PhD in Employment Research (2025 Entry)

Employment Research students at the University of Warwick

Course code

P-N6P3

Start date

6 October 2025

Duration

4 years full-time;
7 years part-time

Qualification

PhD

Led by

Institute for Employment Research

Location

University of Warwick

Course code

P-N6P3

Start date

6 October 2025

Duration

4 years full-time;
7 years part-time

Qualification

PhD

Led by

Institute for Employment Research

Location

University of Warwick

Meet us

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Find out more about our Employment Research PhD degree at Warwick

Embedded in an interdisciplinary high quality research environment, the PhD in Employment Research, at Warwick's Institute for Employment Research (IER) provides unparalleled learning opportunities at a leading international social science research centre.

Course overview

As an interdisciplinary research-only department within the University of Warwick, the work of the Institute for Employment Research (IER) provides wide-ranging opportunities for prospective doctoral candidates to engage in high quality social science doctoral-level research which is policy-relevant and academically rigorous.

IER’s doctoral programme aims to train independent social science researchers who can develop and deploy theory effectively, assess the relative merits of different methodological approaches, choose and use appropriate empirical methods, manage their time and other research resources effectively. Being located in a specialist research environment will provide a wider understanding of the research process (including dissemination, funding, relationships with sponsors, and different organisational models for research).

Our extensive research portfolio has meant that we have fostered and maintained links with national and international research centres; UK government departments and agencies; European Commission and other international bodies; local authorities and sectoral organisations, as well as extensive academic networks.

Supervision for IER doctoral students will be provided by academic researchers with significant experience of undertaking research across employment research. We supervise students from a variety of different countries and backgrounds and welcome this diversity among our student body.

Former students have gone on to work in a variety of areas in different countries, including academia, government, the private sector or third sector organisations.

We also offer a joint PhD in Employment Research with our partner institution Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.

Teaching and learning

Supervision for IER doctoral students will be provided by academic researchers with significant experience employment research.

During their first year of PhD study, students will normally be expected to undertake training in both quantitative and qualitative research methods.

Entry requirements

General entry requirements

Minimum requirements

2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject and a good Master’s degree (or equivalent) in the social sciences. Previous studies and/or work experience should have included training in social science methodology.

An application should be supported by a good research proposal.Link opens in a new window

English language requirements

You can find out more about our English language requirementsLink opens in a new window. This course requires the following:

Band B
IELTS overall score of 7.0, minimum component scores of two at 6.0/6.5 and the rest at 7.0 or above.

International qualifications

We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications.

For more information, please visit the international entry requirements pageLink opens in a new window.

Academic References

We typically ask for one academic reference for taught courses, and two academic references for research courses.

You will be asked to include an email address for your referee(s) when submitting your application and we will contact them for you.

View our guide to academic references.Link opens in a new window

Additional requirements

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.

Research themes

Our research

The Institute for Employment Research (IER) is an interdisciplinary institute. It brings together a breadth of expertise from a variety of disciplines, including economics; statistics; geography; social and public policy; sociology; education; organisational behaviour; and industrial relations.

Methodologically, researchers at IER employ a range of quantitative and qualitative methods, including but not limited to surveys; big data; large data sets; focus groups; and interviews.

Current strengths in IER are:

Job quality; fair, decent and good work
Education; training and skills
Future of work; digitalisation and automation
Equality, diversity and inclusion in the labour market
Welfare, work and public policy
Labour market assessment and forecasting
Employment relations and employer behaviour

More information about IER’s research areas are listed on https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ier/aboutier/. For information about individual research interests please visit https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ier/study_with_us/phd/supervisors.

Supervisors and proposals

Find a supervisor

IER’ doctoral students are supervised by academic researchers with significant experience of undertaking research and expertise in the topic area.

Visit Potential IER PhD Supervisors to find out more about potential supervisors and explore the subjects and techniques they would be interested in supervising.

You can read our general University research proposal guidance.

You can also see our general University guidance about finding a supervisor.

Research proposals

We accept applications that fall within IER’s areas of research. You should send your application including your CV (indicating your research training and/or experience), transcripts, and an outline research proposal to ierphd@warwick.ac.uk, mentioning any potential IER supervisors that you have identified.

More information on the application process can be found here: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ier/study_with_us/phd/interest/. Please note that your proposal should follow the https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/ier/study_with_us/phd/interest/research_proposal_guidelines.pdf.

Tuition fees

Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course at the start of the academic year, or at the start of your course, if later. Academic fees cover the cost of tuition, examinations and registration and some student amenities.

Find your research course fees

Fee Status Guidance

We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.

Do you need your fee classification to be reviewed?

If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.

Find out more about how universities assess fee status

Additional course costs

As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of field trips or costs associated with travel abroad.

For departmental specific costs, please see the Modules tab on the course web page for the list of core and optional core modules with hyperlinks to our Module Catalogue (please visit the Department’s website if the Module Catalogue hyperlinks are not provided).

Associated costs can be found on the Study tab for each module listed in the Module Catalogue (please note most of the module content applies to 2024/25 year of study). Information about module department specific costs should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below:

Core text books
Printer credits
Dissertation binding
Robe hire for your degree ceremony

Scholarships and funding

Scholarships and bursaries

Scholarships and financial support

Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.

Living costs

Find out more about the cost of living as a postgraduate student at the University of Warwick.

Department

Warwick Institute for Employment Research

Established in 1981, the Warwick Institute for Employment Research (IER) is a leading international social science research centre. Its research is interdisciplinary and made relevant to policy makers and practitioners. It is renowned for consistently delivering high quality research. Research questions are tackled in projects funded by a range of public and private sector organisations.

IER researchers have diverse disciplinary backgrounds and work both within and across disciplines. Publishing theoretical, methodological and empirical academic outputs is a core activity, but IER also places great emphasis on maximising its impact among potential users of research. IER uses multi-method, interdisciplinary approaches to generate and tackle substantive questions. Our strategy has been to broaden the methodological basis of IER work in order to deal more effectively with research problems that cross the boundaries of conventional academic disciplines and the methods of analysis associated with them.

Find out more about us on our website.

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How to apply checklist

Our how to apply checklist helps you prepare for your application

Read the checklist

I'm ready to apply

Learn more about the Applicant Portal.

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Application deadlines

The application process for course that start in September and October 2026 opens on 2 October 2025.

For research courses that start in September and October 2026 the application deadline for students who require a visa to study in the UK is 2 August 2026. This should allow sufficient time to complete the admissions process and to obtain a visa to study in the UK.

Useful links

Applicant portal
After your applied
Admissions statement
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2024 entry

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We understand how important it is to visit and explore your future university before you apply. That's why we have put together a range of online and in-person options to help you discover more about your course, visit campus, and get a sense of postgraduate life at Warwick. Our events offer includes:

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Why Warwick

Discover why Warwick is one of the best universities in the UK and renowned globally.

Why Warwick

Discover why Warwick is one of the best universities in the UK and renowned globally.

8th in the UK

in the Guardian University Guide 2025

6th Most Targeted University

by the UK's top 100 graduate employers (The Graduate Market in 2024, High Fliers Research Ltd)

69th in the World

out of 1,500 institutions across 104 locations (QS World University Rankings 2025)

Page updates

We may have revised the information on this page since publication. See the edits we have made and content history.

About the information on this page

This information is applicable for 2026 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our terms and conditions to find out more.

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PhD in Employment Research (2025 Entry)

Find out more about our Employment Research PhD degree at Warwick

Scholarships and financial support

Living costs

How to apply checklist

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Why Warwick

Why Warwick

Why Warwick

Why Warwick

8th in the UK

6th Most Targeted University

69th in the World

5th best student city in the UK

Gold standard teaching

92% of our research

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