Overview

You will work on an advanced research project with a supervisory team who closely align with your research interests, and will meet with you throughout the Social Work course from University of Plymouth to support you as you develop your research skills and knowledge.

Careers

The PhD in social work opens up career opportunities in social work research, teaching, and policy, both in a higher education setting, in local government and in the third sector. Other graduates choose to continue as a practitioner researcher and use their skills in their social work practice.

Programme Structure

Curriculum

If you aspire to a research career this is the most appropriate research degree to undertake.

You will be guided by a small supervisory team of academic experts under the direction of a Director of Studies and will be expected to fully engage with skills development and training and to present your research in a range of scholarly contexts.

Your PhD will be assessed via submission of either a written thesis (up to 80,000 words) and a viva voce (an oral examination).

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 24 months
Part-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-10-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-05-15 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2026-07-15 00:00:00 , National
Starting 2027-01-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-08-15 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2026-10-15 00:00:00 , National
Starting 2027-04-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-11-15 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2027-01-15 00:00:00 , National

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

120

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PTE Academic

59

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

6.5

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4.9/5 student rating

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Plymouth, United Kingdom

Disciplines

Social Work View 59 other PhDs in Social Work in United Kingdom

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Academic requirements

GPA

Upper Second Class

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

120

Take A Free Practice Test!

PTE Academic

59

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

All applicants must meet the entry criteria for a Faculty of Health research degree which are:

you'll usually need a 2:1 degree from a UK University or equivalent and an academic IELTS score of 6.5 (with no less than 6 in each component test area) or equivalent if you are a non-UK applicant

two satisfactory academic references

evidence of funding for the duration of your course.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

16870 GBP / year

≈ 16870 GBP / year
Domestic Applies to you

Applies to you

Citizens or residents

5238 GBP / year

≈ 5238 GBP / year

Additional Details

Part-time:

National: £2,619 per year
International: £8,435 per year

Living costs

Plymouth

United Kingdom

731 - 1387 GBP / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Social Work.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Careers

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic Applies to you

Additional Details

Living costs

Plymouth

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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