School of Social Sciences

Diverse. Creative. Changing the world.

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Welcome

The School of Social Sciences at Lancaster is a vibrant and inclusive community, driven by research and innovation that makes a real-world impact. Through an interdisciplinary lens, we explore the complexities of our society and empower students to think critically, challenge assumptions, and engage with the world around them in meaningful ways.

Â鶹ֱ²¥ Us
4th

in the UK for Social Work

The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide (2026)

2nd

in the world for Linguistics

QS World Subject Rankings 2026

5th

in the UK for Sociology

The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide (2026)

Top 50

in the world for Education

Times Higher Education (THE) world subject rankings table for education 2026

10th

in the UK for Criminology

Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026

Disciplines

2026 open days

The best way to experience Â鶹ֱ²¥ is to visit us. Explore our beautiful campus, meet our staff and students, and discover what life at Lancaster is really like. Book your Open Day today!

Open days
Alexandra square on a busy open day
draf

Social Work Teaching Partnerships

Our social work teaching partnerships demonstrate our commitment to working with employers in order to improve student placements and better prepare students for employment after graduation. The value of this work is reflected in the high regard employers have for our graduates.

Teaching partnerships and resources

Latest News

Image shows traditional cooking arrangements in rural Uttar Pradesh - with a bowls of uncooked food and pans on white hard ground

Skipping meals to selling assets: COVID-19 and coping strategies of vulnerable Indian households

10 June 2026

The COVID-19 pandemic pushed some households in India into difficult and often unsustainable coping strategies, forcing trade-offs between immediate survival and long-term stability, according to new research by Â鶹ֱ²¥ and the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IITK).

Image shows the word Idiom in multi-coloured letters on white cardboard pieces - rather like a jigsaw puzzle

Time to turn over a new leaf? New dictionary ranks idioms and English phrases

7 June 2026

A new collection of idioms, some dating back to the 17th Century, are highlighted in ¡®A Frequency Dictionary of Multi-Word Expressions in British English¡¯ authored by Â鶹ֱ²¥ researchers.
Winner Dr Stanley Blue (far right) with his award

Inaugural Elaine Sykes award for Stanley Blue

2 June 2026

Dr Stanley Blue from the School of Social Sciences has become the first ever winner of the Elaine Sykes Open Research Award.
Judit with short light brown hair and glasses looks directly at the camera with a calm expression.

Professor Judit Kormos wins international award for impact

14 May 2026

Professor Judit Kormos has been awarded the 2025 Susan Gass Award for Impact in Second Language Acquisition by the journal Studies in Second Language Acquisition and Cambridge University Press. The award recognises her outstanding and sustained contributions to SLA research across areas including cognitive processes, fluency, dyslexia, assessment, and L2 writing.

Ridmi stands behind a large wooden lectern, speaking into several microphones from different media outlets. A colorful arrangement of flowers decorates the front of the lectern, and red curtains form the background.

Scene behind the unseen: Special adjustments for visually impaired students in L2 English reading tests

14 May 2026

Scene behind the unseen: Special adjustments for visually impaired students in L2 English reading tests by Judit Kormos and Ridmi Handapangoda explores how English reading tests can be more fairly adapted for visually impaired students in Sri Lankan universities. Based on qualitative interviews, the study highlights the need for inclusive support in test preparation, design, administration, and scoring to ensure fairer and more meaningful assessment experiences
Image shows a seascape of Morecambe Bay with pebbly sand in the foreground,a blue bay channel and fells in the background

Culture-led innovation can drive regeneration in coastal communities, Morecambe Bay study finds

29 April 2026

A new study from Â鶹ֱ²¥ and partners across Morecambe Bay argues that culture and creativity can play a central role in driving innovation, regeneration and inclusive growth in coastal communities.

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Upcoming Events

28th Sep

DSAIL AI Showcase Event

Monday 28 September 2026, 9:30am to 5:00pm

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