Master of Science in Sociology

at University of Bristol - Clifton Campus United Kingdom

Social policy provides an exciting opportunity to critically analyse contemporary social issues related to human wellbeing, inequality, disadvantage and crime. You will explore real-world challenges in a global context, drawing on social, political, public policy and economic theories.

Our BSc Social Policy course is one of the longest-running social policy degrees in the country and it consistently scores high in University subject rankings.

The first year introduces key concepts and ideologies and familiarises you with theoretical, comparative and historical analyses. It also develops your research skills as a social scientist.

Years two and three allow you to explore your interests in greater depth through a range of optional units which focus on contemporary, real-world political and social issues. Students may also choose a work placement option in the second year.

The final-year dissertation is an opportunity to choose a topic for in-depth investigation and independent work.

Marketing embraces a range of compulsory skills, competences and knowledge that makes our students competitive in today’s digital era. Our BSc Marketing course allows you to build your knowledge and skills by combining academic rigour with real-world application, leading you into a structured career in marketing.

The course has been developed with input from marketing practitioners and world-leading researchers to synthesise the most relevant advancements in marketing discipline with industry demand. Our broad range of topics includes everything from fundamental marketing theories to digital marketing, consumer behaviour and brand management.

You will also study the key aspects of management theory alongside students from other management disciplines, developing an understanding of how marketing fits into larger organisational workplace structure.

This degree offers you the flexibility to follow your own interests in classical civilisation by combining core units on Graeco-Roman literature and culture with more specialised units on topics such as ancient literature, philosophy, history, art and archaeology.

In your first two years you will explore core topics in the literary and artistic culture of the ancient Graeco-Roman world and consider its legacy in the modern world. You will choose optional units from a range of topics in ancient literature, history and culture and you may also choose to study Greek or Latin. There is the possibility of studying abroad in your second year.

In your third year you choose seminar-based subjects and write a dissertation on your own specialist research project. You will also plan, promote and execute a project aimed at presenting the ancient world to the wider public, with a member of staff acting as adviser.

Our BA Comparative Literatures and Cultures degree offers an unmatched opportunity to study international cultural production in depth and breadth. You will study global literatures and cultures in comparative frameworks that draw on methodologies from textual, cultural and visual studies, as well as from translation, philosophy, history, social science and critical theory. Texts will be read in English translation.

Core units in years one and two currently include: What is Comparative Literature and How Do We Practise It?; Introduction to Visual Cultures; Popular Representation and Institutions of Culture; Migrations of Culture. Additionally, you will have a wide choice of optional units based in the culture of a single language or a combination of cultures.

You will spend your third year in a Portuguese-speaking country, where you will undertake university study, a British Council assistantship or a work placement. You will follow a programme of study in Portuguese, developing linguistic skills to permit you to communicate easily in writing and orally. For more information about the year abroad, visit Global Opportunities.

In year four you will complete an innovative supervised independent project, consisting of an extended essay on a topic of your choice and a public-facing element presented to the entire cohort (e.g. prospectus, interview, museum catalogue entries, newspaper article).

You will be taught by experts in the field and teaching is informed by staff research interests. The course is delivered in varied ways, through lectures, tutorials, seminars, workshops and one-to-one supervision. You will participate in small-group teaching and may be asked to give introductory talks to initiate discussion.

This programme encourages attributes highly valued by employers, including intercultural understanding, analytical and critical thinking, clarity and self confidence in communication, an aptitude for collaborative work, and creativity. It will instil the habits of curiosity, openness, rigour, self reflection and evidence-based thinking, preparing you for careers in a variety of sectors.

his MSc provides Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)-approved research training in politics and international relations. We aim to provide a thorough grounding in practical methodological skills through hands-on experience and the critical exploration of relevant examples and case studies. It is particularly suited to those seeking a career as a social science researcher or continuing to PhD level, including ESRC-funded doctoral study.

The School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies promotes a close-knit student community with easy access to members of staff who all give a high priority to teaching and supervision while maintaining high-quality, high-volume research.

The program provides thorough theoretical and practical knowledge of the variety of qualitative and quantitative data collection methods available to the social scientist, and the main methods of data analysis. This MSc also covers the research process, ethical considerations and social theory. You will be encouraged to apply your methods training to substantive research interests.

The study of identity is a burgeoning area of sociological and cultural studies. Over a range of units, this programme provides an introduction to key themes in this field, with identity explored in both theoretical and substantive ways.

On the one hand, there has been an exciting and innovative strand of work that explores and re-theorises the ideas of subjectivity and selfhood in the context of changes brought about by late modern and postmodern society. On the other, the question of identity has come under scrutiny within substantive areas of sociology, such as the sociology of race and ethnicity, the sociology of religion and the sociology of gender relations.

There are also important discussions concerning the ways in which identities are recorded and observed, including debates over new narrative and other qualitative methodologies.