Social Policy, Sociology

The School of Social Sciences provides a stimulating and supportive environment for postgraduate training. The emphasis is on small groups, close working relationships between students and supervisors, and development towards full professional participation in the subject area. For research students we are able to provide both a full ESRC recognised research training programme and high quality expert supervision across a broad spectrum of subjects.

Research Areas Social Policy and Sociology with specialisations in: Comparative Social Policy The historical sociology of health Health Policies and devolution Mental illness and learning disabilities Ageing and social change Housing Policy Ethnographic and ethnomethodological studies of work Conversation Analysis Membership categorisation analysis Schooling and social interaction Culture and Media Popular Culture Language and social interaction Identity and diversity Childhood and family Communities and Social Networks with specialisations in: Community and locality Activism and citizenship in rural areas Lifestyles and environment Civil society in Wales Environment and sustainability Food and farming cultures Later life, generations and the lifecourse The shaping of European identities Minority Languages and Cultures with specialisations in : Language Migration Identity and belonging Current graduate students are conducting research on: The social organisation of net-based learning Migration, ideas of national belonging and policy responses in Wales and Ireland The economic and social significance of the SARS outbreaks Wales in a global neighbourhood Categorisation and special educational needs: implementing the SEN code of practice The social construction of Welsh identity The use of the Welsh language in the voluntary sector in Wales The role of programme evaluation in the public sector organisation Programme Length PhD: 3 years full-time, 6 years part-time; MPhil: 1 to 2 years full-time, 2 to 3 years part-time