Sociology – (M.Sc.)

Both offered as a Research as a Taught variant.

These programmes cover the most significant recent developments in sociology and enable students to specialise in particular areas, developing their critical skills and advancing their knowledge of modern sociology.
You take a total of three course units through a combination of full and/or half units and you complete a dissertation of up to 10,000 words on a subject of interest related to the courses and approved by the department.
You will be advised on the dissertation topic by your personal tutor, in conjunction with the MSc Sociology and MSc Sociology (Research) programme tutors. You choose the topic, which can be empirical or theoretical in its approach. The dissertation gives you the opportunity of thinking sociologically and at length on a sociological problem, issue or debate within sociology itself.

You have the opportunity to extend your knowledge and understanding in areas of special interest related to sociology. If you have little or no knowledge of the social sciences, our Diploma in Sociology provides a good one-year foundation before proceeding to the master's programme, normally in the following year.

You have the chance to progress to a research degree (MPhil/PhD) following completion of your MSc. The MSc dissertation will provide you with the chance of exploring the possibility of writing on a particular subject in some depth.

You receive knowledge of the ways in which societies work, and skills in critical social understanding, techniques of social enquiry and communication through systematic and lucid argument. The skills that you develop in research techniques and computing will enable you to assemble, interpret and use social statistics.

Students go into a wide variety of professions, such as teaching, research, politics, public administration, the social and health services, advertising, journalism, other areas of the media, law, publishing, industry, accounting, marketing, personnel and management.