MA Research Methods
This is an interdisciplinary degree programme, which is taught by with colleagues from across the Faculty of Social Sciences. It has grown out of long standing collaborations between staff in the schools, who have been involved in joint research and teaching for a number of years. We hope and expect that students will find the opportunity to work alongside those from the other subject areas as interesting and productive as we ourselves have.
Each student is registered for one of the available pathways (links to Postgraduate Prospectus):
The aim of the programme is to equip students with the theoretical understandings and practical skills required to carry out independent research using a variety of methodological approaches and research techniques.
By the end of the course, students will:
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Be familiar with the range of methods used by researchers in the social sciences
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Understand the theoretical and methodological underpinnings of these methods
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Be able to make an informed choice about which methods are appropriate for answering particular questions
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Be competent to design and carry out research using a range of different methods of data collection and analysis
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Have a clear grasp of the ethical and political issues which arise in research in health, the social sciences or social work
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Be able to frame research in relation to the theoretical and conceptual issues which arise in the subject areas in which they are working
Course structure
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Research Design Practice and Ethics (10 credits)
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Foundations in Qualitative Methods (10 credits)
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Fundamentals of Quantitative Analysis (10 credits)
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Philosophy of Research - Social Science (10 credits)
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Methods in Social Science Research (20 credits)
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Subject-specific modules (40 credits)
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Advanced specialist modules (20 credits)
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Dissertation (60 credits)
The 15,000 word dissertation will be a research proposal consisting of a literature review and research work that is relevant to the student's area. Each student will have a supervisor who will oversee the dissertation.
Please see the Postgraudate Prospectus for the entry requirements for each programme (see links above).
Funding opportunities
The School offers scholarships for this MA and the International Office offer further funding opportunities.
Applications must be submitted online
Mrs Alison Haigh
School of Sociology and Social Policy, The University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
Tel:+44 (0)115 951 5354 Email: Socresearch Website: Postgraduate Prospectus