PhD Studentship: Women

's and Gender Studies

University of Warwick Department of Sociology

Work with leading researchers in the analysis of how feminism, gender and sexuality intersect with other identities, social divisions and social movements. You will be based in the Warwick Sociology Department, ranked 8th in the UK (Complete University Guide 2025, Sociology), where you will be part of an active and exciting international research culture and receive specialist training and support to thrive.

Joining our welcoming and supportive international community of researchers and as part of the interdisciplinary Centre for the Study of Women and Gender, you will have the chance to develop into an independent researcher and specialist, working closely with dedicated supervisors who are recognised authorities their fields. You will receive training in undertaking doctoral study at the beginning of your course, meet regularly with your supervisors as you work on your independent research project, and have access to a lively calendar of seminars, workshops, networking and development opportunities throughout your time with us.

Teaching and learning

All first year PhD students undertake a two-term course called Research Process and Research Design. Provided by the Department, this course supports students with the fundamentals of PhD study and life and prepares them for their upgrade from MPhil to PhD. All doctoral students have access to dedicated PhD study rooms with computers and printers.

Entry Requirements

A Master 's degree (or equivalent) in Sociology or a related subject;
A strong research proposal;
Support from at least one potential supervisor in Sociology.

Applicants are advised to contact academic staff directly in the first instance to discuss supervision. Staff research interests can be found on their individual staff pages.

You can find out more about our English language requirements. This course requires the following Band B IELTS overall score of 7.0, minimum component scores of two at 6.0/6.5 and the rest at 7.0 or above.

Warwick welcomes applications with good degrees from respected universities. For other grading systems or if you need any advice or guidance, please contact our Europe and Central Asia Team at eurusca@warwick.ac.uk.

We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications. For more information, please visit the international entry requirements page.

We typically ask for two academic references for research courses. You will be asked to include an email address for your referee(s) when submitting your application and we will contact them for you.

Research themes

Research within our department covers a broad span of the discipline and is organised into five clusters:

Race, Ethnicity & Migration
Violence & Social Justice
Feminism, Gender & Sexuality
Just Eco-Geo-Political Futures
Technology, Economy & Society

The Department hosts the Social Theory Centre and the Centre for the Study of Women and Gender. We have considerable expertise in areas such as:

Gender and sexuality studies
Social and cultural theory
Race and racism
Migration
Ethnicity
(Post-)Colonialism
Violence and conflict studies
Critical criminology
Work and employment
Political sociology
Markets and capitalism
Media
Health
Emotion
Education
Religion
Family
Methodologies

Full details of our research interests are listed on the Sociology web pages.

You can also read our general University research proposal guidance.

Supervisors and proposals

There are several routes to finding a PhD supervisor at University of Warwick. Searching for a supervisor and submitting a research proposal will look different depending on the opportunity you are applying for. Below you ll find guidance from the department about what is required for this course.

For more general advice, including top tips for finding and contacting a potential supervisor, and what to include in your research proposal visit the university s guidance webpages.

Find your supervisor using the link below and discuss with them the area you'd like to research.

Explore our Sociology Staff Directory.

You can also see our general University guidance about finding a supervisor.

The research proposal is the most important element of your PhD application. You need to submit a fully specified research proposal when you apply. This is your statement about why your project is interesting, how you will carry it out, and what academic debates and social problems your work addresses. It's your chance to show us how you think and what kind of sociologist you are.

We look for a robust research proposal of around 2,000-3,000 words, although this is only a guideline. It has to convince us that your topic is feasible and that we have the right expertise to supervise it. The emphasis will be on the quality of the proposal and whether or not it fits with a particular supervisor s research interests, not on the word count.

Fees and scholarships

Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course at the start of the academic year, or at the start of your course, if later. Academic fees cover the cost of tuition, examinations and assessment and some student amenities.

Find your course fees.

We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.

Do you need your fee classification to be reviewed?

If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.

Find out more about how universities assess fee status.

As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of research trips in the UK and overseas. In addition, you should consider the more general costs below:

Access to research material that is not available via university resources
Printing and binding a personal copy of your dissertation
Robe hire for your degree ceremony

Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.

Discover our Scholarships and financial support.

About the department

9th in the UK (The Complete University Guide, 2026)

6th Most targeted university in the UK by the UK's top 100 graduate employers (High Fliers, 2024)

World-leading expertise on the way we live.

Why study with us?

With an international reputation for research excellence, we encourage you to question how societies are shaped by national, international, global and colonial social forces. Explore the complexities of human society - from personal relationships and identity to shared beliefs and structural forms of inequality and power.

Our curriculum provides you with the conceptual, methodological and theoretical tools to think critically about the contemporary world, and to imagine alternative social and political futures.

Learn more about us on our Department of Sociology website.

Life at Warwick

This is where your journey begins. Our campus is the heart of it all. It s more than just a campus - it's the places you visit, the people you meet, the fun that you have; the experiences you have here will be transformative.

Explore Life at Warwick

Our campus

Within a close-knit community of staff and students from all over the world, discover a campus alive with possibilities.

Our campus is where all the elements of your student experience come together in one place. You won't be short of ways to spend your time on campus - whether it's visiting Warwick Arts Centre, using our incredible sports facilities, socialising in our bars, nightclub and caf s, or enjoying an open-air event. Or if you need some peace and quiet, you can explore lakes, woodland and green spaces just a few minutes walk from central campus.

Follow our students around campus on our social channels to see their experiences first-hand.

Teaching facilities

Our campus is designed to cater for all of your learning needs. You will benefit from a variety of flexible, well-equipped study spaces and teaching facilities across the University.

Oculus, our outstanding learning hub, houses state-of-the-art lecture theatres and innovative social learning and network areas
The University Library
Different study spaces offering you flexible individual and group study spaces, computers, printing and scanning facilities, multimedia resources and more

Supporting you

Our continuous support network is here to help you adjust to student life and to ensure you can easily access advice on many different issues. These may include managing your finances and workload, and settling into shared accommodation. We also have specialist disability and mental health support teams.

Whether you live on campus or off campus, in private accommodation in the well-serviced local area, you ll be part of a community to get the most from your experience at Warwick.

Explore accommodation at Warwick.

Societies and sports play a huge part in community life at Warwick. With over 300 to choose from, getting involved is one of the easiest ways to make friends and share in experiences. Whether you re into films, martial arts, astronomy, gaming or musical theatre, you can instantly connect with people with similar interests.

Explore Warwick Students' Union societies and sports clubs.

Why Warwick

Your university experience is defined by far more than your course or the career path you follow. At Warwick, it s where you discover who you could become.

68th in the world and top 10 in all major UK league tables (QS World University Rankings 2027, see our Reputation page for details)
4th in the UK by the UK's top 100 graduate employers (The Graduate Market in 2026, High Fliers Research Ltd.)
92% Of our research has been assessed to be 'world leading' or 'internationally excellent' in the Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021)
GOLD standard teaching; the highest possible rating across all three categories (student experience, student outcomes, and overall) (Teaching Excellence Framework 2023)
6th Coventry is ranked as the 6th Best Student City in the UK, and 43rd in the world. (QS Best Student Cities 2025)

Our alumni community still call Warwick home. From a few hundred in 1965 to more than 310,000 alumni, and it's ever-growing.

As Warwick graduates, our students have access to employability support for two years after graduation, including access to careers appointments, job vacancies and professional networks.

Learn more about our Alumni community.

How to apply

Our how to apply checklist helps you prepare for your application.

How to apply checklist.

Research courses in Sociology start in the Autumn Term. The application deadline for October entry in 2027/28 academic year is 30 June 2027.

Application Portal.

After you've applied.

Admissions statement.

Join a live chat.

About the page

We have revised the information on this page since publication. See the edits we have made and content history.

This information is applicable for 2027 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our web page 'Important information to consider before making an application' in advance of applying to Warwick.

Next steps

Explore your future university further at an upcoming event, online or in-person. Can't join? Receive regular email updates or ask current students and staff questions about life at Warwick.

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