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This is a potential research degree area, subject to the approval of the University. If you are interested in undertaking a research degree in this area, please get in touch to discuss your proposal.
Sociology’s postgraduate culture centres on students completing an MA by Research; MPhil or PhD. As an Abertay researcher, you will collaborate across disciplines with colleagues from other divisions. We have been a key partner in a number of large European grants specifically examining the interaction between technology, society and social innovation, as well as exploring social network dynamics for collective awareness.
Division staff have supervised a wide range of projects some of which have entailed partnership with non-academic user groups in the domains of:
Policy sociology – health, education, youth, environment, influencing public policy, communities and professional practice.
Criminal justice – influencing policing and criminal justice stakeholders.
Media, arts and cultural industries – centring on digital design processes, media educationalists, artists and curators.
Collaborations exist with criminal justice and policing researchers through the inter-university Scottish Institute for Policing Research (SIPR), the Scottish Informatics and Computer Science Alliance (SICSA), and with media educationalists through the Association for Media Education in Scotland (AMES).
Our research programmes will prepare you for a rewarding career as an academic and researcher, as well as opening up opportunities for a diverse range of careers outside of academia, for example, in formulating policy.
You have the option of studying an MSc by Research, an MPhil or a PhD.
When deciding which degree is right for you, you should consider the level of commitment required, the duration, cost and your career aspirations.
That being said, our research degrees are flexible. You can begin an MSc or an MPhil and then seek to transfer to a PhD without having to start your project all over again. You can also switch from full-time to part-time study, and vice versa.
The award of Master of Science by Research (MSc by Research) demonstrates a practical ability to undertake research studies, a systematic understanding of knowledge and a critical awareness of current problems and/or the application of original thought.
If you are studying full-time, you will be expected to complete the award in 12 months. The minimum period to receive this award is 10 months and the maximum is 14 months.
If you are studying part-time, you will be expected to complete the award in 24 months. The minimum period to receive this award on a part-time basis is 20 months and the maximum is 28 months.
The award of Master of Philosophy demonstrates a systematic understanding of knowledge and a critical awareness of current problems and/or the application of original thought, much of which is at (or informed by) the forefront of your field of study or area of professional practice.
If you are studying full-time, you are expected to complete the award in 24 months. The minimum period to receive this award is 12 months and the maximum is 48 months.
If you are studying part-time, you are expected to complete the award in 48 months. The minimum period to receive this award on a part-time basis is 24 months and the maximum is 72 months.
The award of the Doctor of Philosophy demonstrates that the main focus of your work is your personal contribution to knowledge in your discipline or field, through original research or the original application of existing knowledge.
If you are studying full-time, you are expected to complete the award in 36 months. The minimum period to receive this is award is 24 months and the maximum is 48 months.
If you are studying part-time, you are expected to complete the award in 48 months. The minimum period to receive this award on a part-time basis is 72 months and the maximum is 96 months.
The fees you'll pay depend on factors such as your nationality, location and personal circumstances. See the links below and scroll down to find the Postgraduate section.
Find out about potential bursaries, student loans and scholarships in our postgraduate research fees and funding section.
The minimum entry requirement for all our research degrees is an Upper Second Class Honours degree (or equivalent) at undergraduate level in an appropriate discipline and/or a Master’s degree. In some cases, appropriate professional or experiential learning may be considered in combination with a lower classification of Honours degree.
If you're not from the European Economic Area (EEA) and/or Switzerland, you may need to apply for a visa. You can find out more about applying for a visa and collecting your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) on our Tier 4 visa page. To identify whether or not you need to apply for a visa, please visit the UKBA website.
We accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:
For candidates whose first language is not English or your undergraduate/Master’s degree was not awarded from a University from a UKVI designated English Speaking country, you are required to show evidence of one of the following qualifications:
IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component.
TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL “My Best Score” to meet our English language requirements.
CAE and CPE: total 176 with at least 169 in each component.
Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
PTE Academic: 62 overall with at least 59 in each component.
NECO English at B (4)
WAEC English at B (4)
If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than three and a half years old at the beginning of your programme of study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.
To identify whether or not you need to apply for a student visa, please see here or visit the UKVI website.
You can look for potential supervisors by searching keywords, names or publications in the Staff Explorer. This will ensure that we have appropriate expertise within Abertay. You will also gain an understanding of the prior work of the researcher.
You should consider contacting the potential supervisor to discuss your ideas and the possibility of undertaking a research degree under their supervision. Discussion will also help you tailor your application to suit Abertay’s specific expertise in the area. Ask for feedback and be prepared to take those comments into consideration when finalising your research proposal.
Please avoid vague blanket emails to several potential supervisors as these are unlikely to be successful.
This is a potential research degree area, subject to the approval of the University. If you are interested in undertaking a research degree in this area, please get in touch to discuss your proposal.
There are two different routes to studying a research degree at Abertay – you can apply for one of our funded studentships or propose your own area of research. Find out more about our funded studentships.
If you are proposing your own area of research, you will need to consider how you will fund your studies – either through self-support or by securing a scholarship or some other form of external funding. See what scholarships are available to Abertay research students.
This is your opportunity to state your research objectives, to grab the reader’s attention and highlight your suitability for research degree study.
The proposal should be around 6-8 pages in length (including references) and follow the section headings below.
Title.
Abstract (summary).
Introduction/background.
Hypotheses, objectives or research question.
Proposed methodology.
How will you disseminate your findings (pathways to impact).
Ethical considerations.
Summary and conclusions.
References.
About you: briefly describe your relevant experience and how it will help you achieve your objectives, explain why you are an excellent candidate for a research degree, and identify your additional professional development and training needs.
Some good practice tips:
Be clear and concise.
Structure your proposal by breaking up blocks of text into smaller paragraphs (with headings).
Reference you work.
Justify your objectives.
Please note: all Research Proposals are checked for evidence of academic deceit including the inappropriate use of Generative AI. Research Proposals evidencing academic deceit will be automatically rejected on such grounds, applications will be cancelled, and applicants will be disqualified from reapplying.
You can start a research degree at Abertay in February, June or October of each year. You can apply to defer from one entry point to another on one occasion, however, subsequent requests must be supported by an additional full application.
Unless otherwise stated, the deadlines for submitting a full application are:
Applications for February entry by 15 December (if you need a Tier 4 visa then the deadline is 30 November).
Applications for June entry by 30 April (if you need a Tier 4 visa then the deadline is 31 March).
Applications for October entry by 31 August (if you need a Tier 4 visa then the deadline is 31 July).
You will need to include the following documentation when you apply online:
Copies of your academic transcripts
References
Your research proposal
Please note: all Research Proposals are checked for evidence of academic deceit including the inappropriate use of Generative AI. Research Proposals evidencing academic deceit will be automatically rejected on such grounds, applications will be cancelled, and applicants will be disqualified from reapplying.
If you'd like more information about our Postgraduate Research degrees, please get in touch: