Social Research

Social Research - MSc

Social research helps us understand human behaviour, providing insights into social issues, personal experiences, public opinion, patterns of collective behaviour and what causes them. The MSc Social Research offers a thorough grounding in a range of professional research skills and methodologies. Thus, you’ll gain practical experience of qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method analysis techniques and develop valuable transferable skills in critical thinking, analysis and problem-solving. Excellent preparation for further research or doctoral study, you’ll also be well placed for roles in business or government, marketing, policy-making, charitable organisations, education and training, or law.

We are in the process of refreshing our curriculum for the 2025/26 academic year to reflect best practices and the latest advancements in academia. New course content and modules will be available on this course page in due course.

Month of entry

September

Mode of study

Full time, Part time

Location

Keele University campus

Subject area

Social Science

Fees for 2025/26 academic year

UK - Full time £10,100 per year. Part time £5,600 per year.
International - £20,200 per year.

Duration of study

Full time 1 year, Part time 2 years, Modular up to 5 years

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Why study Social Research at Keele University?

Flexible in its delivery, this course can be studied as either full-time over one year, part-time over two years, or on a modular basis up to five years, accumulating degree credits as you go

The MSc is recognised by and meets the requirements of the Economic and Social Research Council’s (ESRC) postgraduate social science research training and development guidelines

Excellent student support, supervision and flexibility, allowing you to pursue a topic of interest - your choice - as part of the final dissertation

Keele is a member of the ESRC’s North West Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP), which opens up opportunities for PhD research funding

High staff-to-student ratio enhanced by small-group tutorials and a strong, inclusive research community

Course summary

Generating knowledge that can ultimately ease suffering and improve individual, community and even international relations, the impact of social science research cannot be underestimated. It helps policy makers recognise and understand social issues, informing decisions about the design and implementation of appropriate responses to anything from economic aid and education, to health and immigration.

Constantly evolving, social phenomena – the individual, social and external influences that affect our behaviour and opinions about life and our relationships with others – can have a profound effect on people’s lives and development.

Blending theory, methodology and practice, this course provides systematic introductory and interdisciplinary research and researcher training. It is mapped against the Vitae Researcher Development Framework (RDF), which articulates the knowledge, behaviours and attributes of successful world-class researchers.

You will learn how to plan, conduct and manage social research projects, developing theoretical models and recommendations to inform responses to real-world social issues as diverse as multiculturalism, political discourse and right-wing populism or extremism, volunteering, transitions to adulthood and employment.

The School of Social Sciences benefits from internationally respected expertise within the disciplines of criminology, education, international relations, philosophy, politics and sociology.

From the outset, you will be paired with an experienced supervisor, receiving the guidance expected of a taught master’s, while having the freedom to research and write a dissertation on a topic of your choice. Recent topics covered by our students have included re-democratising education, parent participation and new school governance regimes, the 'quarter-life crisis', and the relationship between social media usage and wellbeing.

The MSc will be of particular interest if you are considering doctoral (PhD) study in a social science discipline or are seeking to work in the public, private or third sector – for example, in social or market research, social and health care, for local and national government or charitable and community organisations. If you already work in these areas, it provides practical, career-focused training to better develop your social research skills.

Alternatively, if you are a recent graduate and have not yet decided on a firm career, this master’s will support your personal and professional development. Among the many skills you’ll develop are critical thinking and reasoning, communication, mental flexibility, teamwork ability and self-leadership, some of the most in-demand essential transferable ‘soft’ skills according to global consultants McKinsey.

In addition to having the dedicated Keele Postgraduate Association, the University is a member of the Economic and Social Research Council's (ESRC) North West Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP). This MSc programme complies with the ESRC's research training requirements for PhD scholarships (commonly termed +3), and is also suitable as the master's year as part of an ESRC scholarship award that covers both the master's and PhD (commonly termed a 1+3 award).

Other courses you might be interested in:

PhD/MPhil Philosophy

Next steps

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"The MRes was an excellent opportunity to prepare for my career as a qualitative research associate. The varied and hands-on modules challenged my thinking and gave me the opportunity to trial different research methods, analysis techniques and analysis software to discover my strengths, but importantly gave me the confidence to develop my weak spots! The small teaching groups allowed me to create a great support network with my peers and get to know the staff. The support that I received from staff was excellent and there was always someone available to answer questions or provide feedback on work. "

Tamsin, MRes Social Science Research Methods

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Course structure

A central feature of Keele's MSc Social Research is its flexible structure. This course can be studied as either a one-year full-time or two-year part-time course, with a September start date. It is also possible to study more flexibly part-time on a modular basis, accumulating degree credits by taking individual modules over a period of maximum of five years.

The taught component of the course includes seven compulsory core modules and one optional module. Much of this content is designed to equip you with additional skills in research, ensuring that ESRC guidelines on postgraduate training and development are met and that benchmark criteria set out within the Vitae framework are attained.

This purposefully seeks to develop your ability to think independently and address problem-solving in a systematic and disciplined way, equipping you with key transferable skills in project management, communication, analysis and reasoning. You’ll develop your ability to analyse complex information and present your arguments clearly and coherently.

Throughout, you will be preparing for the Dissertation (60 credits) which you will conduct and then write up in the later stages of the course.

Modules

The module details given below are indicative, they are intended to provide you with an idea of the range of subjects that are taught to our current students. The modules that will be available for you to study in future years are prone to change as we regularly review our teaching to ensure that it is up-to-date and informed by the latest research and teaching methods, as well as student voice. The information presented is therefore not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules available in any given year.

Core modules

The schedule below is indicative of one year of full-time study. If you study over two years part-time, course content will be the same, but the taught elements will be split over the two years.

ETH-40051: Ethics in Research (15 credits, semester 1)
This module aims to provide a critical understanding of key ethical issues in research across academic and professional disciplines in humanities, science, social science and health. The focus of the module is on ethical analysis of such issues rather than on specific regulatory and governance processes.

GRT-40023: Approaches to Research Design and Process (15 credits, semester 1)
This module explores the differences between types of research design and the consequences of these designs for the development of a methodology. The module also introduces the different strategies for gathering evidence in the social sciences, including documentary research, interviews and focus groups, ethnography, and surveys.

GRT-40028: Researcher Skills (15 credits, semester 1)
This module aims to deliver a comprehensive introduction to the qualities of effective research practice in the social sciences, through reflective engagement with the Vitae Researcher Development Framework. It focuses on the notion of research as a craft and aims to provide tools with which you can develop your researcher skills in a reflective way.

SOC-40014: Philosophy of the Social Sciences (15 credits, semester 1)
This module provides you with a thorough introduction to the philosophical roots of social research and debates around methodology and methodological approaches to research. You are encouraged to understand your own research in terms of what has gone before and how your own approach might fit into a particular research tradition.

GRT-40020: Quantitative Research and Data Analysis (15 credits, semester 2)
On this module we explore the opportunities offered by a quantitative approach to social research, develop familiarity with the theoretical underpinnings of quantitative social research, and gain practical data analysis skills using SPSS software. Practical work will include questionnaire design, data analysis and the writing of a quantitative research design.

GRT-40021: Qualitative Research Methods (15 credits, semester 2)
This module provides an overview of the philosophical and theoretical underpinnings of different approaches to qualitative research. It examines how qualitative methodologies inform research design and explores the development of associated methods of investigations, such as interviewing, observation, and visual research. Students will also be introduced to NVivo software used by qualitative researchers in the management and analysis of qualitative data.

GRT-40026: Using Theory in Social Science Research (15 credits, semester 2)
This module offers advanced instruction in a range of theoretical perspectives - for example, symbolic interactionism, phenomenology and post-humanism - within social science research. Providing you with the tools to confidently apply theory to your research, it critically unpacks the relationship between methodology and theory. You will consider the differences between grand theory and general theory and learn to select the most suitable for our research in order to build a critical account of the field of study.

Elective modules

You will also choose one 15 credit elective module from the following:

GRT-40016: Independent Subject-Specific Research (15 credits, semester 2)
This module is for full-time students who wish to pursue advanced quantitative research and data analysis. The module is supported by a supervisor who will help you think through the different statistical approaches to data analysis.

GRT-40018: Advanced Qualitative Research Methods (15 credits, semester 2)
This module offer advanced instruction on the development of qualitative research designs, in the identification of appropriate fieldwork tools, and in analysing qualitative data. The module also offers advanced IT training in NVivo, software used in the management and analyses of qualitative data.

GRT-40019: Ethnographic Research (15 credits, semester 2)
Today ethnography is used in all social science fields, and this module will be invaluable for gaining a greater understanding of the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of ethnographic research, as well as gaining practical experience of conducting observational work.

HLT-40002: Advanced Quantitative Data Analysis (15 credits, semester 2)
This is for students on the part-time or modular route through the programme who wish to pursue advanced training in quantitative methods. This module covers advanced analytic methods, such as extensions of the regression model and analysis of variance. It also provides an introduction to multivariate data reduction techniques such as factor analysis, and some specialist techniques (e.g. structural equation modelling). The material is predominately taught using SPSS, and although the module encourages a sound understanding of statistical principles, the primary emphasis is on practical data analysis.

PSY-40083: Using Research to Influence Policy and Practice (15 credits, semester 2)
This module will explore how research can be used to influence policy and practice, a common area when working with children. This module will be shared with students on the Psychology and Health Inequalities course with some content for students on both courses, to allow students to focus specifically on policies that relate to children and young people, if they choose. You will also gain experience of writing for a policy setting in the assessment for this module.

Dissertation

GRT-40017: Dissertation (60 credits, semester 1-3)
The dissertation is the final assessment on the programme that brings together your modular learning in the development and implementation of a significant piece of research.

Next steps

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Entry requirements

The following section details our typical entry requirements for this course for a range of UK and international qualifications. If you don't see your qualifications listed, please contact us to find out if we can accept your qualifications.

Typical offer

Please ensure that you read the full entry requirements by selecting your qualifications from the dropdown menu below. This will include any subject specific, GCSE/Level 2 Maths, and English language requirements you may need.

Typical offer: 2:2 degree in any humanities or social science subject Additional criteria apply

Please select your country from the drop-down list below for the full entry requirement information

UK

2:2 degree in any humanities or social science subject
or
demonstrated professional or relevant qualifications or experience