Professor Michael Tomlinson

Michael has been closely involved in doctoral supervision since his time at the University of Southampton and has supervised 17 doctoral students to successful completion. In addition to this, he has taught at all levels at the School and currently convenes several undergraduate modules, namely Contemporary Issues in Education (year 1) and Employability (year 2). He also supervises final year and Masters dissertations.

Professor Michael Tomlinson is a Professor in the Sociology of Education and Work within the Southampton Education School at the University of Southampton.

His research focuses on the nexus between higher education and work and has substantive interests in higher education policy, labour markets, employability and marketisation. An ongoing theme in his research is the construction of identities and how policy and social changes impact on institutions and stakeholders. His work combines critical conceptual analysis with an interest in developing practical tools and resources that can aid future career progression.  He has also done research with employers, and academics working in HE, and written about the public value of higher education. He has published widely in these areas.

He has applied theories of capitals, credentialism, value, and identity to address these issues. Many of these conceptual interests can be found in his 2013 book, Education, Work and Identity (Bloomsbury).

He has received research funding from the ESRC, UKRI, Research England, Higher Education Academy (Advance HE), HEFCE (OfS) and the Greek Education Ministry to develop this research agenda. He is on the editorial boards of the journals: Journal of Education and Work, Higher Education, British Journal of Sociology of Education, and Higher Education Policy  and has been a Visiting Professor at the University of Eastern Finland.

Career history

2022 - Professorial Chair, Southampton Education School, University of Southampton.

2016-2022 Associate Professor, Southampton Education School, University of Southampton.

2011-2016 - Lecturer, Southampton Education School, University of Southampton.

2008-2011 - Lecturer, School of Public Policy, Keele University.

2007-2008 - Research Associate, Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University.

2005-2006 -  ESRC Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University.