Overview

Course overview

  • Study a master’s in Sociological Research at a university ranked top 5 in the UK and top 20 worldwide (QS World University Rankings 2025).
  • Join one of the UK’s largest and most prestigious sociology departments, with specialisms in race, inequality, social networks, and more.
  • Accelerate your future research career with a course eligible for the Economic and Social Research Council’s 1+3 PhD fully-funded studentship.
  • Benefit from a skills-based course with practical training that is highly regarded for future employment within government, academia, and more.
  • Pioneer your own research at a department ranked first in the UK for the percentage of our research outputs being ‘world-leading’, as recognised by the latest Research Excellence Framework (2021).
  • Graduate from one of the UK’s most targeted universities by top employers (High Fliers, The Graduate Market Report 2024).

Open days

The University holds regular open days, where you will have the opportunity to find out more about our facilities and courses.

On this day, you will find out more about the School, our resources, and meet academic and admissions staff who will be able to answer any questions you have.

See open days and visits for more information.

Contact details

School/Faculty
School of Social Sciences
Contact name
School of Social Sciences Admissions Office
Telephone
+44 (0) 161 306 5500
Email
Website
https://www.socialsciences.manchester.ac.uk/sociology/
School/Faculty overview

Courses in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.

Entry requirements

Academic entry qualification overview

We require a UK bachelor's degree with a First or Upper Second classification or the overseas equivalent, in Sociology or a Social Science Subject.

When assessing your academic record we consider your degree subject, grades you have achieved and the standing of the institution where you studied your qualification.

English language

Applicants whose first language is not English should meet the following language requirements:

  • IELTS Academic test score of 7 overall, including 7 in writing with no further component score below 6.5
  • TOEFL IBT 100 with 25 in writing and no further score below 22 in each section. TOEFL code for Manchester is 0757
  • Pearson Test of English (PTE) score of 76 overall, with 76 in writing and no further score below 70

Further information on accepted language requirements can be found here .

Pre-Sessional English Courses

We will consider applicants who do not meet these scores but you will be required to complete a pre-sessional English language course at the University of Manchester prior to the start of the course.

To be considered for a pre-sessional English language course for this programme we require the following minimum IELTS (Academic) scores:

6 Week Pre-Sessional Course : IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.5 in writing and no more than one sub-skill of 6.0.

10 Week Pre-sessional Course : IELTS 6.0 overall with 6.0 or above in each sub-skill

If you have not yet completed your current academic study and are interested in studying a pre-sessional course, you must hold an IELTS for UKVI (Academic) test certificate to ensure that you are eligible for a separate visa for the English language course.

English language test validity

Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.

Applicants from Majority English-speaking countries

If you are a national of a   majority English-speaking country   (or have studied for a full bachelor's degree or higher from one of these countries) you may be exempt from submitting further evidence of English language proficiency.

Other international entry requirements

We accept a range of qualifications from across the globe. To help international students, the university provides specific information for many individual countries. Please see our  country-specific information page   for guidance on the academic and English language qualifications which may be accepted from your country.

Fees and funding

Fees

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2026, the tuition fees are as follows:

  • MSc (full-time)
    UK students (per annum): £13,700
    International, including EU, students (per annum): £26,800

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition, administration and computational costs during your studies.

All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of courses lasting more than a year for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for International students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit: postgraduate fees . Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.

Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Scholarships/sponsorships

For information on available scholarships please visit: Master’s Fees and Funding

Application and selection

How to apply

Advice to applicants

Please note, due to the high volume of applications we receive, an early application is advised.

If you meet our entry requirements but we are unable to make you an offer, you may be placed on a waiting list.

Candidates on a waiting list will receive an offer only if places become available.

Re-applications

If you applied in the previous year and your application was not successful you may apply again. Your application will be considered against the standard course entry criteria for that year of entry. In your new application you should demonstrate how your application has improved. We may draw upon all information from your previous applications or any previous registrations at the University as a student when assessing your suitability for your chosen course.

Course details

Course description

Societies are shaped by social structures, institutions and relationships- understanding and analysing these forces is central to sociological research. Our MSc in Sociological Research will empower to you investigate social networks, norms, and change on a global scale, so we can better understand social structures and interactions.

We’ve designed this course to build on your existing knowledge of and passion for the social sciences. You will receive skills-based training in quantitative and qualitative research skills, allowing you to be an effective, professional sociological researcher.

Via mandatory course units, you’ll learn about key theoretical and philosophical debates in sociology, deepening your understanding of social forces, people, and institutions.

You will be able to pursue your own research interests with a choice of optional units that draw on our various areas of expertise, including socio-cultural change, gender and sexuality, and consumption and sustainability. As one of the largest sociological departments in the UK, there’s no shortage of topics you could cover.

This course is eligible for the 1+3 studentship offered by the Economic and Social Sciences Research Council (ESRC) North West Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP), offering a unique, fully-funded route into postgraduate research. If your application is successful, you’ll be able to seamlessly transition from master's-level study to a PhD. Find out more on our 1+3 ESRC NWSSDTP webpage .

Throughout your studies you’ll benefit from personalised support, allowing you to develop transferable skills in research, critical enquiry and creative thinking. You’ll graduate with the skills and experience you need for a successful career in a variety of sectors.

Special features

Thriving postgraduate community

With 30 academic staff and 60 postgraduates, you will become a valued member of department that prioritises small-group teaching and community-building.

A prestigious department

Manchester is one of the world’s best institutions for the study and practice of sociology. We’re ranked as one of the top 10 universities in the world for delivering against the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, making a positive impact across culture and creativity, economic development and inequalities, health and wellbeing, innovation and commercialisation, and sustainability and climate change. (Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2025).

Real-world impact

At Manchester, you won’t just study human and social behaviour. As the only British university with social responsibility as a key strategic goal, we’ll teach you the practical skills you need to bring about positive change in local, national, and international communities. Our research is already influencing government policies and practice in various areas, such as domestic abuse guidelines, healthcare guidelines, and sustainable energy policies.

Teaching and learning

This course is taught by an interdisciplinary team using a variety of delivery methods:

  • lectures;
  • workshops;
  • student-led presentations and debate;
  • group work;
  • individual research.

Coursework and assessment

Most course units are assessed by 3,000-word essays, or by essay and presentation.

Part-time students

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

Course unit details

A master’s degree is formed of 180 credits.

120 of these credits are made up by a mix of mandatory and optional course units, worth 15 credits each. You will need to select between four and eight of these course units, with 60 credits taken each semester. The availability of individual optional course units may be subject to change. Information that is sent to you in August about registration onto the course will clearly state the course units that are available in the academic year ahead.

Core units include:

  • Qualitative Research Methods;
  • Social Theory: Structure, Relations and Interaction (SRI);
  • Research Design;
  • Research Strategy and Project Management;
  • Philosophical and Methodological Foundations of Social Research;
  • Sociology Study Skills Support;
  • Introduction to Quantitative Methods.

The remaining 60 credits are awarded through a compulsory research component in the form of a 12,000-word dissertation. Your dissertation must be within the area of one of the course units you have chosen.

Your dissertation research is supported by weekly research methodology lectures designed to improve your academic and legal research and writing skills.

Part-time students

Part-time students take four out of the five compulsory course units in the first year, and then take the other one in year two. The remaining 60 credits of optional course units are selected and taken accordingly over the two years.

Other exit awards

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.

Course unit list

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
SOCS60230 15 Mandatory
SOCY60000 60 Mandatory
SOCY60332 15 Mandatory
SOCY60401 15 Mandatory
SOCY60412 15 Mandatory
SOCY60431 15 Mandatory
SOST70511 15 Mandatory
CRIM70821 15 Optional
SOCY60141 15 Optional
SOCY60231 15 Optional
SOCY60282 15 Optional
SOCY60292 15 Optional
SOCY60342 15 Optional
SOCY60360 15 Optional
SOCY60361 15 Optional
SOCY60551 15 Optional
SOCY60631 15 Optional
SOCY60802 15 Optional
SOCY60811 15 Optional
SOCY60822 15 Optional
SOCY60831 15 Optional
SOCY60991 15 Optional
SOCY70061 15 Optional
SOCY70112 15 Optional
SOCY71012 15 Optional
Displaying 10 of 25 course units

What our students say

Discover why our students chose our MSc in Sociological Research and what they loved about their time at Manchester – take a look at our student spotlights .

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: dass@manchester.ac.uk

Careers

Career opportunities

The University of Manchester is one of the most targeted universities by the UK’s top graduate employers (High Fliers, The Graduate Market Report 2024).

Many of our graduates continue specialising for a career in research and universities through a PhD in Sociology or a similar subject.

Our MSc Sociological Research course gives you the specialist skills required for a range of careers, such as in:

  • education;
  • social and community work, such as welfare advice, working with families, or people experiencing homelessness and poor mental health;
  • international humanitarian institutions like the UN;
  • the charity sector;
  • human resources;
  • the media.

You will also acquire vital skills relevant to many different sectors and roles, such as research design, effective communication and teamwork. Our highly-skilled graduates go on to succeed in areas such as:

  • think tanks and pressure groups;
  • social research;
  • business and management;
  • data analysis;
  • academia and teaching.

The University has its own dedicated, award-winning Careers Service where you can benefit from tailored careers support, practice interviews, CV and application support, job listings for Manchester students, and much more. Better yet, you’ll have access to our Careers Service both during your course and for two years after you graduate, so we know you’re on the right path.

Regulated by the Office for Students

The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website.

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website.