Pathway Leader:
Margarita Aragon m.aragon@bbk.ac.uk
Team members:
Scott Rodgers s.rodgers@bbk.ac.uk
Ben Gidley b.gidley@bbk.ac.uk
Paul Watt p.watt@bbk.ac.uk
| Pathway | Institution | Training Route | 1+3 | 2+3 | +3 | +4 |
| Sociology | BBK | Social Research | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| UEL | Refugee Studies | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| UEL | Film, Media and Cultural Studies | ✓ | ✓ |
Sociology in the UCL, Bloomsbury and East London DTP is highly innovative and unusual, embracing a range of sociological perspectives and particularly emphasising interdisciplinary social research. Its strengths lie in its wide thematic reach; its innovative and rigorous qualitative methodologies; its global outlook; and its commitment to ‘critical’, theory-building research. At both Birkbeck and UEL there has been ground-breaking sociological research utilising psychoanalytically-informed methods and working with narrative and discourse, which has led to the emerging field of psychosocial studies. The DTP also has expertise in sociological research into human and environmental geography, international development, politics and film, media and culture studies. The DTP draws primarily on work at Birkbeck and UEL, although extensive sociological research elsewhere (UCL, SOAS) means that there are considerable joint supervision possibilities.
The sociology training routes are based at Birkbeck and UEL. The Birkbeck training route involves two compulsory core methods modules, Intermediate Quantitative Social Research and Qualitative Social Research, plus two further sociological modules from the wide range of Masters programmes in the Departments of Psychosocial Studies or Geography, Environment and Development Studies. The UEL routes rest on a common core of Qualitative and Quantitative Social Research Methods modules, which parallel Birkbeck modules, alongside core Refugee Studies modules, with options from Arts and Creative Industries and Social Sciences School masters. UEL’s MA in Media and Communication Industries is ESRC-recognised and offers research training for 1+3 applicants, together with core and optional modules in media industries analysis, global communications, digital marketing and media production. Supervision for +3 students is supported across sociology and media research. At both Birkbeck and UEL, the required modules will all be taken in year 1 of the 1+3 mode (years 1 and 2 of part-time study). All formal teaching at Birkbeck and much at UEL is in the evening, making this provision highly suited to part-time students.
Potential PhD students should apply first to the department of their choice using the normal application procedure. Eligible departments at Birkbeck are Psychosocial Studies; Geography, Environment and Development Studies; Politics; and Film, Media and Culture Studies. At UEL the relevant departments are in the School of Social Sciences and the School of Arts and Creative Industries.
