Social Practice and Transformational Change | PhD
Bridge Theory and Practice. Create Transformational Change.
The PhD in Social Practice and Transformational Change (SOPR) at the University of Guelph is an innovative, interdisciplinary doctoral program designed for students interested in addressing complex social issues through community-engaged scholarship, critical inquiry, and collaborative research. The program encourages students to bridge the gap between theory and practice while examining the relationships between social practice, policy, programs, and transformational change.
Rooted in social justice, decolonizing approaches, Indigenous knowledge systems, and methodological innovation, SOPR prepares students to develop ethical, sustainable, and transformative approaches to research and practice. Students design and implement practice-based research projects while working collaboratively with communities, organizations, and practitioners.
- Individual Development Plan (IDP)
- Build your program around your interests. The IDP supports you in aligning personal and professional goals with your academic expectations and responsibilities.
- Join a Community of Practice
- Actively participate in a facilitated community of practice, conceptualized as a collaborative, dynamic, active learning group of students, faculty and practitioners.
- Build Leadership for Social Impact
- Gain advanced research, teaching, and leadership skills that prepare you to influence policy, organizations, communities, and future generations of scholars.
Program Format and Courses for Social Practice and Transformational Change
The program combines research-intensive coursework with experiential, community-engaged, and problem-based learning. Students develop individualized learning pathways while completing doctoral milestones that support both academic and professional growth.
PhD in Social Practice and Transformational Change
- Four-year full-time doctoral program
- Research-intensive and interdisciplinary learning environment
- Individual Development Plan (IDP) tailored to student goals
- Active participation in a Community of Practice
- Qualifying examination
- Doctoral thesis
- Experiential and community-engaged learning opportunities
- Optional collaborative specializations in International Development Studies, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, or Sexualities, Genders, and Bodies
Complete coursework including:
- Social Practice and Transformational Change
- Research and Social Practice
- Methodologies Lab
Key areas of learning include:
- Ethical community engagement
- Social change theory and praxis
- Policy and transformative action
- Knowledge systems and ways of knowing
- Reflexivity and critical inquiry
- Research design and innovation
- Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary methodologies
The program is grounded in six foundational pillars:
- Intersectional and Decolonizing Approaches and the 'Unsettling' Nature of Change
- Feminist, Gender, Sexuality and Other Critical Perspectives for Rethinking Difference and the Human
- Indigenous Knowledge Systems
- Social Justice and Praxis Orientation
- Methodological Innovation and Boundary Crossing
- Community Engaged Scholarship
Where Can Social Practice and Transformational Change Take You?
Graduates of the SOPR PhD develop advanced research, collaboration, leadership, and community engagement skills that enable them to work across academic, public, private, and non-profit sectors. The program equips students to address pressing social issues and contribute to meaningful transformation at local, national, and global levels.
Graduates are uniquely positioned to build careers that connect scholarly inquiry with practical action and social impact. Career pathways may include:
- University Professor or Researcher
- Public Policy Advisor
- Community-Based Research Leader
- Philanthropic Sector Leader
- Social Innovation Consultant
- Program Evaluation Specialist
- Community Development Strategist
- Government Analyst
- Non-Profit Leader
Who Should Apply?
The PhD in Social Practice and Transformational Change is designed for folks who want to challenge conventional disciplinary boundaries and engage in research that contributes to social transformation.
Ideal applicants may include:
- Community-engaged scholars interested in interdisciplinary approaches
- Policy and social change practitioners
- Advocates for social justice and equity
- Those interested in Indigenous knowledge systems
- Scholars interested in transformative methodologies
- Professionals seeking to connect research with practice
Take the Next Step
If you are passionate about social justice, Indigenous knowledge, community-engaged scholarship, innovative methodologies, and creating lasting social change, the PhD in Social Practice and Transformational Change provides the opportunity to deepen your expertise and expand your impact.
Through interdisciplinary coursework, collaborative learning, community partnerships, and independent research, you will develop the skills needed to influence policy, advance scholarship, and contribute to transformative change across sectors.
Join a doctoral community committed to reimagining how research, practice, and social action can work together to address today's most pressing challenges.
Get in Touch
Questions about the PhD in Social Practice and Transformational Change? Contact the Graduate Program Team at csahs.admissions@uoguelph.ca.