Do Educational Pathways Mitigate Social Class Inequalities in Early Labour Market Outcomes? Evidence from Growing Up in Scotland

Key facts

• Opens: Thursday 12 March 2026
• Deadline: Thursday 30 April 2026
• Number of places: 1
• Duration: 36 months
• Funding: Home fee, International fee, Stipend

Eligibility

Essential criteria:

Desirable criteria:

Strathclyde Business School is committed to supporting a diverse and inclusive postgraduate research population. We make decisions on entry by assessing the whole person and not relying solely on academic achievements. On that basis, please ensure that your application (via your CV and covering letter) can evidence your resourcefulness, commitment and resilience as demonstrated by broader professional and life experiences. This evidence should be centred on your ability to undertake and complete a PhD and contribute to a positive PhD community.

If English isn't your first language, you'll need an IELTS score of 6.5 (or an equivalent test) with no individual element below 5.5. You must upload ONLY these documents to your application:

Please also indicate the title of the scholarship you are applying for in the Field of Study section of your application.

• first-class or upper second-class Honours degree (or overseas equivalent) in a social science-related discipline.
• a Masters degree in a social science-related discipline.
• demonstrated competence in applied quantitative methods, including regression analysis, evidenced through formal coursework, a quantitative dissertation or project, or equivalent research experience.
• a substantive interest in social inequality, education, and labour market research.
• experience working with longitudinal datasets
• familiarity with statistical software (e.g., Stata, R)
• covering letter • An updated curriculum vitae / résumé
• contact details of two academic referees, including email addresses
• academic transcripts, which must be certified copies
• evidence of English Language qualifications as required (if previously obtained)

Project Details

This PhD addresses a central question in social mobility research: to what extent does education level the playing field for individuals from working-class backgrounds? Focusing on Scotland, the project will examine how educational attainment and pathways interact with social class origins to shape early labour market trajectories. The findings will contribute to the educational inequality and social mobility evidence base and provide policy-relevant evidence on the role of education in promoting social mobility and reducing labour market inequalities among young adults in Scotland.

Funding details

Fully-funded scholarship for 3 years covers all university tuition fees (at UK level) and an annual tax-free stipend. International students are also eligible to apply, but they will need to find other funding sources to cover the difference between the home and international tuition fees. Exceptional international candidates may be provided funding for this difference.

While there is no funding in place for opportunities marked "unfunded", there are lots of different options to help you fund postgraduate research. Visit funding your postgraduate research for links to government grants, research councils funding and more, that could be available.

Dr Michael Vallely

Strathclyde Chancellor's Fellow Work, Employment and Organisation

Professor Patricia Findlay

Work, Employment and Organisation

Dr Markus Klein

Professor Strathclyde Institute of Education

• Primary supervisor: Dr Michael Vallely ( michael.vallely@strath.ac.uk )
• Additional supervisors: Prof Patricia Findlay ( patricia.findlay@strath.ac.uk ) and Prof Markus Klein ( markus.klein@strath.ac.uk )

Apply

Number of places: 1

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Work, Employment and Organisation

Programme: Work, Employment and Organisation

Contact us

michael.vallely@strath.ac.uk

Research areas