Program Overview

Queen's University Belfast

Social Work

Overview

You'll be a social scientist committed to multidisciplinary research that builds knowledge and capacities in the communities around us, and that has a positive impact on wellbeing. You’ll care about young people and families, conflict and social change, social inequality, disability, ageing and health, criminal justice, drugs and alcohol, trauma, violence and abuse and the effect these have on society.

Staff in the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work publish world-class research which has local and global impact. Our funders and partners include research councils, government departments, the EU, the Council of Europe and large foundations. Our research informs the development of policies in many areas, including education, criminal justice, teaching and learning, the well-being of children, social cohesion and justice, mental health and trauma informed practice.

Students are encouraged to join one of eight research centres in the School.

Research Centres

• The Center for Children’s Rights (CRC) is internationally renowned for its research on children’s rights aimed at improving their lives.
• The Center for Shared Education (CSE) is committed to promoting sharing in education as a mechanism for delivering economic, social and educational benefits to children, schools and society, particularly in post conflict societies.
• The Centre of Language Education Research (CLER) conducts research in language and education to make difference across local, national and international contexts.
• The Centre for Applied Behaviour Analysis (CABA) focuses on the discovery of natural laws of behaviour, the study of how behaviour is shaped by environmental contingencies and how changes affect behaviour.
• The Centre for Justice Studies (CJS) provides a focus for criminological research.
• The Centre for Technological Innovations in Mental Health and Education (TIME) develops technology based, inter-disciplinary research in the areas of mental health and professional education and training.
• The Centre for Inclusion, Transformation and Equality (CITE) focuses on inclusion, transformation and equality, addressing core themes of disability; gender & LGBTQ+; equality in education; and ethnicity, race and decoloniality.
• The Centre for Child, Youth and Family Welfare (CCYFW) provides insights into the lives of children, young people, and families and to achieve better welfare outcomes and improve wellbeing.

Key Facts

• Research students are encouraged to play a full and active role in relation to the wide range of research activities undertaken within the School.
• There are many resources available, including access to the Queen's University Postgraduate Researcher Development Programme.
• Office accommodation with access to computing facilities and support to attend conferences for full-time PhD students.
• A wide range of lectures and workshops on key aspects of writing a doctoral thesis.

Student Testimonials

• Murchana Kaushik, PhD Sociology, Project title: Intergenerational Communication for Social Change in Sectarian Societies
  • "SSESW is a wonderful place to do research. While it provides students with a space to think, formulate and conduct their own research, it also allows them to connect and interact with the larger academic community."
• Oluwadamilola “Dami” Osekita, PhD Sociology (Children’s Rights), Project title: Examining state-civil society cooperation and legislation in creating enabling environments for children’s rights in Europe and Africa: Dynamics, challenges, lessons and policy options
  • "I chose to pursue my PhD in SSESW at QUB for several compelling reasons. To begin, Queen's University Belfast is one of the few universities that has a centre dedicated to children’s rights research, globally."
• Dadan Nugraha (Indonesia), PhD Education, Project title: English Language Teachers' Digital Pedagogic Habitus and Post-Pandemic Educational Policy in Indonesia
  • "I am incredibly fortunate to have undertaken my doctoral research at the School of Social Science Education and Social Work (SSESW) at Queen's University Belfast (QUB)."

Career Prospects

• Many of our PhD graduates have moved into academic and research roles in Higher Education while others go on to play leading roles in the public sector, such as Public Health Authority or Health and Social Care Boards or within NGOs.
• Queen's University postgraduates reap exceptional benefits.
• Unique initiatives, such as Researcher Plus bolster our commitment to employability.

People Teaching You

• Professor Alison MacKenzie, Director of Graduate Studies, SSESW

Learning Outcomes

• A research degree offers students an opportunity to foster their capacity for independent research and critical thought.
• It also allows students to explore an area of interest and so understand and solve theoretical and practical problems within the field.
• Undertaking a research degree can enhance a student’s written and oral communication skills and a PhD is almost always a formal requirement for an academic post.

Course Structure

• You are expected to take research training modules that are provided by the School.
• These modules focus on quantitative and qualitative research methods, and include participatory action research, arts-based research methods and multimodal interaction analysis, for example.
• Students will be provided with the SSESW PhD student training and engagement programme at the start of the academic year.
• You are also expected to carry out your research under the guidance of your supervisor.

Assessment

• Assessment processes for the Research Degree differ from taught degrees.
• Students will be expected to present drafts of their work at regular intervals to their supervisor who will provide written and oral feedback.
• A formal assessment process takes place annually.
• The final assessment of the doctoral degree is both oral and written.
• Students will submit their thesis to an internal and external examining team who will review the written thesis before inviting the student to orally defend their work at a Viva Voce.

Feedback

• Supervisors will offer feedback on draft work at regular intervals throughout the period of registration on the degree.

Facilities

• The School is situated across a suite of three buildings in Belfast's Queen's Quarter.
• We provide student and staff common rooms, computer suites and designated study spaces.
• PhD students will have access to a shared office space and access to a desk with personal computer and internet access.

Entrance Requirements

• The minimum academic requirement for admission to a research degree programme is normally an Upper Second Class Honours degree from a UK or ROI HE provider, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University.

International Students

• For information on international qualification equivalents, please check the specific information for your country.

English Language Requirements

• Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.5, with not less than 5.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required.

Tuition Fees

• Northern Ireland (NI) £5,006
• Republic of Ireland (ROI) £5,006
• England, Scotland or Wales (GB) £5,006
• EU Other £20,500
• International £20,500

Funding and Scholarships

• The Funding & Scholarship Finder helps prospective and current students find funding to help cover costs towards a whole range of study related expenses.