SEI offers interdisciplinary and disciplinary research degrees (DPhil, MPhil) in its areas of research specialisation as well as the MSc in Social Research Methods.

SEI is recognised as a Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence for the study of contemporary Europe and the research degrees are recognised by the Economic and Social Research Council. SEI has trained some of the leading scholars in the field and maintains strong links with the policy world and practitioners.

SEI's current research focuses around the following themes. It is in these areas that we particularly welcome applications: 

• Thinking Europe from its periphery

• Post-Brexit UK’s relationship with Europe

• Europe and the Politics of crisis

• European Political Economy

• Ethnicity, Race and Diverse Societies

• Decolonizing East Central Europe

• Comparative European Politics

However, SEI will consider applications on other research topics where we can provide supervision.

SEI's research training is characterised by three features:

• An international reputation for research excellence

• A vibrant community of research students

• A commitment to the on-going professional development of the research student community in addition to the research training