Social Network Analysis

Entry requirements

A bachelor degree with honours (minimum 2:1 or international equivalent) in social sciences, mathematics, physics, computer sciences, or the overseas equivalent.

Months of entry

September

Course content

This unique programme, the first of its kind world-wide, aims to equip students with the skills and knowledge to meet the increasing national and international demand for experts in social network analysis, both in academic social research as well as in commercial environments. Acquiring skill sets in in-demand areas such as data research, data visualisation and data modelling, graduates will be ideally suited to roles in the commercial and public sectors in areas where sociology meets big data, such as market research, public health, crime statistics and behaviour analysis.

The programme aims to offer a unique comprehensive training in social network analysis (SNA) covering theoretical foundations, research design, data collection techniques, methods for the analysis and visualization of network data, and statistical modelling of networks. At the end of the programme the students will be able to:

• Design research projects using SNA in a variety of applicative areas.
• Critically engage with the theoretical foundations of SNA and use them to formulate robust and coherent SNA empirical questions.
• Collect social network data in online and offline contexts, selecting the right data collection tools and assessing the validity and reliability of the data collection.
• Apply a wide range of analytical techniques to social network data.
• Statistically model the mechanisms for social network formation and evolution.
• Develop network studies and intervention that can be used in private and public sectors.
• Write social network analysis academic reports.

Fees and funding

Both home and international students may benefit from scholarships, merit awards, bursaries and loans available at The University of Manchester.

• Home students may be eligible for a postgraduate loan from the government to cover a significant proportion of their tuition fees.
• International students may be eligible for a number of international scholarships, such as the Manchester Humanities International Excellence Scholarship, the Global Futures Scholarship, or the GREAT Scholarship.
• Both home and international students who have studied at Manchester for their undergraduate degree and achieved a First may be eligible for the Manchester Alumni Scholarship Scheme of a reduction of £3,000 in tuition fees.

For further information on fees and funding, available scholarships and bursaries, as well as their full eligibility criteria, please visit our funding pages.