Sociology
- PhD
Overview
Develop your own research expertise by studying a sociological issue in an innovative interdisciplinary school.
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.
Benefit from support and oversight from two PhD supervisors whose current active research interests and expertise are relevant to your chosen research area.
Be challenged and inspired by an international community of scholars addressing some of the most important topics that face us today. Join a diverse, innovative community, committed to rigorous conceptual and empirical research that is politically and socially relevant and problem-orientated.
Produce work that advances theory, knowledge and methods at the cutting edge of sociology and contributes to a better understanding and improvement of the social world.
Programme structure
The PhD in Sociology will combine both taught and research components.
The taught component provides you with the necessary research methods skills to become an independent researcher, including a better understanding of the research process, ethics, and methodologies so that you are fully equipped to work on your PhD project.
You are required to complete this, unless you can provide evidence that you have undertaken this training before joining the programme.
You are required to take the following units:
- Introduction to Research Methods in the Social Sciences
- Digital Methods and Data Skills.
And one of the following units:
- Advanced Quantitative Research Methods
- Advanced Qualitative Research Methods.
Through the research component, you will undertake and write up your doctoral research with the support of two supervisors.
Students need to complete at least 60 credits unless they are exempted from individual units after applying for Recognised Prior Learning.
SWDTP (ESRC funded) students are required to complete the units agreed to in their funding offer letter which may be one or more of the units on this programme. Students should have completed the unit(s) before month 18 (full-time students) or month 36 (for part-time students).
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.
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. The programme application deadline for scholarship applicants will be 1 December 2026. This deadline applies 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
Bristol graduates are in high demand and have an excellent record of employment following graduation. Graduates of our postgraduate research programmes go on to pursue varied and interesting careers.
Past students have gone on to work for Refugee UK, Shelter, Barnardo's, Amnesty International, government departments and the European Parliament, among others.
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 Research Admissions Team
- uob-pgradmissions@bristol.ac.uk