Taught course

Survey Methods for Social Research

Institution
University of Essex · Department of Sociology and Criminology
Qualifications
MSc

Entry requirements

What methods are used to discover how people behave, what they believe and what opinions they hold? What sort of sampling techniques are needed to access different types of population? What is the best way to design a questionnaire? Our MSc Survey Methods for Social Research will provide answers to these questions and more, preparing you for a professional career in social, academic or market research. Central to our course is an emphasis on practical learning and experience, so you undertake a short work placement in one of a number of professional research organisations. You explore topics including: Sampling Questionnaire design Analysis of survey data Management of the survey process This course has ESRC Doctoral Training Centre accreditation, meaning it can form part of a 1+3 funding opportunity worth up to £18,000 for talented postgraduates. Our University is one of only 21 ESRC-accredited Doctoral Training Centres in the UK. Our Department of Sociology was rated top 10 in the UK for research quality (REF 2014), and ranked 9th in the UK for Sociology in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021.

Months of entry

October

Course content

What methods are used to discover how people behave, what they believe and what opinions they hold? What sort of sampling techniques are needed to access different types of population? What is the best way to design a questionnaire?

Our MSc Survey Methods for Social Research will provide answers to these questions and more, preparing you for a professional career in social, academic or market research. Central to our course is an emphasis on practical learning and experience, so you undertake a short work placement in one of a number of professional research organisations.

You explore topics including:

  • Sampling
  • Questionnaire design
  • Analysis of survey data
  • Management of the survey process

This course has ESRC Doctoral Training Centre accreditation, meaning it can form part of a 1+3 funding opportunity worth up to £18,000 for talented postgraduates. Our University is one of only 21 ESRC-accredited Doctoral Training Centres in the UK.

Our Department of Sociology was rated top 10 in the UK for research quality (REF 2014), and we consistently receive strong student satisfaction scores, including 96% overall student satisfaction in 2015.

Information for international students

Entry requirements - You can find international entry requirements for most countries on our webpage www.essex.ac.uk/international. If your country is not listed, please contact Postgraduate Admissions at pgadmit@essex.ac.uk.

Pre-sessional English Language courses -
If you need to improve your English language skills before joining your main degree course, we offer pre-sessional English courses on our campuses in partnership with Kaplan International Pathways. To learn more, please visit www.essex.ac.uk/international/pre-sessional

Funding -
You can explore scholarship opportunities for your country at www.essex.ac.uk/international or view our university-wide scholarships at www.essex.ac.uk/scholarships.

Fees and funding

There are a wide range of funding options for postgraduate study, including scholarships, bursaries and alumni discounts. You can check your eligibility at https://www.essex.ac.uk/postgraduate/masters/fees-and-funding.

Qualification, course duration and attendance options

  • MSc
    part time
    24 months
    • Campus-based learningis available for this qualification
    full time
    12 months
    • Campus-based learningis available for this qualification

Course contact details

Name
Postgraduate Enquiries
Email
pgadmit@essex.ac.uk