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We have 22 Social Work PhD Research Projects PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships
Social Work PhD Research Projects PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships
We have 22 Social Work PhD Research Projects PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships
PhD in Social Work
A PhD in Social Work is an opportunity to conduct original research that will improve our understanding of the field – and help improve the practice of social care. You might explore, for example, the efficacy of a specific intervention, or the experience of a particular demographic in accessing social services.
What’s it like to study a PhD in Social Work?
Working under the guidance of a specialist supervisor, you’ll conduct independent research, culminating in an extended dissertation that should make a substantial contribution to the field of Social Work.
Possible research areas include:
- Child protection
- Learning disabilities
- Mental health
- Gender, race, or sexuality within social work
- Domestic violence
Alongside your research, you may be encouraged or required to undertake additional training to help you develop subject knowledge and research skills specific to your research area.
Your research will likely involve a multidisciplinary approach – the field of social work draws on several other subject areas such as Psychology, Social Policy, Law and Business.
As well as engaging with secondary literature and pre-existing cases studies, you may collect primary data using methods such as focus groups, surveys and participant observation.
There are a number of advertised PhD projects in Social Work, but you also have the option of proposing your own research idea.
PhD in Social Work Entry Requirements
The most common entry requirement for PhD programmes in Gender Studies is an upper second-class Bachelors degree and a Masters degree at Merit level, both in a relevant discipline. Some programmes may set a 2:1 undergraduate degree alone as a minimum requirement, but bear in mind that applications are considered on a case-by-case basis and additional qualifications with often be an advantage.
PhD in Social Work Funding
The UK Research Council responsible for funding PhDs in Socioeconomics is the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). It provides fully funded studentships that include coverage of your tuition fees, along with a stipend to cover living expenses.
Some advertised PhDs will have studentships attached. Students proposing their own research project may be able to apply for a studentship after being accepted onto the programme. If you are already working within the field, you may be able to get funding from your employer.
Full studentships are extremely competitive, so it’s likely you’ll need to cover at least some of your PhD costs independently. You could do this through applying for the UK government’s doctoral loan, part-time employment alongside your studies or support from charities or trusts.
PhD in Social Work Careers
Many PhD graduates in Social Work will pursue a career in research and continue making contributions to the field which will ultimately improve practice. An undergraduate or Masters degree in Social Work is required for those wishing to practice in the field – it’s likely that you’ll already have obtained one of these qualifications by the time you apply for a PhD. In this case, you might wish to continue a career in practice, potentially alongside academic research.
Your PhD will equip you with the skills necessary to be successful in plenty of other fields, however, such as social policy or human resources.
Enhancing treatment access to mental health and substance misuse in developing and emerging economies through greater roles of pharmacists (pharmacy) and allied health professions
Intergenerational perspectives on changing work practices and health
Understanding intergenerational perspectives on diversity and inequality
‘Dreams of a Safe Haven’ Life Stories of Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC): an Interdisciplinary Exploration of the Lived Experiences of Forced Migration (VC23045)
Promoting physical activity for survivors of violence against women in Scotland: needs, approaches and impacts (VC23004)
Understanding the experiences and perceptions of children who have been ‘criminally exploited’: reframing the debate
Leveraging Big Data for Impact: Harnessing data analytics for the VCSE sector
Capturing forgotten voices: Syrian adolescents’ experiences of displacement and humanitarian action in Jordan and Lebanon (fully funded ESRC CASE Studentship with Plan International)
Revealing Abledment: Ableism and the Body Politic
Sub-Continent Religious Traditions, Disability (Non-normative Bodies)
Testing a dynamic model of radicalisation in individual and society
The role of far-right narratives in mobilising support for violent political action
Exploring Mediated Forms of Sexual Commerce
Being a non-native speaker in a dynamic world: Language-related policy and its effects on people's cognition, wellbeing and other aspects of their lives
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