Social Research MSc

Our curriculum has three essential components, which provide a framework for your learning over the course of the year. They are:

• core courses in semesters 1 and 2
• a set of specialist elective courses
• your dissertation

Core courses

Your three core courses introduce you to quantitative and qualitative data collection, research design, and quantitative data analysis.

You will learn how to design and execute research that is able to respond to contemporary social challenges.

Elective courses

You are able to choose three elective courses from a list of recommended options. Your elective options allow you to strengthen your research skills through developing further specialisation in qualitative, quantitative and computational social science research methods and analysis. In addition, your elective courses also allow you to explore the connections between social theory and research methods.

Dissertation

The third element of your programme is a dissertation, an extended, independent research-based project. This is your opportunity to undertake independent research, under the supervision of an appropriate member of academic staff.

Previous dissertation topics have included:

• Do Humanitarians and Academics Differentially Construct Accountability to Crisis-Affected People?
• Climate Change, Conflict and Migration in West Asia and North Africa
• Managing Hybrid Social Media: A Case Study of Employees’ Boundary Management Strategies in WeChat

Placement-based dissertation

The aim of the placement-based dissertation is to provide students with the opportunity to work on their dissertation within the context of a workplace of their choosing, subject to Programme Director and Placement Adviser approval.

The placements generally consist of eight weeks of research with a host organisation in the UK or overseas, from our network of contacts which includes NGOs, charities, social enterprises, think-tanks and government bodies. Placements can either be in person, hybrid or undertaken remotely. Students are also able to source their own placements subject to university approval.

Please note that a placement-based dissertation is not guaranteed as part of this programme and are by competitive application during Semester 1.

Find out more about the placement-based dissertation option via our dedicated information pages:

• SPS Placement-based dissertation

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

On successful completion of this course, you will understand many of the key philosophical and theoretical debates in social-scientific research, as well as mastering a number of methodological skills and approaches to data collection and analysis.

The MSc in Social Research has high employability rates. Our graduates have strong quantitative skills to undertake data analysis and strong research methods training in qualitative methods.

They go on to work in:

• national and international organisations
• civil service
• voluntary sector
• commercial research sector
• policy development, analysis and evaluation
• further academic study (PhDs)

Chiara Fehr, MSc Social Research (2022-2023)

“Studying Social Research at the School of Social and Political Sciences has been both challenging and rewarding. The course has provided me with vast knowledge of methods and theory, allowing me to learn new skills, fine-tune already existing knowledge and apply what I learned in assessments where I was able to explore my own research interests. It furthermore gave me ample opportunity to engage in a range of academic interests beyond the course through elective courses. Overall, I feel that this course prepared me incredibly well for my pursuit of an academic career."

“Since completing my MSc, I have gone on to pursue PhD studies”

Xueshi Zhao, MSc Social Research (2022-2023)

“One of the aspects of my programme that has been particularly appealing to me is the diversity of course offerings. Beyond the core curriculum, students have the opportunity to choose from a wide range of courses offered by the university. For instance, I opted for the course 'Internet, Society, and Economy,' which allowed me to delve deeper into the impact of algorithms on emerging professional groups, such as food delivery riders. This course ultimately became the focal point of my dissertation. Another feature of the programme that I greatly appreciate is the multiple instructors for certain courses. Having different professors with distinct academic backgrounds teaching the same course has enriched my learning experience. It has provided me with diverse perspectives and a well-rounded understanding of the subject matter. This diversity has not only strengthened my social research skills but has also heightened my awareness of the complexity and diversity of the subjects I investigate. Lastly, I thoroughly enjoyed the workshop-style classes that some courses offered. These smaller group settings, where a handful of students come together to discuss the material covered in lectures, facilitated meaningful interactions and communication among peers. It was in these workshops that I formed lasting friendships with fellow students. In summary, my time in the social research programme has been both intellectually stimulating and personally rewarding. The programme's flexibility in course selection, diverse teaching faculty, and interactive workshop experiences have all contributed to my growth as a social researcher”

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

A UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 59 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 6 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Tuition fees

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

• borrowing money

  • taking out a loan

  • family support

• personal savings

• income from work

• employer sponsorship

• scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Featured funding

• Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Awards
• Open Societies Foundation grant scheme

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding