For some students their undergraduate degree is only the start of their higher education experience. After graduating at the end of your third year you may decide to go on to postgraduate study.
If you choose to study at Southampton, you’ll work with internationally respected academics and experience world-leading research as it happens.
Sociology, social policy and applied social sciences programmes have been central to Social Sciences at Southampton for over 40 years. In the latest RAE, sociology and social policy staff joined colleagues from the Division of Social Statistics & Demography and the Centre for Research on Ageing in a joint submission to the RAE Sub-Panel for Social Work and Social Policy and Administration. Our submission was ranked third in the UK, with an overall grade point average of 3.0. Our 22 permanent members of staff include six professors.
Taught degrees
The University of Southampton has been accredited by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as a Social Science Doctoral Training Centre (DTC). This accreditation is for five years from October 2011. Southampton is one of only twenty-one Social Science DTCs in England, Scotland and Wales: these are the only institutions which will receive ESRC-funding for postgraduate research.
List of taught degrees
- PG Dip/MSc Criminology
- PG Dip/MSc Social Policy and Social Research (1 year)
- PG Dip/MSc Sociology and Social Policy (1 year)
- PG Dip/MSc Sociology and Social Research (1 year)
How to apply
To apply for postgraduate study you must satisfy the University’s general entry requirements as well as any specific requirements for your chosen programme.
Find out more about how to apply for a postgraduate taught degree
Apply on-line at www.southampton.ac.uk/postgraduate.
Research degrees
Our research interests are wide-ranging and we are therefore able to offer MPhil/PhD supervision across many areas of sociology, social policy, social psychology, anthropology and criminology. In particular, we have an international reputation for combining the study of social theory and social processes with empirical analysis, including analysis of social problems and social policy.
Application process
To apply, please complete the online application form. For more information please follow this link.
Meet our research students
After you graduate
Postgraduate study at the University of Southampton will enable you to push the boundaries of knowledge in your chosen field and make a real contribution to your subject.
We will provide you with an extensive support network, both during and after your time at the university. By the time you graduate you will have all the knowledge and resources you need for your next step, whether you choose a new career or further study.
When the time comes to move on after your postgraduate studies, you will become part of our global alumni community, with more than 170,000 members in 147 countries. As a member of this extensive network, you will be offered a series of benefits, services and events.
Find out more