School of Education - PhD Opportunities
The school of Education offers you the option to do a PhD in Education or in Social Research, giving you the opportunity to do a PhD in interdisciplinary social science subjects that don’t fit neatly into a single departmental ‘box’.
How we rank
The University of Sheffield is a member of the Russell Group of 24 research-intensive universities.
Our Research
Our research work in the school is diverse, inclusive and critical; we value research that both challenges and empowers.
Our research clusters can be seen here
And examples from our research institutes can be seen via the below links:
If you are interested in doing a PhD based around one of our areas of focus or the research mentioned in one of the academic staff profiles, get in touch with us to discuss it further.
Whatever stage of your research career, we would be interested to discuss with you how the School of Education can help you achieve your future research goals.
Course Structure
The Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes contains a wide range of information required by both students and their academic departments, from the point of registration onto a higher degree by research, to the point of award, including time scales allowed for the completion of a PhD.
However, a benchmark for this information is:
Full-time PhD
- Three years (normal)
- Four years (maximum)
Part-time PhD
- Six years (normal)
- Eight years (maximum)
Practice-based PhD
Find out more about our practice based PhD programme.
All PhD students within the Faculty of Social Sciences have access to world-class training alongside your doctoral study. The training you take can be tailored to your individual needs to ensure you have the right skills you need to develop your research.
This training programme is designed to exceed current UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) training and development guidelines and gives all our social science PhD students access to ESRC-funded White Rose Doctoral Training Partnership regardless of your source of funding.
The training is flexible and bespoke to your needs which you will discuss with your PhD supervisors.
1+3.5
Students looking to undertake PhD study within the Faculty of Social Sciences will require a strong understanding of the full breadth of social science research methods.
Many students are required to take the one-year MA Social Research degree with the SMI before progressing on to their PhD studies.
This year of study develops students' knowledge of research design, quantitative and qualitative methods, develops their professional skills, and allows them to take specialist and advanced subject-based courses in the field of their research topics whilst further developing the themes of your research.
Your application
Our guidance details how to apply for a research degree with us.
- What to prepare before applying
Entry requirements
Applicants should have an undergraduate degree that is equivalent to upper second-class honours (2:1) or above in the UK.
Applicants should also have or expect to obtain a master’s degree with merit (or international equivalent) in social research or a related subject. Candidates with other qualifications or with marks that do not meet the standard entry requirements will be considered on an individual basis where there is strong justification to do so
For applicants with international qualifications please ensure before beginning your application that these are in line with the aforementioned UK equivalents. If you are unsure please contact edc-pgr-support@sheffield.ac.uk to check.
English Language requirements
Applicants whose first language is not English and who do not hold a degree from an English-speaking university will need to take an English language test. Applicants must achieve one of the following minimum test scores:
IELTS 7 (with 6.5 in each component) or University equivalent
English language requirements for research degrees
We also offer a bridge programme for international applicants, in partnership with the English Language Teaching Centre (ELTC), which aims to help selected applicants to gain the required academic skills to produce a successful application proposal, and familiarise themselves with what it means to do a doctorate in the UK Higher Education system.
Application Process and Requirements
- 1)Identify supervisors
All PhD applicants need to have two (or more) PhD supervisors agree to supervise them before an application will be accepted.
Please review our staff profiles and research specialisms to identify suitable supervisors.
We recommend that you acquaint yourself first with potential supervisors' research work and demonstrate a good understanding of how your research project might align with their expertise.
Your PhD supervision could be split between a School of Education academic and an academic in another social sciences department.
Once identified, supervisors can be contacted directly to ask if they are able to support you. If applicants are unsure they can contact the schools PGR director at: a.tazzyman@sheffield.ac.uk for advice.
You will need an email confirming their support to upload to the application online system for your application be accepted.
- 2) Research Proposal
All PhD applications are required to upload a Research Proposal as an attachment in the online application system to be accepted.
This proposal should be about 1,000 to 3,000 words in length and should incorporate the following information:
- A word count on the first page.
- A title that accurately describes your research focus.
- An introduction that outlines you topic, your research aims and question(s) and gives background and context
- A literature review that provides a brief identification of the field in which your study would be located and of the contribution your research might make to that field.
- A research design and methods section that clearly outlines the overall approach and practical steps you will take to conduct your research. You also need to demonstrate the feasibility of the project and a timetable of work.
- A reference list.
Guidance on how to write a proposal can be found here.
Once identified, potential supervisors can support you in developing your proposal for the application.
- 3) Personal statement
All applicants are required to submit a personal statement of 250 to 750 words that supplements (rather than reiterates) your research proposal. It should:
- explain your interest in the topic you intend to study;
- describe previous research experience and scholarly activity (eg research training; conference attendance; academic/professional publications; etc)
- detail relevant professional experience;
- explain, specifically, why you wish to study at Sheffield and the School of Education (e.g. areas of staff interest and expertise allied to your interests etc).
Stages after application
All PhD applicants will need to have had an interview to be accepted.
Those that are selected to progress to interview will be invited to a short, relatively informal interview (usually online). You will be asked to explain in a little more detail your research plans, and why you believe the School of Education would be well suited to the project you have in mind.
Scholarships
Explore the available funding opportunities and make sure that you meet their eligibility requirements and deadlines.
- University of Sheffield Scholarships
Find out more about our PhD scholarships including how to apply.
- WRDTP Scholarships
You may be eligible for nomination by your supervisors to the WRDTP studentships.
Find out more about all ESRC White Rose Social Science DTP scholarships. Below are the School of Education's guidance and internal deadlines for applications. Please ensure you follow the below for your application.
The School of Education's internal timelines and guidance for WRDTP applications are below:
PhD Application - 2nd of January 2026 by 17.00
To be considered for a WRDTP PhD scholarship or 1+3 MA and PhD scholarship, you should submit a PhD application no later than 17.00 on the 2nd of January 2026. We strongly recommend submitting the application by the end of December 2025.
Completed the WRDTP application form - 17:00, 21st January 2026
Applicants must have completed the WRDTP application form online via PG Online no later than 17.00 21st of January 2026
A departmental internal review will take place after this deadline and selected applications will proceed to a faculty level review panel. All applicants will be updated on decisions following each review stage.
Decisions by WRDTP: 14th April 2026
Contact Us
If you have any questions, please contact edc-pgr-support@sheffield.ac.uk or the PGR Director Dr Abigail Tazzyman - a.tazzyman@sheffield.ac.uk