*** ESRC scholarships will be available for full or part-time students to bid for from Autumn term 2012 ***
Programme Leader: Dr Barbara Crossouard
Overview
The PhD research degree within the School of Education and Social Work aims to provide doctoral students with the support and resources necessary to complete a substantial piece of research. In most cases this has a significant empirical component. Each student is allocated two dedicated supervisors who together can bring established expertise, both substantive and methodological, to the issue being researched.
Applications that are well alligned with the research profiles of our Research Centres - whether the Centre for Higher Education and Equity Research (CHEER), the Centre for International Education (CIE) or the Centre for Inquiry and Research in Cognition, Learning and Teaching in Sussex (CIRCLETS) - and their associated academic faculty are welcomed.
The University of Sussex is a Doctoral Training Centre (DTC) approved by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), and its PhD programme has full ESRC recognition.
After an assessment of training needs, all PhD students benefit from a comprehensive research training programme. This includes research methods courses provided by the DTC and participation in a range of research-related activities. These provide opportunities to meet together as a group, present and discuss research proposals and work-in-progress and attend seminars by faculty and visiting speakers.
Doctoral students are all associated with one of our Research Centres and participate, along with faculty, in research activities organised by the Research Centre Directors.
The research interests of Education PhD students are often interdisciplinary, intersecting variously with anthropology, cultural studies, gender studies, international development, international relations, psychology, social work and sociology.
International students form the largest group of students in Education. Research students come from a wide variety of countries, educational settings and backgrounds: classroom teachers, further and higher education lecturers, teacher-educators, middle and senior managers and administrators, tutors and trainers in other professional fields such as the health services and industry. Many students are, or have been, practising educators in schools, colleges and universities and are undertaking research on themes related to their personal and professional development. This can be to develop deeper understanding of the complexities of contemporary professional environments, or to open up alternative career horizons.
Different pathways are available within this programme on a full or part-time basis. The 1+3 route is followed by all ESRC-funded students as well as any applicants who are interested in obtaining a Masters in Social Research Methods alongside the PhD:
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1+3 route
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+3 route
View/download the PhD in Education Leaflet [PDF 592.92KB].
See the Fees by programme web page for the fees associated with the pathway relevant to you.
Admissions requirements
- For the 1+3 route: A first or upper second-class undergraduate honours degree, or equivalent
- For the +3 route: At least a second-class undergraduate degree and a good Masters degree (Grade B or equivalent), either in social science research methods or an alternative relevant discipline which includes substantial research methods training.
- A good standard of written English
- Applicants whose first language is not English must provide a certificate of competency in English language of at least the following standard:
IELTS 7.0, with not less than 6.5 in each section. Internet TOEFL with 100 overall, with at least 21 in Listening, 22 in Reading and 27 in both Speaking and Writing).
Exceptionally, those without a Masters degree but who hold other academic qualifications or relevant professional experience may be admitted.
How to apply
All academic enquiries should be directed to Dr Barbara Crossouard.
Applications for these programmes should be made online.
See ESRC Studentships for information for and details of how to apply for a studentship.
Applicants to the +3 PhD programme should upload a concise research proposal not exceeding six pages, which includes references (assuming 10 point font and margins of not less than 1cm). The proposal should include the rationale for the research, the research questions, the research methodology and the research design, including research methods, methods of analysis and the timeframe over which the study will be conducted.
Any +3 PhD applicants whose Masters degree was not a recognised research training Masters, should also submit a document giving details of their research methods training (maximum 4000 characters), indicating how this training meets the standards outlined in the ESRC Postgraduate Training Guidelines. The document should include reference to any other relevant training undertaken, eg. work-based.
Applicants to the 1+3 PhD programme should upload a two page outline of the proposed research, including references. Font size should be no less than 10 point, with margins of no less than 1cm wide.
General enquiries: eswenquiries@sussex.ac.uk
Research and Enterprise Coordinator
School of Education and Social Work
Essex House
University of Sussex
Falmer
BN1 9QN
T: 01273 678464
F: 01273 877534
