Social Science Research at Oxford

The Division is a world-leading centre for research in the social sciences. It is an environment in which innovative ideas and excellent research activities flourish. Our research is characterised by a wide range of methodologies, themes and disciplines and we encourage multi-disciplinary research. Our research involves contributions both to the academic study of the social sciences and to public policy. Some of our research is showcased in the research section of the main University website.

Research in the Social Sciences Division attracts funding from a wide range of sources. In the academic year 2011-12, the Division's research grant awards totalled £40,023,137. Social sciences at Oxford was ranked very highly in the Research Assessment Exercise 2008. Please see the University website for more information about Oxford's success in RAE 2008.

Divisional Research Team

The overarching role of the research team is, through providing professional administrative and management advice, to engage with divisional research strategy and research policy and practice in departments, and to facilitate research developments and initiatives that seek to underpin divisional research objectives.

The Research Team comprises 3 people:

Assistant Registrar (Research) - Sam Sneddon
Research Facilitator - Sharron Pleydell-Pearce
Research Support Officer - Esther Byrom
Research Support Assistant - Carmen Kwan

The Research Team's key priorities are:

Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 (link to Oxford-only area)
Ethics and the review of non-medical projects
Supporting Divisional research priorities, e.g. strategically important cross-University collaborations, large collaborative research projects and grants activity
Facilitating research information briefings and application workshops around specific funding mechanisms
The Divisional allocation of the John Fell OUP Research Fund

Research information for members of SSD departments (link to Oxford-only area)