social work phd in uk

Study Postgraduate

Phd in social work (2025 entry).

Course code

January, April and October

3-4 years full-time; Up to 7 years part-time

Qualification

Centre for Lifelong Learning

University of Warwick

Download our prospectus Link opens in a new window

Find out more about our Social Work PhD degree at Warwick

The PhD in Social Work allows you to select a topic of your choice linked to our expertise within the broad field of social work. Warwick's Centre for Lifelong Learning provides a rich, transdisciplinary academic environment supported by a dedicated team including supervision and personal tutoring.

Course overview

This PhD provides an opportunity to undertake in-depth research linked to our expertise in social work. Our faculty has a range of expertise. We support research projects linked to one or more of our main research themes.

Teaching and learning

We provide a pleasant PhD study room and dedicated personal tutor support in addition to the supervisory team. A combined staff and student seminar programme provides a collegiate forum for sharing and discussing current topics and ideas.  

General entry requirements

Minimum requirements.

2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject or a good Master's level degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject.

English language requirements

You can find out more about our English language requirements Link opens in a new window . This course requires the following:

• IELTS overall score of 7.0, minimum component scores of two at 6.0/6.5 and the rest at 7.0 or above.

International qualifications

We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications.

For more information, please visit the international entry requirements page Link opens in a new window .

Additional requirements

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.

Our research

Research themes can include:  

• Social work
• Men/masculinity
• Childbirth/fatherhood
• Health and social work
• Inequalities in health
• Mental health
• Social work practice
• Social work related legal and policy issues
• Work and practice related to the Mental Health Act 1983 (2007) and Mental Capacity Act 2005
• International and European approaches and perspectives in mental health practice

Find a supervisor

Please hover above the name(s) listed below for a quick overview then click to view the full profile.

• Dr Alan Dolan Link opens in a new window Link opens in a new window Link opens in a new window
• Dr Kevin Stone Link opens in a new window

Applicants are encouraged to contact their potential supervisor. The most important aspect is the nature of your project and its potential for supervision in our department

You are asked to view your intended supervisor's profile and read their work. Please think about what might make your proposed PhD attractive to your supervisor, and customise the proposal accordingly.

• How does your project relate to your intended supervisor's work?
• How might your project enhance, advance, or develop it?
• Could you take it in a different direction?
• What kind of methods and approaches are likely to appeal to your potential supervisor?

We receive a large number of proposals every year and only have capacity for proposals that are carefully tailored to our specific areas of expertise.

The University's Find a Supervisor Guidance

Research proposals

When putting together your research proposal please:

• Provide an overview of your research question, explaining why it is of academic and or practical importance
• Outline the main objectives of your research, providing details of two or three key aspects
• Indicate the importance of previous related research and how your own research question might make a useful contribution to the area
• Briefly state the main research techniques (interviews, case studies, modelling, literature review, etc.) you might use
• Indicate your suggested literature and/or data collection procedures, indicating sources and any possible difficulties
• Explain the techniques you intend to use
• Add an outline timeline of activities

Tuition fees

Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course at the start of the academic year, or at the start of your course, if later. Academic fees cover the cost of tuition, examinations and registration and some student amenities.

Find your research course fees

Fee Status Guidance

We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.

Do you need your fee classification to be reviewed?

If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.

Find out more about how universities assess fee status

Additional course costs

As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of field trips or costs associated with travel abroad.

For departmental specific costs, please see the Modules tab on the course web page for the list of core and optional core modules with hyperlinks to our  Module Catalogue  (please visit the Department’s website if the Module Catalogue hyperlinks are not provided).

Associated costs can be found on the Study tab for each module listed in the Module Catalogue (please note most of the module content applies to 2022/23 year of study). Information about module department specific costs should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below:

• Core text books
• Printer credits
• Dissertation binding
• Robe hire for your degree ceremony

Scholarships and bursaries

Scholarships and financial support.

Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.

Living costs

Find out more about the cost of living as a postgraduate student at the University of Warwick.

Centre for Lifelong Learning (CLL)

For more than 30 years, the Centre for Lifelong Learning has been a centre of expertise in the education of lifelong learners in different contexts. It has a focus on enabling adult learners to achieve their personal and professional goals by accessing a Warwick education, irrespective of background.

Our departmental research strategy focuses on four interconnected themes: concepts of lifelong learning; people-focused professions; wellbeing and identity; participation and collaboration. We seek to enthuse staff, students, and the wider community with this vision. More information is available on our website.

Find out more about us by visiting our website. Link opens in a new window

Our Postgraduate Taught courses

• Career Coaching (PGA)
• Career Development and Coaching Studies (MA)
• Career Development and Coaching Studies (PGCert)
• Career Development and Coaching Studies (PGDip)
• Career Development Theories (PGA)
• Career Education, Information and Guidance in HE (MA)
• Career Education, Information and Guidance in HE (PGCert)
• Career Education, Information and Guidance in HE (PGDip)
• Career Development Theories - CEIGHE (PGA)
• Challenges of Careers Work in Higher Education (PGA)
• Coaching (MA)
• Coaching (PGCert)
• Coaching (PGDip)
• Leadership and Team Coaching (PGA)
• Psychotherapy and Counselling (MSc)

Our Postgraduate Research courses

• Open Professional Studies PhD
• PhD in Adult Education and Lifelong Learning
• PhD in Social Policy and Social Work
• PhD in Social Work

How to apply

Applications are now open for courses that start in September and October 2025.

For research courses that start in September and October 2025 the application deadline for students who require a visa to study in the UK is 2 August 2025. This should allow sufficient time to complete the admissions process and to obtain a visa to study in the UK.

How to apply for a postgraduate research course  

After you’ve applied

Find out how we process your application.

Applicant Portal

Track your application and update your details.

Admissions statement

See Warwick’s postgraduate admissions policy.

Join a live chat

Ask questions and engage with Warwick.

Explore ways to connect with us

We understand how important it is to visit and explore your future university before you apply. That's why we have put together a range of online and in-person options to help you discover more about your course, visit campus, and get a sense of postgraduate life at Warwick. Our events offer includes:

• Warwick hosted events
• Postgraduate Fairs
• Talk and Tours
• Department events

Why Warwick

Discover why Warwick is one of the best universities in the UK and renowned globally.

8th in the UK

in the Guardian University Guide 2025

6th Most Targeted University

by the UK's top 100 graduate employers (The Graduate Market in 2024, High Fliers Research Ltd)

69th in the World

out of 1,500 institutions across 104 locations (QS World University Rankings 2025)

5th best student city in the UK

Coventry is ranked as the 5th Best Student City in the UK, and 40th in the world (Best Student Cities, QS World University Guide 2023)

Gold standard teaching

Gold, the highest possible rating across all three categories (student experience, student outcomes, and overall) (Teaching Excellence Framework 2023)

92% of our research

was assessed as 'world-leading' or 'internationally excellent' (Research Excellence Framework 2021)

Page updates

We may have revised the information on this page since publication. See the edits we have made and content history .

About the information on this page

This information is applicable for 2025 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our terms and conditions to find out more.

• Schools & departments

Social Work PhD

Awards: PhD

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Social Work

Introduction to Postgraduate Study

Join us online on 18 December at our live webinar session for an overview of postgraduate study and life at Edinburgh.

Find out more and register

Research profile

Social work research involves a wide variety of methods and topics, often geared at understanding the experiences of those who are disadvantaged, alongside exploring challenges in social work practice, or contemporary social problems.

While many of our students are qualified social workers, we also have a large number of students who are not, but who study social issues, policy practices or experiences that are related to social work.

Our social work researchers have expertise in a range of domains including:

• mental health
• children and their families
• forced migration and refugees
• criminal justice

We have excellent links with leading professional bodies, policy-making organisations and professional and social work services in statutory and voluntary sectors throughout Scotland, the UK and internationally.

We also have a number of partnerships with agencies and organisations providing social work in the Global South.

The research interests of staff cover the full range of applied social work service specialisms, theoretical issues and research methods. This includes expertise in:

• creative research methods
• evaluation approaches, including advanced quantitative analysis
• discourse analysis
• documentary analysis
• longitudinal research
• narrative and biographical methods
• numerous other types of qualitative methods

Our work is enriched by the perspective of both international students and UK/EU students, including individuals who are experienced professionals studying part-time while working.

Programme structure

We support interdisciplinary research, and often our research students will have supervisors from a mix of subject areas.

Year 1 of the programme includes a regular research seminar series and student-led reading group. This will help you get to know the research staff and fellow students and build your knowledge of social work research methods, preparing you for independent research.

Together with students in all disciplines across the school, you will undertake research methods courses in Year 1 (and Year 2 if part-time) before proceeding with your thesis.

Many research students collaborate with practitioners or policy-makers in the development or undertaking of their research, embedding their work in the realities of professional practice.

The potential to undertake cutting-edge research on contemporary real-world problems makes this programme an exciting opportunity to generate knowledge that may offer solutions to the challenges faced by individuals, families and communities.

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Training and support

Each student has at least two supervisors with the possibility of the second supervisor coming from an outside discipline. Occasionally, you will have a third supervisor if they can bring additional expertise to the supervisory team.

There are weekly group seminars for our PhD community which include staff, students and visiting scholars. You are also invited to take part in method workshops and have opportunities to link into special interest groups in the wider School of Social and Political Science (see for example the RaceED and GenderEd). Staff also play leadership roles in a range of innovate research hubs and Centres (see for example the Binks Hub and the ACRC), bringing opportunities for PhD students to be involved in other research projects and knowledge exchange initiatives.

During the year you are strongly encouraged to participate in the annual University of Edinburgh Social Work Research Conference.

The School of Social and Political Science provides Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) recognised research training courses for Social Science students across the University. Postgraduate research students can access core, intermediate and advanced research training courses tailored to the needs of their projects.

The University’s Institute for Academic Development also provides a range of courses and events to assist with methodological training and career development.

• Institute for Academic Development

As a PhD student at the School of Social and Political Science, you will have full access to a number of dedicated facilities in the Chrystal Macmillan Building, such as desk areas for quiet and collaborative study.   You will also have access to the University’s outstanding research library and archive facilities. These include the University’s Main Library, one of the largest academic libraries in the world with more than 2,300 study spaces, as well as the National Library of Scotland and the Scottish Records Office. 

Proximity to the Scottish Parliament and other institutions of national government provides further research opportunities.

You can follow our department on X (formerly Twitter), and read about some current research projects on our subject area blog.

• University of Edinburgh Social Work Twitter account
• Social Work at the University of Edinburgh blog

PhD Social Work student story: Making a difference

Entry requirements.

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

A UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent, and a UK masters degree with an overall mark of 65% or its international equivalent.

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country
• English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced ( CAE ) / C2 Proficiency ( CPE ): total 185 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE : ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 59 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT : 8 overall with at least 6 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS , TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE , in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

Fees and costs

Tuition fees, scholarships and funding.

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

borrowing money

taking out a loan

family support

personal savings

income from work

employer sponsorship

• scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Featured funding

School of Social and Political Science Scholarships

UK Research Council Awards

For specialised guidance on submitting a competitive scholarship application, please follow the requirements and recommendations and how to contact relevant academic staff as advised here:

• Important information and recommendations

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding

Further information

• Postgraduate Admissions Team
• Phone: +44 (0)131 650 4086
• Contact: [email protected]
• Programme Advisor, Dr Robin Sen
• Contact: [email protected]
• Graduate School of Social & Political Science
• Chrystal Macmillan Building
• 15A George Square
• Central Campus
• Programme: Social Work
• School: Social & Political Science
• College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.

PhD Social Work - 3 Years (Full-time)

Phd social work - 6 years (part-time), application deadlines.

We encourage you to apply at least one month prior to entry so that we have enough time to process your application. If you are also applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible.

• How to apply

You must submit two references with your application.

You must submit a research proposal demonstrating your knowledge of your field of research, which will be closely scrutinised as part of the decision-making process. We request that PhD research proposals are no more than four A4 typed pages in Times New Roman, 12pt font. This includes charts and figures but does not include references or a bibliography.

We require PhD applicants in particular to contact potential supervisors before applying to discuss their research proposal so we can ensure there is adequate supervision.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

Cookies on our website

We use some essential cookies to make this website work.

We'd like to set additional cookies to understand how you use our site so we can improve it for everyone. Also, we'd like to serve you some cookies set by other services to show you relevant content.

Social Work and Social Care PhD

Key information.

• 100%  of our research impact in Social Work and Social Policy was assessed to be world leading or internationally excellent  (REF 2021)  

From theory and practice in wellbeing to the challenges of social work practice in safeguarding, mental health, adoption and reflective practice to the exploration of extraordinary childhoods, digital childhoods and emotional lives – you’ll work with experts in their fields in a vibrant interdisciplinary research community.

Areas of study

We host three research centres:

• Centre for Innovation and Research in Adult Wellbeing
• Centre for Innovation and Research in Childhood and Youth  (jointly hosted by the Department of Education and the Department of Social Work and Social Care)
• Centre for Social Work Innovation and Research.

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities described in this prospectus. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to government or regulatory requirements, or unanticipated staff changes, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.

PhD open evening on campus

Monday 21 October, 5pm - 8.30pm

Entry requirements

• UK requirements
• International requirements

Please select your country from the list.

Philippines

Saudi arabia, south africa, south korea, switzerland, united arab emirates, my country is not listed.

If your country is not listed, you need to contact us and find out the qualification level you should have for this course. Contact us

English language requirements

Ielts (academic).

Advanced level (7.0 overall, including at least 6.5 in each component).

IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course.  Find out more about IELTS

We accept IELTS One Skills Retake.

We do not accept IELTS Online.

Check full details of our English Language requirements and find out more about some of the alternative English language qualifications listed below

Alternative English language qualifications

Proficiency tests, cambridge advanced certificate in english (cae).

176 overall, including at least 169 in each skill.

We would normally expect the CAE test to have been taken within two years before the start of your course.

You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Find out more about Cambridge English: Advanced

Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)

We would normally expect the CPE test to have been taken within two years before the start of your course.

You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Find out more about Cambridge English: Proficiency

LanguageCert Academic SELT

Advanced level (75 overall, including at least 70 in each component).

LanguageCert Academic SELT scores are valid for two years from the test date. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course.  Find out more about LanguageCert Academic SELT

We only accept LanguageCert when taken at SELT Test Centres.

We do not accept the online version.  We also do not accept the non-SELT version.

LanguageCert International ESOL SELT

Advanced level (International ESOL SELT C1 with a minimum of 33 in each component)

LanguageCert International ESOL scores are valid for two years from the test date. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about LanguageCert SELT

We only accept LanguageCert when taken at SELT Test Centres. We do not accept the online version.

Pearson PTE Academic

Advanced level (67 overall, including at least 62 in all four skills)

PTE (Academic) scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about Pearson (PTE Academic)

We do not accept the PTE Academic Online test.

TOEFL (iBT)

Advanced level 95 overall, including at least 22 in Listening, 23 in Reading, 23 in Speaking, 24 in Writing. 

TOEFL (iBT) scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about TOEFL (iBT)

We do not accept TOEFL (iBT) Home Edition.

The TOEFL Institution Code for the University of Sussex is 9166.

English language qualifications

As/a-level (gce).

Grade C or above in English Language.

Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE)/ AS or A Level: grade C or above in Use of English.

GCE O-level

Grade C or above in English.

Brunei/Cambridge GCE O-level in English: grades 1-6.

Singapore/Cambridge GCE O-level in English: grades 1-6.

GCSE or IGCSE

Grade C or above in English as a First Language (Grade 4 or above in GCSE from 2017).

Grade B or above in English as a Second Language.

Ghana Senior Secondary School Certificate

If awarded before 1993: grades 1-6 in English language.

If awarded between 1993 and 2005: grades A-D in English language

Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE)

Level 4, including at least 3 in each component in English Language.

Indian School Certificate (Standard XII)

The Indian School Certificate is accepted at the grades below when awarded by the following examination boards:

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) – English Core only:  70%

Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) - English:  70% 

International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB)

English A or English B at grade 5 or above.

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education

Grades A - C in English language

Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) 1119/GCE O-level

If taken before the end of 2008: grades 1-6 in English Language.

If taken from 2009 onwards: grade C or above in English Language.

The qualification must be jointly awarded by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES).

West African Senior School Certificate

Grades A1-C6 (1-6) in English language when awarded by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) or the National Examinations Council (NECO).

Country exceptions

Select to see the list of exempt english-speaking countries.

If you are a national of one of the countries below, or if you have recently completed a qualification equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree or higher in one of these countries, you will normally meet our English requirement. Note that qualifications obtained by distance learning or awarded by studying outside these countries cannot be accepted for English language purposes.

You will normally be expected to have completed the qualification within two years before starting your course at Sussex. If the qualification was obtained earlier than this, we would expect you to be able to demonstrate that you have maintained a good level of English, for example by living in an English-speaking country or working in an occupation that required you to use English regularly and to a high level.

Please note that this list is determined by the UK’s Home Office, not by the University of Sussex.

List of exempt countries: 

• Antigua and Barbuda
• New Zealand
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• The British Overseas Territories
• Trinidad and Tobago
• United Kingdom

** Canada: you must be a national of Canada; other nationals not on this list who have a degree from a Canadian institution will not normally be exempt from needing to provide evidence of English.

English language support

If you don’t meet the English language requirements for your degree, you may be able to take a pre-sessional course

• Visas and immigration

Admissions information for applicants

If your qualifications aren’t listed or you have a question about entry requirements, contact us

• How to apply

If you’d like to join us as a research student, there are two main routes:

• browse funded projects in this subject area
• browse our potential supervisors and propose your own research project.

Find out how to apply for a PhD at Sussex

Full-time and part-time study

Choose to work on your research full time or part time, to fit around your work and personal life. For details about part-time study, contact us at [email protected]

Our supervisors

Dr Rachel Burr

Senior Lecturer in Education

[email protected]

View profile of Rachel Burr

Dr Tam Cane

Senior Lecturer

[email protected]

View profile of Tam Cane

Dr Henglien Lisa Chen

Senior Lecturer in Social Work

[email protected]

View profile of Henglien Lisa Chen

Dr Jeri L. Damman

[email protected]

View profile of Jeri L. Damman

Prof Kristine Langhoff

Professor of Social Work

[email protected]

View profile of Kristine Langhoff

Dr Rachel Larkin

Lecturer in Social Work

[email protected]

View profile of Rachel Larkin

Prof Michelle Lefevre

[email protected]

View profile of Michelle Lefevre

Dr Reima Ana Maglajlic

Reader in Social Work

[email protected]

View profile of Reima Ana Maglajlic

Dr May Nasrawy

Lecturer in Applied Social Science

[email protected]

View profile of May Nasrawy

Dr David Orr

[email protected]

View profile of David Orr

Prof Gillian Ruch

[email protected]

View profile of Gillian Ruch

Prof Elaine Sharland

Professor of Social Work Research

[email protected]

View profile of Elaine Sharland

Prof Rachel Thomson

Professor of Childhood & Youth Studies

[email protected]

View profile of Rachel Thomson

Prof Charles Watters

Professor of Wellbeing and Social Care

[email protected]

View profile of Charles Watters

Dr Russell Whiting

Senior Lecturer in Social Work and Care

[email protected]

View profile of Russell Whiting

Funding and fees

How can i fund my course, funded projects and scholarships.

Our aim is to ensure that every student who wants to study with us is able to despite financial barriers, so that we continue to attract talented and unique individuals. Don’t miss out on scholarships – check the specific application deadlines for funding opportunities. Note that funded projects aren’t available for all our PhDs.

Up to 10 scholarships for outstanding PhD students from China

Find out more

A number of ESRC-funded standalone PhD and PhD with Masters scholarships across the social sciences.

A maintenance allowance for a Black home PGR student for 4 years starting at £19,237 in 2024-5 and UK PhD fees for 4 years

3 year scholarship starting February 2025 which covers: full UK fees, annual stipend plus research expenses

Applying for USA Federal Student Aid?

If any part of your funding, at any time, is through USA federal Direct Loan funds, you will be registered on a separate version of this degree which does not include the possibility of distance learning which is prohibited under USA federal regulations. Find out more about American Student Loans and Federal Student Aid .

Part-time work

We advertise around 2,500 part-time jobs a year so you can make money and gain work experience. We have a special scheme to employ students on campus, wherever possible.

Find out more about careers and employability

How much does it cost?

Fees for self-funding students.

Home students: Fees are not yet set for entry in the academic year 2025/26. Fees will become available once set by United Kingdom Research and Innovation.

Channel Islands and Isle of Man students: Fees are not yet set for entry in the academic year 2025/26. Fees will become available once set by United Kingdom Research and Innovation.

International students: £22,575 per year for full-time students

Home PhD student fees are set at the level recommended by United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) annually, rising in line with inflation. Overseas fees are subject to an annual increase - see details on our tuition fees page

Additional costs

Note about additional costs.

Please note that all costs are best estimates based on current market values. Activities may be subject to unavoidable change in response to Government advice. We’ll let you know at the earliest opportunity. We review estimates every year and they may vary with inflation. Find out how to budget for student life .

Empirical research costs

On top of your PhD fees and living costs, you may also need to cover some research and training costs, relevant to your research project. These costs will depend on your research topic and training needs, but may include: - travel (to archives, collections or scientific facilities) - a laptop - overseas fieldwork costs (travel and accommodation, and language training) - conference costs (travel, registration fees and accommodation) - laboratory consumables and workshop materials - participant costs - transcription or translation costs - open-access publication costs. If you have a scholarship from one of the UK Research Councils, your scholarship should cover these types of costs. You'll receive details of how to claim this additional funding. If you're self funded, or if your scholarship doesn’t cover these costs, check with the Research and Enterprise Co-ordinator in your School for details of School or Doctoral School funding that may be available.

• Living costs

Find out typical living costs for studying at Sussex

Find out about our terms and conditions

Explore our campus

Experience Sussex life in our virtual tour.

Start your virtual tour

PhD Information Sessions

Visit campus and chat to staff and students. Book your place

Online PhD Sessions

Join a live webchat. Book your place

International

Meet us in your country

Course enquiries

+44 (0)1273 876787

Send us a message

Admissions enquiries

If you haven’t applied yet:

+44 (0)1273 678464 eswpgradmin@​sussex.ac.uk

Find out about the School of Education and Social Work

After you’ve applied:

+44 (0)1273 877773 [email protected]

Find out how to apply

Quick links

• Guide to PhD study
• PhD support
• Academic facilities
• Open Days and events
• Accommodation
• International students
• Student life
• Order a printed prospectus

What do you want to do next?

• Courses Browse our courses by subject area
• Sussex Life Find out about life at Sussex
• Visit Come to a PhD Open Evening
• Apply Find out how to apply

Alternatively, use our A–Z index

Tackle the biggest challenges in biology, medicine and health in a world leading research environment, and prepare for your future career.

Attend an open day

PhD Social Work (4 years) / Programme details

Year of entry: 2025

• View full page

Programme description

Our PhD/MPhil Social Work programme enables you to undertake a research project that will improve understanding of Social Work.

This postgraduate research programme in social work gives you the opportunity to work with internationally renowned scholars engaged in innovative research that will make a difference in people's lives and in health and social care.

We particularly welcome students from all health and social care disciplines who have an interest in exploring related subject areas.

4-year PhD (full time and full time distance learning options only)

This is a four year PhD programme for students who:

• have not previously studied research methods
• have studied research methods but not in the UK
• have limited English language skills
• have not completed a master's degree.

In this programme, the first year is a foundation year designed to prepare you for the following three years of the PhD programme.

This will include completing taught research methods units from our MRes in Health & Social Care , developing a research proposal with your supervision team and English language tuition (if English is not your first language).

We also offer a standard three year PhD programme (as well as MPhil ) for students who do not need to do the foundation year.

Special features

Training and development

All of our postgraduate researchers attend the Doctoral Academy Training Programme delivered by the Researcher Development team . The programme provides key transferable skills and equips our postgraduate researchers with the tools to progress beyond their research degree into influential positions within academia, industry and consultancy. The emphasis is on enhancing skills critical to developing early-stage researchers and professionals, whether they relate to effective communication, disseminating research findings and project management skills.

Coursework and assessment

Students must submit work at specific stages, review their progress, identify their learning and development needs, and meet with their supervisors throughout their course. Some meetings and evaluations are informal, while others are formal and documented.

4-year PhD  

In order to complete the foundation year and progress to year 2 all students must pass 4 MRes units with a mark of 50% or higher. Students will also write a proposal of about 2,000-2,500 words that will provide a platform for an end of year 1 meeting with supervisors and advisor; this is not formally assessed. Students will also be expected to complete English language tuition as required.

You will submit a continuation report at the end of 23 months. This will summarise your knowledge and skills in your topic of study and your ability to apply this to produce a robust research plan to complete your study. It is examined by two external examiners by a viva examination, and must be passed to progress to Year 3.

At the end of Year 3, you will submit a progress report via eProg for assessment by the supervisors and postgraduate research tutor. At the end of Year 4, the PhD thesis will be examined by an internal and external examiner.

Scholarships and bursaries

Funded programmes and projects are promoted throughout the year. Funding is available through UK Research Councils, charities and industry. We also have other internal awards and scholarships for the most outstanding applicants from within the UK and overseas.

For more information on available the types of funding we have available, please visit the funded programmes and funding opportunities pages.

What our students say

The wider facilities of the University are of an excellent standard, with one of the best library collections and resources in Europe.

Disability support