What is Sociology?

Join our supportive and expert community of researchers as a student on our MSc by Research or PhD programme. We produce innovative research offering insights and solutions for society’s most pressing challenges.

We welcome proposals for research degrees on a wide range of sociological topics. Our team’s particular research strengths lie in:

Gender inequalities

Migration, diversity and diaspora

National identities

Families and care

Class identities and inequalities

Austerity and residualisation

Social mobility

Poverty and welfare policy

Post-conflict societies

Militarisation

International security

Community groups and the third sector

Street art and urban visual cultures.

Study style

Students can study either full time or part time alongside employment or family commitments. In recognition of the fact that no two research projects – or research students – are the same, we offer a flexible approach to supporting you and you will have access to hot-desk office space and library and ICT support. MSc students will typically take two research methods training modules, which are also available to PhD students.

Contributing original knowledge to your chosen specialism in sociology, you will develop your own research project under the guidance of an expert team of academic supervisors. Develop a 30,000-word thesis on the MSc by Research programme, or an 80,000-word thesis on the PhD programme. You may also have the opportunity, subject to progress, to upgrade from the MSc by Research programme to the PhD programme if you wish to develop your MSc project into a PhD.

You will be supported to develop an extensive range of research skills and professional aptitudes to ensure you graduate as an expert independent professional researcher. This training is delivered through an exciting research design and methods programme and a range of bespoke workshops – connecting you to researchers and research students across the university. You will be invited to participate in our Academic School’s research seminar series and to attend events and training arranged by our Early Careers Researcher Network, and dedicated office space is provided for postgraduate researchers at our Francis Close Hall campus in Cheltenham.