Social Work and Social Care, PhD

Our research generates vital new knowledge about developments that have an impact both on the social care workforce and on service provision, addressing social outcomes such as quality of life, social inclusion, and social capital measures. Studying for a PhD in Social Work and Social Care will give you the opportunity to pursue your particular research interest relating to your academic or professional ambitions. Our students are currently investigating topics such as the services for young carers, multi-agency working within the area of substance misuse and the social exclusion experienced by older people in care homes. Over the course of your studies, you will develop and enhance transferable skills such as problem-solving, project management, and critical thinking that are valued in any professional setting. As a student at our College of Human and Health Sciences, you will benefit from a dynamic and supportive research environment with many opportunities to make connections across disciplines and develop links with organisations and policymakers both in the UK and abroad. As such, you can be confident that your research will inform and be informed by the wider social care environment. According to the most recent Research Excellence Framework in 2014-2021, over 75% of the research carried out at the college was of international or world-leading quality.

Applicants for PhD must normally hold an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level and a master’s degree. Alternatively, applicants with a UK first class honours degree (or Non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University) not holding a master’s degree, will be considered on an individual basis.