Dr Katharine Venter

I am an Associate Professor in the sociology of work and employment within the School of Business. I joined the University of Leicester in 1991 just as the University was launching its first distance learning programmes and I became involved in their development and delivery from the outset. This has been a rewarding experience offering the opportunity for both research led teaching and teaching led research. I was head of the Work and Employment division within the School of Business from August 2016 to August 2021. I am currently programme lead for the School's Doctorate in Social Sciences programme. I have an undergraduate degree in Applied Sociology. My PhD research was a comparative study women managers’ careers in Hong Kong and Britain. I am a senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

My research interests revolve around issues of gender, employment and the interconnections between paid work, unpaid work and home family and leisure lives. My current research explores these issues in the context of the non-profit and voluntary sector with a particular interest in health and social care organisations, voluntary work and voluntary labour. I'm also interested in the cultural context of work and learning (including experiences of both formal education and workplace learning). I have undertaken research funded by bodies including the ILO, CIPD, Skills Third Sector and the British Academy.

Work in the non profit and voluntary sector

Volunteering and voluntary organisations

The interconnections between work family and leisure lives

Gender, work and careers

Experiences of learning in higher education and distance learning

Transitions into and out of education

Programme Lead - Doctorate in Social Sciences

Module Leader LM8001 D.Soc.Sci - Introduction to Social Research

Module Leader LM8002 D.Soc.Sci - Foundations of Social Research

Module Leader LM8004 D.Soc.Sci - Qualitative Methods and Analysis

Module Leader LM8014 D.Soc.Sci - Gender Work and Society

Module Leader LM7503 MSc HRM and Training (DL) - Research Methods

Module Leader LM3507 BSc HRM (DL) - Equality and Diversity

Module Leader LM3510 BSc HRM (DL) - Dissertation

MN7701 MBA Induction Leader  

Gender and careers

Work and employment in the non profit and voluntary sector

Volunteering and voluntary work