MPhil/PhD Admissions

Applications are checked by Graduate Admissions before they are passed to the department for assessment. All necessary documents including references need to be submitted by the deadline in order to be passed to the department on time. After applications are received, they are first checked for eligibility (meeting the entry requirements, aligning with the research interests of available supervisors). Applications are then reviewed by the Doctoral Programme Director before being passed to potential supervisors for assessment. After this stage, applicants may be invited to an interview (done virtually over Zoom, Skype or phone). Details on what to expect at interviews can be found .

After interview, all approved applications are reviewed by a Departmental Selection Committee before offers are made to applicants. There are approximately seven places available. Overall this process can take a few months.

All applicants who are offered places are automatically considered for funding and are nominated by the department for School-administered studentships. Competition for funding is very intense; as the Department is typically allocated only 2-4 studentships, we cannot provide funding to all offer holders. All applicants are required to explore other potential sources of funding at all stages in their application, including before and during LSE’s funding consideration process. If your application is successful, you must make sure that you have made adequate financial provision for your programme of study.

If you have already secured funding from an external body, or if you secure external funding after your application is submitted, please notify sociology.phd@lse.ac.uk as soon as possible.

MPhil/PhD Sociology

MPhil/PhD Cities

We require a high merit (minimum 65%) in a taught master's degree (or equivalent) in a related discipline and a 2:1 degree or equivalent in Sociology or another social science. Competition for places at the School is high and there are limited places available on the programme. This means that even if you meet our minimum entry requirements, this does not guarantee you an offer of admission.

If you have studied or are studying outside of the UK, please see the Information for International Students to find out the entry requirements that apply to you.

If you do not meet the entry requirement at master’s level, but you feel you have other relevant experience intrinsic to the research project you wish to carry out, then please contact the Research Manager at sociology.phd@lse.ac.uk in the first instance.

Sociology is an open discipline and does not require students to have sociology undergraduate or master's degrees as prerequisites. Many of our doctoral students have not previously specialised in Sociology. In your application you should still explain why you want to study at LSE Sociology and the ways in which you see your project as being sociological.

Yes, this has important consequences. Due to the large volume of applications, only applicants who select Sociology as their first choice will be considered. We cannot consider applications that list it as a second choice.

Please see for information on what to provide in your application. The department does not provide guidance on preparing a research proposal. For information on the research interests of our academic staff, please see their research profiles on our people page.

You are welcome to approach potential supervisors about your research proposal before applying, but please be aware that some academics do not respond to ‘cold’ inquiries. You are still able to apply even if you have not received an encouraging response. The ultimate decision on supervisor allocation is made by the Selection Committee.

The Research Manager will not put you in touch with potential supervisors; this is the applicants’ responsibility.

Yes, as long as you will be able to prove official proof of your final degree results by the time you are required to register for the programme. We encourage applicants to complete a master’s degree before applying.

LSE’s MPhil/PhD programmes are designed to be followed full time by fully funded students. However, we recognise that certain circumstances, for example employment, health, disability, caring responsibilities may necessitate your studying part time. If you wish to be considered for part time study, you should mention this in your personal statement, and discuss it in your interview if you are shortlisted. Please see more information .

Under normal circumstances, all students are required to be in regular attendance at the School so that they can attend courses, supervision meetings and other seminars as required by their programme. Periods of study away from the School can be undertaken, but require departmental and central approval. Applicants should make plans on this basis and expect to be required to study in London.

All registered doctoral students have two supervisors and at least one supervisor must be either an Associate Professor or a full Professor employed by the Department of Sociology. Other supervisors can be from elsewhere within the School.

External supervision (i.e. supervision by faculty from outside LSE) will not normally be permitted.