Postgraduate Programmes - Introduction
The Department of Social Sciences welcomes applications from prospective PhD and MPhil candidates. Currently we have around 60 mainly full-time postgraduate research students from a wide range of countries working on a
variety of different topics. Every student has a dedicated member of academic staff who acts as their supervisor throughout their time at the University.
The University offers other kinds of funding support that differ according to the status of the prospective UK, EU and Overseas postgraduate students. Further details are available here.
Candidates are formally accepted as PhD candidates subject to the approval of a panel at the end of their first year of research (or second year for part-timers). The panel involves the student meeting with their supervisor and other academic staff to discuss their progress.
The Department of Social Sciences research community
Members of Departmental staff are engaged in a wide range of projects, both as individuals and as member of groups. Academics in Social Sciences are particularly well represented in the following disciplines and/or areas:
- Communication and Media Studies
- Criminology
- Cultural Studies
- Discourse and Rhetoric
- Social Policy
- Social Psychology
- Sociology
The Department also houses four dedicated Research Centres:
- Centre for Research in Social Policy
- Midlands Centre for Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Communication Research Centre
- Centre for Child and Family Research
There are also a number of Research Groups including:
- Culture and Media Analysis
- Discourse and Rhetoric
- Postgraduate
- Visual and Sensory
- Women and Gender Studies
- Young Carers
Many of these groups organise regular meetings in addition to the regular Departmental seminars that take place throughout the academic year. See here for further details.