University Training Offers

 WGSSS Training Offer

On behalf of the ESRC, we take responsibility for ensuring the students we fund receive a broadly-based social science research training that equips them with the skills to manage a successful research career and to contribute to the broader economy and society.

We ensure the provision of core, subject specific and advanced training – through our master’s programmes in research methods, other courses provided by WGSSS institutions, and our own advanced training opportunities including a range of online training materials.

In addition to this, as a WGSSS student there are a wide range of other training opportunities available to you across the UK. In particular, you are entitled to attend any of the wide range of research methods training events offered by other DTPs across the UK. These are advertised through the National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM).

Pooled Training

Having determined the training needs of our scholars through our development needs analysis (DNA) process, we provide access to training according to our pooled training offer. That is that all of the participating universities and our strategic partners agree to share their training opportunities for the benefit of all WGSSS scholars regardless of where they are registered. So, if you are a registered student at one university, but there is a training opportunity available at another one, or with one of our strategic partners (where an equivalent session is not available at yours) then we will support you to access that training. All partners in the WGSSS have pledged to support this principle, and we are very excited about the scope it provides for us to deliver a world-class training offer. This pool of resources will develop incrementally over time.


We are also building up a platform to host online training resources, including materials created exclusively for us, as well as recordings from our conferences and advanced training workshops. Some of these resources are only available to PhD students at institutions within the WGSSS and will be require a log-in, but many are accessible to everyone.

What about the costs associated with accessing training at other locations?

Institutions and partners will do all they can to make sure training is as accessible as possible for those who need it. However, if there are costs associated with accessing training then these may be met using each scholar’s Research Training and Support Grant. Contact your academic supervisor(s) to discuss this, in the first instance.

‘In-House’ Graduate Training Programmes

The DNA process operates an ‘in-house’ first principle – that is that we will look to see if your training needs can be met by your home institution before searching elsewhere. Scholars are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the training offer at the university where they are registered, using the details below.