PhD programme
The School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice offers research degrees in social work, social policy and social justice (PhD programmes). Undertaken full-time over three years, or part-time over six years, a PhD is a research degree in which you will make an original contribution to knowledge by pursuing an extended and focused piece of research on a topic of your interest.
We offer a lively intellectual environment in which to undertake postgraduate research with a range of thematic research groups and research centres and an active seminar programme. You will benefit from our excellent links to other social policy/social work/social justice scholars, policymakers and practitioners across the world.
The structured programme enables you to acquire a broader set of transferable skills during your time with us. Postgraduate research students can access a range of research training courses tailored to the needs of their project.
Funding opportunities
The (opens in a new window)Irish Research Council runs the Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme which is an established national initiative, funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, and managed by the Council.
IRC Postgraduate funding includes a (opens in a new window)suite of programmes to support full-time PhD students. In addition to the (opens in a new window)Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship Programme, it also includes the (opens in a new window)Enterprise Partnership Scheme and (opens in a new window)the Employment based Postgraduate Programme. Currently we have PhD students who have been successful in securing IRC funding from each of these funding schemes.
Current PhD students
| Student Name |
Thesis title |
Primary Supervisor |
Secondary Supervisor |
| Alabood, Laila |
Evaluating the Role of School-Based Social Workers in Facing Bullying among Teenagers in Public Schools in Saudi Arabia |
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| Aldama, Inigo |
Understanding the Role of Social Welfare Systems on the Dynamics of Ethnic Conflict in European Regions |
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| Allen, Jennifer |
Advance Care Planning in Older Persons Mental Health; A Participatory Action Research Study. |
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| Butler, Philomena |
Exploring the Lived Experience and Support Needs of Mothers with Acquired Brain Injury and their Families, using a Feminist Participatory Action Research approach. |
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| Chaitaveepporn, Varee Funding: (opens in a new window)Full Scholarship from the Royal Thai Government |
Community-based care for older people with dementia in Ireland and Thailand |
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| Cizauskaite, Ausra |
The Objective and Subjective Quality of Social Investment Interventions for Households with Children MORE |
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| Dingley, Orla |
Energy Justice: addressing transport & residential energy deprivation in Ireland |
Páraic Carroll |
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| Garavin, Lisa |
‘A qualitative exploration of the relationship between social workers and guardians ad litem in the Republic of Ireland.’ |
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| (PhD completed, 2023) (opens in a new window)Funded by IRC Postgraduate Scheme, 2020 |
Civil Society Organisations Providing Social Services in Iraq: Geography, Structure and Accountability post-2003 |
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| Hanlon, Stephanie |
From Laissez-Faire to Anticipatory Criminalisation: Marriages of Convenience in Irish Migration Policy |
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| Hughes, Beatrice ((opens in a new window)Funded by IRC Employment-Based Postgraduate Programme) |
Unwanted Consensual Sex - The Implications For Women | ||
| (PhD awarded, 2023) |
Transnormativity and the Everyday Lifeworlds of Young Trans Men in Ireland. |
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| Lind, Megan |
How can responding to child survivors of sexual abuse in complex emergencies be influenced? |
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| Maeda, Yurie |
Community Initiatives for Ageing in Place in Rural Ireland and Japan: The Role of Welfare Technologies and Diffusion of Social Innovation |
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| Moran, Khalil ((opens in a new window)Funded by IRC Employment-Based Postgraduate Programme) |
Community Wealth Building in Ireland: the potential of utilising alternative economic models to address societal inequalities |
(opens in a new window)Orla Kelly/(opens in a new window)Marie Moran |
Donna Marschall |
| Ntaliou, Sofia |
Urban Citizenship and Immigration |
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| Olusa, Oluromade |
Social Work in a new multicultural Ireland: a qualitative study of the experience of black African social workers |
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| Ryan, Ann |
Developing Survivor-Led Child Abuse Intervention and Practice: Examining Current Policy, Practice and Law regarding Disclosures and Sexual Violence" |
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| Schilling, Theresa |
Queer Relationships and Masculinities: Friendship, Intimacy and Community Among Young Queer People in Ireland |
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