Considering a PhD at SSPSSR? Take inspiration from this list of doctoral scholars who have passed or completed their vivas since the beginning of the academic year. Warmest congratulations to all!
- 1st for research quality in Criminology, Sociology and Social Work and 2nd for Social Policy in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021
We’re enormously proud of the unparalleled research quality we offer at Kent, consistently evidenced by our rankings in league tables, but we’re also enormously proud of our scholars. We list their names, thesis titles and supervisors below to celebrate their hard work and to inspire you if you’re thinking about taking your research skills to the next level. Get in touch with us, we’d love to talk to you!
Social Policy
Vivas passed since September 2020
- Dr Rhiannon Barker
Thesis: ‘How does English end of life care and the views of the stakeholders fit with the ambitions of national policy: insights from a realist evaluation’. Supervised by Professor Claire Butler and Professor Patricia Wilson - Dr Gianna Eick
Thesis: ‘Education as liberation? A critical analysis of the relationship between higher education and welfare chauvisim across Europe’. Supervised by Dr Heejung Chung and Dr Trude Sundberg - Dr Boniface Oyugi
Thesis: ‘The policy process, quality and cost of free maternal healthcare in Kenya: A mixed methods analysis of maternity policy’. Supervised by Dr Olena Nizalova and Professor Sally Kendall
Vivas completed since September 2020
- Dr Nadia Brookes
Thesis: ‘More of the same or a break with the past? A mixed methods study of the extent, nature and process of innovation in adult social care’. Supervised by Professor Julien Forder and Dr Jeremy Kendall
Find out more about a PhD in Social Policy: The study of welfare arrangements is a fundamental part of what SSPSSR offers but you can choose to focus your thesis across a broad range of social policy topics and themes at SSPSSR.
Sociology
Vivas passed since September 2020
- Dr Benjamin Pollock
Thesis: ‘Three-sided football and the alternative soccerscape: A study of sporting space, play and activism’. Supervised by Dr Vince Miller and Dr David Nettleingham
Vivas completed since September 2020
- Dr Hayley Finnemore
Thesis: ‘Negotiating the boundaries of Internet Privacy’. Supervised by Dr Vince Miller and Professor Adam Burgess - Dr Martin Rooke
Thesis: ‘Changes to the amplification of risk information within the British Press 1985 – 2017’. Supervised by: Dr Joy Zhang and Professor Adam Burgess
Find out more about a PhD in Sociology: Research in Sociology at Kent covers a range of areas, including social and critical theory, social movements, globalisation and everyday life, cities and space, media and technology, class, ‘race’ and ethnicity, gender, work, visual sociology, the welfare state, risk and society, violence, NGOs and organisations, and social aspects of the body.
Social Work
Vivas completed since September 2020
- Dr Innocent Mphake (Nweke)
Thesis: ‘The multiple and intersecting layers of experiences of Black-African immigrant families living with an autistic child in the UK’. Supervised by Professor Michelle McCarthy and Dr Joanne Warner
Find out more about a PhD in Social Work: We are especially interested in applications that include proposals to investigate the social dimensions of environmental issues in the countries in which we have area expertise, and topics in environmental politics and environmental movements but you can choose to focus your thesis across a broad range of topics.
The Tizard Centre
The Tizard Centre is part of the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research (SSPSSR) and offers excellent opportunities for full or part-time research in intellectual disability and community care leading to higher degrees. The Centre has a strong track record of attracting University and ESRC research studentship funding. It welcomes applications for PhD research degrees in a wide range of areas related to intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Vivas passed since September 2020
- Dr Lucy Brady
Thesis: ‘Improving procedural fidelity of behaviour interventions in residential services: An organisational approach’. Supervised by Dr Ciara Padden and Professor Peter McGill - Dr Aida Malovic
Thesis: ‘Adaption and validation of assessment tools for young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who display harmful sexual behaviours’. Supervised by Professor Simon Coulton and Professor Glynis Murphy - Dr Serena Tomlinson
Thesis: ‘Training family carers in-person and via telehealth to implement function-based assessments and interventions for challenging behaviour with their child with an intellectual or developmental disability: An exploration of feasibility within a UK context’. Supervised by Professor Peter McGill and Dr Nick Gore
PhD Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
- Dr Melanie Howell
Thesis: ‘The development and preliminary validation of a teacher assessment of barriers to learning for pupils on the autism spectrum in special schools’. Supervised by Honorary Professor Peter Langdon and Dr Jill Bradshaw
PhD Learning Disability
- Dr Megan Robb
Thesis: ‘Social Workers’ conceptualisations of domestic violence and abuse against people with leaning disabilities’. Supervised by Dr Joanne Warner and Professor Michelle McCarthy
Feeling inspired? Explore the full range of our PhD courses on our website, learn more about our academics, see our ‘spotlight on research‘, and discover the full range of financial support options available to you at Kent. This includes scholarships, bursaries and loans, as well as advice on alternative and external funding options. If you are interested in studying for a PhD with us or applying for an ESRC SeNSS scholarship, please contact a potential supervisor with your ideas and a draft proposal (approximately 1000 words).