Research degrees
Our
department provides an exceptional
environment to carry out your research and
has a strong commitment to providing
doctoral training to the highest standard.
- You can watch our short video about studying
sociology, where Dan
Holman a current PhD student talks about his time at Essex, or
our new
criminology video.
A research degree in Sociology allows you to
conduct original research on a topic of your
choice.
Many of the academic staff are experts in their field and seen as
world-leading researchers in specialist areas of sociology. This can be seen
through the results of the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). The
Department is unique in having been awarded the highest ranking is all six RAEs
since 1986.
You will be part of a large community of international research students and
will benefit from dedicated support facilities including a unique
student resource
centre. You will also have the opportunity to publish your work in the UK's
leading Sociology
graduate research journal.
Research
Expertise
Sociological research in the department is
extremely wide ranging. Whether you are
looking to carry out research in survey
methodology, criminology or cultural history
we can offer appropriate expertise and
supervision.
What
areas can we supervise in?
- Criminology and social justice
- Culture and media
- Economic sociology
- Ethnicity, migration and rights
- Intimacy and gender
- Science in society
- Social theory and methodology
- Survey methodology
This is not an exhaustive list of
staff research interests so if you're looking to carry out research in a
different area to those listed, please do contact us to
discuss this further.
How do I chose a supervisor?
Our
staff research interests listing will tell you what specific areas of
interest we have. Feel free to contact individual staff members but please don't
contact more than one at a time.
Doctoral
Level Training
As part of the University of
Essex's ESRC-accredited Doctoral Training
Centre (DTC), Sociology offers
pathways in:
- Sociological Research
- Criminology and Socio-Legal Research
- Survey Methodology
- Longitudinal Social Research
We are also involved with pathways in:
- Human Rights and Research Methods
- Environmental Governance
Routes to a PhD
There are two routes to a PhD in Sociology:
- PhD by research
(+3): Students with
a strong background in
sociology and a
well-formulated research
proposal may be admitted
directly to supervised
research.
- Integrated PhD
(1+3): In your
first year you will follow
one of our pathways which
provides
masters-level research
training. This is then
followed by three years of
PhD research.
Funding
A
number of student scholarships and funding opportunities are available. For
Home/EU students these include
ESRC studentships,
University of Essex Scholarships and other
Research Council funding. Overseas students are eligible for
University of Essex Scholarships.
More information about postgraduate funding can be found under
Student Finance.
Student Satisfaction
You can expect a bright future after graduating from the Department. Our
former research students now work in a wide range of sectors including
government research, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and charities, media
production and market research, whilst others have continued a career in
academia.
The results from the last Postgraduate
Taught Experience Survey (PTES) are available.
Further information and how to apply
The online postgraduate prospectus
contains more information about graduate study at Essex. You can also read more
about Sociology in the
graduate prospectus (page 194).
How do I apply?
You will need to:
- Complete the University's
online
application form
- Provide two academic references
- Write a 1000 - 1500 word research proposal
- Provide academic transcripts/certificates
- Include a personal statement
- Provide a language certificate (if relevant)
- State a proposed supervisor if you have already made contact
with a member of staff
Contact information
If you have any questions or would like to speak to the Sociology Graduate
Administrator please call 01206 873051 or e-mail
socpgadm@essex.ac.uk
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Last modified on 23 January 2012