MPhil/PhD Social Policy

What determines the needs, rights and wellbeing of citizens? What role should the state, family, markets and civil society play in our lives? These are central questions underpinning our research activities at LSE.

Drawing on LSE’s interdisciplinary strengths, this MPhil/PhD Social Policy offers wide-ranging research opportunities in areas such as education, migration, crime and social inequalities.

You’ll have the chance to complete original research in the social policy field, guided by leading academics, and develop highly transferable research skills for your future career.

You’ll benefit from access to LSE’s extensive facilities and resources, including our Social Science Research Lab and the PhD Academy. We also have close links with research centres, such as the International Inequalities Institute, the Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, and the Mannheim Centre for Criminology.

You’ll study in a vibrant research community at the forefront of the latest social policy developments. The department is rated number one in the UK for social policy (Good University Guide 2024). We were also awarded the highest UK ranking for research in the field in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (2021).

Our graduates are well-equipped for careers in academia, research institutions, government, NGOs and international organisations – helping to shape and lead social and public policy worldwide.

In addition to the courses/research seminar below, students also take relevant courses provided by the Library, Teaching and Learning Centre and Department of Methodology. These will be optional and not examined. You'll discuss with your supervisor any other methodological training that may be relevant for the successful completion of the MPhil/PhD programme.

Students take the following optional and not examined training and transferable skills courses.

The Department of Social Policy is an internationally recognised centre of research and teaching excellence in social and public policy.

From its formation in 1912, the department has conducted pioneering research on contemporary social problems and helped develop policy solutions.

The department has an interdisciplinary and international outlook. Our academics conduct research on pressing global issues such as poverty, inequality, crime, unemployment, healthcare, education and housing. Collectively, our faculty team draw on their backgrounds in anthropology, demography, economics, political science, sociology, as well as social and public policy.

We advise national and international governments and organisations and our research shapes decision-making and policy direction at the highest levels.

Within the department, we offer a mix of undergraduate and postgraduate study opportunities. Our department is rated number one in the UK for social policy (Good University Guide 2024). We were also awarded the highest UK ranking for research in the field of social policy in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (2021).

The teaching curriculum is research-led, focused on applying global insights and supporting students with their learning at every stage of their journey.

Our alumni work in prominent government positions, national and international NGOs, the public and private sectors, and universities across the world.

Learn more about our programmes and research.

Department of Social Policy

We welcome applications for research programmes that complement the academic interests of our staff at LSE. For this reason, we recommend that you take a look at our staff research interests before applying.

We carefully consider each application and take into account all the information included on your form. You applications must include:

• CV
• personal statement
• details of academic achievement (including existing and pending qualifications with transcripts)
• two academic references
• sample of written work
• a research proposal of up to 4,000 words with a title and abstract (300 words max.) included at the beginning. Learn more about this requirement

Your research proposal should give details of the particular issue/problem to be addressed; relevant literature and previous research in the field; the theoretical/conceptual framework to be adopted; the proposed research question(s); and the planned research methods to answer the research question(s). This will enable the department to make an informed decision about the proposal and, equally important, to establish if there are appropriate supervisors available to supervise the planned research. Two supervisors are normally identified at this stage. Please include an abstract (300 words max) at the beginning of your proposal which clearly covers what you intend to research, including your methodological approach.

See further information on supporting documents.

You may need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency. See our English language requirements.

Please note that LSE allows part-time PhD study only under limited circumstances. If you wish to study part-time, you should mention this (and the reasons for it) in your statement of academic purpose, and discuss it at interview if you're shortlisted.

The application deadline for this programme is 15 January 2025.

If you’d like to be considered for any funding opportunities, you must submit your application (and all supporting documents) by the funding deadline.

See the fees and funding section below for more details.

The fee is likely to rise over the full duration of the programme. The School charges home research students in line with fee levels recommended by the Research Councils.

Learn more about fee status classification.

The fee is likely to rise over the full duration of the programme in line with the assumed percentage increase in pay costs (ie, four per cent each year).

Learn more about fee status classification.

Progression and assessment

You're required to undertake Major Review in the Spring Term of your first year (second year for part-time students). For Major Review you must submit a 10,000 word document with a detailed proposal for your thesis, your research question(s), a literature review, a description of your methodology, your plans for data collection and analysis and a timetable through to completion. You're interviewed on this document by senior staff who make the decision on upgrading.

Each pre-Major Review student is required to make a presentation on his or her proposed research to the Research Student Seminar prior to the submission of the major review document and to address issues raised by the Doctoral Programme Director.

Post-Major Review, each student is required to submit a 1,000- to 2,000-word progress report at the end of the second year.

In the third year (full-time), each student is expected to make a presentation to the Research Student Seminar of two substantive chapters/papers of the thesis prior to submission of the Third Year Review, which must be submitted at the end of the third year.

Third year students are expected to submit a Third Year Review document at the end of the year which should contain an introduction including the context of chapters submitted and an overall chapter outline, an outline of research methods, a minimum of two empirical chapters and a timeline to completion. The document is then reviewed by two senior academic from the department who make a decision on re-registration.

Continued registration depends on satisfactory progress each year.

Recent doctoral graduates have pursued careers in academia, in the government and public sector, in research, consultancy, education and teaching, NGOs and charities.

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

From CV workshops through to careers fairs, LSE offers lots of information and support to help you make that all-important step from education into work.

Many of the UK’s top employers give careers presentations at the School during the year and there are numerous workshops covering topics such as job hunting, managing interviews, writing a cover letter and using LinkedIn.

See LSE Careers for further details.