About Social Policy, Sociology Phd/mphil in Bangor University

The School of Social Sciences provides a stimulating and supportive environment for postgraduate training. The emphasis is on small groups, close working relationships between students and supervisors, and development towards full professional participation in the subject area. For research students we are able to provide both a full ESRC recognised research training programme and high quality expert supervision across a broad spectrum of subjects.

Research Areas

Social Policy and Sociology with specialisations in:

• Comparative Social Policy
• The historical sociology of health
• Health Policies and devolution
• Mental illness and learning disabilities
• Ageing and social change
• Housing Policy
• Ethnographic and ethnomethodological studies of work
• Conversation Analysis
• Membership categorisation analysis
• Schooling and social interaction
• Culture and Media
• Popular Culture
• Language and social interaction
• Identity and diversity
• Childhood and family

Communities and Social Networks with specialisations in:

• Community and locality
• Activism and citizenship in rural areas
• Lifestyles and environment
• Civil society in Wales
• Environment and sustainability
• Food and farming cultures
• Later life, generations and the lifecourse
• The shaping of European identities

Minority Languages and Cultures with specialisations in:

• Language
• Migration
• Identity and belonging

Current graduate students are conducting research on:

• The social organisation of net-based learning
• Migration, ideas of national belonging and policy responses in Wales and Ireland
• The economic and social significance of the SARS outbreaks
• Wales in a global neighbourhood
• Categorisation and special educational needs: implementing the SEN code of practice
• The social construction of Welsh identity
• The use of the Welsh language in the voluntary sector in Wales
• The role of programme evaluation in the public sector organisation

Academic qualification equivalents

• Good grades in Bachelor degree and a Masters degree. Previous research experience is essential.

English language requirements (one of the below):

• IELTS: Academic 6.0 or 6.5 This must include a minimum of 5.5 in Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing.
• PTE: 56 (51) - 62(58).

Bangor University Highlights

Bangor University Cost of Attendance

Bangor University Tuition Fee

Fee for the available programs varies for different courses as per their level and type. Tuition fee for some of the popular courses has been compiled as follows:

Undergraduate Courses

Graduate Courses (2020 intake)

Cost of living

International students are highly advised to have an idea of the expenses required to survive in a foreign land. While it is difficult to reveal an exact amount required, a rough estimated amount required for accommodation, travel and stay for aspirants looking to study in the UK is around 900 to 1100 GBP, per month for a single student living in Bangor. 

A detailed list of expenses would look something like as has been tabulated below: