About the course: The DPhil in Sociology provides academically outstanding students an unrivalled opportunity for those who would like to undertake original and independent research in preparation for an academic career and other research-intensive occupations. The DPhil in Sociology can be taken full-time in three years or part-time over six to eight years. The DPhil is examined by a thesis, prepared under the guidance of one or two academic supervisors. The DPhil programme offers individualised training in sociological analysis to prepare you for academic life and the job market. You will develop your skills by undertaking empirical research under the guidance of an academic supervisor and by participating in the department's DPhil workshops and seminars. Apart from these DPhil-specific set of seminars, you will be given ample opportunities to present your work in the department, and to develop your research ideas and proposals with the advice and support of your peers In addition, you will find a wide variety of courses, lectures and seminars taking place all over Oxford, that are relevant for your research and allow you to become a well-rounded sociologist. Assessment: Full-time students are admitted as Probationer Research Students (PRS) and usually apply for Transfer of Status from PRS to DPhil at the beginning of their third term. Confirmation of Status is usually due in the sixth term, followed by submission of the DPhil thesis (assessed by a viva) by the end of the third year. Part-time students will have twice as long to achieve each milestone.This timetable may vary in individual cases, however the University aims to ensure DPhil submissions by the end of the fourth year. Graduate destinations: Alumni have gone on to academicresearch positions at universities in the UK (eg Cambridge, LSE, Manchester, UCL, Bath, Essex, Birmingham and Durham) and across the world (eg UCLA, Yale, Penn, Stanford, EUI Florence, ETH Zurich, Berlin, Stockholm, Hong Kong, Tsinghua) and to research-intensive jobs in government and international organisations (eg OECD), think-tanks, NGOs and the private sector (eg banks and marketing).
