Change and the Social Science PhD: supervisors’ responses

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Abstract
Since 1985 the social science PhD has undergone various changes instigated by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the main indigenous funder of social science doctoral education. These changes involve the imposition of a more restrictive time limit for the submission of PhD theses and, perhaps more radically, the introduction of compulsory training courses in research methods for students. The responses of PhD supervisors to these changes are portrayed in some depth and include views on the functions of the PhD, the costs and consequences of research training and stricter time limits. In addition, various disciplinary differences in relation to the above issues are examined. The paper concludes with the proposition that the impact of such changes is already significant and may well result in the delay of the development of research creativity amongst doctoral students.

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