MSc Sociological Research / Course details

Year of entry: 2024

Course description

One of the best things about the course is the opportunity to carry out smaller research projects within the QRM (Research Methods) units.

This means that I will graduate having already had experience of carrying out qualitative and quantitative research.

Hannah Wilson / MSc Sociological Research student

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.

Course unit details

Throughout the MSc Sociological Research course, you will take six course units, which are:  

  • research design;
  • research strategy and project management;  
  • social theory and cultural identity; 
  • philosophical and methodological;
  • foundations of social research; 
  • quantitative methods; 
  • qualitative methods.   

Plus two optional course units, including: 

  • postcolonial theory and method; 
  • protest and progress  sociology of consumption;  
  • cultural criticism:
  • sources for a public sociology;
  • new developments in theories of gender and sexuality; 
  • urban sociology;
  • social capital and social change.

You may also negotiate an independent studies course unit, linked to your particular research interests, subject to a suitable academic supervisor being available. You would need to complete a 12,000-word dissertation, on a research topic of your choice, in addition to the eight taught course units.

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
Qualitative Research Methods SOCS60230 15 Mandatory
Dissertation SOCY60000 60 Mandatory
Social Theory: Structure, Relations and Interaction (SRI) SOCY60332 15 Mandatory
Research Design SOCY60401 15 Mandatory
Research Strategy and Project Management SOCY60412 15 Mandatory
Philosophical and Methodological Foundations of Social Research SOCY60431 15 Mandatory
Introduction to Quantitative Methods SOST70511 15 Mandatory
Protest and Progress: Understanding Movements for Social and Political Change SOCY60142 15 Optional
Critical Theory SOCY60282 15 Optional
Doing research with social network data and visualizations SOCY60292 15 Optional
Cultural Criticism: Sources for a Public Sociology SOCY60342 15 Optional
Mitchell Centre seminar series SOCY60360 15 Optional
Social network analysis: concepts and measures SOCY60361 15 Optional
Independent Studies I SOCY60531 15 Optional
Sociology of Consumption SOCY60552 15 Optional
Independent Studies II SOCY60592 15 Optional
Theories of social relations, networks, and social structure SOCY60631 15 Optional
Theories of Gender and Sexuality SOCY60992 15 Optional
Urban Sociology SOCY70061 15 Optional
Postcolonial Theory and Politics SOCY70111 15 Optional
Displaying 10 of 20 course units

What our students say

Our students share their experiences of studying Sociology at Manchester in 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