Program Overview

You will join a department at the forefront of pursuing research-based knowledge supporting social justice. We aim to give our students an exciting study experience to understand better what it means to be social, where society might be heading and what we can do to contribute to our social futures.

World-leading experts within various fields teach our programmes, and a leading scholar in their field will closely supervise your independent research project. You’ll develop advanced research skills, communication skills and the ability to think analytically, which are essential for a successful career across a wide range of different occupations and provide an excellent foundation for further postgraduate study.

We’ll teach you the politics and practice of social research, exploring the different aspects of the research process, including the role of the social scientist and the constraints, benefits and limitations of social science. We’ll also introduce you to the historical debates about the relationship between method and knowledge and how they inform the development and transformation of the social sciences.

This master’s has an Economic and Social Research Council 1+3 Recognition status and has been specifically constructed for you if you intend to undertake professional and/or academic research in sociology, social policy and criminology.

Who is this course for?
This master’s is suitable for graduates in the Social Sciences or related areas.  It will be an excellent step for those who want to undertake postgraduate study at MPhil and PhD level or become an independent/career social researcher.

What you'll learn

• How to plan and execute sociological research
• A critical understanding of epistemological, methodological and ethical approaches in social research
• Training in general research skills
• Key debates, issues and controversies in sociological scholarship
• How social, public and civil policy can be influenced by sociological knowledge
• Project management and problem-solving skills.