What is the Graduate School?

The Graduate School oversees doctoral degree programmes across the thirteen departments of the Faculty of Social Sciences. We are committed to equipping the next generation of research leaders, offering cutting-edge training designed to compliment your studies and your individual development needs.

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We work with you to prepare for a professional career with research at its core, whether that be in academia, policy or industry. Our doctoral training programme can be tailored to your individual needs, to ensure you have the skills you need to develop your research. The programme is designed to exceed current UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) training and development guidelines.

Our team:

Professor Stef Pukallus

Stef is the Faculty Postgraduate Research Director, responsible for the development of the Faculty's PGR strategy and policies, and their implementation across the thirteen departments that compose the Faculty. She is a Senior Lecturer in Public Communication and Civil Development in the Department of Journalism Studies. The Faculty PGRD also represents the Faculty of Social Sciences at University level in all PGR matters. She is a Senior Lecturer in Public Communication and Civil Development in the Department of Journalism Studies.


Dr Elisabeth Garratt

Beth is the Deputy Faculty PGR Director with strategic responsibility for training. She is an interdisciplinary social scientist, joining the ºù«Ӱҵ Methods Institute as a Lecturer in Quantitative Methods in September 2019.


Professor Ryan Powell

Ryan is the Deputy Faculty PGR Director with strategic responsibility for progression. His academic background and orientation is multidisciplinary, intersecting urban studies, sociology, geography, planning, history and politics, with a focus on urban marginality.


Dr Michael Martin

Mic is the Deputy Faculty PGR Director with strategic responsibility for careers. He is a lecturer in Urban Design and Planning, having previously worked as an Assistant Professor in Urban Design at Aalborg University.


Mrs Keely Armitage

Keely is the Faculty Graduate School Manager, and has overall line management responsibility for the PGR Support Officers, ensuring that there is consistency and harmonisation in operations across the Faculty. Keely’s role also supports the work of the Faculty Director of PGR in developing strategy and implementing policy to support the PGR experience.


Ms Sarah Aspey

Sarah is the Deputy Faculty Graduate School Manager. She supports the work of the GSM  in implementation of policy across faculty; taking the lead for scholarship activities for the faculty. Sarah has operational management of the PGR Support Officers overseeing the day to day activities of the PGR support team.


Mr James Peacock

James is the Faculty PGR Support Assistant. He is primarily responsible for, among other things, organising faculty-level training sessions, and keeping webpages and information up-to-date.