*The SWDTP studentship application process for 2025 entry is now open*
The SWDTP supports doctoral students by developing their research skills and offering a wide range of training, placements, activities and events in a collaborative way across our eight partner institutions.
The SWDTP is funded by the Economic and Social Sciences Research Council (ESRC) and is one of 15 Doctoral Training Partnerships in the UK.
We have 34 fully-funded studentships from the ESRC available through 14 disciplinary and 4 interdisciplinary pathways spanning the social sciences for the support of full time or part-time postgraduate study (at a minimum of 50% part-time).
Click on each pathway name to find out more. The table below indicates at which institution pathways are delivered. Click on each institution to take you to further information. Please note that you apply through the application process for the institution at which you want to be based.
| Interdisciplinary Pathways | Bath | Bristol | Exeter | Plymouth | UWE | Bath Spa | Bournemouth | Plymouth Marjon |
| Climate Change, Sustainability and Society | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | ||
| Global Challenges and Transformations: Geopolitics, Inequalities and Mobilities | YES | YES | YES | |||||
| Health, Wellbeing and Society | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | ||
| Sociotechnical Futures and Digital Methods | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | ||
| Disciplinary Pathways | Bath | Bristol | Exeter | Plymouth | UWE | Bath Spa | Bournemouth | Plymouth Marjon |
| Area & Development Studies | YES | YES | ||||||
| Advanced Quantitative Methods | YES | YES | YES | YES | ||||
| Economic & Social History | YES | YES | ||||||
| Economics | YES | YES | YES | |||||
| Education | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | ||
| Human Geography | YES | YES | YES | |||||
| Management & Business Studies | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | ||
| Politics and International Relations | YES | YES | YES | |||||
| Psychology | YES | YES | YES | YES | YES | |||
| Social Anthropology | YES | YES | ||||||
| Social Policy | YES | YES | YES | YES | ||||
| Social Work | YES | YES | ||||||
| Socio-Legal Studies | YES | YES | ||||||
| Sociology | YES | YES | YES |
How much is an award?
The standard maintenance award for October 2024 is £19,237 per annum. The ESRC covers fees to the value of £4,786 per annum. Students are also eligible for Research Training Support Grant (RTSG).
Research in Practice
All students are strongly encouraged to take part in a work placement during their time of study with us. Placements provide the opportunity for students to further develop their research and transferable skills in either an academic or non-academic environment. For more information on placements, please visit our Placements and Internships page.