Social Policy
- PhD
Overview
The School for Policy Studies is a world-renowned centre for the theory, practice and implementation of social and public policy research. Our focus is on the determinants of social problems and the responses to them by governments, policy makers and practitioners.
We combine innovative conceptual thinking with diverse methodologies to address social problems from the local to the global in relation to poverty, health, care, harm, governance, inequalities, and wellbeing. We embrace a distinctive multidisciplinary approach drawing on expertise in social and public policy, social work, childhood studies, disability studies, criminology, social gerontology, and epidemiology and public health.
The school is an exciting environment for graduate studies and we welcome graduate students from the UK and around the world to join our diverse and highly-rated research team. We particularly welcome applications on topics with direct relevance to national and international policy concerns.
Entry requirements
An upper second-class honours degree and a merit at MSc/MA level (or equivalent experience/qualification).
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.
This admission statement is for 2026 entry. The 2027 entry admission statement will be available in the Autumn.
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
- Home: full-time
- £5,343 per year
- Home: part-time
- £2,672 per year
- Overseas: full-time
- £22,500 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 and scholarships
Applicants may apply for an SWDTP studentship and/or a University of Bristol scholarship. Eligible applicants can also apply for a China Scholarship Council scholarship. Programme application deadlines for scholarship applicants will be published in early autumn 2026. These deadlines apply to applicants seeking a scholarship from the South-West Doctoral Training Partnership (SWDTP), University of Bristol or China Scholarship Council (CSC).
Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students.
Career prospects
Studying social policy equips students with a wide range of knowledge and skills across various interests and fields. As a result, studying social policy and developing skills in analysis and research is relevant to work in many different policy settings and subject areas.
Previous University of Bristol social policy students have gone on to work in research and teaching in higher education, policy-related fields, local government, other public sector bodies and third sector organisations. Careers have included those related to health and welfare, community work, the criminal justice system, higher education, management and consultancy.
Meet our supervisors
The following list shows potential supervisors for this programme. Visit their profiles for details of their research and expertise.
Research groups
The School houses a number of research centres and groups to foster collaboration and support our researchers and postgraduate community. Our interdisciplinary Research Centres are:
The Governance and Public Policy Research Centre is at the forefront of multidisciplinary research into governance and policy processes, focusing on how these drive and can be leveraged to bring about positive social change. Centre members come from a variety of disciplines, including economics, social policy, sociology, public policy, and political science. We combine interests in these disciplines with practical involvement in current issues of policy in Bristol, the UK, and across the world.
Inequalities and Social Welfare
The Inequalities and Social Welfare Research Centre brings together interdisciplinary research on how poverty, inequality and social exclusion shape people’s lives across local, national and global contexts. Using rigorous qualitative, quantitative, comparative and creative methods, we produce research that advances understanding and informs policy, practice and public debate.
Health, Social Care and Disability
The aim of the Centre is to conduct impactful local, national and international social research to address health and social care challenges, reduce inequalities, and inform more inclusive policy and practice for disabled people and other diverse groups. We provide research-led teaching on undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, engage in grant-funded research and commissioned consultancy, and we share our policy expertise in a range of advisory roles.
Social Harm, Crime and Violence
The Social Harm, Crime and Violence Research Centre is a leading centre for the study of social harm and crime in the UK and globally, combining pioneering research with
policy impact and activism. The centre builds on approaches to harm, crime, structural and gendered violence developed at Bristol since the early 1990s, which explore these issues beyond the confines of disciplines such as criminology or law. Centre members examine diverse forms of harms and crimes, perpetrated not only by individuals but by states, corporations and wider social structures.
Contact us
- Contact
- Postgraduate Research Admissions Team
- uob-pgradmissions@bristol.ac.uk