Overview

We offer high-quality supervision by internationally recognised scholars in areas including educational psychology, education policy, sociology of education, higher education, teaching and learning in schools, professional development, learning in the city, non-formal education, lifelong learning and assessment.

Academic staff include experienced researchers with methodological expertise in advanced quantitative methods, experimental methods, a range of qualitative research methods and mixed methods. You will be part of a large, diverse doctoral community in an atmosphere that is exciting, creative and welcoming.

You can expect:

  • membership of a research centre, network and/or faculty-wide research group that includes staff and postgraduate researchers;
  • accredited research methods units;
  • networking opportunities with other doctoral researchers across disciplines and neighbouring universities through membership of the South West Doctoral Training Partnership and Bristol Doctoral College;
  • support for developing as a researcher, including attending conferences and publishing research;
  • opportunities to apply for short-term paid research assistant and teaching assistant roles;
  • access to professional development and short training courses tailored for postgraduate researchers;
  • access to a dedicated school library on site, faculty and other University libraries;
  • modern and well-appointed study spaces within the School of Education and in the wider University;
  • opportunities to participate in seminars (often featuring national and international visitors), research student seminars, reading groups and specialist methodological workshops.

Programme structure

A PhD is focused on carrying out research that leads to a dissertation of 80,000 words. With the support of academic supervisors to guide you, you will undertake research training and then design and conduct your own research project.

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 statement

If English is not your first language, you will need to reach the requirements outlined in our profile level C.

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 offers 1+3 and +3 ESRC-funded scholarships.

Applicants may also be interested in applying for funding from the University of Bristol scholarship fund or alumni PhD scholarship fund.

Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students.

Career prospects

We offer academic and personal development opportunities to equip you for the intellectual, social and personal challenges you will encounter during your career. Our overarching goal is to enable our graduates to display the following characteristics:

  • equipped to demonstrate impact, excellence and distinctiveness in your chosen field;
  • visionary, imaginative, innovative, reflective and creative;
  • high ideals and values, including a strong sense of social justice;
  • highly employable throughout the world;
  • adaptable, with the potential to be a leader in work and in the community.

Meet our supervisors

The following list shows potential supervisors for this programme. Visit their profiles for details of their research and expertise.

guoxing.yu@bristol.ac.uk;s.thomas@bristol.ac.uk;robert.sharples@bristol.ac.uk;alf.coles@bristol.ac.uk;gemma.derrick@bristol.ac.uk;frances.giampapa@bristol.ac.uk;rafael.mitchell@bristol.ac.uk;janet.orchard@bristol.ac.uk;lisa.lucas@bristol.ac.uk;liz.washbrook@bristol.ac.uk;richard.watermeyer@bristol.ac.uk;g.leckie@bristol.ac.uk;lw13848@bristol.ac.uk;simon.brownhill@bristol.ac.uk;s.eagle@bristol.ac.uk;felicity.sedgewick@bristol.ac.uk;elena.hoicka@bristol.ac.uk;will.baker@bristol.ac.uk;jo.rose@bristol.ac.uk;marina.gall@bristol.ac.uk;ioanna.palaiologou@bristol.ac.uk;cathryn.knight@bristol.ac.uk;sue.timmis@bristol.ac.uk;ioanna.bakopoulou@bristol.ac.uk;kate.hawkey@bristol.ac.uk;angeline.barrett@bristol.ac.uk;leon.tikly@bristol.ac.uk;navin.kikabhai@bristol.ac.uk;lucy.kelly@bristol.ac.uk;helen.manchester@bristol.ac.uk;s.mckeownjones@bristol.ac.uk;william.browne@bristol.ac.uk;paul.howard-jones@bristol.ac.uk;keri.facer@bristol.ac.uk;tracy.helliwell@bristol.ac.uk;sharon.walker@bristol.ac.uk;artemio.cortezochoa@bristol.ac.uk;lorna.smith@bristol.ac.uk;maria.tsapali@bristol.ac.uk;nicola.warren-lee@bristol.ac.uk;sy.ali@bristol.ac.uk;philippa.howard@bristol.ac.uk;jon.james@bristol.ac.uk;alison.oldfield@bristol.ac.uk;carolina.gordillo@bristol.ac.uk;katherin.barg@bristol.ac.uk;lyndsay.grant@bristol.ac.uk;paulina.ruizcabello@bristol.ac.uk;jessie.abrahams@bristol.ac.uk;

Research groups

The overarching mission of the School of Education is to develop learning and leadership for a changing world through research and teaching that promotes achievement, opportunity and social justice. The aim is to build intellectual and practical leadership among policymakers, practitioners, students and the wider research community, which is urgently required to enable education to adapt and thrive in a time of rapid local and global change.

Research in the school is concentrated into five main areas of inquiry and expertise within these five research centres:

As a doctoral student you will join one of the research centres associated with these key areas of research and work with staff and other doctoral students who have similar research interests. Please see the School of Education research centres and networks for more information.

Contact us