DPhil in Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation

About the course

The Department of Social Policy and Intervention offers an interdisciplinary DPhil in Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation and welcomes students from across the world. Research students are an important part of the department’s community and you will be fully involved and immersed in the life of the department.

The department welcomes DPhil candidates who are interested in a wide range of areas of social intervention and policy evaluation research, including evaluation methodology, and policy and intervention research in areas such as violence and injury prevention, neighbourhood and urban health, reduction of poverty and social inequality, alcohol and drug misuse, mental health and antisocial behaviour in children and youth, parenting and family interventions including those delivered across the perinatal period, school-based interventions, HIV prevention, AIDS-affected children, the Sustainable Development goals, violence against children and cross-cultural adaptation of interventions.

The department's approach to graduate study emphasises your ability to work independently to explore a new line of research under an academic supervisor. Each member of academic staff has expertise in a particular area of social intervention and policy evaluation and you should try to contact your potential supervisor prior to applying as you will only be accepted for a DPhil if there is an appropriate supervisor available.

Assessment

The sequence of milestones for a DPhil student are as follows.

• Admission as a Probationer Research Student (PRS)
• Transfer to DPhil status (‘Transfer of Status’)
• Confirmation of DPhil status for DPhil students (‘Confirmation of Status’)
• Submission of thesis

Graduate destinations

Many graduates of the DPhil go on to pursue academic careers in world-leading research universities, while others hold influential positions in government, non-governmental and international organisations, such as the World Bank, the World Health Organisation and the UN.

All students will be initially admitted to the status of Probationer Research Student (PRS). Within a maximum of four terms as a full-time PRS student or eight as a full-time PRS student, you will be expected to apply for transfer of status from Probationer Research Student to DPhil status. This application is normally made by the third term for full-time students and by the sixth term for part-time students.

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the equivalent of the following UK qualifications: a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours. A previous relevant master's or honours degree with sufficient methods training is a requirement. For applicants with a degree from the USA, a bachelor’s degree with a minimum overall GPA of 3.5 out of 4.0, or 4.0 out of 5.0 is sought. The qualification(s) above should be achieved in one of the following subject areas or disciplines: public health and epidemiology economics; political science, public policy and public administration; psychology; social policy; social work; sociology; or closely related fields.