What our students say

Julie Ellis

BA Sociology completed July 2005.
Awarded John Westergaard Prize in Sociological Studies June 2005
MA in Sociological Research with distinction December 2006
Awarded ESRC studentship +3 in October 2006
Registered for MPhil: October 2006
Expected end date of studies: 30 September 2010

Scope of Research: Reconstituting Familial Relationships Across the Dying Process

"Now I am doing my PhD I realise just how much my undergraduate studies prepared me for the challenge. It’s not just about reading in the library- the variety of skills you pick up and what you find out about yourself as a learner is amazing. Being encouraged by the department during my time as an undergraduate allowed me to believe in myself and to develop my sociological thinking and research skills. Now I am doing my own research and I get to explore issues which I feel are important and talk to people about their lives. It’s great to have such a varied working day- it never gets boring! It’s also fantastic to have people to share my thoughts and ideas with- the encouragement I have received as a student in the department of Sociological Studies has never stopped and I really feel like a valued member of the department."

Natalie Hammond

MA in Sociological Research 2006
Registered for PhD: October 2006
Expected end date of studies: 30 September 2009

Thesis title: Hidden lives: the voices of male clients of female sex workers in the UK

"My postgraduate career at Sheffield University began when I finished my undergrad degree and decided that I was interested in research and therefore needed to embark on further study. I chose the MA Sociological Research at Sheffield University specifically for its combination of research training and social science elements. Upon completing this and genuinely enjoying the practical research side of my MA in conjunction with deciding that research was definitely a career I wanted to pursue, I applied to the department to expand upon the theme of my MA dissertation and put forward a proposal focusing on the male clients of female sex workers in the UK. Since winning ESRC funding and starting the project over 2 years ago I’ve not looked back!

The Department of Sociological Studies provides a great open plan, friendly workspace for PhD students to work in. This provides an opportunity for frustrations to be vented, support offered and experiences shared with colleagues and peers. Each student is offered a large desk and lockable storage which allows you to create a (dis)organised and productive working space for yourself and really allows you to achieve a good balance between work and home. On top of this the university itself has a vibrant and thriving culture which postgrads are actively encouraged to take part in.

Members of the department are also available to offer support. Both of my supervisors are always available for support, encouragement and advice and have a great ability to see progress when you are convinced that you’re not getting anywhere! This fills you with optimism and renewed motivation if you hit a stumbling block as well as helping to make the PhD a much more enjoyable, smooth and rewarding process.

As I am half way through my final year now, I am starting to think about jobs! The degree so far has allowed me to gain experience and knowledge of many skills both technical and general. I now have numerous research skills across the whole process from initial proposal development to ethical considerations and data collecting, to writing up findings and disseminating research both nationally and internationally. On top of the technical skills there are other transferable skills that are picked up along the way such as: project management, team working, problem solving, organisation, perseverance and networking. These skills, opportunities and experiences which are developed and cultivated with assistance from supervisors, the department and the university provide a solid base for career development and will allow me to progress to full time employment within the research community."