PhD in Science Studies

Students doing a PhD in Science Studies join an international and interdisciplinary research community with students working on PhDs in Sociology, Gender and Women’s Studies, Science Studies, Media and Cultural Studies and Applied Social Science. We offer supervision for PhDs in a number of areas including cultural imaginaries and material practices of science and technology, policy analysis, environment, health and medicine, and information and communications technologies.

You will be assigned PhD supervisors (usually two), and consideration will be taken to match you with supervisor(s) whose current active research interests and expertise are relevent to your chosen topic. Close working relations are enjoyed with other departments at Lancaster, and in some cases there is cross-departmental supervision.

A programme of skills and dissertation workshops designed specifically for postgraduate students within the Sociology Department runs throughout the year.

In addition, you are encouraged to attend any relevant MA taught modules, but are not required to take any for credit as part of your degree.

See the Department of Sociology course website for more information, including on Entry Requirements

Masters (MA) in Social Research – Science, Technology, Innovation and Social Practices pathway

The MA in Social Research provides a rigorous introduction to key issues in social science methodology, expands your proficiency in a range of research skills, and prepares you for further advanced research in the social sciences.

The MA represents an ideal stepping stone to a PhD and open access to ESRC and AHRC funding programmes. You will carry out hands-on training in selected research methods and skills, and will become skilled in the translation of theoretically informed research questions into research projects. As part of the MA, you will complete an extensive independent piece of research.

The Science, Technology, Innovation and Social Practices pathway four core modules, two optional modules, and a dissertation. The core modules are as follows:

  • Research Projects in Practice: From Design to Dissemination
  • Qualitative Research Methods OR Making Research Count: Engaging with Quantitative Data
  • Methods in Science and Technology Studies
  • Practice Theory

If you are interested in going on to do a PhD in Science Studies, this would be the ideal MA for you. For further informaiton on fees and funding and the application go to the Department of Sociology’s MA Social Research page and follow the links.

Visiting MA and PhD students

We also warmly welcome students wishing to visit the Centre. You can spend anything from one month to one year or more with us. If you wish to apply to the SOCRATES and ERASMUS exchange programmes, please visit Lancaster’s study abroad pages.

If you are interested in visiting us outside of these programmes, we encourage you to discuss this possibility informally with a staff member before submitting an application, as your application will need to be accepted by a staff member prior to your visit. Fees will apply pro-rata. Current fee levels are available from the Student Registry. The fees must be paid upon registration with the Postgraduate Office at the start of your visit.

For more information on what is required of you when applying, go to the Department of Sociology’s Visiting students page.

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