The School has a strong and vibrant community of postgraduate research students. We are proud of being a site for creativity and innovation in and across our areas of research expertise and are dedicated to developing our students’ research skills, expertise and career in a supportive and collegial environment.
Our research students are encouraged to participate in the School’s academic life and to work with those research groups that reflect their research area.
We have a established track record of supporting postgraduate research, and you will find further information on this site about our past and current students .
Our PhD programme is recognised by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) , offering both one-plus-three degrees and three year degrees. For the one-plus-three route students undertake an initial year of Research Methods training leading to an MA, prior to progressing to develop their main research focus.
For the PhD, students are reviewed at the end of their first year to confirm their registration as a PhD student. For students who are initially registered for an MPhil this review would confirm whether they can proceed to PhD registration.
The School offers research students:
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Advanced research training, including qualitative and quantitative methods and philosophy of research (where appropriate)
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An extensive programme of skills-based training
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High quality supervision - each student is offered two supervisors
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Regular, uninterrupted, individual supervisory sessions
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Frequent reviews and feedback
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Well-equipped work bases, with access to telephone, fax, e-mail and online resources
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Access to computing facilities
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A lively research culture with excellent national and international networks
The School has a postgraduate journal - ENQUIRE
Most of the research that takes place within the School is related to our four Research Centres. However, in a dynamic and interdisciplinary setting we are able to offer students supervision in most areas of sociology, social and public policy, cultural studies and social work.
The School has been very successful in the past securing a number of ESRC 1+3 awards. The School wishes to support applicants in obtaining scholarships or bursaries to fund their studies. We recognise that some funding sources require applicants to have a formal acceptance from the place where they intend to study. We therefore endeavour to process applications as efficiently as possible.
Once Masters students are enrolled at Nottingham, our supervisors are very willing to assist them in making applications for suitable PhD studentships. For example, a successful MA student may expect support in applying to the ESRC for a PhD studentship. These are only available to home and EU students.
The School has very limited resources to offer studentships of its own. The university has a slightly larger number. For both competition is fierce. This means that it is unrealistic for a student in the School of Sociology and Social Policy to hope to win one of these scholarships at Nottingham unless he or she is in possession of an excellent academic record.
For the ORS/Dorothy Hodgkin Postgraduate Awards, a First Class undergraduate degree or a Distinction at Master’s level is currently required. For graduates of non-UK universities, we can establish the comparability of degrees taken elsewhere.
The university's website has an interactive guide to postgraduate funding sources and the International Office has advice for overseas applicants.
Applicants should normally have at least an upper second class honours degree, but the merits and circumstances of other candidates will be carefully considered. International students whose first language is not English must meet the language requirements detailed below within 2 years of the start of their couse.
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IELTS 7.0 (no less than 6.0 in any element)
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TOEFL paper-based 600 (no less than 4.5 in TWE)
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TOEFL iBT 100 (no less than 19 in any element)
Applications must be submitted online.
Further information
Esther Bott, Lecturer in Sociology, Postgraduate Research Admissions Officer
Tel :+44 (0)115 846 7595 Email : Esther Bott
Alisn Haigh, Postgraduatye Research Administrator
Tel: +44 (0)115 9515354 Email: Alison Haigh