Master of Science in Social Science Research Methods (Sociology)

at University of Bristol - Clifton Campus United Kingdom

Our MSci course is ideal if you want to continue in research or to stand out when applying for a PhD.

Years one and two provide a broad background in biomedical science as well as information about viruses and the diseases they cause. You will study the immune system and how it controls infection. You will also learn about autoimmune diseases that can occur if the immune system attacks the body's own tissues rather than an infectious agent.

You will progress to review the main viral diseases of humankind in terms of their natural history, biology, molecular biology, immunology, pathogenesis and epidemiology. These include HIV, hepatitis B and C, papilloma, influenza and measles, among others. You will learn about cutting-edge issues in virology and immunology, including emerging viruses, such as the Marburg and Ebola viruses, and SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19.

The additional, fourth year includes an extended research project and advanced research skills training with an emphasis on enterprise. You will plan projects, communicate with a variety of audiences, and learn to translate and commercialise research.

Expertise in modern languages has never been more important as the UK forges a new relationship with its European partners and seeks to develop its trading and cultural ties throughout the world. With our dedicated teaching staff and our state-of-the-art Multimedia Centre, we offer an outstanding environment in which to study modern languages.

We offer a flexible degree in which you can choose to study one, two, or three modern European languages. If you are studying one or two languages, you may have the option in the second year to begin Arabic, Catalan, Czech, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, or an additional European language.

In the first year, you gain an introduction to the culture and history of the countries in which your languages are spoken. In subsequent years, you choose from a range of units. Units may include literature, linguistics, film and visual culture, gender studies and political and social history. You can also access extracurricular activities such as talks by visiting speakers, societies, language cafés, student newspapers, and talent shows.

You will spend the third year abroad as a teaching assistant, as a student at a partner university, or on a work placement. You can split your year between different countries, according to the languages you study.

Researchers, research managers, policy advisers and service planners are all faced with a growing need for research that is timely and relevant. This program builds on the links between research and policy in developing the particular skills and capacities needed by policy-oriented researchers, professionals and postgraduate students who are interested in carrying out public policy, social policy and social welfare research. We believe this is vital if researchers are to maximise the impact of their work in addressing issues of real concern to policymakers.

The program provides core research training in philosophy and research design in the social sciences, along with introductions to and further approaches in quantitative and qualitative methods in the social sciences. It also offers optional units in our particular areas of research expertise, such as child and family welfare, gender and violence, health and social care, poverty and social exclusion, and policy-oriented evaluation.

We recognise that students will be joining with relevant - albeit varied - experience. Therefore, there will be opportunities for you to draw on your own experiences as researchers, managers and policy advisers and share insights with other students working towards research degrees in disability studies, social work research and health and wellbeing.

Those who have recently embarked on a career in policy research, or who hope to do so, will find the program offers a combination of academic rigour, up-to-date policy content and relevant skills development.

Core units are taught in collaboration with other postgraduate programs, providing a co-learning environment and giving you the opportunity to interact and share insights with other students working towards research degrees in disability studies, policy research, social work research and health and wellbeing. 

This course offers you an opportunity to pursue a career in accounting, with the benefit of spending one year studying abroad. It provides access to subjects accredited by professional accountancy bodies, including the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). Alternatively, you may pursue a career in finance and investment banking through our outstanding finance-oriented courses.

This four-year course is underpinned by theory and practice. It aims to foster collaboration and creative thinking in the use of case studies. Places on the course are allocated on merit depending on first-year examination results and availability of spaces at destination universities.

The course offers rewarding opportunities to participate in a summer internship and the Bristol PLUS Award. You can also benefit from the faculty's Professional Liaison Network, which offers a range of specialist employability services, including a professional mentoring scheme with alumni, insight talks and internships.

In the past, graduates have gone on to work for the Bank of England, JP Morgan, UBS, PwC, KPMG, EY, Microsoft, IBM and many other blue-chip organisations.

This course combines philosophy with the study of Russian and provides a valuable skill set that is ideally tailored to the increasingly globalised workplace.

For philosophy you will study units covering introduction to philosophy, logic, and realism and normativity.

For Russian, you will follow a curriculum designed to introduce you to many aspects of Russian studies. As well as following a structured language course, you will study Russian literature, history, thought, politics, linguistics and culture.

Russia continues to assert itself as an independent, powerful political and economic force; Russian expertise has never been more vital in a range of professions.

You will spend your third year abroad, studying or working in a Russian-speaking environment. This will enable you to refine your language skills and cultural knowledge. For further details of year abroad opportunities visit Global Opportunities.