MPhil/PhD Social Sciences

Introduction

The active research base in the Department ensures that staff are involved in current debates and that students are made aware of new developments and issues. Each research student has an approved programme of research, supported by a programme of research training. Research students normally have two internal supervisors with specialist knowledge of their subject areas and have regular meetings with them for advice, monitoring and other support. Where appropriate, additional advisors may also be utilised. Research students also contribute to the Department's internal seminar series and may also be able to contribute to teaching.

Research students can enrol for MPhil or PhD awards. These degrees are normally undertaken wholly by thesis and can be carried out either on a full-time or a part-time basis.

It is recognised that students require considerable support if they are to become independent researchers. First year students are therefore required to follow a fairly structured pattern of activity during which their progress can be monitored and encouraged. Throughout their studies students are allocated two supervisors and the emphasis is on providing whatever training students require. Students are asked to contribute to the Department's research seminar series, are able to apply for funding to attend conferences, and are encouraged to publish including in the Department's Social Research Paper series and in journals.

Research supervision is available across the range of the Department's subjects, with examples of current students' interests being Sino-Soviet relations in the 1940s, the politics of direct action, war crimes, refugees and asylum seekers, Syrian politics, international relations in the Maghreb, the social exclusion of older people and the policing of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans-gendered people.