Social Science Research (Taught)

Accredited by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), our prestigious MSc Social Science Research programme is designed for students interested in a research career in academia or industry.

There are 10 pathways:

• Communication and Media

• Sociology, Criminology and Social Policy

• Health and Wellbeing

• Sport and Exercise Science

• Human Geography

• Education

• Management and Business Studies

• Living in a Digital Society

• Cross-disciplinary Methodologies and Advanced Data Analysis

• Sustainable Development, Net Zero and Climate Resilience

This programme has a strong focus on research. All pathways share three core modules covering qualitative and quantitative research, research design, practice and ethics in the context of social science research, taught by the School of Social Sciences and Humanities. Graduates from this programme will be fully equipped to independently undertake research, whether they intend to progress onto a PhD or a career in research.

The School of Social Sciences and Humanities is a stimulating environment in which to pursue a postgraduate degree. It fosters interdisciplinary research and collaboration and hosts the Centre for Research in Communication and Culture (CRCC) , the Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP) and the Centre for Sustainable Transitions: Energy, Environment and Resilience (STEER).

The 10 available pathways allow students to tailor their degree towards their area of interest, complementing the core modules with pathway-specific modules taught by experts in the field, benefitting from a cross-disciplinary approach with teaching across departments.

The programme is in full compliance with the Economic and Social Research Council’s requirements for an MSc in Social Science Research. On completion of the course, students will have met the training requirements for PhD funding from the ESRC, opening up the possibility of securing PhD funding from the ESRC. This programme is also available as part of an ESRC Studentship. Loughborough University is proud to be part of Midlands Graduate School ESRC DTP, which offers studentships for outstanding applicants. ESRC funding is highly competitive and subject to restrictions.

Who should study this programme?

• Students wishing to pursue a career in academia

• Professionals who wish to both develop and strengthen their applied research skills in any of the 10 available areas of study

• Those wishing to conduct research in non-academic public and private sector roles.