Social Science Research Methods (MSc)

How will I be taught?

Drawing on methods employed by your lecturers in their own research, this programme offers the opportunity to develop advanced research skills and apply them to topics of your choice in a vibrant and engaging manner. The course is taught by internationally recognised experts from across 5 contributing schools – School of Social Sciences, Cardiff Business School, School of Geography and Planning, School of Psychology, School of Law and Politics – reflecting the interdisciplinary character of the course. The disciplinary backgrounds include sociology, criminology, education, social work, social policy, social psychology, socio-legal studies, politics, and human geography.

The programme is structured around a core autumn semester, introducing students to the philosophies that underlie social scientific research as well as qualitative and quantitative methods. This is followed by the spring semester, which offers more in the way of options, as you’ll choose advanced methods to refine your skills, which will be applied in the dissertation, a piece of independent research on a topic of your choosing. Finally, the dissertation is supervised by a colleague from one of the participating schools, allowing you to apply your methodological learning to a research topic in: sociology, criminology, education, social work, social policy, social psychology, socio-legal studies, politics, or human geography. All research conducted as part of this degree will be in accordance with the University’s ethics approval process.

The main mode of delivery will be face-to-face teaching that will take a variety of forms. Teaching methods will include lectures that provide ‘road maps’ for new and challenging areas of content and more interactive sessions that will provide an opportunity for you to discuss your own engagement with the materials and content with subject specialists and peers. You’ll be expected to attend all the teaching activities as set out in the timetable. You’ll also be expected to undertake independent study to prepare for class-based activities and to develop these in order to complete your assessments successfully. For the dissertation stage, you’ll be assigned a supervisor who will work with you to develop your ideas and complete an independent research project.

How will I be assessed?

Due to the nature of the knowledge, understanding, and skills developed during the course, the primary mode of assessment will be written coursework items. These will take a variety of forms such as long form essays, shorter reflective pieces, analytic notes, and portfolio tasks. These written tasks will be complemented by other forms of assessment where this is appropriate to the module, including in class tests and exam-format assessments.

 

All modules will have more than one assessment item, typically split between mid-term and end of semester tasks. Assessments will be closely mapped to the module and programme learning outcomes and you will have ample opportunity to demonstrate your competence and expertise across the range of assessments offered by the programme. Each module will provide at least one formative feedback opportunity. Formative feedback will be closely linked to the summative assessments and will help you to work toward completing them successfully. Feedback (of various forms) will be provided on all pieces of coursework.

On successful completion of the taught component, you will prepare a dissertation of a maximum 20,000 words.

How will I be supported?

A personal tutor from the teaching team will be assigned to you and will be available to discuss your progress and provide advice and guidance on your academic studies. The Student Hub, and the Taught Programmes Office can also provide advice on your course, as well as how to access university services.

All modules within the course make use of Cardiff University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) – Learning Central – on which you will find course materials, links to related materials and information relating to assessment tasks including, for example, assessment criteria, study skills, and guidelines for submitting assessments.

Additional module-specific support is provided by academic staff who will hold weekly office hours or drop-in sessions either face-to-face or online. The dissertation will be supported by a supervisor who will meet with you regularly and will guide you toward completing this piece of independent work.

Formative feedback

Formative feedback is feedback that does not contribute to progression or degree classification decisions.  The goal of formative feedback is to improve your understanding and learning before you complete the coursework items that make up your grade for each module. Formative feedback is intended to help you identify strengths and weaknesses in your work, as well specific areas of skill development.

A key form of formative feedback will be gained through participation in learning activities but especially in-class discussions. These are important opportunities for you to test your understanding of key ideas and concepts as well as trying out arguments ahead of writing coursework items. These opportunities are all designed to help you develop your work for the summative assessment items in each module and your dissertation research. 

Summative feedback

In addition to your grade, feedback on summative assessments will highlight specific strengths and weaknesses in relation to the marking criteria for that task and/or the module. From this feedback you will be able to better understand how well you have met the learning outcomes of the module as well as areas that need to be developed. The feedback will be written in a constructive manner such that you can identify clear areas for improvement ahead of your next assessments. 

All feedback on written coursework is provided electronically to ensure it is readily accessible and easy to read. Some module convenors may choose to make additional digital voice recordings. In the case of class tests, the module convenor will provide feedback to the whole class, but you are also able to discuss your individual test paper and the mark it was awarded with the module convenor.

What skills will I practise and develop?

The Learning Outcomes for this Programme describe what you will achieve by the end of your programme at Cardiff University and identify the knowledge and skills that you will develop. They will also help you to understand what is expected of you.

On successful completion of your Programme you will be able to:

Knowledge & Understanding:

• Demonstrate a systematic understanding of a range of social scientific methods.
• Demonstrate a critical approach to existing theories and approaches to social science methods, including appreciation of the relationship between different disciplinary approaches.
• Display a deep understanding of specific methods that is informed by specialist reading.

Intellectual Skills:

• Critically evaluate ideas around research methods and construct an abstract argument, arguing for alternative methodological approaches where relevant.
• Independently design and undertake investigations to address topics of theoretical or policy interest and evaluate methodological approaches to generate empirical data. 
• Identify, define and analyse complex issues and ideas, exercising critical judgement in evaluating sources of information and demonstrating flexible and creative analyses of complex or contradictory data/theories/evidence.

Professional Practical Skills:

• Demonstrate competence in the application of selected social scientific methods in the investigation of the social world, collecting qualitative and/or quantitative data in a rigorous and methodologically sound manner.
• Demonstrate a capability for critically evaluating methodological debates, assessing competing approaches in the empirical investigation of social scientific phenomena.
• Demonstrate understanding of the practical challenges faced when gathering empirical data and display resilience, adaptability and creativity in response.

Transferable/Key Skills:

• Engage productively with feedback to implement improvements, taking responsibility for own performance.
• Communicate effectively in a range of formats (including structure, accuracy of grammar and awareness of audience/genre).
• Utilise and apply information technology in scholarly work and the conduct of qualitative or quantitative research.