Back close
Campus where the program is available

Overview

The Social and Behavioural Sciences (SBS) PhD program will provide core education common to addressing social and behavioural issues. PhD students who enroll in coursework will develop expertise in:

The program is designed to train researchers in three areas:

Our Ph.D. fellows will be working in teams of students and expert researchers in projects that promote women’s empowerment and rural development by implementing social solutions. For example, life skills courses and vocational skills are provided and are geared towards supporting personal growth and healthy community development.

About the Program

Block Image
Amritapuri

Social Sciences and Technology

This program enables the scholars to work in interdisciplinary teams of students and expert researchers in projects that promote women’s empowerment and rural development by implementing technologies and social solutions. For example, life skills and vocational skills courses are provided using technology and are geared towards supporting personal growth and healthy community development.

Cognitive Sciences and Technology

This programme invites scholars to engage with forefront technologies, including robotics, machine learning, neurocognition, simulation-based learning, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and haptics. The aim is to serve humanity through:

  • Designing, Developing and Evaluating technological solutions for skill development and lifelong learning
  • Developing GAI-Integrated Platform for STEM Education.
  • Developing a groundbreaking platform aimed at empowering teachers in STEM education
Block Image
Coimbatore

Social and Behavioural Science is an overlapping discipline of Sociology, Psychology and other social science subjects which helps in understanding and predicting human behaviour. The School of Social and Behavioural Sciences at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham provide opportunities to work with other human sciences with an interdisciplinary approach. The program understands the need for comprehending social trends but to emerge as highly valued individuals with research and analytical skills.

The program provides the scholars to develop sensitivity to the issues and opportunity to engage in discussions and activities with regulatory bodies for health, community development and Child Rights and Child Protection.

The program is dedicated to ensuring the use of cutting-edge research tools for identifying social problems and execute innovative solutions. This program aims to develop the skills required for social scientists most sought out by organisations nowadays. The program will enable the social scientists in developing analytical skills, research, human resource exercises and empathetic skills to solve challenges in the society.

Attention Please !

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham has not appointed any Agent or Third-Party Client for securing admission in any programme. Students are hereby requested to contact only the toll-free number on our website for any admission related queries.

– Issued In Public Interest By Directorate Of Admissions And Academic Outreach

Admission

Block Image
Amritapuri

Eligibility

Applicants from a wide range of academic disciplines can apply, including Sociology, Psychology, Pedagogy, Anthropology, Economics, Social Work. Completed a Master’s degree or must be in their final semester of Master’s program in any of the academic disciplines mentioned above.

PhD Eligibility Criteria as per University Guidelines

  • Minimum % of marks in UG- 55
  • Minimum % of marks in PG- 60
  • Minimum % of marks in Interviews- 70
Coimbatore

Eligibility

Postgraduate in any discipline of Social Science, Social Work, Psychology and Development studies.

 

Important Note

2025 January Intake Admissions Open

Faculty

Dr. Bhavani Rao
Dr. Bhavani Rao

Dean,
Schools of Social & Behavioral Sciences (Amritapuri & Coimbatore)

Intake Capacity : 4

Dr. Lisa M. Frey
Dr. Lisa M. Frey

Professor,
Department of Cognitive Sciences and Psychology, School of Social & Behavioural Sciences, Amritapuri

Intake Capacity : 6

Dr. Parvathy V.
Dr. Parvathy V.

Chairperson,
Department of Social Sciences, School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Amritapuri

Intake Capacity : 4

Dr. Meltem Akoyak-Yildiz
Dr. Meltem Akoyak-Yildiz

Head of the Department, Cognitive Sciences and Psychology, School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Amritapuri

Dr. Christopher Coley
Dr. Christopher Coley

Assistant Professor,
Department of Social Sciences, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Amritapuri

Intake Capacity : 1

Dr. V. S. Kochukrishna Kurup
Dr. V. S. Kochukrishna Kurup

Vice Principal, School of Social & Behavioral Sciences, Amritapuri | Vice Principal, School of Social & Behavioral Sciences, Faridabad | Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, Amritapuri

Dr. Yamuna N. K.
Dr. Yamuna N. K.

Assistant Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Amritapuri

Dr. Victoria Ustenko
Dr. Victoria Ustenko

Associate Professor,
Economic Development, Economics and Culture, Public Administration and Civil Service, Ethical Systems, Social Research

Dr. Nimita Pandey
Dr. Nimita Pandey

Assistant Professor,
Policy Research,
Equity & Inclusion in STI,
Innovation & Sustainable Development

Dr. Vivek S.
Dr. Vivek S.

Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Amritapuri

Dr.HariKrishnan U
Dr.HariKrishnan U

Assistant Professor, Department of Social Sciences, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Amritapuri

Dr. J. Sophie von Lieres
Dr. J. Sophie von Lieres

Assistant Professor, Department of Cognitive Sciences and Psychology, School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Amritapuri

Dr. Srividya Sheshadri
Dr. Srividya Sheshadri

Assistant Professor,
Department of Social Sciences, School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Amritapuri

Intake Capacity : 2

Faculty

Dr. Rangasami P.
Dr. Rangasami P.

Vice Principal, Chairperson, Department of Social Work, Coimbatore | Associate Professor, Department of Social Work, Coimbatore

Dr. V. Priya
Dr. V. Priya

Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, Coimbatore.

Dr. S. Kanagaraj
Dr. S. Kanagaraj

Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, Coimbatore

Research Areas

Coimbatore

Child Rights and Child Protection

Violence against Women and Children

Migration and Children in Migration

Emotional and Behavioural problems of children

Community Organization- Community-Based Interventions

Disaster Management

Public Health

Mental Health and Interventions in Women, children and Adolescents and Vulnerable communities

Corporate Social Responsibility

Work Life Balance in Social Sector and Corporate World

Social Progress and Social Policy

Participatory Action Research on Rural problems

Youth Empowerment

Women Empowerment

GIS and Rural Development

Program Overview

Program Background

“There are two types of education: education for a living and education for life. When we study in college, striving to become a doctor, a lawyer, or an engineer, that is education for a living. But education for life requires an understanding of the essential principles of spirituality; it is about gaining a deeper understanding of the world, our minds, our emotions, and ourselves.”

– Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, Chancellor, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham

We at AMMACHI Labs (Amrita MultiModal Applications and Human Computer Interaction) of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, India’s #1 Private University, and Institute of Eminence (IoE), are a multi-disciplinary research and development lab with a focus on technologies for inclusive empowerment through skill development. AMMACHI labs aims to bridge the national skill gap, between a dearth of skilled labor and the lack of skills training infrastructure, developing and utilizing technology enabled learning and teaching solutions to provide vocational and life skills training. We work to strengthen the nation’s economic fiber and contribute to its social stability by empowering individuals with an emphasis on targeting vulnerable populations such as rural women, migrant workers, and at-risk youth.

We believe that excellence in science finds its highest expression of virtue by serving others, especially underserved populations.

How to Apply?

Register with us online
For International Candidates  For Indian Candidates

Research Interest
Sr. No. Faculty member Research interests
1 Dr. Bhavani Rao 1.Technonogies and education for sustainable development in schools
2. ⁠Livelihoods based VET
3. AI and Ethics
4. Social Acceptance testing of new emerging vaccines
2 Dr. Kochukrishnan Kurup 1. Child Rights and Child Protection,
2. Child care & well-being ,
3. School Social Work -Counselling,
4. Education and Development,
5. Migration and refugee children ,
6. Human Resource Management,
7. Corporate Social Responsibility
3 Dr. Sophia Mental health and well-being:

1. Psychological coping

2. Protective factors to promote mental health and quality of life (e.g., social support)

3. Cross-cultural mental health research

5. Neurodiversity-affirming research (e.g., positive aspects of autism)

4 Dr. Malini Frey 1. Promoting values-based mental strength/wellbeing education via digitalization (from students, corporations, to impoverished villages)
2. Addressing psychological distress & psychiatric morbidities (children and adults)
3. Neuropsychological correlates of mental disorders & distress (e.g., poverty,  (children and adults))
4. The role of gender in psychological strengths and vulnerabilities (children and adults)
5. Response & interventions to disasters & early-life adversity
5 Dr. Meltem 1. Cognitive Scinece informed design and development of technology supported (IoT, Social IoT, AI, ML, DL, VR/AR) Learning Environments
2. Cognitive Collaboration between human and AI
3. Compassion and Empathy informed technologies
4. Mind studies informed by ancient scriptures to adress unresolved  challenges in education and learning
6 Dr. Parvathy V 1. Health & Wellbeing
2. Applications of Strengths Perspective
3. Resilience & Alcohol misuse
4. Spirituality in social work & Self-development
5. Group work-based interventions for preventive interventions
6. Health care seeking behaviors in and E-health
7 Dr. Vivek Subramoniam 1. Digital Education,
2. Technology-Enhanced Learning,
3. Educational Technology,
4. Digital Learning Technology Integration
5. Spirituality and Social Work
6. Indianization in Social Work Practice and Education
7. Indigenous Innovation, Technology and Development (IKS)
8. Sustainable development Management
8 Dr. Harikrishnan U Mental Health, Gender-Based Violence,  Child and Adolescence Well-being, Social Work and Technology, Psychosocial Care and Support in Disaster management, School Social Work, Family Therapy,  Psychiatric Social Work
9 Dr. Yamuna NK Elderly Population, School Social Work, Geriatric Social work, SHG & Community development, Women Employees and welfare programs, Parenting, Social Policy and Legislation, Migration
10 Dr. Christopher Coley 1. Social Policy Evaluation
2. Gender & Sustainable Development
3. Critical Masculinities
4. Vocational Training Strategies
5. Applied Ethics & Philosophy
11 Dr. Nimita Pandey Innovation Systems, Globalisation of Innovation, STI Policy, Gender and Science, Governance of Emerging Technologies, Innovation and Sustainable Development, Tech Entrepreneurship
12 Dr. Victoria Ustenko Participatory governance, citizen empowerment, public sector innovation, impact assessment of government policies and programs, development policy, innovation policy, water policy and the Jal Jeevan Mission, self-help groups and collective action. Mixed-methods approach to impact evaluation. Machine learning for textual data analysis.
List of Facilities / Research Infrastructure

Amritapuri

Name of the Research Lab

Major Facilities / Equipment Details

Skill Intelligence Lab Interdisciplinary research at the laboratory

will study the complexity of skills and their enhancement through teaching,based on models of skill learning.

Major Domains:

1.HAPTICS – TeslaSuit-2, SenseGlove DK1-2,Bar Bending Simulator.

2.GAZE & MOTION CAPTURE – Tesla Suit – 2,

Rokoko IMU based Smartsuit with Gloves-2.

3.VR & AR – Hololens-3, Oculus Quest 2.

4.NEUROCOGNITION – Brain Products EEG, Analyser & Recorder softwares, -2.

5. SYSTEMS – Powerful Gaming Laptops, Al & Data Science Workstations,Cloud Services-Google/AWS,

Network Attached Storage.

Skill eLab Learning technology services and research for skill development VR Headsets

Unity3D/ VR computers

Video Production Equipments

Audio Production Studio and Equipments

Coimbatore

Name of the Research Lab
Unnat Bharat Abhiyan Participating Institute – Field Action Project in 5 selected villages in Coimbatore. (Pitchanur, Kaliyapuram, Ambedkar Colony, MGR Colony, Veerapanur)
Fundings / Projects: (Ongoing)

Amritapuri

Title of the Project Funding Agency
Skill Labs for VET – Design, Development and Rollout of Advanced learning technologies – Simulations, AR, VR for training vocational courses Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
Blended Learning for Vocational Courses – Designing effective video and interactive videos for vocational courses National Media Instructional Institute, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
Skill-eLabs for Secondary school children -Design and Development and Rollout of Simulation based virtual skill labs for secondary school children Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham

Coimbatore

Title of the Project Funding Agency
Strengthening Social Policy Initiatives to End Violence Against Children UNICEF

Fee Structure

Fees mentioned beside are current. The University reserves the right to alter fees at any time without notice.

Program Fees
CAMPUS TUITION FEES
PER YEAR
TUITION FEES
TOTAL
HOSTEL & MESS
PER YEAR
Amritapuri 30,000 * 77,400(Includes One Time INR 7500, Caution Deposit)

Why Amrita

The top reasons to choose Amrita for your career

601-800th

World University Rankings 2020

141

BRICS Rankings 2020

801–1000th

World University Rankings 2020

168th

BRICS University Rankings 2020

7th

India University Rankings 2024

18th

Overall Rankings 2024
ranking
7th Ranked
University in India
ranking
Amrita Ranked No.1 in India Top 100 in The World
ranking
Topmost
‘A++’ Grade

Contact

PhD Office, (Amritapuri),
School of Social and Behavioral science,
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, India
ssbs_pgp@am.amrita.edu

Ph.D. Coordinator
( Coimbatore)

Dr. Priya V
Assistant Professor (Sr. Gr)
E Mail ID: v_priya@cb.amrita.edu 

Admissions Apply Now