Research in SSESW combines five core disciplinary areas, in Criminology, Education, Social Policy, Social Work and Sociology,  We see our work as being key to bringing about positive social change. Along with our strengths in these core disciplinary areas, we are committed to trans-disciplinary work that can address local and global challenges, bringing together professionals, researchers, and service users to bring about innovation in research agendas and methodologies.

In the last Research Excellence Framework assessment, our research was judged in the top quartile of UK research, and our impact work was judged to be world leading. Our research has influenced policy and practice locally, nationally and globally in many areas including education, criminal justice, the wellbeing of children, social cohesion and mental health. Research in the school is organised within a number of Research Centres and Networks: Centre for Children's Rights; Centre for Shared Education; Disability Research Network; Centre for Behaviour Analysis; Centre for Language Education Research; Centre for Inclusion, Transformation and Equality (CITE); Centre for Technological Innovation, Mental Health and Education; Centre for Child, Youth and Family Welfare; Centre for Justice Studies; Drugs and Alcohol Research Network; MethodsLab and the ARK Northern Ireland Social Policy Hub.  Members from the School also locate their research within the Senator George J Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice and Queen's Communities and Place (QCAP).

Our research serves local and global communities, and our ambition is that it aids social transformation to improve lives and outcomes of people.

Karen Winter