Program Overview

Overview of the University of Kent

The University of Kent is a leading research university with a strong focus on student employability. It has a long and distinguished history and is one of the largest and most successful social science research communities in Europe.

Postgraduate PhD in Social Work

The University of Kent offers a Postgraduate PhD in Social Work, which involves writing a thesis on a particular topic with specialist supervision. The School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research (SSPSSR) has a strong record of attracting research grants and has a number of research centres, including the Centre for Health Services Studies, the Centre for the Study of Social and Political Movements, and the Tizard Centre.

Research Areas

The School has collective strengths in the following areas:

• Civil society, NGOs and the third sector
• Cross-national and European social policy
• Health, social care and health studies
• Work, employment and economic life
• Risk, ‘risk society’ and risk management
• Race, ethnicity and religion
• Social and public policy
• Sociology and the body
• Crime, culture and control
• Sociological theory and the culture of modernity

Entry Requirements

A good honours degree in the social sciences, an interest in the chosen topic area, and a clear idea of the proposed thesis topic are required. In the case of research in health services and personal social services, the University will also consider candidates with professional qualifications alone and/or relevant experience in the health service.

Fees and Funding

The 2025/26 annual tuition fees for this course are:

• Full-time: £5,006 (UK), £19,300 (EU), £19,300 (International)
• Part-time: £2,503 (UK), £9,650 (EU), £9,650 (International)

Career Support

The University provides career support to help students achieve their career goals. The career support team offers guidance on career options, job search strategies, and interview techniques.

Research Centres

The University has a number of research centres, including:

• Centre for Health Services Studies (CHSS)
• Centre for the Study of Social and Political Movements
• Kent Crime and Justice Centre (KCJC)
• Centre for Child Protection
• Personal Social Services Research Unit
• Tizard Centre
• Centre for Philanthropy

Staff Research Interests

The academic staff in the School have a range of research interests, including:

• Disability, the workplace, inequality, the benefits system, addictions policy, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
• Deinstitutionalisation, community-based services, PCAS, SPELL framework, quality of life for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Citizenship, legal advice, aid and advocacy, volunteering, civil society, technology
• Trust relations in health systems, studies in different clinical settings and global health systems
• Classical social theory, the impact on social theory of the fall of communism, and the theoretical implications of the changing boundaries of social life

Your Future

A postgraduate degree in the area of social and public policy is a particularly flexible and valuable qualification that can lead to many exciting opportunities and professions. Recent graduates have pursued careers in academia, journalism, local and central government, charities, and NGOs. The University's career support team is available to help students achieve their career goals.