Sociology | University of Manchester

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Course summary

The PhD in Sociology is a three year full-time (six years part-time) programme. You will examine an important societal challenge of your choice, supervised by a member of staff who is an expert in their specialised area of research.

Our staff are experts, often internationally renowned, in a variety of key areas of sociology, and centres such as the Cathie Marsh Institute for Social Research .

We provide a wealth of opportunities for postgraduate researchers. Our research fits into six key clusters :

social inequality and stratification;
race, ethnicity and migration;
networks, relationality and everyday lives;
social movements and protest;
culture and consumption;
methodological innovation.

Recent PhDs have included topics as diverse as internet use in Iran, branding in AIDs awareness advertising, and how class differences affect access to higher education.

Open days

University of Manchester - virtual open day (online only)
20 Apr 2026, 15:00
Manchester
University of Manchester - open day (in person/on campus)
27 Jun 2026, 08:15
Manchester
University of Manchester - open day (in person/on campus)
4 Jul 2026, 08:15
Manchester
University of Manchester - virtual open day (online only)
6 Jul 2026, 15:00
Manchester
University of Manchester - open day (in person/on campus)
3 Oct 2026, 08:15
Manchester
University of Manchester - open day (in person/on campus)
10 Oct 2026, 08:15
Manchester
University of Manchester - virtual open day (online only)
16 Nov 2026, 16:00
Manchester

Fees and funding

Choose a specific option to see funding information.

Course options

Sponsorship information

There are a range of scholarships, studentships and awards available to support both UK and overseas postgraduate researchers, details of which can be found via the links below.

To apply University of Manchester funding, you must indicate in your application the competitions for which you wish to be considered. The deadline for most internal competitions, including School of Social Sciences studentships is 1 December 2024.

All external funding competitions have a specified deadline for submitting your funding application and a separate (earlier) deadline for submitting the online programme application form, both of which will be stated in the funding competition details below.

You will need to be nominated by your proposed supervisor for a number of our scholarships. Therefore, we highly recommend you discuss these funding opportunities with your supervisor first, so they can advise on your suitability and ensure you meet nomination deadlines.

For more information about funding, visit our funding page to browse for scholarships, studentships and awards you may be eligible for.