The four-year integrated PhD Sociology follows the MA Sociology or MA Sociological Research Methods programme for year 1 before beginning the PhD study programme within the department in year 2. By opting for the four-year Integrated course, students will benefit from guidance and training to develop the research mind set needed for their PhD studies.

If students have a strong background in sociology, its cognate disciplines or interdisciplinary areas, and a well-formulated research proposal, then our PhD could be appropriate.

University of Essex offer supervision that covers topics pertaining to Europe, the Americas, Africa and the Asian sub-continent, with strengths in: criminology and social justice; culture and media; economic sociology; ethnicity, migration and human rights; intimacy and gender, social theory and methodology; and survey methodology.

Reflecting this, University of Essex is home to four major research centres: the Migration Studies Centre, the Centre for Research in Economic Sociology and Innovation (CRESI), the Centre for Intimate and Sexual Citizenship (CISC) and the Centre for Criminology.