The MSc Statistics (Social Statistics) aims to provide high-level training in the theory and application of modern statistical methods, with a focus on methods commonly used in the social sciences.
You will gain insights into the design and analysis of social science studies, including large and complex datasets, study the latest developments in statistics, and learn how to apply advanced methods to investigate social science questions.
The programme includes two core courses which provide training in fundamental aspects of probability and statistical theory and methods, the theory and application of generalised linear models, and programming and data analysis using the R and Stata packages. These courses together provide the foundations for the optional courses on more advanced statistical modelling, computational methods and statistical computing. Options also include specialist courses from the Departments of Methodology, Economics, Geography and Social Policy.
The Research stream is similar to the nine-month programme, but will include a dissertation component, extending the programme to twelve months.
There is a high demand for graduates with advanced statistics training and an interest in social science applications, and students on this programme have excellent career prospects.
Potential employers include the public sector (the Office for National Statistics, government departments, universities), market research organisations, survey research organisations and NGOs. This programme would be ideal preparation for doctoral research in social statistics or quantitative social science.
Further information on graduate destinations for this programme
The MSc Social Statistics (Statistics pathway) serves to meet the research training needs of postgraduate researchers in social statistics methodology. It also provides vocational training for professional social statisticians. It is expected that you will have the equivalent of at least a second-class honours degree with a substantial statistical theory component, for example in statistics, mathematics or econometrics.
Do you enjoy using numbers and data to provide answers to current problems? Apply for the Masters in Social Statistics (Statistics Pathway) degree and enhance your knowledge of statistics. The masters course at the University of Southampton will teach you how to analyse and understanding statistical methodology. The Masters in Social Statistics (Statistics Pathway) can open to the door to a career as an experienced statistician in a wide range of sectors such as government, medicine, social research and data analytics in the private sector.
This programme provides postgraduate instruction in the theory and methods of social statistics for students whose interests lie in the collection and analysis of quantitative social science data.
View the programme specification document for this course
Professional statisticians need to have a high degree of technical sophistication, which can only be gained through postgraduate study. In addition, they need to be able to listen to the needs of clients and communicate their findings to the user community. These skills are also developed within our postgraduate programmes.
Are you passionate about investigating social issues and finding evidence through statistics? If so, the Masters in Social Statistics degree will provide you with theory and the fundamental aspects behind social statistics. This masters degree at the University of Southampton will develop your understanding of population change through survey methods and design, while examining the principles of data collection. The Masters in Social Statistics (Research Methods Pathway) is excellent preparation for a career in social science research in government, national and international organizations or in the private sector.
This programme provides postgraduate instruction in the theory and methods of social statistics for students whose interests lie in the collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative social science data, or demography.
View the programme specification document for this course
This MRes Criminology offers a specialism in social statistics with a focus on developing advanced quantitative data analysis skills. It will provide you with a thorough grounding in research methods, as well as the tools to collect and analyse advanced quantitative statistical data, with a focus on criminological research, theory, policy and practice.
Combining criminology and social statistics teaching from research-active staff in the School of Law and the School of Social Sciences, this course will encourage you to critically examine the theoretical foundations that underpin applied criminological and sociological research and give you an advanced understanding of social statistics.
You will develop a critical understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods and their application as well as specialist knowledge of the issues within contemporary criminological and criminal justice debates.
The dissertation component of this course will focus on in-depth quantitative data analyses in an area of your interest, under the interdisciplinary supervision of two academic experts, one from criminology and one from social statistics.
Aims of the course:
This acclaimed course has ESRC recognition as a Foundation Course for Research Training and is an essential step if you wish to progress onto doctoral studies or pursue a career in research in the public or voluntary sectors.
This course is taught by an interdisciplinary team of experts using a variety of delivery methods: lectures, workshops, student-led presentations and debate, group work and individual research.
To meet the requirements of the taught element of the course, all students must take course units totalling 120 credits. This is normally attained with eight 15-credit course units, as listed below, with 60 credits taken each semester. Students take 6 core units. The availability of individual optional course units is subject to change (due, among other factors, to staff availability to deliver the course units in any given year). Information that is sent to students in the month of August preceding registration onto the course will clearly state the course units that are available in the academic year ahead.
In addition, students who pass the taught element of the course and who are permitted to progress to the research element of the course must also submit a dissertation of between 12,000 and 15,000 words worth 60 credits.
Part-time students take three out of the six compulsory course units in the first year, and then take the other three in year two. The remaining 60 credits of optional course units are selected and taken accordingly over the two years.
Dissertation
Exit awards
Students who fail to fulfil the requirements to pass the 180 credits necessary to attain the final degree of MRes can leave the course with the award of Postgraduate Diploma by passing 120 credits at the pass mark of 40%, or can qualify for the Postgraduate Certificate by passing 60 credits at the pass mark of 40%. Students who do not fulfil the criteria for passing the taught element of the course at the Masters' level of 50% will not be permitted to progress to the dissertation element of the course, and will leave the course with the highest award that the credits that have been passed will allow.
The School is offering a number of awards for students applying for masters study. To find out more please visit our Master's funding opportunity search page
Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: [email protected]
This degree is designed to ensure highly numerate, research-oriented and employable graduates, and will provide you with the skills necessary for roles within criminal justice, academia, government departments, research institutes and commercial research.
The course is designed to be accessible to non-statisticians, yet is more focussed than many other existing master's courses in social research methods. You'll need a base level of knowledge in undergraduate research methods which you will build on throughout the course to gain comprehensive statistical and analytical skills.
The course has a strong connection with the Cathie Marsh Institute for Social Research (CMIST), reflecting our commitment to interdisciplinary, integrated research. Research activities within the Social Statistics discipline area are both methodological and substantive. They focus on a wide range of subject areas including social inequalities, population dynamics and survey methodology. The SRMS MSc course is recognised by both the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the North West Doctoral Training Centre, from whom we receive a large number of Advanced Quantitative methods (AQM) and CASE awards each year.
The MSc course aims to develop future social scientists who will have a thorough grounding in research, and are equipped with the tools for collecting and analysing statistical data.
Those completing the MSc course are well suited to roles within central and local government, academia and commercial research and our rate of employability is especially high.
Contact the Course Director:
Professor Wendy Olsen
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 0161 2753043
or Admissions Tutor:
Dr K. Purdam
Email: [email protected]
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The SRMS course provides a thorough grounding in advanced quantitative methods, taught within an applied social science framework. Whilst the training focuses on advanced quantitative methods, the course is designed to be accessible to students coming from a broad range of disciplinary backgrounds and with varying levels of prior statistical knowledge.
The course is available full-time over one year or part-time over two-years, and may be studied as either an MSc or a Postgraduate Diploma.
All students (MSc and Postgraduate Diploma) take course units totalling 120 credits (eight 15-credit courses) over the year.
Course units typically include:
All students proceeding to MSc must complete a research dissertation of up to 15,000 words. Those on the Postgraduate Diploma may upgrade to the full MSc subject to satisfactory course performance.
Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: [email protected]
There is an increasing need for well-trained social scientists who are able to apply advanced methods of analysis to complex data. Graduates of our programme in Social Research Methods and Statistics are in a good position to obtain jobs in central government, including the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the academic sector, local government and within the commercial research sector. We have excellent links with ONS and government departments such as the Department for Children, Schools and Families, local authorities and many commercial organisations and thus well placed to assist students in finding jobs. A number of our students already hold research positions (typically in local government or overseas) and take the MSc as part of career development programmes. The SRMS course is ideal preparation for students wishing to pursue doctoral study, and is a formal component of our 1+3 PhD training model. CMIST usually have a number of funded PhD studentships each year and many studentships are taken up by graduates of the SRMS programme.
Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study Social Research Methods at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).
This Master's degree in Social Research Methods aims to provide advanced training in a range of research methods used in the social sciences.
Teaching and Employability:
- Teaching is carried out by highly-respected, research active, professionals conducting research across a range of research areas and publishing in top international journals
- Students benefit from state-of-the-art technology with over twenty general purpose research rooms and numerous specialised testing facilities
- Specialist modules in criminology, social work and human geography, research leadership and management
- Emphasis on development of ethical, knowledgeable, skilful social researchers” through critical discussion, up to date information, debates and presentations
MSc Social Research Methods is a highly regarded and prestigious qualification which has been developed to:
- enable students to develop practical research skills and advanced methodological expertise (both qualitative and quantitative);
- instil familiarity with research ethics and governance, and
- gain knowledge about theoretical research concerns across the spectrum of social science disciplines.
Elective modules and a dissertation provide scope for specialisation in applied social sciences, including but not limited to: criminology, human geography, social work and health.
This Master’s degree in Social Research Methods has ESRC accreditation and provides advanced training in a range of research methods used in the social sciences. The degree instils familiarity with research ethics and governance, and students gain knowledge about theoretical research concerns across the spectrum of social science disciplines.
Students on the Social Research Methods course are encouraged to devise research dissertations themselves (supported by an academic supervisor).
Modules on the Social Research Methods programme typically include:
Qualitative Research Methods
Introduction to Research and Study Skills
Data Collection Methods
Ethics and Philosophy of Social Research
Quantitative Research Methods
Advanced Research in Human Geography
Research Leadership and Project Management
Case Studies in Applied Social Research: Social Work
Case Studies in Applied Social Res: Applied Research in Crime & Criminal Justice
Dissertation (Social Research)
Teaching is in the form of lectures, seminars, group-project work and individual study. All Social Research Methods students are assigned a Personal Tutor and Dissertation Supervisor appropriate to their chosen area of study.
The Social Research Methods course is made up of six 20-credit modules (Part 1) and a 60-credit dissertation (Part 2).
The Social Research Methods course is suitable for:
- students who want to prepare themselves for the challenge of MPhil or PhD study; who are already professionally involved in working with people in the social sector and want to develop their own skills and professional expertise
- students from different academic disciplines who are interested in conducting social research and are interested in seeking employment or already have employment in both public and private sectors
- previous students are those with backgrounds in social policy, sociology, law, criminology, human geography, politics, arts and humanities, ageing studies , psychology and health science
- anyone wanting to add a valuable qualification as part of developing a full academic career
- anyone who is interested in society, social behaviour, and social change and would like to learn more
- anyone working in, or wishing to work in, government or voluntary organisations, and commercial areas where social research is undertake
Past Social Research Methods students have gone on to be employed in public and private sectors, research work, PhD , vocational work, the criminal justice system, social work, environmental health, teaching, local government, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) and health and social care.
Contributing lecturers are renowned nationally and internationally. For example, Professor David Hughes has published on the universal coverage healthcare reforms of Thailand and Turkey, Debbie Jones jointly led on The Student Sex Workers' project from Swansea University's Centre for Criminal Justice and Criminology.
The MSc Social Research methods is serviced by research active staff, many of whom are leaders in their field of research. The team has strong links with Criminology whose staff have been awarded Howard league Research Medal 2013 for work on the Swansea Bureau Youth Scheme. Lecturers from the course also include those from the world renowned Centre for Innovative Aging and also Human Geography.
The College of Human and Health Sciences has a vibrant postgraduate community with students drawn from a variety of backgrounds and nationalities. The College is known for its friendly, welcoming and supportive environment, which combined with its extensive facilities, state-of-the-art technology and superb beachside location, helps to ensure that students benefit from an exceptional student experience.
In addition, students have access to a wide range of excellent facilities and equipment for realistic workplace experiences.
Looking for high-quality training in statistics for research or for professional life? If so, consider KU Leuven's MSc in Statistics, an interdisciplinary programme whose teaching is grounded in internationally-recognised research. Choose from a number of approaches: biometrics, social behavioural and educational statistics, business statistics, industrial statistics, general statistical methodology, or an all-round statistics profile.
This master’s programme is offered by the Leuven Statistics Research Centre (LStat) of KU Leuven. It is accredited by the Royal Statistical Society. You’ll be trained intensively in both the theoretical and practical aspects of statistics. The programme will also help you develop a problem-solving attitude and teach you how to apply statistical methodology.
This is an initial Master's programme and can be followed on a full-time or part-time basis.
The 120-ECTS programme consists of a common core curriculum (one semester), option-specific courses (one semester), elective courses (one semester), and a master’s thesis.
To tailor the programme to your needs and interests, you choose one of the following options:
LStat hosts international experts and is a stimulating environment for multidisciplinary statistical research. LStat is a privileged meeting space for statistics researchers from a range of domains:
The master of Statistics:
KNOWLEDGE AND INSIGHT
APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND INSIGHT
DEVELOPING AN OPINION
COMMUNICATION
LEARNING SKILLS
DEPENDING ON THE CHOSEN OPTION, THE STUDENT MASTERS FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL LEARNING OUTCOMES:
As statistician, you'll be recruited by industry, banks or government institutions. You may find yourself designing clinical trials and supporting the biomedical sector, coaching research for new medicines, setting up and analysing psychological tests and surveys, performing financial risk analyses, statistically managing R&D projects and quality controls, or developing statistical software. And don't forget the academic world. The applications of statistics are very diverse, just like your professional options.
Why do we become attached to a particular person? How do relationship dynamics change over time? Does objectifying women lead to their mistreatment? When is gender made relevant in and for politics? What does it mean in practice to support someone with autism, and how can we assess support? Does self-modesty differ between cultures? How does economic inequality affect self-perception? What identities are invoked in interview interactions?
In this taught programme in Social Psychology you will enhance your knowledge and understanding of the theories, concepts and methodological tools that constitute social psychology’s distinctive perspective. You will be guided and supported in exploring the social psychological literature. You will be given rigorous training in qualitative and quantitative analyses. You will have diverse opportunities to build your own research experience, through seeking and implementing research-based answers to questions in the field or in the literature. You will participate in our unique problem based approach to providing empirical answers to social psychological questions.
In short, you will learn to think like a social psychologist, and you will learn to do social psychology.
You will benefit from being part of a growing group of friendly, enthusiastic social psychologists working within a vibrant department, in a lovely city. You will benefit from our expertise in working in different cultures, in the field, and with mixed methods. You will also benefit from the breadth and strength of the interdisciplinary academic community at Edinburgh, for example, by having the opportunity to select option courses, attend research seminars across different disciplines, take part in the social psychology reading group or in discursive psychology and conversation analysis data sessions.
You will undertake the following:
Core courses (worth 90 credits in total):
Option courses worth 30 credits in total:
And a Dissertation in Social Psychology (60 credits)
The overall aim of this programme is to advance your understanding of how social questions can be addressed using social psychology, and to provide you with the conceptual and research tools to do so.
More specifically, on successful completion of this programme, you will be able to:
On completion you will also:
The programme will provide relevant preparation for a range of career paths, including:
This programme provides an introduction to the principles and values of social work and an understanding of the organisation and delivery of social welfare and related services in the UK. It also provides you with a grounding in the social research methods necessary to conduct applied types of research that are a fundamental part of social work practice and evaluation.
You will take a range of taught modules primarily in the first two terms of the academic year. Starting from the first term, you will undertake a module on research design which enables students to develop a research proposal for their dissertation. Part-time candidates take an equal balance of credits in each year.
In previous years, typical modules offered were:
Core Modules
Perspectives on Social Research (15 credits)
Statistical Exploration and Reasoning (15 credits)
Research Design and Process (15 credits)
Qualitative Research Methods in Social Science (15 credits)
Quantitative Research Methods in Social Science (15 credits)
Social Work Context and Practice (30 credits)
Policy Related and Evaluation Research (15 credits)
Dissertation (60 credits)
These MA Research Methods programmes are full-time, starting in early October and continuing over 12 months following university terms.
The main teaching methods include lectures, seminars, and computer practical sessions. Lectures introduce the key concepts, theories, current debates and other issues critical for understanding the topics. Seminars are opportunities for you to discuss any questions arising from the readings, to share experience of conducting research, to present your own work for comments. Modules that teach the use of computer software packages have practical sessions in computer rooms so that you can carry out hands-on exercises under supervision and further assistance
Modules are usually assessed through essays. Statistics modules may require you to complete specific analyses with more structured instructions. Some module conveners may allow you to submit formative assignments in order for you to obtain a sense of how well you understand the subject. Some modules’ assessment may contain a proportion of presentations and group projects.
Further academic support is available. You will have the opportunity to learn from your dissertation supervisors at individual tutoring meetings, dissertation workshops, and forums. Every member of teaching staff has two hours of office hours each week where you can access additional support for your modules, assignments and so forth. In addition, both the University and the School host seminars for external speakers that are open to all students.
You will have access to a variety of learning resources, including learning spaces in libraries and teaching rooms, readings and textbooks, computers, databases, etc.
This Masters is ideal for those who have an undergraduate degree in Psychology or a related discipline and would like to build more knowledge and skills highly valued both in academic research and the clinical professions. The MSc is an ideal platform from which to progress to PhD studies, particularly in Cognitive or Social Neuroscience. Students will also be well-equipped should they wish to undertake further professional training in Clinical Psychology, or a related discipline.
This Masters degree bridges three research and clinical disciplines:
The major aim of this programme is to provide you with a thorough grounding in the neuroscience that underpins human cognitive brain function, clinical, social and affective interaction, and neuropathology.
Teaching will comprise of seminars, lectures, computing and statistics classes, and supervision of an individual research project. Your learning experience during the programme will be enhanced by an invited speaker’s programme of external experts who work in Clinical, Social or Cognitive neuroscience.
You will have access to all the facilities and laboratories in the Psychology Department. Check our labs facilities in the Cognitive Neuroscience Research Unit (CRNU), the Baby lab, the Autism Research Group (ARG), the Human Memory Research Group, etc. For a full list of facilities visit the Psychology Department.
Our members have experience with a wide range of neuroscientific techniques, including neuropsychological testing, psychophysics, electrophysiology, and neuroimaging methods. We have particular strengths in the use of Electroencephalography (EEG), Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and Transcranial Electric Stimulation (a weak current applied to the scalp), in addition to measures of human behaviour (e.g. response times, response errors, and eye movements) and physiological measures (e.g. galvanic skin response and heart rate).
We test neurologically normal individuals, special populations (e.g. people with synesthesia) and people with expertise or acquired skills (e.g. dancers, musicians, athletes), as well as people with brain damage (e.g. neglect or split-brain patients), psychiatric diagnoses (e.g. schizophrenia), sensory deficits (e.g. visual and hearing impairments) and developmental disorders (e.g. dyslexia or autism).
We facilitate clinical internships through our specialist research Centre for Psychological Wellbeing and Neuroscience (CPWN) and with the local Mind centre.
Teaching will be comprised of lectures, seminars, group work and discussions, workshops and tutorials, reports, computing and statistics classes and the individual research dissertation.
You will undertake independent study, supported by the teaching and learning team, and will receive detailed feedback on your coursework. You will be provided with assessment and grade-related criteria which will outline your intended learning outcomes, along with the skills, knowledge and attitudes you are expected to demonstrate in order for you to complete an assessment successfully. You will also be assigned a personal tutor as your primary contact, who will advise you on academic matters and monitor your progress through the programme.
You will find a supportive vibrant research environment in the Department. The course is taught by academics, who are internationally recognised experts in their field with different backgrounds in clinical, social and cognitive neuroscience.
Check out what is going on in our laboratories and at the Center for Psychological Wellbeing and Neuroscience (CPWN).
Find our more about our work on our Facebook group.
Your learning will be assessed through essays, examinations, oral presentations, research methods projects and interpretation of statistical analyses, formal research proposals and a dissertation.
The programme consists of eight taught modules worth 15 credits each with around 30-34 hours of face-to-face contact, supported by online resources and an empirical research project (worth 60 credits).
You will learn about the latest advances in clinical, social and cognitive neuroscience and develop an appreciation of the reciprocal nature of research and practice in these domains. For example how insights from functional neuroimaging inform our understanding of neurological disorders and how clinical observations inform neurocognitive modelling.
This course will provide you with knowledge and skills highly valued both in academic research and the clinical professions. The MSc is an ideal platform from which to progress to PhD studies, particularly in Cognitive or Social Neuroscience. You will also be well-equipped should you wish to undertake further professional training in Clinical Psychology, or a related discipline.
The knowledge and skills you will acquire in this programme are highly valuable, whether you choose to pursue further research or an applied occupation. They will enhance your employability prospects in a wide range of sectors including the pharmaceutical industry, neuromarketing, the computing industry, science and the media, science and the arts, business or education.
This innovative programme offers students the opportunity to examine processes of governance and policy-making at a variety of levels, from global to local, and utilise ideas about governance to better understand contemporary policy processes in a range of settings. Students can explore these issues in a cross-disciplinary way, making use of insights from politics, international relations, social policy, sociology, demography, gerontology and social statistics. This programme is specifically structured to enable students to shape their degree around their own particular interests in the fields of governance and policy more broadly, and will appeal to those not only from a social science background, but also to those with relevant work experience in the public, private and third sectors and beyond who wish to expand their skills and knowledge portfolio.
Are you interested in understanding modern governance and how policymaking processes actually work and deliver public services? The MSc Governance and Policy degree at the University of Southampton enables you to study these issues, to explore the complexities of governance systems, and to apply your own particular policy interests to your programme through a broad selection of optional modules exploring a diverse range of contemporary policy issues.
Graduates are well placed for careers in local, national and international political institutions, policy think tanks and advocacy organizations, the civil service, and further research.
This programme is designed both to equip students to undertake independent research across the social sciences, with specific reference to the fields of governance and policy, and to develop skills that are of relevance to a broad range of careers in the public and private sector. The cross-disciplinary nature of the programme enables students to build their own degree according to their own particular interests and preferences within the broad areas of governance and policy, drawing on the diverse range of relevant modules taught across the disciplines of politics and international relations, sociology, social policy, social statistics, demography and gerontology. The core module of the programme, Governance and Policy, also enables students to develop their policy skills by preparing a policy briefing as part of their assessment, a task designed to enable students to use the knowledge and conceptual insights gained to outline ways to solve ‘real world’ policy problems, thus delivering key skills prized by employers.
In addition to the credit-bearing modules you will take as part of your chosen programme, all MSc students participate in our bespoke training workshops, led by the MSc Coordinator, and specifically designed to help you get the best grades you can on during your masters study with us:
MSc Coursework Workshop (Semester 1)
This workshop explains the expectations and demands of coursework in our masters programmes, delineates the critical thinking, research and writing skills required, outlines the processes associated with literature reviews and coursework planning, and the rules about academic integrity. The workshop is designed to give practical support to students as they approach their coursework tasks, help UK/EU students understand the specific expectations we have at masters level, and help overseas students unfamiliar with higher education in this country get a better sense of what is expected.
MSc Dissertation Workshop (Semester 2)
This workshop helps students begin the process of thinking about and planning for their MSc dissertation. It provides guidance on topic selection, generation of research questions, aims of the literature review, the role of primary research, dissertation structure, writing advice, and the role of the supervisor. The workshop also offers practical advice from academics about how to produce an original piece of work, the role of depth over breadth, and how to craft convincing arguments.
View the programme specification document for this course
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