Social Research Methods (Social Work)

Entry requirements

Normally an upper second class honours degree (2:1) or equivalent. However, applications from candidates with a 2.2 (or below) who have approved professional qualifications, for example in Social Work, together with experience, will be actively considered for admission. English Language requirements Please check requirements for your subject and level of study.

Months of entry

October

Course content

This programme provides an introduction to the principles and values of social work and an understanding of the organisation and delivery of social welfare and related services in the UK. It also provides you with a grounding in the social research methods necessary to conduct applied types of research that are a fundamental part of social work practice and evaluation.

You will take a range of taught modules primarily in the first two terms of the academic year. Starting from the first term, you will undertake a module on research design which enables students to develop a research proposal for their dissertation. Part-time candidates take an equal balance of credits in each year.

In previous years, typical modules offered were:

Core Modules

Perspectives on Social Research (15 credits)

• Introduction to social scientific research
• Establishing cause and interpreting meaning in social sciences
• Essentials of quantitative and qualitative research in the social sciences.

Statistical Exploration and Reasoning (15 credits)

• Spreadsheets and data analysis
• Populations, sample data and sampling distributions
• Point estimates and confidence intervals
• Significance tests, cress-tabulations, and Chi-Square tests
• Correlation and linear regression.

Research Design and Process (15 credits)

• Formulating research questions
• Evaluating and developing a research proposal
• Reviewing relevant literature
• Experimental vs. observational studies
• Sampling and selecting respondents
• Measurement.

Qualitative Research Methods in Social Science (15 credits)

• Introduction to theory and research practice in qualitative methods
• Ethnography and grounded theory
• Group discussions
• Data analysis and management processes.

Quantitative Research Methods in Social Science (15 credits)

• Sampling and sample design, questionnaire design
• Numerical taxonomy and cluster analysis in practice
• Methods for representing complex systems.

Social Work Context and Practice (30 credits)

• Contemporary social work and social welfare in a diverse society
• Construction of social problems
• Ethical frameworks for social practice
• Contemporary social work theories and practice.

Policy Related and Evaluation Research (15 credits)

• Relationship between theory and empirical research in evaluation
• Defining and measuring outcomes
• Case study analysis
• Poster presentation and participatory evaluation.

Dissertation (60 credits)

• 15,000 word dissertation based on a supervised research project.

Information for international students

English Language requirements Please check requirements for your subject and level of study.

Fees and funding

Scholarships and funding

https://www.dur.ac.uk/postgraduate/finance/funding/

Qualification and course duration

MA

Course contact details