Education Research MPhil / PhD at Kings College London

Overview

The School of Education, Communication and Society at King’s College London is a leading home of interdisciplinary social science research, with particular strengths in public policy, STEM education and linguistics. It was ranked 2nd in the UK for research quality in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF). We are looking for outstanding candidates to join a supportive and dynamic research community.

Students are supervised by staff in one or more of our three Research Centres:

• Centre for Research in Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

• Centre for Public Policy Research

• Centre for Language Discourse and Communication

In addition to its world-leading academic contributions, the School has a proud history of contributing to public policy debates and the concerns of professional communities of practice across multiple sectors, both nationally and internationally.  We provide programmes of study that lead doctoral students to the cutting edge of knowledge, and help education professionals critically analyse, research and effectively respond to changes in thinking and policy in their fields.

We recommend that prospective students read through the Research Centre webpages to find their preferred area of research and potential supervisor.

Description

The School provides extensive research training and supervision on a range of themes including: curriculum, pedagogy and assessment; education management; school improvement; higher education; student & teacher identities; informal & workplace learning; inequality and social justice; the nature of professional expertise; the intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual aspects of personal experience and professional development; and the evolving practices and policy contexts of professional work. 

There is a particular emphasis on rigorous interdisciplinary and critical perspectives with staff and students working in and across a range of disciplines.

We also run MPhil and PhD programmes in Interdisciplinary Policy Studies and Discourse & Communication. We are home to  a range of research projects, funded by research councils (ESRC and AHRC) and major charities (e.g. Wellcome, Leverhulme and Nuffield).

Course study environment

The department offers a supportive, lively and outward-looking intellectual environment. You will be allocated two supervisors who will work with you throughout your studies, and there are regular seminars linked to each of our Research Centres, as well as a programme of departmental seminars. As part of a large multi-faculty institution, students also have the opportunity to build close ties across the College, as well as active cross-institutional links. There are plenty of opportunities for informal interaction and designated study rooms for doctoral students.