Sociology
- PhD
Overview
This degree provides an opportunity to develop your own research expertise by studying a sociological issue in an interdisciplinary school. You will study with internationally renowned sociologists in a dynamic and supportive research environment. They are involved in funded research, research centres and groups looking at everything from digital economies and futures, food security, and integration, to music festivals, migration, modern slavery and social inequalities. Our staff also have particular expertise across a range of cultural and social theory and champion diverse research methodologies.
You will join an international community of students working in a range of sociological areas. You will be assigned two PhD supervisors whose current active research interests and expertise are relevant to your chosen research area.
We are committed to rigorous conceptual and empirical research that is politically and socially relevant and problem-orientated. We aim to advance theory, knowledge and methods at the cutting edge of Sociology. Our aim is not just to monitor the social world but to contribute to a better understanding and to ways that might improve it.
Entry requirements
An upper second-class undergraduate honours degree (or equivalent) and normally a merit at MSc/MA level (or equivalent).
See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.
Read the programme admissions statement for important information on entry requirements, the application process and supporting documents required.
Go to admissions statementIf English is not your first language, you will need to reach the requirements outlined in our profile level B.
Further information about English language requirements and profile levels.
Fees and funding
- UK: full-time
- £4,758 per year
- UK: part-time
- £2,379 per year
- Overseas: full-time
- £20,700 per year
Fees are subject to an annual review. For programmes that last longer than one year, please budget for up to an 8% increase in fees each year.
More about tuition fees, living costs and financial support.
Alumni discount
University of Bristol students and graduates can benefit from a 25% reduction in tuition fees for postgraduate study. Check your eligibility for an alumni discount.
Funding for 2024/25
The Faculty of Social Sciences and Law has an allocation of 1+3 and +3 ESRC scholarships. Applicants may also be interested in applying for funding from the University of Bristol scholarship fund or alumni PhD scholarship fund.
For further details on applying for ESRC funding, please visit the South West Doctoral Training Partnership (SWDTP) website.
Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students.
Career prospects
Bristol graduates are in high demand and have an excellent record of employment following graduation. Please visit the school website for statements from our former graduates.
Meet our supervisors
The following list shows potential supervisors for this programme. Visit their profiles for details of their research and expertise.
Research groups
Our research activity in the school is guided by focusing on key themes:
- climate emergency
- critical (in)securities
- cultural work
- decoloniality and race
- ethnicity, migration and citizenship
- European politics and societies
- digital society
- science and technology
- food security
- gender and sexuality
- peace, conflict and violence
- political and social inequalities
- social, cultural and political theory
- South and East Asia.
All researchers across the school identify with one or more of the themes. This enables collective identification over themes within the school and aims to generate further collaboration and interdisciplinarity in our research activities. In addition, the themes provide a basis for internal and external recognition of the main questions and topics that our research addresses.
Contact us
- Contact
Postgraduate Student Administrator
- Phone
- +44 (0) 117 331 7572
- spais-pgadmissions@bristol.ac.uk