Masters Degrees (Social Statistics)

About the MSc programme

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. Students on the taught master’s programme will take optional courses to the value of two units, while those on the research track will substitute one unit with a dissertation.

Graduate destinations

The programme will prepare graduates for work within the public sector, market research organisations and survey research organisations, or for further study.

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Introduction

This course provides an understanding of social research, with a particular focus on social statistics and quantitative methods. The course includes orientation material on social research methods as a whole, and detailed training on a wide range of statistical methods, with advanced modules on data management and emerging priority research areas, such as big data and social network analysis.
Teaching covers the theories behind the methods, and the practical work in using datasets and analysing them with statistical software. Students will gain a variety of highly marketable skills in the areas of social research and social statistics.

Key information

- Degree type: MSc, Postgraduate Diploma
- Study methods: Full-time, Part-time
- Start date: Full-time: SeptemberPart-time: September/JanuarySee semester dates
- Course Director: Dave Griffiths
- Location: Stirling Campus

Course objectives

This course provides an understanding of social research, with a particular focus on social statistics and quantitative methods. The course includes orientation material on social research methods as a whole, and detailed training on a wide range of statistical methods, with advanced modules on data management and emerging priority research areas, such as big data and social network analysis.
Teaching covers the theories behind the methods, and the practical work in using datasets and analysing them with statistical software. Students will gain a variety of highly marketable skills in the areas of social research and social statistics.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language you must have one of the following qualifications as evidence of your English language skills:
- IELTS: 6.5 with 6.0 minimum in each skill
- Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE): Grade C
- Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE): Grade B
- Pearson Test of English (Academic): 60 with 56 in each component
- IBT TOEFL: 90 with no subtest less than 20

For more information go to http://www.stir.ac.uk/study-in-the-uk/entry-requirements/english/

If you don’t meet the required score you may be able to register for one of our pre-sessional English courses. To register you must hold a conditional offer for your course and have an IELTS score 0.5 or 1.0 below the required standard.

If you don’t meet the required score you may be able to register for one of our pre-sessional English courses. To register you must hold a conditional offer for your course and have an IELTS score 0.5 or 1.0 below the required standard. View the range of pre-sessional courses http://www.intohigher.com/uk/en-gb/our-centres/into-university-of-stirling/studying/our-courses/course-list/pre-sessional-english.aspx .

Structure and content

Students will undertake four core modules, two option modules and complete a 15,000 word dissertation. In the full time programme, 3 modules are completed during the Autumn semester, 3 in the Spring, and the dissertation submitted in the summer. Module either cover wider topics in social research, or focus on understanding and implementing advanced quantitative methods.

Core modules

- Research Design and Process
- Quantitative Data Analysis
- Advanced Data Analysis
- Advanced Data Management
- Using Big Data in Social Research

Option modules
Students will also select two option modules from a range of applied social research topics. The recommended option is Social Network Analysis.

Other options include The Nature of Social Enquiry, Policy Analysis and Evaluation Research, Qualitative Analysis and Research Methods in Criminology and Socio-Legal Studies. Some of these modules will be particularly suitable for students with an interest in mixed methods research.

Delivery and assessment

Modules are generally a combination of lectures and workshops. Teaching largely takes place on Tuesdays, although some components might take place on other days. The contact hours are sympathetic to those working alongside their studies. Most teaching is performed in smaller classes, with group activities. Modules are usually assessed by an examination, software based assignments, and essays.

Why Stirling?

REF2014
In REF2014 Stirling was placed 6th in Scotland and 45th in the UK with almost three quarters of research activity rated either world-leading or internationally excellent.

Career opportunities

Social statistics are an important area within applied social research, offering employment opportunities within the private, public and voluntary sectors, as well as further study. Students will develop thorough knowledge of software and learn a range of sought-after technical skills, including accessing, preparing, analysing and summarising complex quantitative datasets. The course is also designed to provide the technical skill set required for further PhD study.

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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

-Meet national and regional demands for new research and policy oriented competencies in criminology or socio-legal studies with focus on advanced quantitative data analysis.
-Contribute to the national need for skilled social science researchers in criminological, socio-legal and related matters.
-Ensure the necessary grounding both to understand and to contribute to future development of quantitative methods in these research areas.
-Provide advanced, systematic and critical knowledge of research methods and theoretical arguments in criminology or socio-legal studies which are at the forefront of the subject area in the context of a vibrant research context.
-Offer a course integrating a grounding in research methodology with understanding of the implications for policy.
-Offer students the opportunity for developing their understanding of the key theoretical and epistemological debates within the subject area and to assist them to engage in theoretical debates at an advanced postgraduate level.
-Provide a formal, comprehensive, multi-disciplinary training for students in research methodology and transferable employment related skills.
-Prepare students for PhD level research careers in academic life or as professionals in government and voluntary agencies.
-Train students to appreciate the relationship between research on the one hand and the implementation and operation of policy and practice in the implementation of justice.
-Provide graduates with the tools for further research/study in criminology and/or socio-legal studies.

Special features

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.

Teaching and learning

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.

Career opportunities

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.

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Summary

Train in the theory and methods of social statistics, with cutting-edge social statistical practice. There’s a focus on statistical methodology and underlying theory, equipping you with the skills to research social statistics methodology, or develop a career as a professional social statistician.

Modules

Compulsory modules: Generalised Linear Models; Analysis of Hierarchical (Multilevel and Longitudinal) Data; Multivariate Analysis; Research Skills; Social Science Data: Sources and Measurement; Survey Design; Statistical Theory and Linear Models; Survey Methods I Optional modules: Bayesian Methods; Computer-intensive Statistical Methods; Demographic Methods I & II; Design of Experiments; Epidemiological Methods; Qualitative Methods I; Statistical Computing; Statistical Genetics; Survival Analysis Plus dissertation

Visit our website for further information.

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Summary

This programme trains you in the theory and methods of social statistics, exposing you to cutting-edge social statistical practice and preparing you for carrying out research in the social sciences. There is a particular focus on survey design and analysis, statistical modelling of complex data and demographic methods.

Modules

Compulsory modules: Quantitative Methods I & II or Generalised Linear Models; Survey Design; Demographic Methods I; Qualitative Methods I; Analysis of Hierarchical (Multilevel and Longitudinal) Data; Research Skills; Social Science Data: Sources and Measurement. Optional modules: Computer-intensive Statistical Methods; Critical Issues in Global Health: Concept and Case Studies; Methods and Analysis of Global Health Trends and Differentials; Philosophy of Social Science Research; Family Demography; Qualitative Methods II; Statistical Theory and Linear Models; Demographic Methods II; Design of Experiments; Epidemiological Methods; Migration and Development; Multivariate Analysis; Population, Poverty and Policy; Population and Reproductive Health; Methods for Researching in Ageing Societies; Statistical Computing; Statistical Genetics; Survey Methods I; Survival Analysis; Understanding Population Change Plus dissertation

Visit our website for further information.

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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.

Key Features of MSc in Social Research Methods

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

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)

Social Research Methods Course Structure

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).

Who should apply?

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

Career Prospects

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.

Staff Expertise

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.

Postgraduate Community

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.

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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.

What is the Master of Statistics all about?

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.

Structure

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.

• Common core curriculum (30 ECTS): these course are compulsory for every student.
• Option-specific courses (min. 32 ECTS). Within your selected option, you choose courses worth a total of minimum 32 ECTS.
• Elective courses (30 ECTS)

To tailor the programme to your needs and interests, you choose one of the following options:

• Biometrics;
• Social, Behavioural, and Educational Statistics;
• Business Statistics;
• Industrial Statistics;
• General Statistical Methodology;
• Official Statistics;
• All-round Statistics.

Department

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:

• Biostatistics;
• Social, Behavioural and Educational Statistics;
• Business and Industrial Statistics;
• Statistical Methodology.

Objectives

The master of Statistics:

KNOWLEDGE AND INSIGHT

• possesses thorough knowledge of and insight in the field of Statistics
• has a perspective on the research and consulting aspects of one or more statistical fields within at least one of the following: biometry, industrial statistics, social behavioral and educational statistics, business statistics, statistical methodology, official statistics.
• understands similarities and differences between different statistical methodology and practice across different sub-fields of statistics.

APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND INSIGHT

• has the competences and the insight to take the following steps in their own scientific research within a research team
• can handle scientific quantitative research questions in the application area, independently, effectively, creatively, and correctly using state-of-the-art design and analysis methodology and software.
• has the skills and the habit to assess data quality and integrity.
• is aware of the ethical, moral, legal, policy making, and privacy context of statistics and shows conduct accordingly.

DEVELOPING AN OPINION

• appreciates the international nature of the field of statistical science.
• is aware of the societal relevance of statistics.
• can critically appraise methodology and challenge proposals for reported results of data analysis.

COMMUNICATION

• can work in an intercultural, and international team, and understands the need and importance of working in a multidisciplinary team.
• is an effective written and oral communicator, as well as an effective negotiator, both within their own field as well as towards other disciplines in the context of multidisciplinary projects.
• is aware of the common stakeholders and the need for assertive and empathic interaction with them.

LEARNING SKILLS

• is capable of acquiring new knowledge.

DEPENDING ON THE CHOSEN OPTION, THE STUDENT MASTERS FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL LEARNING OUTCOMES:

• the master can act as a statistical consultant to subject-matter scientists and practitioners or/and as a collaborative researcher in an area of specialisation.

Career perspectives

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. 

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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.

Programme structure

You will undertake the following:

Core courses (worth 90 credits in total):

• Univariate Statistics and Methodology using R (10 credits)
• Multivariate Statistics and Methodology using R (10 credits)
• Qualitative Methodologies in Psychological Research (10 credits)
• Psychological Research Skills (20 credits)
• Research Methods for Social Psychology (10 credits)
• Problem-based social psychological research (10 credits)
• Current Topics in Social Psychology (10 credits)
• Critical Social Psychology (10 credits)

Option courses worth 30 credits in total:

• Chosen from a wide range of courses relevant to Social Psychology from Psychology or other disciplines, as approved by the Programme Director

And a Dissertation in Social Psychology (60 credits)

Learning outcomes

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:

• think as a social psychologist in seeking understanding of and solutions to practical and theoretical problems
• address the challenges of researching individuals embedded in their social worlds
• understand epistemological issues in social research
• understand key theories and concepts in social psychology
• conduct rigorous independent social psychological research drawing on the range of social psychological approaches and methodologies
• evaluate published research in social psychology
• make well-informed contributions to discussions about social issues

On completion you will also:

• have acquired wider research skills, including giving conference talks, making poster presentations, writing research proposals, knowledge exchange and writing for a lay audience
• be prepared for a range of career paths including PhD work, or the wide variety of careers in which it is valuable to be able to conduct sound social research or evaluation

Career opportunities

The programme will provide relevant preparation for a range of career paths, including:

• undertaking a PhD in Social Psychology or in a related field, possibly leading to an academic career
• undertaking a Professional Doctorate/Masters training programme in Clinical or Health Psychology
• a wide variety of careers where it is valuable to be able to conduct sound social research, or to develop and evaluate practices and policies relating to social behaviour or thinking; such as policy development in education, health, and social care or in areas surrounding marketing; such as opinion-generating, fostering multiculturalism and equality, and communication skills. 

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Social research methods are a means of providing evidence to examine ideas about society - they are a way of 'knowing'. This course seeks to introduce you to a portfolio of research skills that will help you not only to become a competent researcher but also to expand your employment horizons.

Why study Social Research Methods at Dundee?

Social research methods are important not just to social scientists wishing to study a particular problem or to test a theory in a way that is be considered rigorous. They are also fundamental tools of value to government, service providers and to business. There are of course a diverse range of research methods available to social scientists.

The aims of the MSc/Diploma programme in Social Research Methods are:
To advance your knowledge and understanding of the nature of research in social science.
To enhance your skills in areas that will equip you as a social scientist for employment in a government, business or a public policy environment as well as in an academic context.

"I undertook the Social Research Methods MSc in 2009/2010. This was a really interesting course which not only helped me develop a range of research skills which have been extremely relevant and useful in my PhD, but also helped me to critically engage with broader issues of social justice. This sparked an interest in my current research field, and ultimately, has been invaluable in giving me a solid foundation for continuing onto an academic career. Beyond the academic knowledge however, this MSc also provides a useful set of practical and applicable skills which many employers value, such as in GIS and statistics"
Andrew Wooff, studied full-time 2009-10

Researcher, Centre for Criminological Research, University of Sheffield

Specialism in population and welfare

The MSc in Social Research Methods offers a specialism in population and welfare issues under the title MSc Social Research Methods (Population and Welfare). This option is an accredited course for the ESRC Population Investigation Council funding. This specialism is particularly relevant for students interested in demographic and welfare issues.

What's so good about Social Research Methods at Dundee?

The staff teaching the MSc in Social Research Methods course have wide experience of both quantitative and qualitative research methods, and have deployed these skills not only to pursue frontline research in social science, but also as expert advisers to governments and as consultants to international organisations.

This course emphasises that it is important not only to understand how to use a particular research tool, but also to consider the wider meanings of how knowledge can be constructed in different ways and for diverse range of purposes. One particular feature of the course is the comprehensive and in-depth coverage of a variety of research methods including ethnographic and participatory tools; the analysis of large datasets plus GIS skills. The course seeks to encourage students to think critically not only about the methods they use, but also to reflect on the limitations of what is knowable from the evidence presented by others.

"As a part time student on the MSc Social Research Methods course, my experience was exceptionally inspiring. Coming from an arts background it was a real challenge, but one that allowed me to broaden my horizons and bring back to my day job teaching design in an art college an understanding of human geography and how it informs us of local and global social issues. My experience was invaluable in so many ways and staff were always very supportive"

Jackie Malcolm, studied part-time 2010-12
Lecturer in Design, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, Dundee

The start date is September each year, and lasts for 12 months.

How you will be taught

There are core modules in:

Research Training
Social Theory
Quantitative Methods in Social Research
Qualitative Methods in Social Research
Plus students choose one from:

Research in Practice (work placement)
Applied GIS and Geospatial Data Analysis
Population Vulnerability and Resilience

For students following the MSc Social Research Methods (Population and Welfare) route, ‘Social Impacts on Population’ is a core module, and ‘Qualitative Methods in Social Research’ is an option module.

Students enrolled on the MSc programme also complete a dissertation.

How you will be assessed

The course is assessed by coursework (essays, practical classes, projects), examination and dissertation (for Masters students).

Careers

The course seeks to offer students a wide range of skills suitable for entry into careers as information officers and analysts, research assistants and geographical system experts working in a business or government environment.

Research by the Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC) shows that the demand for Social Science Masters students with quantitative research skills far outstrips supply. This degree programme course has strong emphasis in this area, but the optional modules allow you to tailor the course to your personal career ambitions.

Previous students from our other MSc programmes have gone on to work for local authority planning departments, the General Registrars Office Scotland (census office), GIS analysts for Tayside Police, ONS social analysis unit, and also as research assistants within the University sector.

"The course allowed me to develop on an academic and personal level through its range of critical thinking and skill based modules. I appreciated the broad themes set out by lecturers as it provided an opportunity to integrate my own research interests into class assignments and discussions, enhancing the individual relevancy it had for my classmates and I. Since completing the course in September 2012, I have started working towards a PhD in the Geography department at Dundee, incorporating many of the attributes that I learned at MSc level. The training, support and enthusiasm offered on the course gave me the confidence to undertake fieldwork overseas and inspired me to pursue a future career in academia"

Jade Catterson, studied full-time 2011-12
ESRC-funded PhD student, University of Dundee

Read less

Social research methods are a means of providing evidence to examine ideas about society - they are a way of 'knowing'. This course seeks to introduce you to a portfolio of research skills that will help you not only to become a competent researcher but also to expand your employment horizons.

Why study Social Research Methods at Dundee?

Social research methods are important not just to social scientists wishing to study a particular problem or to test a theory in a way that is be considered rigorous. They are also fundamental tools of value to government, service providers and to business. There are of course a diverse range of research methods available to social scientists.

The aims of the MSc/Diploma programme in Social Research Methods are:
To advance your knowledge and understanding of the nature of research in social science.
To enhance your skills in areas that will equip you as a social scientist for employment in a government, business or a public policy environment as well as in an academic context.

"I undertook the Social Research Methods MSc in 2009/2010. This was a really interesting course which not only helped me develop a range of research skills which have been extremely relevant and useful in my PhD, but also helped me to critically engage with broader issues of social justice. This sparked an interest in my current research field, and ultimately, has been invaluable in giving me a solid foundation for continuing onto an academic career. Beyond the academic knowledge however, this MSc also provides a useful set of practical and applicable skills which many employers value, such as in GIS and statistics"
Andrew Wooff, studied full-time 2009-10

Researcher, Centre for Criminological Research, University of Sheffield

Specialism in population and welfare

The MSc in Social Research Methods offers a specialism in population and welfare issues under the title MSc Social Research Methods (Population and Welfare). This option is an accredited course for the ESRC Population Investigation Council funding. This specialism is particularly relevant for students interested in demographic and welfare issues.

What's so good about Social Research Methods at Dundee?

The staff teaching the MSc in Social Research Methods course have wide experience of both quantitative and qualitative research methods, and have deployed these skills not only to pursue frontline research in social science, but also as expert advisers to governments and as consultants to international organisations.

This course emphasises that it is important not only to understand how to use a particular research tool, but also to consider the wider meanings of how knowledge can be constructed in different ways and for diverse range of purposes. One particular feature of the course is the comprehensive and in-depth coverage of a variety of research methods including ethnographic and participatory tools; the analysis of large datasets plus GIS skills. The course seeks to encourage students to think critically not only about the methods they use, but also to reflect on the limitations of what is knowable from the evidence presented by others.

"As a part time student on the MSc Social Research Methods course, my experience was exceptionally inspiring. Coming from an arts background it was a real challenge, but one that allowed me to broaden my horizons and bring back to my day job teaching design in an art college an understanding of human geography and how it informs us of local and global social issues. My experience was invaluable in so many ways and staff were always very supportive"

Jackie Malcolm, studied part-time 2010-12
Lecturer in Design, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design, Dundee

The start date is September each year, and lasts for 12 months.

How you will be taught

Modules start at the beginning of the academic session in September and are taught by lectures and tutorials.
What you will study

There are core modules in:

Research Training
Social Theory
Quantitative Methods in Social Research
Qualitative Methods in Social Research
Plus students choose one from:

Research in Practice (work placement)
Applied GIS and Geospatial Data Analysis
Population Vulnerability and Resilience

Students enrolled on the Masters programme also complete a dissertation.

How you will be assessed

The course is assessed by coursework (essays, practical classes, projects), examination and dissertation (for Masters students).

Careers

The course seeks to offer students a wide range of skills suitable for entry into careers as information officers and analysts, research assistants and geographical system experts working in a business or government environment.

Research by the Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC) shows that the demand for Social Science Masters students with quantitative research skills far outstrips supply. This degree programme course has strong emphasis in this area, but the optional modules allow you to tailor the course to your personal career ambitions.

Previous students from our other MSc programmes have gone on to work for local authority planning departments, the General Registrars Office Scotland (census office), GIS analysts for Tayside Police, ONS social analysis unit, and also as research assistants within the University sector.

"The course allowed me to develop on an academic and personal level through its range of critical thinking and skill based modules. I appreciated the broad themes set out by lecturers as it provided an opportunity to integrate my own research interests into class assignments and discussions, enhancing the individual relevancy it had for my classmates and I. Since completing the course in September 2012, I have started working towards a PhD in the Geography department at Dundee, incorporating many of the attributes that I learned at MSc level. The training, support and enthusiasm offered on the course gave me the confidence to undertake fieldwork overseas and inspired me to pursue a future career in academia"

Jade Catterson, studied full-time 2011-12
ESRC-funded PhD student, University of Dundee

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The MSc in Social and Applied Psychology gives you the opportunity to sample a range of modules from our Group Processes and Developmental programmes as well as other modules related to social and applied psychology.

*This course will be taught at the Canterbury campus*

Key benefits

- Much of our social psychology research is co-ordinated through the Centre for the Study of Group Processes (CSGP), the largest research group in this area in Europe. The Centre attracts a stream of major international social psychology researchers, who regularly visit to work with our staff and are officially affiliated to the Centre.The Social Psychology group also includes the co-editor of Group Processes and Intergroup Relations (Abrams).

- Social psychology research at Kent is funded by a variety of British and international sources, currently and recently including ESRC, British Academy, Leverhulme, Age Concern, European Commission, European Science Foundation, Home Office, Equality and Human Rights Commission, Nuffield, and Joseph Rowntree Foundation, as well as government departments such as the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Department for Work and Pensions.

- All of our taught Master’s (MSc) programmes have been recognised by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as meeting the nationally recognised criteria for preparation training for PhD research.

Visit the website: https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/75/social-and-applied-psychology

Course detail

This programme considers how social psychology can be applied to a wide range of social problems and answer key questions such as: How are attitudes formed and developed, and how do they relate to behaviour? What are the key motives that affect people’s reactions to the social world? What social psychological processes are implicated in the form and content of language and communication?

Our teaching and research covers the psychology of intergroup behaviour, group decision and performance, attitudes and persuasion, organisational psychology, social cognition, children’s self-concept and social attitudes, and cross-cultural questions, relating social psychological research in these areas to social problems. Course tutors include academics and experts who work in the media, the health service and other applied settings.

Purpose

You will gain a thorough grounding in research methods, and conduct a project in an area of social/applied psychology that interests you. The programme is taught by the School’s outstanding research group in social psychology.

Course structure

The programme consists of 4 compulsory modules and 2 option modules.

Core modules include:

• Advanced Statistics and Methodology
• Current Issues in Social and Applied Psychology I: Theory
• Current Issues in Social and Applied Psychology II: Applications
• Dissertation

You also select two from a choice of the following:

• Advanced Topics in Intergroup Relations
• Advanced Topics in Cognitive Development
• Advanced Developmental Social Psychology
• Advanced Topics in Group Processes
• Developmental Psychology in Professional Practice
• The Psychology of Eyewitness Testimony
• Advanced Topics in Developmental Psychopathology

Assessment is mainly by coursework assignment (4-6,000-word essays), examination (for the Advanced Statistics and Methodology module only), plus the dissertation.

Careers

Our postgraduate students commonly go into the fields of health, teaching or further education. For instance, many of our graduates take up roles as assistant psychologists in the NHS with a view to becoming a professional clinical or forensic psychologist. Upon completing our Master’s courses, graduates have also pursued doctoral study and academic careers at higher education institutions.

How to apply: https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/how-to-apply/

Why study at The University of Kent?

- Shortlisted for University of the Year 2015
- Kent has been ranked fifth out of 120 UK universities in a mock Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) exercise modelled by Times Higher Education (THE).
- In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014, Kent was ranked 17th* for research output and research intensity, in the Times Higher Education, outperforming 11 of the 24 Russell Group universities
- Over 96% of our postgraduate students who graduated in 2014 found a job or further study opportunity within six months.
Find out more: https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/why/

Postgraduate scholarships and funding

We have a scholarship fund of over £9 million to support our taught and research students with their tuition fees and living costs. Find out more: https://www.kent.ac.uk/scholarships/postgraduate/

English language learning

If you need to improve your English before and during your postgraduate studies, Kent offers a range of modules and programmes in English for Academic Purposes (EAP). Find out more here: https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/international/english.html

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The MRes in Social Anthropology provides training in research methods combined with work on a specific anthropological research project. It is a one-year programme of rigorous training in research issues and methods featuring guidance in and production of a substantial research project proposal, plus 15,000-word independently researched dissertation (thesis). The taught portion of the MRes programme is the same as the 9-month PhD pre-fieldwork training programme: students take the same courses in ethnographic methods and social theory, and receive the same close interaction with their supervisor, a senior member of department staff. There is also training in quantitative social science methods.

The course offers critical discussion of students' research projects and provides training in:

- how fieldwork contributes to social scientific knowledge
- how to isolate the theoretical questions that inform particular pieces of ethnography
- how to identify the kinds of empirical evidence necessary to address those questions.

Students are allocated a supervisor and faculty advisor in the same way as those registered for the PhD; and will normally continue with this supervisor throughout their PhD.

See the website http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/hssamrsap

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course students should have:
(1) developed a deeper general knowledge of the comparative, theoretical and epistemological issues underlying contemporary social anthropological research and, where relevant to proposed doctoral research, developed a deeper knowledge of a specific geographical and/or topical area of anthropology and of the critical debates within it;

(2) developed a knowledge of a range of current methods, methodologies and research findings and a conceptual understanding that enables their proper deployment and evaluation.

(3) where relevant, advanced own plans for field research and undertaken field preparation with reference to (a) overall aims of the course; (b) specific social, ethical and other practical matters relating to their chosen ‘field’.

Format

The taught element of this course consists of these compulsory streams:

- The Pre-fieldwork seminar
- The Ethnographic Methods Course, Parts I (Michaelmas) and II (Lent)
- Statistics for Social Anthropologists (workshop in Michaelmas term)
- The Social Sciences’ Research Methods Centre Course on Basic Statistical Methods, modules on Foundations in Applied Statistics and on Designing Surveys.

Students are also strongly encouraged to attend other optional elements:

- The ‘Experiences from the Field’ seminar, run by writing-up students recently returned from the field.
- Ad hoc sessions in transferable skills or anthropological method, such as journal publication, technologies of research and data management, film-making and research with children.
- The Senior Research Seminar, scheduled for Fridays during term time.. This is the place where the division really gets together, and we usually attract very good speakers from across the UK and overseas.

Students receive written feedback on their three assessed essays and thesis. In addition, students receive termly progress reports online from their supervisor via Cambridge Graduate Supervision Reporting System (CGSRS).

Assessment

A thesis of not more than 15,000 words in length, including footnotes, but excluding tables, appendices, and bibliography, on a subject approved by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Human, Social and Political Science. An oral examination on the thesis and on the general field of knowledge within which it falls may be held at the discretion of the examiners.
The mark awarded for the thesis will comprise 60% of the total.

1. One essay of not more than 4,000 words in length, relating to anthropology and social theory chosen by the candidate from a list of questions announced by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Human, Social and Political Science by the Division of Michaelmas Term.
2. One essay of not more than 4,000 words in length, relating to professional research practice chosen by the candidate from a list of questions announced by the Degree Committee for the Faculty of Human, Social and Political Science by the Division of Michaelmas Term.
3. One essay of not more than 4,000 words relating to research methods. This is the individual report on the extended case study prepared for the Ethnographic Methods course. This essay will count for 10% of the total marks for the examination.
Each essay will count for 10% of the total marks.

One “open book” online test for the Foundations in Applied Statistics course and one written assignment for the Designing Surveys course taken via the Social Science Research Methods Centre Survey Methods.

Assessments will be administered on a pass/fail basis as part of the relevant modules and count for 10% of the total.

Continuing

Students continuing to the PhD will undertake 12-18 months of ethnographic fieldwork subject to successful completion of a 7,000 word Research Proposal Portfolio and receiving clearance to proceed to fieldwork from the PhD Committee.

On return to Cambridge, students devote the remainder of their research time to writing their PhD dissertation in close consultation with their supervisor.

Upon return from the field, writing-up students are also expected to attend the following seminars during term-time:

- The PhD Writing-up seminar
- The Senior Research seminar
- The Senior Research Seminar analysis session.

How to apply: http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying

Funding Opportunities

- William Wyse Bursary -

All applicants for the MRes are eligible to apply for the Wyse Bursary for Social Anthropology for which a separate application is required.
http://www.socanth.cam.ac.uk/online-forms/

- ESRC-DTC Studentships (UK or EU nationals only) -

In order to be eligible for an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) award, applicants who do not already hold a ESRC-recognised research training Masters will be registered for this course and not the PhD in the first instance. In addition applicants should submit a brief statement explaining their interest in become a DTC student and how this might benefit their future career. Further information on the DTC is available here: http://esrc-dtc.cshss.cam.ac.uk

General Funding Opportunities http://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/finance/funding

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Durham's MA in Social and Economic History at Durham provides training in research methods for historical topics in any aspect of social and economic history. The MA provides quantitative and qualitative research methods appropriate to a wide range of historical approaches. Accredited by the ESRC, this MA is part of our four year funding scheme offered by the North-East Doctoral Training Centre. Students can apply for 1+3 funding for this MA followed by a PhD in any aspect of social and economic history with expert supervision available within the Department – and with our partner institution in the NEDTC at Newcastle University. This includes African history, and aspects of governance, as well as traditional social and economic topics. For further information on funding see further below.

The MA programme is shared with the School of Applied Social Science and will help you to build an awareness of the contemporary boundaries of social and economic history and to master advanced understanding of the concepts and methods with which it may be interrogated. It seeks to equip you with a diverse portfolio of research techniques and approaches to enable you to undertake extended independent research in your dissertation, and to make your own contribution to the field. The skills provided by this MA are also transferrable to a wide range of careers.

Durham has a long tradition of economic and social history, on which this MA draws. The breadth of possible subjects for study mirrors the comprehensive and global nature of the department staff: from medieval Europe to modern-day Africa, and from north-east England to the global economy. Durham's History Department is situated in the historic setting of the World Heritage Site, which includes Durham Cathedral and Durham Castle. Students of social and economic history at Durham benefit from the rich archival and manuscript resources in the collections of the University (at Palace Green Library - especially the Sudan Archive - and Ushaw College) and in the Cathedral Library, while the wider regional resources for study of the period are also highly significant: the landscape of industrial revolution and of post-industrial response, of globalisation and regional identity.

Course Structure

The MA in Social and Economic History is a one-year full-time programme (or two-years part-time). All students are allocated a supervisor at the beginning of the first term, and s/he guides each student through the year.

Students take 30 credits of core modules from History: Archives and Sources (15 credits), and Critical Practice (15 credits); and 30 credits of core modules from the School of Applied Social Sciences: Perspectives on Social Research (15 credits) AND EITHER Qualitative Research Methods in Social Science (15 credits) OR Fieldwork and Interpretation (15 credits). They write a 60-credit dissertation (15,000 words) supervised by a member of academic staff in the History Department. They also choose a 30-credit optional module in History; AND 30 credits of optional modules from Social Sciences: EITHER Statistical Exploration and Reasoning (15 credits) and Quantitative Research Methods in Social Science (15 credits) OR Applied Stastics (30 credits).

The programme is structured as follows:
Michaelmas Term (October-December)
-Archives and Sources (15 credits)
-Perspectives on Social Research (15 credits)
-*Statistical Exploration and Reasoning (15 credits; OPTIONAL)
* Fieldwork and Interpretation (15 credits; OPTIONAL)
* Applied Statistics (30 credits; OPTIONAL; runs across Michaelmas and Epiphany Terms)

Epiphany Term (January-March)
-Critical Practice (15 credits)
-Option module (30 credits)
Option modules allow students the opportunity to learn about a particular topic or issue in medieval history in depth, and to consider different historical approaches to this topic over a full term's study. In previous years, options included: Power and Society in the Late Middle Ages; The Wealth of Nations; Race in Modern America; 'Tribe' and Nation in Africa since 1800; Tradition, Change and Political Culture in Modern Britain; Gender, Nationalism and Modernity in East Asia; History, Knowledge and Visual Culture (a full list of MA option modules is available at: https://www.dur.ac.uk/history/postgraduate/ma_degrees/optionalmodules/). Option modules are taught in weekly two-hour seminars for a full term's study.
-*Qualitative Research Methods (15 credits; OPTIONAL)
-*Quantitative Research Methods (15 credits; OPTIONAL)

Easter Term (April-June), and the summer vacation (until early September)
-Dissertation (60 credits)

The formal requirements and structure of the programme can be found at: https://www.dur.ac.uk/courses/info/?id=9202&title=Social+and+Economic+History+%28Research+Methods%29&code=V1KB07&type=MA&year=2016#coursecontent a full list of optional modules is available at: https://www.dur.ac.uk/history/postgraduate/ma_degrees/optionalmodules/

The MA can be taken part-time, over two years: please contact the Department if you are interested in exploring this option further.

Learning and Teaching

The programme is delivered primarily through small group seminar teaching with some larger classes, and lecture-style sessions. Termly division of contact hours between terms depends on student choice. Archives and Sources has 8 contact hours, split between lectures, classes and seminars. Skills modules are taught through seminars or classes and are usually more contact-hour-intensive. Optional modules are taught in seminars and provide a total of 16 contact hours. Critical Practice involves lectures, a drama workshop, and oral presentation to a group (at a 'mini-conference'). Dissertation supervision involves 8 hours of directed supervision, individually with a dedicated supervisor. Social science modules are taught through lectures, seminars, workshops, and practical classes.

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Methodology and Statistics for the Behavioural, Biomedical and Social Sciences

The Master's programme familiarises you with issues of research design, data collection, analysis methods and statistical tools as applied to biomedical, behavioural and social sciences.

The field of methodology and statistics is by its nature interdisciplinary, as it relates to all fields of behavioural, biomedical and social research. Social science methodology concentrates on central issues in research design and data collection, with the aim of improving the quality of empirical research. In addition, the complex theories and research designs currently used call for advanced analysis methods, which in turn require mastery of the statistical foundations of these methods, and training in their skilled use.

Finally, there are strong interconnections between methodology and statistics. Modern social, biomedical and behavioural research uses highly advanced quantitative methods, while, at the same time, no amount of statistics can compensate for fundamental flaws in a study's design or data collection.

This selective Master’s programme combines the research expertise of the following departments at Utrecht University (UU) and the University of Twente (UT):
-Department of Methodology and Statistics (UU)
-Department of Biostatistics, University Medical Centre Utrecht (UU)
-Department of Research Methodology, Measurement and Data Analysis (UT)

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Overview

Learning how to make new discoveries that will contribute to a better understanding of the historical, social political and cultural processes that shape societies.

Are people living in ethnically diverse neighbourhoods more inclined to turn inwards and to ‘hunker down’ compared to people of ethnically homogeneous settings? Are there cross-country differences in the causes of hooliganism, and in the effectiveness of methods used to combat hooligans in different European countries?

More and more comparative questions on societies are being raised. At Radboud University we believe that answers to comparative questions are more informative, lead to a better understanding of societal phenomena and processes, and therefore have more scientific and social importance than answers to questions about one society in one historical period.

This programme therefore fully focuses on teaching students how to perform high-quality comparative research. We look into the degree of inequality, cohesion and modernisation in both Western and non-Western societies. You’ll learn how to translate social problems into empirical research questions and understand the diverse theoretical approaches, research designs, data collections and analyses you need to get the answers you are looking for.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/scs

Why study Social and Cultural Science at Radboud University?

- A majority of our courses are exclusively created and offered for the research students enrolled in this programme, and therefore perfectly match the needs and desires of social and cultural researchers.
- This programme is linked to the Nijmegen Institute for Social and Cultural Research (NISCO) who offer an excellent research environment and have extensive social science databases that students are free to use.
- You’ll participate in group-oriented education and be part of a small, select group of highly motivated national and international students.
- You’ll be given your own workplace (equipped with a computer) in a room with your fellow students to enhance solidarity. Every student also receives personal guidance and supervision.
- You’ll write two scientific journal papers which will not only give you plenty of practise but will also give you a good academic research portfolio that you can use when applying for research positions.
- A large majority of our graduates gain PhD and other research positions; almost all of our graduates found work shortly after graduating.

Multidisciplinary

The programme combines the disciplines of sociology, anthropology, development studies and communication science. This programme is therefore ideal for Bachelor’s students from these disciplines with an interest in research. However, we believe that students from disciplines such as political science, economics and human geography can also profit from this Master’s.

The Research Master’s in Social and Cultural Science trains aspiring researchers and is ideal preparation for PhD positions or research positions in relevant non-academic research institutes. Or you could build a bridge between academic research and the world of practice, thereby influencing policy-making in the public and private sphere.

Quality label

This programme was recently awarded the quality label ‘Top Programme' in the Netherlands in the Keuzegids Masters 2015 (Guide to Master's programmes).

Career prospects

The career prospects of a graduate of Social and Cultural Science are good; almost 100% of our alumni found a job or research position immediately after graduating.

Job positions

There are plenty of options open to graduates of the research Master’s in Social and Cultural Science:
- Scientific research career (academia)
The programme provides an excellent basis for a scientific research career and attaining PhD positions.

- Societal research career
Our graduates can also go on to have careers in relevant non-academic research and policy institutes like government ministries, Statistics Netherlands (CBS), The Netherlands Institute for Social Research (SCP) and The Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR) and foreign equivalents.

- More
Of course, this Master’s programme does not close other doors. Students with a research Master’s are also highly sought after by (commercial) businesses and organisations because of their analytical and communication skills and in-depth understanding of social and cultural behaviour. Other careers, such as policymaker, manager, journalist, etc are certainly within reach.

Find information on Scholarships here http://www.ru.nl/scholarships

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/scs

Our research in this field

Half of the Master’s programme in Social and Cultural Science consists of practical research training.

In the first year, you’ll do a research project in which you conduct a small-scale empirical research under guided supervision of a senior researcher. The comparative research issue is typically part of the ongoing research within a Radboud chair group. Finally, you’ll write a scientific journal paper regarding the research results. The project is done in small groups (2-3 students) and prepares you well to independently conduct a comparative empirical social science study for your Master’s thesis in the second.

- Master’s thesis topics in the field of Social and Cultural Science
For your Master’s thesis you are completely free to tackle any social issue in the disciplines of sociology, anthropology, communication science or development studies. Important is the ability to reflect on the societal significance of your research question and the societal importance of your research. Thesis topics vary widely:
- Many theses are concerned with cross-country comparisons of behaviour or attitude measures using European cross-sectional survey data on, for example, xenophobia or gender roles.
- Others theses compare classrooms and the effect ethnic composition has on interethnic bullying or the impact of the economic crisis on African migrants in Athens, Greece, or the utilisation of different sexual health services by Aboriginal adolescents.
- Thesis topics can also be found in the field of communication science, like examining the news on extreme right political parties in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands and correlating it with election results, or studying patterns in TV drama (e.g. increasing Americanisation) and comparing these media trends with societal processes such as individualisation.

See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/scs

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