Department of Sociology

MRes Social Research

One year full-time or two years part-time

Further information

contact: Tony Glendinning, Department of Sociology
tel: +44 (0)1224 (27)2737
fax: +44 (0)1224 (27)2552
e-mail: tony@abdn.ac.uk OR socscipg@abdn.ac.uk

SAAS/PSAS Awards for the MRes. in Social Research, 2011-12

The Scottish Government continues to recognise the MRes in Social Research as a programme of postgraduate training under their SAAS/PSAS scheme. In 2011-2012, the scheme will meet the cost of tuition fees for home and EU student, either on a full-time or part-time basis. Those who wish to apply to the scheme must contact Tony Glendinning in the first instance, the programme co-ordinator of the MRes in Social Research. The Department of Sociology approves and nominates applicants to SAAS/PSAS. To be considered applicants must have been accepted onto the MRes. programme.  The MRes runs for the full academic year, from October to September.

To apply online for the MRes programme, see http://www.abdn.ac.uk/postgraduate/apply.php

Aims

The course provides training in the methodology and techniques of social research. It aims to equip students with the skills they need to undertake independent research and it is tailored so that they may progressively develop a research topic in an area of their own interest. For those intending to go on to complete a PhD in Sociology, the course provides the necessary skills, as above, plus the support and training required to guide students through the initial stages of their doctoral research.

Assessment

Assessment takes the form of research assignments, presentations, papers and reports for each individual taught course, plus a 14,000-word dissertation on an agreed research topic.

Syllabus

The programme has four elements:

  1. an advanced social theory course;
  2. two advanced methods courses providing training in qualitative and quantitative approaches to social research;
  3. two research skills courses involving writing-up a research report and writing and presenting a research paper; and a
  4. dissertation in social research.

1st Semester:

SO5011 Qualitative Sociology

30 Credits

SO5014 Advanced Social Theory

30 Credits

2nd Semester:

SO5513 Quantitative Sociology

30 Credits

SL5507 Approaches to Analysis

15 Credits

SL5508 Research Seminar

15 Credits

3rd Semester:

SO5503 Research Dissertation

60 Credits

A dissertation of 14,000 words in length must be submitted by all students taking the Masters in Social Research degree. Students who have been accepted on to the Department’s PhD programme can use the dissertation to clarify their research question, review appropriate literature, explain and defend their research methods, and analyse and describe their preliminary findings. For students completing their studies with the Masters of Research in Social Research the dissertation will report on a completed piece of independent research.

Qualifications - Masters, Diploma and Certificate

Entry Requirements

The entry requirement is a good undergraduate degree (either a First or an Upper Second) in sociology or a related discipline. It is an essential requirement that entrants possess the necessary English language skills.

Please note that if you are intending to proceed to PhD, we will only accept students who plan to undertake research in an area where we have the staff expertise to offer first-rate supervision. For staff profiles and research expertise, see Staff and Research pages.

The MRes is designed for students of social research, but the methods’ modules (SO5011, SO5513, and SL5507) are also open, on application to the programme co-ordinator, Tony Glendinning, to other postgraduate students registered with the University.

 

This page was last updated on 01-Feb-2013 11:53:35 GMT