Postgraduate Prospectus

www.iser.essex.ac.uk/study | Applied Social and Economic Research
Sociology, which are some of the most
significant contributors to the most recent
RAE (December 2008), that ranked
sociology research the best in the UK
and economics third.
analysis of cross-sectional and longitudinal
surveys, we also welcome those interested
in researching panel data and survival
analysis, missing data, measurement error,
endogeneity, and other estimation issues.
Our PhD students are provided with their
own desk, usually in a shared office, and
have access to specialist resources such
as The Hilary Doughty Research Library,
with significant holdings of published and
unpublished material on longitudinal and
panel data methodology, and its application
to economic and policy issues. In addition,
you can use our longitudinal and panel data
sets, including the British Household Panel
Survey (BHPS) and Understanding Society.
Access to such unique materials enhances
and furthers your research.
About our research degrees
Our PhDs enable you to be supervised
by some of the world’s leading experts
in their field. Our PhDs also have ESRC
Doctoral Training Centre accreditation,
so a number of ESRC studentships are
available for new students.
PhD Applied Social and Economic
Research•†
This PhD is aimed at those interested
in quantitative research in sociology and
other social sciences. It involves the use
of secondary data to answer socially
relevant research questions and we offer
supervision in: social stratification, social
class and other forms of disadvantage;
social behaviour, beliefs and values;
occupational choice and mobility; migration;
social change; life cycle and biography;
social group identity; sociology of
education; and family and socialization.
PhD Economics•†
If you are interested in applied
microeconomics and microeconometrics,
and plan to use socio-economic survey
data in your research, then this PhD should
suit you. We offer supervision in: economics
of the family; education; migration; labour
markets; retirement and pension; health
economics; inequality, poverty and income
distribution; public policy; and ethnicity.
As we have extensive experience in the
PhD Health Research•†
This PhD is suitable for those studying
quantitative health research. We offer
supervision in a range of topics under the
broad umbrella of social epidemiology like:
social inequalities in health; poverty and
health; ethnic variations in health; child
health and development; inter-generational
processes; and ageing and health. We
particularly welcome those interested
in health research using panel or cohort
surveys, like our British Household Panel
Survey, Understanding Society, and the
UK Millennium Cohort Study.
PhD Survey Methodology•†
If you have a strong interest in
quantitative survey methodology,
then we offer supervision in: sampling;
weighting; non-response; response
maximisation techniques; mode effects;
data linkage; and measurement error.
We especially welcome those interested
in sampling and non-sampling issues
using cross-sectional and longitudinal
surveys, such as our British Household
Panel Survey and Understanding Society.
Research areas
Research supervision is available in the
following areas:
n Health and the use of health services
n Household formation and dissolution
n Income, poverty, and wealth
n Labour market behaviour
n Longitudinal and panel data methods
and analysis
n Microsimulation of taxes and benefits
n Residential mobility
n Social classification systems
n Social mobility within and between
generations
n Survey methods and data
n Survey methodology
n Time use
Tina Rampino, Milan, Italy
– MSc Applied Economics
and Data Analysis ’09,
PhD Economics
I was encouraged to
apply to Essex following
a recommendation about
ISER’s excellent research
reputation from my
undergraduate supervisor in Italy.
After completing my MSc Applied
Economics and Data Analysis, I
decided to also undertake my PhD
Economics here because I would like
to work in an international organisation
when I graduate. I believe that a PhD in
this particular subject area will greatly
increase my chances in getting such a
job. I hope I will be able to find an
occupation that allows me to help
people through the knowledge I have
acquired during my postgraduate
studies at Essex.
I am most enjoying the fact that I can
fully focus on the topics I am interested
in for my PhD, which are child labour,
education and poverty reduction.
It is fantastic to be a student at Essex
as you get to meet so many people –
staff and other students – from all over
the world. One of my fondest memories
of Essex will be the solidarity
from my PhD fellows, who
have now become some of
my close friends.
Student
profile
Postgraduate Prospectus 2012 | 59