We offer our PhD students:
- a world-class programme of research study that combines taught content in research methods with independent study
- courses to build the methodological grounding of your individual research project run by the Department and Cambridge Research Methods (CaRM)
- opportunities to connect with our research community of leading academics, postgraduate students and research groups
- access to talks and events throughout the University of Cambridge
- a programme of seminars covering transferable skills such as academic writing, presentation skills and in-depth information about how to progress the PhD and the academic career
The standard period for PhDs is 3-4 years full-time or 5-7 years part-time. Click here for further information about part-time PhD studies.
Further details of the course and how to apply can be found here.
International students
Our PhD student body is diverse, and we welcome students from across the world.
Please note that immigration options for part-time post-graduate study are limited. If you are an international student wishing to apply for a part-time course and you don’t already hold a UK visa or have immigration status that permits study, you should read the information outlined on the International Students website.
For any further questions, or up-to-date information about visa support for PhD students please contact the Sociology postgraduate admin team.
Meet our current students
Profiles for our current PhD students can be found here.
What next?
Recent postgraduate students of the Department of Sociology have gone on from Cambridge to exceptional roles. Many of our PhD graduates are now professional researchers or academics; others work in national government, international organisations, NGOs, think tanks, and consultancies.
Asiya Islam
received her PhD in Sociology in 2019, funded by the Gates Cambridge scholarship, under the supervision of Professor Manali Desai. Her PhD research ethnographically explored the experiences of young lower-middle-class women in service work in Delhi, India. She is Assistant Professor in Gender, Development and Globalisation at the London School of Economics, a member of the Feminist Review editorial collective, associate editor for New Technology, Work and Employment, and an editor for the ethnographic storytelling magazine Otherwise. Her book, ‘A Woman’s Job: Making Middle Lives in New India’ was published by Cambridge University Press in 2024.
Consuelo Sáizar
