MRes Sociology, Planning and Policy

Course description
During this course we introduce you to social research methods and strategies, and the supporting theories and philosophies. You can also develop areas of specialist interests and integrate these into your methodological training. On a number of the modules, you meet and discuss research issues with students from our other MRes courses and doctoral level researchers.
This course is for you if you have a first degree in any discipline within social sciences and plan to
• work in areas of social policy and sociology
• carry out research in these and related subject areas such as health, crime and policing, leisure and education policy, town planning or environmental studies.
If you are already working in the field, you and your current employer may see this course as a professional development opportunity, giving you the skills to further your career and current practice.
Our staff are currently involved in research areas including
• labour market and occupational studies
• public health
• discourse and identities
• European, international and comparative politics and policy
• social statistics
• policing studies
• criminology
• urban studies
• labour history
• drug use and rehabilitation
• housing studies
• environment and sustainability
• visual ethnography
• education and social class
• poverty and inclusion
• ethnicity and religion
• media and impact on diversity and equality
• social activism
• sexualities and gender
• teenage pregnancy and parenting
• youth studies, youth work and volunteering
• work and family life
• charities, volunteering and the non-profit sector.
You study a range of research methodologies throughout the course including • interview-based narrative and biographical research • case study and ethnography • media analysis • surveying and sampling • statistical analysis of large data sets. You critique current developments in research methodology then...