Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation Doctoral study

DSPI students doctoral

Our DPhil in Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation attracts graduate students from across the world. As a doctoral research student, you will be a key member of our academic community, fully involved and immersed in the life of our department, one of the top-ranked in its field.

We welcome DPhil candidates who are interested in a wide range of areas of social intervention and policy evaluation research.

Topics related to the world-leading expertise of our supervisors may focus on:

  • Social problems, such as poverty, violence, mental health, substance misuse, educational disadvantage, health and economic inequality.
  • Research focused on marginalised and vulnerable groups
  • Research on interventions, programmes and policies to prevent or address social problems
  • Evaluation methodology, such as cross-cultural adaptation of interventions

If you are starting the DPhil following a 1-year MSc, you will usually finish after 3-4 years. The graphic below gives an impression of the usual DPhil trajectory. 
dphil ebsipe course diagram 

The DPhil programme is also available on a part-time basis. The part-time version of the degree has the same high standards and requirements as the full-time degree, but is spread over 6-8 years. If you are seeking the flexibility of part-time study, this degree is particularly well suited to you. Part-time study also provides an excellent opportunity if you are a professional looking to undertake rigorous long-term research that may be relevant to your working life. For more information, please contact admissions@spi.ox.ac.uk. 

Our approach to graduate study focuses on your ability to work independently to explore and develop your research under an academic supervisor (or two co-supervisors).

Each member of academic staff has expertise in particular areas of social policy and you will only be accepted for a DPhil if there is an appropriate supervisor available.

The department is interested in applicants with research proposals that align with its areas of expertise. Therefore, before you apply, you should identify an academic member of staff who is willing and able to supervise your research. Before contacting potential supervisors, please first check that you meet the programme’s entry requirements. Once you have confirmed this, you should contact potential supervisors via email, attaching a CV and a summary of your proposed research. You can find staff profiles, including research interests and contact details, under the Supervisors tab. Guidance on how to approach potential supervisors can be found on the Oxford University Careers Service website. Please contact potential supervisors before 1st December. Academic supervisors do their best to respond to all requests for supervision. However, if you do not hear back within two weeks, please assume that they are unable to supervise your DPhil. 

As a doctoral student, you will be offered a graduate programme for doctoral researchers, tailored to your individual needs as agreed with your supervisor. In addition to individual supervision, we offer a wide range of seminars, workshops and advanced training opportunities to enhance your graduate research experience. Further training and exchange opportunities are provided by colleges and the University.

Colleges

DPhil students are also members of a college, providing opportunities for exchange with other students and fellows across disciplines. Oxford colleges offer a unique academic

community. Student college membership ranges across the University as the DSPI has an association with many colleges. Students can apply to be at any college.

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DPhil students are also members of a college, providing opportunities for exchange with other students and fellows across disciplines. Oxford colleges offer a unique academic community. Student college membership ranges across the University as the DSPI has an association with many colleges.

Many graduates of the DPhil programme in Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation go on to pursue academic careers in world-leading research universities. Other alumni hold influential positions in government, non-governmental and international organisations such as the World Bank, the World Health Organisation and the UN.

The DSPI, colleges and the University provide several scholarships for DPhil students. You can find out more here. 

You can find full details about how to apply on the DPhil in Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation University Admissions page.