Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.

Postgraduate Study

Expected Academic Standard

Applicants for this course should have achieved a Masters (Merit).

If your degree is not from the UK, please check International Qualifications to find the equivalent in your country.

Applicants are expected to hold a master's degree in Sociology or a subject relevant to the intended topic of study. For applicants who have studied for a Cambridge taught Masters degree to be considered, they must achieve a mark of at least 70% overall and a mark of at least 70% in the dissertation (equivalent to a Merit in a taught Masters and an overall mark of at least 67% and dissertation mark of at least 67% in most other UK universities). However, those who have studied at Cambridge will not recieve preferential treatment.

Each application will be judged on its own terms, on past academic performance and the quality and originality of the research proposal; we may also consider your employment history, previous research experience, publications, etc.

Acceptance or rejection onto the PhD programme is decided by the department's admissions committee which will consider a number of factors including supervisor availibility and fair distribution of workload.

University Minimum Academic Requirements


Language Requirement

IELTS (Academic)

Element Score
Listening 7.0
Writing 7.0
Reading 7.0
Speaking 7.0
Total 7.5

TOEFL Internet Score

Element Score
Listening 25
Writing 25
Reading 25
Speaking 25
Total 110

Visa Information

No ATAS required

What Is An ATAS?

Apply Now

Key Information


Michaelmas 2027
Applications open
Sep. 9, 2026
Application deadline
Apr. 28, 2027
Course starts
Oct. 1, 2027
Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.
Funding Deadlines
Course Funding Deadline
Dec. 8, 2026
Gates Cambridge US round only
Oct. 14, 2026

These deadlines apply to applications for courses starting in Michaelmas 2027, Lent 2028 and Easter 2028.

Similar Courses