Sociology (Research)

The information provided on this page was correct at the time of publication (November 2025). For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas.

The DPhil in Sociology is a research-based course focused on empirical and theoretical work in areas such as inequality, education, health, gender, crime, political sociology, and computational methods, culminating in a doctoral thesis.

The course provides academically outstanding students an unrivalled opportunity for those who would like to undertake original and independent research in preparation for an academic career and other research-intensive occupations.

The DPhil programme offers individualised training in sociological analysis to prepare you for academic life and the job market. You will develop your skills by undertaking empirical research under the guidance of an academic supervisor and by participating in the department's DPhil workshops and seminars. Apart from these DPhil-specific set of seminars, you will be given ample opportunities to present your work in the department, and to develop your research ideas and proposals with the advice and support of your peers. In addition, you will find a wide variety of courses, lectures and seminars taking place all over Oxford, that are relevant for your research and allow you to become a well-rounded sociologist.

As a research student, you will have the opportunity to be fully involved in the department's research environment, which is characterised by a rich tradition of methodologically rigorous empirical sociology. You will have the opportunity to attend regular weekly lunchtime sociology seminars with many interesting speakers participating. You will be exposed to cutting-edge research undertaken by your supervisor(s), scholars in the department and the many visitors that the department welcomes each year.

The DPhil is examined by a thesis, prepared under the guidance of one or two academic supervisors.

A broad range of sociological topics have been studied by the department’s doctoral students.