Our Doctor of Social Work programme is designed for social workers and for those wanting to undertake a professional doctorate in the field of Social Work and Social Care.
The course's purpose is to enable those working in professional contexts to make a difference by carrying out applied or action-orientated research in a variety of areas. It also facilitates organisational input on agreed research areas and can enhance organisational research capacity
The Doctor of Social work is a professional doctorate for both UK-based as well as International (EU and wider Overseas) students. It facilitates organisational input on agreed research areas and can enhance organisational research capacity.
The Doctor of Social Work is designed for those who are involved in aspects of social work, social policy and practice in a wide range of settings, including government, voluntary organisations, community-based projects, management, education, social care, health care, probation and user groups, as paid workers or volunteers.
It aims to develop critical reflection within participants' policy, practice and organisational contexts, enhance applied social research skills, and develop ability to carry out and apply original research.
Develop critical reflection, enhance applied research skills, and enable original research in policy and practice contexts.
This course will run over 3 years in full-time mode and 6 years in part-time mode. The programme comprises research training, work-orientated assignments and a 50,000-word thesis demonstrating original work.
The following must be taken:
| Module Title | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Social Science Research | 20 | Semester 1 |
| Issues and Debates in Social Work | 20 | Semester 2 |
| Research Design | 20 | Semester 1 |
| Social Research Methods I | 20 | Semester 2 |
| Social Research Methods II | 20 | Semester 2 |
Students can choose one of the following:
| Module Title | Credits | Semester |
|---|---|---|
| Development and Evaluation Project | 40 | Full Term |
| Dissertation (Social Work and Social Care) | 60 | Full Term |
You are also required to complete a 50,000-word thesis.
You should choose 40 credits from School of Social Policy or University PG modules, including College Advanced Research Training modules by arrangement with the Programme Director.
You can apply directly through the University to an advertised PhD project, or by proposing your own PhD idea. We welcome applications to work in a wide variety of areas. Joint supervision, both between staff within the Department, and with staff in other departments is possible. We recommend that you investigate staff research interests before applying.
If you are proposing your own research topic, you will need to submit a research proposal. It’s a key part of your application, so take your time. Your potential supervisors will use it to decide if your research is something they can support.
Your proposal should be a clear and concise summary of your research. It generally consists of an outline of your proposed research project, including your main research questions and the methods you intend to use.
You should also comment on the potential impact and importance of your intended research and on how your work would interact with current trends in your academic field. It should illustrate the relevance of your topic to the research interests and expertise of the staff within your chosen department.
Find a PhD project that suits your interests by using our FindAPhD tool.
Applicants would usually also have a relevant professional qualification and experience.
If you are an international student, you will need to demonstrate you have a suitable level of English proficiency, usually through the form of an IELTS or equivalent qualification.
For this course we require IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in any band, which is equivalent to:
Full-time. Fee to be confirmed
Part-time. Fee to be confirmed
These are most common in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine) subjects, but they can sometimes be available for pre-defined research projects in the arts, humanities or social sciences. These may be advertised as fully funded (with fees and a stipend) or competition funded, meaning the projects compete against other projects at each institution.
You devise your own PhD topic, find a supervisor, write a research proposal and apply to the relevant programme. If you’re offered a place at Birmingham, you can then apply for studentships or funding from various sources. Our Postgraduate Scholarships and Funding database lists all available funding.
A limited number of scholarships and studentships may be available to outstanding applicants. For further information, please explore our scholarships and funding database.
To apply for a postgraduate research programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online.
If you are applying to an ‘advertised PhD’, please check the details of the specific research project for application deadlines.
If you are submitting your own research proposal, applications are accepted all year round. However, if you wish to start in September, we would encourage you to apply by 1 June. Whilst you are still welcome to apply after this date, it is important to allow time for us to review your application.
If you are seeking funding, please be aware that the majority of funding opportunities have deadlines in early spring so we would encourage you to apply as early as possible.
We have put together some helpful information on the research programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page. Please read this information carefully before completing your application.
If you are proposing your own research topic, you will need to submit a research proposal. It’s a key part of your application, so take your time. Your potential supervisors will use it to decide if your research is something they can support.
Your proposal should be a clear and concise summary of your research. It generally consists of an outline of your proposed research project, including your main research questions and the methods you intend to use.
You should also comment on the potential impact and importance of your intended research and on how your work would interact with current trends in your academic field. It should illustrate the relevance of your topic to the research interests and expertise of the staff within your chosen department.
Birmingham’s School of Social Policy and Society postgraduates enter a wide range of occupational sectors: the majority in the public sector in areas such as youth work but others including events, sales, administration and education. Graduates also opt to continue in academia.
Whatever you plan to do after your degree, the Careers Network offers a range of events and support services including networking opportunities, career coaching, one to one guidance, careers fairs and links with leading graduate recruiters.
As a postgraduate researcher, you’ll benefit from tailored support to prepare you for a career in academia or set you up for a wide range of other professions.
We also offer subject specific careers consultants and a dedicated careers website for international students.
Find out why we are the most targeted UK university by top graduate employers (High Fliers report, The Graduate Market 2024) by meeting some of our successful alumni.
