PhD Social Science Research Methodology

Offering you the opportunity to acquire first-class methodological expertise, this course includes substantive research on a topic of your choice.

You will have the opportunity to take intensive clinics offered by the Doctoral Training Centre during your first two years. These teach the theory and practice of a particular research method.

If you don’t have a sufficient background in research methods, you may also be required to take additional taught modules in your first year. These will typically cover research design, philosophy of social sciences, qualitative methods and quantitative methods.

Methods and data research areas include:

You are required to take 20 credits of methodological modules offered either by the school or relevant modules offered by other schools.

You must complete a written thesis of up to 100,000 words, with expert support and advice from your academic supervisor(s). You will also take a verbal examination called a viva voce where you explain your project in depth to an examination panel.

Full-time students should meet with their supervisors at least 10 times each year. This would be at least six times in the same period for part-time students.

We run a weekly colloquium for postgraduate research students, giving you the opportunity to present your work in front of other research students and staff with similar research interests.

Organised by students and facilitated by the Director of Postgraduate Research, it acts as a supportive forum for presenting your work, testing your arguments, ideas and approaches, and developing your research design.

We offer research seminars for staff and postgraduate research students through our research centres and institutes. Each centre runs a full programme of workshops, reading groups, talks and conferences.

Suitably trained second and third-year research students can acquire paid teaching experience by delivering undergraduate tutorials. Free courses on teaching methods are on offer, though teaching is subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed.