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Brenda Thomas Scholarship

The School of Law and Social Justice is awarding three scholarships to study for a master's in the department of Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology.

The Brenda Thomas Scholarship was established through a generous endowment left to the department by Brenda Margaret Thomas, a distinguished scholar with strong roots in Birkenhead.

After attending Birkenhead Secondary School for Girls, Brenda Thomas won a scholarship to Bedford College, University of London, where she completed a BA in Philosophy in 1953. She later pursued postgraduate study at the University of Liverpool, gaining a Diploma in Industrial Sociology and an MA in Industrial Relations. Brenda’s academic career included research roles at the University of California, Berkeley, Cardiff University, and the University of Glasgow, before she became a lecturer at the University of Bradford.

Her legacy now supports postgraduate students within the department, providing financial assistance towards tuition fees, particularly for those from Merseyside whose financial circumstances might otherwise prevent them from undertaking or completing postgraduate study.

The award

Each scholarship is awarded as a fee waiver. It's worth £12,500 for students undertaking an MA course, and £5,238 for those undertaking an MRes course.

Essential criteria

Candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • Applicants must be British citizens
  • International applicants are not eligible for this scholarship
  • Applicants must hold an undergraduate degree in a relevant field (e.g. social sciences), normally with a high upper second-class honours (2:1, 65% or above), or have equivalent professional experience in a related sector (including, but not limited to, policing, prisons, probation, social work, local government, NGOs, charities, welfare services, research, or policy-making roles)
  • Applicants must reside in, originate from, or have demonstrable links to Merseyside
  • Applicants must have submitted an application for one of these master's courses, starting 28 September 2026:
    • MA Criminology and Criminal Justice
    • MA Social Research Methods
    • MRes Criminological Research
    • MRes Social Research.

Desirable criteria

  • A strong interest in criminology and/or sociology
  • Strong research skills
  • Understanding of inequality, through lived experience or education/practice
  • Strong interpersonal skills, with confidence in engaging a range of stakeholders
  • Clear and effective written communication, with the ability to produce engaging and accessible outputs
  • The ability to work independently and take initiative
  • Reflection on how financial barriers impact your ability to pursue postgraduate study.

Priority will be given to applicants who are graduates of Merseyside secondary schools.

How to apply

Complete and submit the following to Dr William Shankley, Director of Postgraduate Taught Programmes in Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology (William.Shankley@liverpool.ac.uk). 

Application form 

Download and complete the application form:

Application form (Word document, 0.03MB)

Personal statement

Write a personal statement of no more than 600 words, outlining how you meet the essential and desirable criteria.

The deadline for applications is 5pm on Friday 29 May 2026.

Candidates will be notified of the outcome in June, subject to confirmation of having successfully met the eligibility criteria. Successful applicants must accept the provisional award within 10 days, and will receive the scholarship upon full registration in September.

The course start date is 28 September 2026.

Any enquiries about this scholarship should also be directed to the email address above.

Positive action

All students who meet the eligibility criteria are welcome to apply. Please be aware that the number of scholarships available is very limited. Students from underrepresented backgrounds, or those who believe they would face barriers when entering the world of work, are strongly encouraged to apply. We will use the Positive Action provision (Equality Act 2010) on selection decisions between candidates of equal merit.