Social Research Methods and Statistics MSc

Year of entry: 2025

Course length: 12 months Full-time | 24 months Part-time

About the course

Our MSc in Social Research Methods and Statistics is designed to be accessible to non-statisticians, yet is more focused than many other existing master's courses in social research methods.

The MSc has a strong connection with the Cathie Marsh Institute for Social Research , reflecting our commitment to interdisciplinary, integrated research. Research activities within the discipline area are both methodological and substantive. We focus on a range of subject areas including social inequalities, population dynamics and survey methodology.

The course is recognised by both the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the North West Doctoral Training Centre, and we regularly receive receive a applications from the course for PhD positions with the Advanced Quantitative methods (AQM) and CASE awards each year. You can also study: MSc Social Research Methods and Statistics with Demography and MSc Social Research Methods and Statistics with Computational Social Science.

We revise our fees each academic year. For up-to-date fees information for 2025 entry, please visit our website.

Join a UK Top 10 university for Sociology, Mathematics, and Statistics

(Times Higher Education Rankings 2024)

Study a degree linked to the pioneering Cathie Marsh Institute for Social Research (CMI) and recognised by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as a research training outlet.

Our graduates are among the most targeted by top UK employers

(High Fliers 2024)

Compulsory Units

Survey Research Methods
Statistical Foundations
Introduction to Statistical Modelling
Complex Survey Designs and Analysis
Methodology and Research Design
MSc Dissertation

Optional Units

Topological Data Analysis
Longitudinal Data Analysis
Causal Inference for Policies, Interventions and Experiments
Statistical Models for Social Networks

These are examples of units offered in 2023/24 and are subject to change.

See the full list of units and find out more on the full course profile >

Where will your degree take you?

This course addresses an increasing need for well-trained social scientists who are able to apply advanced methods of analysis to complex data.

You will gain relevant marketable skills that will put you in a good position to obtain jobs in the academic sector, central and local government, commercial consultancy, and research.

We have excellent links with the Office for National Statistics and government departments, local authorities and many commercial organisations and we are well placed to assist you in finding jobs.

A number of our students already hold research positions (typically in local government or overseas), taking the MSc as part of a career development programme.

The course is ideal preparation if you wish to pursue doctoral study, and is a formal component of our 1+3 PhD training model. You are offered support to apply for PhD funding.

Emily Buehler

Social Research Methods and Statistics MSc

“My master's degree provides a good foundation of statistical and research methods and I have really enjoyed the course units on more advanced statistical methods.“