Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology MPhil

The University of Liverpool is one of the UK’s leading centres for sociology, social policy, and criminology, a status it has enjoyed for more than 100 years. A shared pursuit of research-based knowledge in support of social justice sets the department apart from most of its contemporaries in the UK and beyond.IntroductionThe Department of Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology’s research clusters provide focal points for collaboration in different areas of sociological, social and criminological research.Ageing and the life course, focusing on factors that create inequalities and examining how health and wellbeing are experienced in later lifeSociological research, exploring topics like AI, online life, state structures, racial capitalism, climate change social class, education, culture and architectureTechnology, law and society, investigating the impact of technology on society, the economy, and human interactionsCriminal justice, generating impactful knowledge that informs policy, enhances justice, and contributes to the overall understanding of criminal justice systems, both locally and globallyInternational criminological research, focusing on research in criminology that’s grounded in theory, backed by evidence, and relevant to both local and global issues.Research topicsWe welcome research proposals which align with the research expertise of staff in the Department of Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology.Research topics could be related to:Activism, protests and resistanceAgeing and the life courseAlcohol, drugs, and the night-time economyCritical military studiesClassCommunity engagementCorporate and state harmsCourts and sentencingCultural and creative industriesCultural criminologyDeath studiesDigital culture and societyEducationExtremismFamily sociologyGender-based violenceGreen criminologyHate crimeHistorical criminologyImmigration and asylumPolicePolitics and GovernmentRace, ethnicity and post-colonialismScience and technology studiesSocial policySociology of sporting cultures and physical activitySocial theorySociology of architectureSociology of health and illnessSociology of genderSociology of religionThe sex industryVictims and crime.

We typically expect applicants to hold a UK undergraduate degree, at 2:1 or above, or a 2:2 undergraduate degree plus a master’s degree, or equivalent, preferably in the social sciences. If you are considering undertaking our PhD programme, you should equip yourself with a good standard of literacy in social research methods across a range of data collection, analysis and management techniques. We recommend that all prospective postgraduate researchers take modules in both qualitative and quantitative methods, either in the University or elsewhere, such as across the MethodsNorthWest initiative. We require a Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution.