Social Science of the Internet + Information, Communication and the Social Sciences

The OII trains social scientists to undertake rigorous theoretical and empirical research in the study of the Internet and technology.

During your MSc you will be equipped with essential theoretical tools and methodological skills to undertake cutting-edge research in this domain. You are introduced to the empirical evidence necessary for an in-depth understanding of the role of the Internet in society, including the changing nature of governance and the theoretical, practical and ethical questions surrounding Internet use. You will take a combination of core and option papers and produce a dissertation of up to 15,000 words on a topic of your choosing (supported by a dissertation supervisor). The dissertation provides the opportunity to apply the methods and approaches you have covered in the other parts of the course and carry out a substantive piece of academic research.

During the three- to four-year DPhil component, students are expected to produce an important and original piece of scholarship that will make a significant contribution to the dynamic area of Internet research. On completion, you will have the qualities and transferable skills necessary to excel in teaching, research, policymaking or business. The multidisciplinary research OII students undertake ranges across the social sciences, with most projects falling into the following broad themes:

• digital knowledge and culture
• digital politics and government
• education, wellbeing and digital life
• ethics and philosophy of information
• information geography and inequality
• information governance and security
• Internet economics
• social data science.

OII faculty work on cutting-edge research in their fields. This innovative research is fully reflected in their teaching and supervision. As a doctoral student at the OII, you will address research questions from across the spectrum of disciplines. You will draw both on the multidisciplinary faculty and on the complementary strengths of your cohort of peers, who are building on literature from different disciplines to answer their research questions. This system allows doctoral students to dig deeply into disciplinary questions in, for instance, politics or sociology, while also being able to place these questions into a broader picture of how the Internet can be theorised and researched.

Please note that the MSc component is offered separately as the MSc in Social Science of the Internet. Students admitted to the combined MSc + DPhil programme will need to meet the normal admissions requirements and any conditions set to progress to the DPhil in Information, Communication and the Social Sciences.

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Oxford Internet Institute and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. A supervisor may be found outside of the Oxford Internet Institute.

Employers recognise the value of a degree from the University of Oxford, and graduates from our programmes have secured excellent positions in academia, industry, government and NGOs. For example, non-academic destinations of recent graduates have included large Internet companies such as Google or Facebook, smaller start-ups like Academia.edu, as well as regulatory positions and consultancy. OII DPhil alumni who have pursued academic careers have taken up research and teaching positions at the University of Oxford, Cornell University, University of Hong Kong, Imperial College London, Durham University, University of New South Wales, Coventry University, University of Leicester, University of Ottawa, and Michigan State University.

The OII Alumni Wall features interviews from both MSc and DPhil alumni about their time at the department and career paths after Oxford.

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. In certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information, please see our page on changes to courses.

Other courses you may wish to consider

If you're thinking about applying for this course, you may also wish to consider the courses listed below. These courses may have been suggested due to their similarity with this course, or because they are offered by the same department or faculty.

Courses suggested by the faculty

Oxford 1+1 MBA
Social Science of the Internet MSc
Information, Communication and the Social Sciences DPhil
Social Data Science MSc
Social Data Science combined MSc and DPhil
Social Data Science DPhil
Modern Chinese Studies MPhil

All graduate courses offered by the Oxford Internet Institute

Information, Communication and the Social Sciences DPhil

Social Data Science combined MSc and DPhil

Social Data Science MSc

Social Data Science DPhil

Social Science of the Internet MSc

Social Science of the Internet + Information, Communication and the Social Sciences combined MSc and DPhil

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Entry requirements