UCL Sociology Network PhD Group

Get involved with UCL's Sociology Network's PhD Group and find out about our forthcoming activities.

• Submit an abstract for our Inaugural PhD Student Conference (3 June 2025)
   
• Register you interest in our programme and sign-up for our email updates
   
• Join our Teams channel to ask questions and interact with your peers across UCL

Who we are
UCL’s Sociology Network PhD Group is a student-led group.  We create an open and supportive space that connects doctoral students with interests in sociological research and methods from across the university.    Like the broader UCL Sociology Network, the group recognises that there are sociologists in every UCL Faculty who are engaged with a wide range of thematic specialisms, methodologies, and sociological approaches. But without a dedicated Sociology Department at UCL, it can be difficult to connect with one another.   

As such, the PhD group actively seeks to engage doctoral students using or interested in sociological research, regardless of your home department, allowing for an open and flexible definition of sociology. The group aims to create opportunities for virtual and face-to-face networking, peer-to-peer learning, and cross-departmental collaboration.  

What we offer  
Below is a selection of activities we hope to offer sociological research students at UCL. However, this PhD group is run by and for its members, and as such will evolve to suit their needs. If you have an idea for an activity, please include it when you sign-up for our email updates.

• Seminar series: opportunities for PhD students working in sociology to present their work in a range of formats. Seminars will draw in academics from across UCL and other institutions.  
• Methodology sessions: exploring sociological methodologies and what they entail. Sessions will consider specific methods in sociology and provide opportunities for presenting and offering constructive feedback.  
• Reading groups:  the groups will focus on different sociological material each session. Group members are free to suggest possible content for discussion and can include anything from key sociological texts to podcasts, short films and more. 
• Informal spaces and networking: including coffee meets, online and in-person networking events.

This student group is part of the broader UCL Sociology Network, a collaborative space for academic faculty and research staff.