Course description

This course aims to educate and train you to give you the requisite skills and knowledge to become an effective, professional sociological researcher.

This entails teaching:

• the philosophical underpinnings of sociology;
• key issues and questions in sociology;
• key sociological theories;
• key issues in selected substantive areas of sociology (students are offered a range of options of such substantive areas);
• principles of research design;
• techniques and principles of quantitative analysis;
• techniques and principles of qualitative analysis.

This is a recognised 1+3 entry route for ESRC PhD training.

Teaching and learning

Part-time students complete the full-time course over two years. There are no evening or weekend course units available on the part-time route.

You must first check the schedule of the compulsory course units and then select your optional units to suit your requirements.

Updated timetable information will be available from mid-August and you will have the opportunity to discuss your unit choices during induction week with your Course Director.

Coursework and assessment

You are assessed by course work, mainly via 3,000 word essays or the equivalent, plus a 12,000 word dissertation.

Career opportunities

You will develop a considerable range of transferable skills as part of the course enabling you to keep open a wide range of career options.

Students who complete the MSc Sociological Research course are suitably placed to pursue PhD study. In addition, you will be skilled to pursue a wide-range of graduate level occupations, and social research careers in public, private and voluntary sectors.

As a School of Social Sciences postgraduate at Manchester, you will have access to a variety of careers support tailored to your career of further study. For more information, see Careers and Employability .

The University has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate. At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help boost your employability .