Social Sciences
Social science is concerned with human behaviour, and with the ways in which it is organised in both simple and complex societies. The breadth of this agenda means that there are many different social science disciplines and subject areas, each focusing on particular areas of interest. In addition, social science research embraces many different approaches and methodologies, ranging from highly theoretical work focusing on fundamental issues concerning human existence and motivation, to applied, near to market, work dealing with immediate issues of social concern.
This diversity of subjects and methodologies is well represented at Reading. The Faculty of Social Science is home to four social science Schools, and it also helps to promote the research activities of other academic Schools and subject areas which include social science research. Research is undertaken both by individual scholars and by teams of researchers working both within and across School and disciplinary boundaries. Much of this research is externally funded, by the Research Councils, major charities, government departments, international organisations, and a range of large and small commercial firms.
To find out more about social science research at Reading within the Faculty, please follow the links below:
Further social science research is undertaken by the following Schools:
Henley Business School
School of Agriculture Policy and Development
School of Construction Management and Engineering
School of Human and Environmental Sciences
School of Humanities
School of Languages and European Studies
School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences
Training postgraduate researchers
An important part of our research activity is training future social science researchers. Postgraduate research students from most of the above Schools participate in our Graduate School for the Social Sciences, which organises generic research training and provides a range of other support for social science research students across the University.
Facts and figures
The facts and figures shown have been collated from data for the Faculty of Social Sciences. Facts and figures which cover all of our research in Social Sciences are difficult to measure, as much of this research is embedded in Schools and Departments across the University and outside of the Faculty structure.
| Research income 2010/111 | £571,000 |
| 'Teaching and Research' staff2 | 100 |
| Research only staff3 | 5 |
| Research students4 | 115 |
1Source: University of Reading/Finance Department. Please note that this is income from externally funded grants and contracts and excludes HEFCE research funding. All figures rounded to the nearest £1000.
2Source: University of Reading (Trent), November 2011. Academic staff FTE whose contract covers 'Teaching and Research' (HESA academic employment function). All figures are rounded to the nearest 5 or 10.
3Source: University of Reading (Trent), November 2011. Academic staff FTE whose contract covers 'Research only' (HESA academic employment function). All figures are rounded to the nearest 5 or 10.
4Source: University of Reading (RISIS), 1 December 2011. Headcount of full fee liable doctoral students. All figures rounded to the nearest 5 or 10.
