD program?

For applicants that are applying into the PhD in Population Health Sciences check out the admission requirements here .

Is the GRE required?

Yes. All applicants are required to submit GRE scores as part of their application submission. This is a change from our pandemic policy. As with other application components, the GRE will be considered as part of an applicant’s holistic application, in combination with all submitted materials.

I’m applying to the PhD program in Population Health Sciences, do I need to secure an advisor? Do faculty make advising commitments before applying to the program?

Advisors for PhD students in the PHS program are chosen after we know who will be joining us in the new cohort. Generally, the assignment takes place in early to mid-May. An essential part of the PhD admissions process is the consideration of appropriate mentoring faculty for the applicant. Therefore applicants do not get prior advising commitments from a potential faculty mentor prior to applying to the program. We recommend listing up to three faculty members of interest in your personal statement, articulating how your current research interests align with the faculty listed.

I’m applying to the PhD program in Population Health Sciences, do I need to have prior quantitative coursework?

Our program has a strong emphasis on quantitative methods so showing preparation in this area is strongly recommended. The doctoral program in SBS is very quantitative-focused and we do require students to take a year of Quantitative Research Methods in Population Health Sciences (PHS 2000 A + B). Although the committee looks at the application holistically, some emphasis is placed on how well applicants do in specific course areas such as Biostats, EPI and the social sciences.

It’s always helpful to the admissions committee to be able to assess quantitative skills in an applicant’s background and that is usually demonstrated through coursework, professional experiences and letters of recommendation.

What are you looking for in applicants to the PhD program?

While applications are looked at holistically, the admissions committee does place an emphasis on prior coursework in biostatistics, epidemiology and the social sciences, so highlighting these types of courses in your application will be useful.  Additionally, it could be helpful if one of your recommenders is a professor from your last degree program who can comment positively on your quantitative abilities.  Your statement of purpose is a chance for you to tell the committee about your motivation for pursuing doctoral work in SBS and to describe yourself as a researcher. A key part of the admissions review process is making sure there is appropriate mentorship, so we suggest naming up to three SBS faculty whose interests align with your own. You can read about the faculty here .

Will graduate course work from my master’s degree be accepted for some of the coursework required in the PhD (e.g. statistics courses etc.)?

You can submit a substitution form with the course syllabus for courses you have taken in your Master’s program. Substitution requests are carefully reviewed by the instructor of the required HSPH course to determine if the course is truly equivalent.

Where can I find out more information on the research in the SBS department?

You can get some information on faculty research by viewing their profiles on the department website.

You can read about the research areas of current students here .

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PhD in Sociology

The PhD in Sociology offers a world-class programme of research study in sociology supervised by experts in their respective fields. The Department of Sociology at the University of Cambridge is ranked first for Sociology in the  Guardian's Best Universities league table  and first for Sociology in the  Complete University Guide League Table 2024 . And the  QS World University rankings  list our departments as 2nd out of over 500 Sociology Departments across the world in 2023.

In the first year you are encouraged to take research methods courses offered by the Department and Cambridge Research Methods (CaRM) to build the methodological grounding of your individual research projects. 

The Department also offers a programme of seminars covering transferable skills such as academic writing, presentation skills and in-depth information about how to progress the PhD and the academic career. PhD students are supported by their supervisor and an Academic Adviser.

Watch our open day video

The Programme

The course aims to provide all students with the skills they need to be professional researchers and academics. There is an organised programme of courses for first-year PhD students, which has three major components:

• Basic academic and research skills, designed to provide the essential tools of academic work
• The core training programme, which covers issues of social science research in general
• Issues of research specific to particular disciplines or areas of interest, and research design, including the integration of methodological, theoretical and substantive issues

The standard period for PhDs is 3-4 years full-time or 5-7 years part-time.    Click here for further information about part-time PhD studies .

Part-time PhD

The part-time PhD course is 5-7 years in length. 

• Part-time research students are expected to be in Cambridge for around 45 days per year, spread throughout the year, for lectures, supervision and other training.
• International students who require a student visa to study in the UK are expected to apply for the full-time programme. This is owing to the restrictions of a part-time student visa. The University will only sponsor a student visa for the part-time option if the reason for studying part-time is due to a disability. Further information is outlined on the  International Students webpages.

Current PhD students

Click here for a list of current PhD students and their research topics.

What you can do with your PhD

Students who complete graduate programmes in Sociology have the opportunity to develop the analytical and writing skills to help them succeed in academia but also in careers such as health and social care, marketing and public relations, politics, and education, amongst others.

Sociology Seminar Series 2024-25

The latest research and thought on contemporary sociology presented by leading sociologists. All staff and students, graduate and undergraduate, are welcome!

The Department of Sociology University of Cambridge Free School Lane Cambridge CB2 3RQ

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Ph.D. in Sociology

General info.

• Faculty working with students: 19
• Students: 41
• Students receiving Financial Aid: 95%
• Application terms: Fall
• Application deadline: December 19

Scott Lynch Director of Graduate Studies Department of Sociology Duke University Box 90088 Durham, NC 27708-0088

Phone: (919) 660-5614

Email: [email protected]

Website:  http://sociology.duke.edu/

Program Description

Areas of specialization are Culture, Affect, & Cognition; Health, Demography, & the Life Course; Organizational & Economic Sociology; Race, Ethnicity, & Inequality; Religion & Social Change; Social Networks & Computational Social Science. Our mentorship approach to graduate education allows students to have a close working relationship with faculty members. Research productivity is high, and most students publish by the time they graduate. Students also have the opportunity to receive teacher training and gain teaching experience.

Duke provides extensive computer support services, a first-rate research library, and a comprehensive collection of social science data bases. Graduate study is further enhanced by opportunities to participate in many interdisciplinary programs and centers at Duke, such as the Population Research Institute, the Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, the Center for Child and Family Policy, the Center for Health Policy and Inequalities Research,  the Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity and Gender in the Social Sciences, the Duke Network Analysis Center, the Kenan Institute for Ethics, and the Social Science Research Institute. 

• Sociology: PhD Admissions and Enrollment Statistics
• Sociology: PhD Completion Rate Statistics
• Sociology: PhD Time to Degree Statistics
• Sociology: PhD Career Outcomes Statistics

Application Information

Application Terms Available:  Fall

Application Deadline:  December 19

Graduate School Application Requirements See the Application Instructions page for important details about each Graduate School requirement.

• Transcripts: Unofficial transcripts required with application submission; official transcripts required upon admission
• Letters of Recommendation: 3 Required
• Statement of Purpose: Required
• Résumé: Required
• GRE Scores: GRE General Required
• English Language Exam: TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test required* for applicants whose first language is not English *test waiver may apply for some applicants
• GPA: Undergraduate GPA calculated on 4.0 scale required

Department-Specific Application Requirements (submitted through online application)

Statement of Purpose Guidelines We train future researchers. As such, we want to know about your interest in and experience with research. Tell us about your senior thesis, research apprenticeships, and experience at a think tank or other research institute. Tell us, too, about what you want to study in the future. You don’t need to have a precise research question nailed down – in fact, we don’t want you to come in with your heart set on a single question – but we do want to hear about what kind of questions motivate you, what your interests are, and why. If you have any demonstrated strengths (awards, high grades, etc.), mention them too, though in a matter-of-fact way rather than in a boasting way.

We also want to know why you think Duke is a good fit. Of course, we want to know your intellectual reasons, but if you also have a tie to North Carolina or any other reason that makes you specifically excited about Duke, please tell us that too.

There are also things that some applicants include that you should probably avoid. Since we are training future researchers, we’re less interested in your experience with activism, teaching, and extracurricular activities. Of course, these are all potentially great things to do; they are just not relevant for admission to graduate school.

Writing Sample A 10-20 page writing sample should be uploaded to the Departmental Requirements section of the online application. This is generally a seminar paper written for a Sociology class. If you have been out of school and have written/co-written and/or published/co-published an article, you may submit that article, too. We look for two key criteria: evidence of understanding and executing social science research and writing ability.

Additional Components Applicants to the joint Ph.D. program in Public Policy and Allied Disciplines must submit an additional essay for admission to the program. Regardless of your selection of primary department, please respond to the following prompt:

In 500 words or less, please explain your interest in the joint Ph.D. program offered between Public Policy and an Allied Discipline. Highlight how your research interests and past experiences lie at the intersection between Public Policy and the Allied Discipline and how participation in the joint program will facilitate your professional goals after receiving your degree.

We strongly encourage you to review additional department-specific application guidance from the program to which you are applying: Departmental Application Guidance

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• Meet PhD Students in Biostatistics
• Meet PhD Students in CDE
• Degree Requirements and Timeline
• Meet PhD Students in EHS
• Meet PhD Students in EMD
• Meet PhD Students in HPM
• Degree Requirements - PhD in Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Degree Requirements - PhD SBS Program Maternal and Child Health Promotion
• Meet PhD Students in SBS
• Differences between MPH and MS degrees
• Academic Calendar
• Translational Alcohol Research Program
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INFORMATION FOR

• Prospective Students
• myYSPH Members

The mentorship and support I’ve received through the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS (CIRA) as a predoctoral fellow has been invaluable and was a big factor in my decision to attend YSPH.

PhD in Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) Department aims to understand and improve health equity, both domestically and globally. SBS provides instruction in the theory and methods of the social and behavioral sciences that emphasize individual, interpersonal, community, and structural influences on health, illness, and recovery. The primary emphases are focused on (1) understanding the psychosocial, behavioral, community, and societal influences on health in the general population, with a focus on those who are disadvantaged; and (2) creating multilevel interventions that eliminate barriers to health, from infancy to old age. The SBS curriculum takes an interdisciplinary approach and focuses on integrating methods from epidemiology and the social sciences, training scientists with a broad skill set that allows them to answer a host of complex research questions. The department has numerous research strengths including in HIV/AIDS, aging health, community engaged health research, maternal child health, mental health, health equity and disparities, and stigma prevention and health.

This program does not require General GRE test scores.

Learn more about the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences

• Career Outcomes and the YSPH Career Management Center

MyYSPH.Yale.Edu

Social Science

The Division of Social Science  seeks to innovate and excel in creating and passing on social science knowledge, with the goal of enriching our understanding of human society and relationships and improving people’s lives. FAS Social Science engages and powerfully responds to the challenges and opportunities of our times, including social injustice, inequality, threats to democratic institutions, global warming, and more. To learn more about academics in the Division of Social Science, including  undergraduate and graduate programs and research initiatives , visit the  Division of Social Science website .

• African & African-American Studies
• American Studies
• Anthropology
• History of Science
• Social Studies
• Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies
• Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments
• Institute for Quantitative Social Science
• Center for Geographic Analysis
• Harvard-MIT Data Center
• Weatherhead Center for International Affairs
• Harvard Academy for International & Area Studies
• Program on US-Japan Relations
• Asia Center
• Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute
• Harvard China Fund
• Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies
• Edwin O. Reischauer Institute for Japanese Studies
• Korea Institute
• Davis Center for Russian & Eurasian Studies
• Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies
• Center for Middle Eastern Studies
• Center for African Studies
• Hutchins Center for African & African-American Research
• Center for American Political Studies
• Charles Warren Center for Studies in American History
• David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies
• Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics
• Opportunity Insights

PhD Programme Social Sciences

Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research / AISSR

• PhD Application
• PhD Training & Support
• Overview dissertations

Project & activities

During your PhD appointment, which typically lasts three to four years, your primary focus will be conducting research for your doctoral dissertation. However, we also encourage you to engage in other activities such as taking courses offered by the PhD Training Programme, teaching undergraduate courses in the Departments of Social Sciences, and actively participating in the research community, both within AISSR and at national and international levels.

Close-knit community

As a PhD student at AISSR, you will be part of a vibrant community that values your growth and development. We offer coaching, training, and a strong PhD Community to support you throughout your doctoral journey. We encourage our students to publish their research early in their careers, enhancing their academic profiles and fostering their future career prospects.

Programme Groups

You will be assigned to an AISSR programme group where you will conduct your research and be immersed in a supportive and collaborative environment. We are excited about newly interest in pursuing a PhD at the University of Amsterdam and look forward to welcoming postgraduate students to our dynamic academic community at AISSR.

Communication with others, categorizing and identifying people and objects, establishing symbolic and moral boundaries, is strongly influenced by culture. Moreover, culture is the way we try to understand and interact with the world around us. At Cultural Sociology, the way social meanings and expressions associate culture will be questioned. How do people create status differences and maintain boundaries between groups? How are international beauty standards (re)produced?

The Institutions, Inequalities, and Life courses programme (IIL) examines institutions in a broad way as the formal and informal rules and arrangements in society that govern individual behavior and social relationships. Examples of institutions are welfare states, labor market arrangements, educational systems, occupational groups, norms and rules in organizations, and gender role norms.

The programme group Political Sociology researches evolving relations of conflict and cohesion in various national and international settings. Our research on citizenship, politics, policies, social movements and the state extends beyond actor-centred approaches through relational analyses and a keen eye for power differentials.

Governance and Inclusive Development (GID) scrutinizes development dynamics at various geographical, jurisdictional and temporal scales, realizing that these are situated in different but interconnected multi-level processes. GID analyses and rethinks dominant development paradigms, and engages with international, national and local development practices, policies and debates to identify viable and socially just alternatives.

The Political and Economic Geographies (PEG) group investigates the role of multi-scalar relationships that are crucial in understanding contemporary economic and political geographies.

The researchers within Urban Geographies study the socio-spatial processes that shape cities and urban life across the world. Our research concentrates on the formation of urban difference and inequality. It seeks to understand how specific spaces, places and mobilities reflect, reproduce and transform social differentiation in terms of class, ethnicity, generation, gender and sexuality. In addition, it studies how resources, risks and political voice are distributed unevenly across urban spaces and populations, analyzing geographies of inequality within and between city regions.

Urban Planning research and teaching at the University of Amsterdam focuses on the relationships between the social, spatial, and environmental dimensions of urban processes, and on ways of purposefully and positively impacting on them.

The research program Challenges to Democracy studies the consequences of current political developments and their historical roots for democratic governance. How do democratic regimes maintain political stability? To what extent can they deliver political equality, legitimacy and prevent societal polarization?

Ongoing trends towards transnational integration of markets and economic transactions are giving rise to far-­reaching transformations of governance both within and beyond the nation-state. The Political Economy and Transnational Governance (PETGOV) programme group focuses on the drivers, dynamics, and consequences of these epochal developments in political and economic life.

In recent decades, there has been a growing divergence between the organisation of society and the inherited conceptual framework of the 20th century political sciences. The Transnational Configurations, Conflict and Governance group seeks to re-examine established notions of identities, categorizations and boundaries defined by classical political science concepts through different forms of empirical investigation.

We investigate the manifold ways gender, race, class, citizenship, religion, and sexuality are made and unmade in everyday life, including the ways in which differences and similarities among people, communities, and other living things are created, contested, celebrated or distrusted. We are interested in the everyday experiences of belonging and exclusion and how they shape individuals, institutions, and environments in lasting ways. Our research delves into the political dimensions and the impact these have on people's aspirations and pursuits. We investigate the aesthetics of these world making projects, their pasts, presents and futures.

The Health, Care, and Body programme group aims to analyse evolving health experiences, sexual identities, body practices, and social/cultural influences on scientific knowledge utilization in clinical settings. It also examines care and self-help practices, the exercise of biomedical power, and patterns of resistance or acceptance of medical regimes, scientific knowledge, and technology.

The social consequences of the mobility of people, goods, power, and ideas constitute the central focus of the Moving Matters research programme. Members of the research group explore migrating people and moving commodities, as well as the shifting networks that result from such practices. These networks stretch from the local to the transnational and necessarily involve encounters with the state through deportation regimes, access to resources and technologies, border infrastructures, decolonial and postcolonial movements, labour relations, and violence and conflict.

More information can be found on the AISSR wiki. This an informative platform for all (and only) AISSR researchers with internal information like guidelines, policy documents, templates and more.

If you have any questions or require further information, please don't hesitate to reach out to our PhD Coordinator, Mr. Simon Cijsouw.

AISSR PhD Coordinator

[email protected]

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Ph.D in Social Work

Program Overview & Highlights

If you are passionate about social justice and want to advance social work research, practice, and education, our Ph.D. program is for you. You will learn from our internationally recognized faculty how to think critically about knowledge creation and dissemination through the lens of multiple scientific paradigms to tackle the complex challenges of our time as they relate to contemporary social work practice. You will also develop your leadership potential and prepare for a successful career in higher education, research, and community organizations or administrations.

The curriculum includes learning about epistemology (the theory of knowledge), history and theory of social work, and qualitative and quantitative research methods and analysis. These six courses are followed by a comprehensive exam and a dissertation seminar, with this latter course supporting students in preparing their dissertation research proposal leading to conducting their independent body of research.

The next admissions is 2026.

World-Class Faculty

Our nationally and internationally renowned scholars represent a broad spectrum of expertise in social work practice and research methods to guide and mentor students through the program. Feel free to reach out to anyone of them to discuss shared interest in social work research and possibilities for collaboration.

Learn More About Our Program

The lancer experience.

Dr. Riham Al-Saadi

Dr. Michael Bennett

Dr. Mohamad Musa

Admission Requirements

Student in canada.

• Completion of a Social Work degree from an accredited university
• A minimum A- average in their most recent graduate degree
• Statement of interest & Research Proposal
• Practice, education, and leadership experience demonstrating capacity to engage in a research-oriented doctoral program.
• Curriculum vitae
• Sole or co-authored sample of professional or academic writing (if co-authored please note your specific written contribution). This may include a research-oriented paper, scholarly paper, report (research or technical), funding proposal or significant course paper
• Three letters of reference

Student outside of Canada

For any inquiries, please contact our international recruiters/advisors .

Contact A Recruiter

Connect with ph.d in social work, land acknowledgement.

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