University of Southampton
Social Sciences

Social Sciences at the University of Southampton, is committed to providing first-class teaching and research within the social sciences. Research in Social Sciences has been given excellent ratings in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). Across the School, more than 50% of the research was judged to be either internationally excellent (3*) or world-leading (4*).

We offer 17 undergraduate, over 20 postgraduate taught programmes, along with research opportunities across the social sciences, including in: demography, economics, gerontology, global politics, social policy, social work, sociology and statistics. We also offer research training degrees to develop your knowledge of your subject area and provide a broad training in social science methods.

The University of Southampton is one of the UK's top research universities with a global reputation for cutting-edge innovation and enterprise. We are ranked in the top 100 universities in the world – one of only 19 UK universities to be so. (The Times Higher Education Supplement, 2009). Southampton has a global reputation for academic excellence, attracting students and researchers from across the world. With over 20,000 students and 5,000 staff, life at the University is lively and exciting. In addition to our six campuses, three major libraries and 20 halls of residence, the University houses a Students' Union building, a state-of-the-art sports complex and three internationally acclaimed arts centres.

Postgraduate taught programmes

Ageing / Gerontology

• MSc Gerontology
• MSc Gerontology (Research)
• MSc Gerontology (Distance Learning)

Economics

• MSc Economics
• MSc Economics and Econometrics
• MSc Finance and Economics

Politics and International Relations

• MSc Citizenship and Democracy
• MSc Citizenship and Democracy (Research)
• MSc Global Politics
• MSc Global Politics (Research)
• MSc Governance and Policy
• MSc International Political Economy
• MSc International Political Economy (Research)

Social Statistics

• MSc Demography
• MSc Official Statistics
• MSc Social Statistics: Research Methods pathway
• MSc Social Statistics: Statistics pathway

Sociology and Social Policy

• MSc Social Policy and Social Research'
• MSc Sociology and Social Research'
• MSc Sociology and Social Policy

Postgraduate research programmes

PhD opportunities are available in:

• economics (microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics);
• gerontology (health and social care, ageing in developing societies, social networks, pensions);
• politics (citizenship, governance, globalisation, security citizenship, democracy, globalisation, security, human rights and environmental politics).
• social statistics (demography and wellbeing, statistical modelling, sample survey theory and methods);
• sociology/social policy (comparative sociology; health and social care; history and theory of social policy and social welfare; research methods and methodological innovation; social change, the life-course and community relationships; work and organisations);

Academic strengths

Several of our divisions in Social Sciences are amongst the leading departments in the UK in terms of research output and expertise.

Particular strengths in each of our divisions are:

• Economics: information economics; quantitative macroeconomics; econometric methods
• Gerontology: ageing in developing and transitional societies; diversity in later life and ethnic minority ageing; health and social care; income and pensions; paid work and informal caring; retirement prospects of future generations of elders; social networks and informal support
• Politics and International Relations: citizenship, democracy, globalisation, security, human rights and environmental politics
• Social Statistics/Demography: sample survey theory and methods, demography and living standards and statistical modelling
• Sociology and Social Policy: social divisions and social cohesion, community and identity, long term change, globalisation, risk, ageing, and comparative social policy

Our expertise has resulted in the development of leading research centres which are located within our School. These include the Centre for Global Health, Population, Policy and Poverty (GHP3); Centre for Citizenship, Globalisation and Governance; Centre for Research on Ageing; Southampton Statistical Sciences Research Institute (S3RI); ESRC Centres for Population Change and Third Sector Research, National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) which is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC); and the Social policy and social work subject centre, Higher Education Academy (SWAP).

Vibrant postgraduate community

Our postgraduate students benefit from an active and stimulating interdisciplinary, academic environment. We encourage our students to participate in our busy schedule of seminars, featuring visiting speakers from other academic institutions. In addition, we regularly run series of research workshops where both staff and postgraduate students are able to discuss their research-in-progress in a more informal atmosphere.

State-of-the-art learning resources

Our postgraduate students have access, within Social Sciences, to IT networks, workstations and Internet café facilities, and MPhil/PhD students are provided with a desk and computer. We have a dedicated IT team based within the School. Administrative support is provided by the Postgraduate Research Office (MPhil/PhD students) and Programme Support Offices (master's students).

Funding

A number of scholarships and studentships are available each year with a closing date of early March. These include Social Sciences master's scholarships, School studentships, a Faculty International Bursary and ESRC studentships. Further information is available on the Funding section of our website.