About the degree programme

This programme will provide you with an introduction to the key issues in approaches to, and techniques of, research methods and design in the social sciences.

Our programme instils key skills in qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis. It also offers additional study in research methods from the computational social sciences. This qualification will enable you to become an independent researcher who can engage and tackle pressing social issues through the application of rigorous social science research.

This MSc is recognised by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as research training for '1+3' funded students. '1+3' usually refers to students who undertake a 1-year MScR programme before continuing on to a PhD. This means the programme offers an excellent foundation for doctoral research, as well as a standalone qualification recognised by employers.

Who this programme is for

Whatever your subject or methodological background, the MSc in Social Research is a flexible and comprehensive qualification that will make you a sought-after researcher. You will combine strong quantitative and qualitative research skills with the theoretical training to contribute to important social research questions.

This programme is for you if you are interested in:

  • improving people’s lives using research and evidence
  • working for a government, company or an international organisation involved in social research
  • undertaking further study and building a firm methodological foundation on which to proceed
  • building a solid foundation for a PhD
  • formalising your existing skills as an analyst

Study options

Social Research with Quantitative Methods pathway

Within this programme we offer a specialist pathway - Social Research with Quantitative Methods. Closely linked to Edinburgh Q-Step Centre, you will undertake training in advanced social statistics and data science, always including hands-on opportunities to tackle social research questions using data from a variety of sources.

You will be embedded within the wider research environment of quantitative social science within Edinburgh Q-Step Centre, one of the largest collections of quantitative social scientists in the UK, and will be welcome to attend our thriving seminar series.

The rise of Big Data and the increasing linkages that are being made between social, administrative and biomedical data-sets make this an exciting time to study quantitative social science.

Studying Social Research at the School of Social and Political Sciences has been both challenging and rewarding. The course has provided me with vast knowledge of methods and theory, allowing me to learn new skills, fine-tune already existing knowledge and apply what I learned in assessments where I was able to explore my own research interests.

Tuition fees

Tuition fees by award and duration

Tuition fees for full-time and part-time options are listed for one academic year.

Full-time
Part-time

Graduate discount

If you are a University of Edinburgh graduate, you will be eligible for a 10% discount on your tuition fees for this programme. You may also be eligible if you were a visiting undergraduate student.

Find out how to receive your graduate discount

Deposit

You do not have to pay a deposit to secure your place on this programme.

Costs

Accommodation and living costs

You need to cover your accommodation and living costs for the duration of your programme.

We estimate that you might spend £1,167 to £2,330 per month if you are a single student.

Living costs include:

  • food
  • utility bills
  • travel, clothes, books and stationery
  • recreational costs (for example, TV subscriptions and social events)

Living costs

Accommodation costs depend on where you live while studying and the type of accommodation you choose.

University postgraduate accommodation options and costs

Funding opportunities

These entry requirements are for the 2026-27 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2027-28 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2026.

Qualifications

A UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent.

International qualifications

To find international equivalent qualifications, select where you studied from the country or region list.

English language requirements

You must prove that your English language abilities are at a high enough level to study this degree programme.

This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals.

You can meet our English language requirements with one of the following:

  • an English language test
  • a degree that was taught and assessed in English
  • certain professional qualifications

English language tests we accept

We accept any of the following English language tests, at the specified grade or higher:

  • IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.0 in each component We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 20 in each component We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 169 in each component.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
  • Oxford ELLT: total 8 with at least 6 in each component.
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 155 with at least 135 in each component.
How old your English language tests can be
Tests no more than two years old

The following English language tests must be no more than two years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality:

  • IELTS Academic
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition)
  • Trinity ISE
  • Oxford ELLT
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced
Tests no more than three and a half years old

All other English language tests must be no more than three and a half years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality.   

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English-speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration.

UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English-speaking countries (non-MESC).

Approved universities in non-MESC

How old your degree can be

If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts.

This time limit does not apply to your degree if you are a national of a majority English-speaking country.

Find out more about our English language requirements

Find out about other English language qualifications we accept, including professional qualifications.

English language requirements

What you will study

Our curriculum has three essential components, which provide a framework for your learning over the course of the year. They are:

  • core courses in Semesters 1 and 2
  • a set of specialist option courses
  • your dissertation

Dissertation

The third element of your programme is a dissertation, an extended, independent research-based project. This is your opportunity to undertake independent research, under the supervision of an appropriate member of academic staff.

Previous dissertation topics have included:

  • Do Humanitarians and Academics Differentially Construct Accountability to Crisis-Affected People?
  • Climate Change, Conflict and Migration in West Asia and North Africa
  • Managing Hybrid Social Media: A Case Study of Employees’ Boundary Management Strategies in WeChat
Placement-based dissertation

The aim of the placement-based dissertation is to provide you with the opportunity to work on your dissertation within the context of a workplace of your choosing, subject to Programme Director and Placement Adviser approval.

The placements generally consist of eight weeks of research with a host organisation in the UK or overseas, from our network of contacts, which includes:

  • NGOs
  • charities
  • social enterprises
  • think-tanks
  • government bodies

Placements can either be in person, hybrid or undertaken remotely. You are also able to source your own placements subject to university approval.

Please note that a placement-based dissertation is not guaranteed as part of this programme and are by competitive application.

Find out more about the placement-based dissertation option on our website:

Compulsory courses

Your three core courses introduce you to: 

  • quantitative and qualitative data collection
  • research design
  • quantitative data analysis

You will learn how to design and execute research that is able to respond to contemporary social challenges.

Option courses

You are able to choose three option courses from a list of recommended courses. 

Your option courses allow you to strengthen your research skills through developing further specialisation in qualitative, quantitative and computational social science research methods and analysis. In addition, your option courses also allow you to explore the connections between social theory and research methods.

The option courses are subject to change and cannot be guaranteed, but recent students have been able to choose courses on: 

  • computational methods
  • demography
  • longitudinal analysis
  • social network analysis
  • Bayesian statistics
  • autoethnography and evaluation methods

As well as topics including:

  • refugees and humanitarianism
  • global environment
  • queering health and social sciences
  • populism and the anthropology of political processes

Find courses for this programme

Find out what courses you can study on this programme and how each of them are taught and assessed.

The courses on offer may change from year to year, but the course information will give you an idea of what to expect on this programme.

Full-time
Part-time

We link to the latest information available. This may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

SPS Research Training Centre

The MSc Social Research is the flagship postgraduate degree of the SPS Research Training Centre (RTC).

The RTC applies expertise in a diverse set of social science methods through teaching and research to contribute new insights to the key challenges in society.

It is a hub for additional resources and workshops that MSc Social Research students can access to supplement their programme training, for example, in preparation for their dissertations.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this course, you will understand many of the key philosophical and theoretical debates in social-scientific research, as well as mastering a number of methodological skills and approaches to data collection and analysis.

Support for your studies

You will have access to a range of support services if you need them throughout your degree.

We will assign you to a student adviser, and this should be the first person to contact if you need help. They can guide you to other University service teams depending on what support you need.  

How we support you

Career opportunities

The MSc in Social Research has high employability rates. Our graduates have strong quantitative skills to undertake data analysis and strong research methods training in qualitative methods.

They go on to work in:

  • national and international organisations
  • civil service
  • voluntary sector
  • commercial research sector
  • policy development, analysis and evaluation
  • further academic study (PhDs)

Further study

After completing this programme, you may wish to consider applying for a PhD or other research programme.

Applying for research degrees

Moving on to a PhD (advice from the University's Careers Service)

Graduate profiles

MSc Social Research - Student stories (2022)

One of the aspects of my programme that has been particularly appealing to me is the diversity of course offerings. Beyond the core curriculum, students have the opportunity to choose from a wide range of courses offered by the university. For instance, I opted for the course 'Internet, Society, and Economy,' which allowed me to delve deeper into the impact of algorithms on emerging professional groups, such as food delivery riders. This course ultimately became the focal point of my dissertation. 

Another feature of the programme that I greatly appreciate is the multiple instructors for certain courses. Having different professors with distinct academic backgrounds teaching the same course has enriched my learning experience. It has provided me with diverse perspectives and a well-rounded understanding of the subject matter. This diversity has not only strengthened my social research skills but has also heightened my awareness of the complexity and diversity of the subjects I investigate. 

Lastly, I thoroughly enjoyed the workshop-style classes that some courses offered. These smaller group settings, where a handful of students come together to discuss the material covered in lectures, facilitated meaningful interactions and communication among peers. It was in these workshops that I formed lasting friendships with fellow students. 

In summary, my time in the social research programme has been both intellectually stimulating and personally rewarding. The programme's flexibility in course selection, diverse teaching faculty, and interactive workshop experiences have all contributed to my growth as a social researcher.

Careers Service

Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals. 

The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies. 

With the Careers Service, you can: 

  • access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengths
  • try different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you develop
  • get help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobs
  • attend careers events and practice interviews
  • get information and advice to help you make informed decisions 

How to apply

You apply online for this programme. After you read the application guidance, select your preferred programme, then choose 'Start your application' to begin.

If you are considering applying to more than one programme, you should be aware that we cannot consider more than 5 applications from the same applicant.

When to apply

Programme start date Application deadline
14 September 2026 29 June 2026

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible so that we have enough time to process your application. This is particularly important if you are also applying for funding or will require a visa. Applications may close earlier than published deadlines if there is exceptionally high demand.

For an application to be reviewed, it must be a complete application by the application deadline with all supporting documentation uploaded, including your transcripts.

If you already have evidence that you meet the English language entry requirements, such as via an approved English language test, please upload this evidence at the time of your application. If you have not already met your English language requirements, we will still review your application and issue a decision providing it is otherwise complete.

Application fee

There is no fee to apply to this programme.

What you need to apply

As part of your online application, you will need to provide: 

You will also need to submit some or all of the following supporting documents:

When you start your application, you will be able to see the full list of documents you need to provide.

References

You do not need to provide a reference when you submit your application for this programme.

There may be certain circumstances when a reference will be required, for example if we need to verify work experience. If that is the case, we will contact you after we have reviewed your application to request a reference.

Apply

Select the award, duration and delivery mode you want to study. Then select the start date you want to apply for.

After you apply

Once you have applied for this programme, you will be able to track the progress of your application and accept or decline any offers.

Checking the status of your application

We will notify you by email once we have made a decision. Due to the large number of applications we receive, it might take a while until you hear from us.

Receiving our decision

What to do if you receive an offer:

Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of University accommodation for all new, single postgraduate taught students from outside the UK and new, single postgraduate research (typically PhD) students who:

  • apply for accommodation by 31 July in the year when you start your programme
  • accept an unconditional firm offer to study at the University by 31 July
  • study at the University for the whole of the academic year starting in September

University accommodation website

Accommodation guarantee criteria

We also offer accommodation options for couples and families.

Accommodation for couples and families

If you prefer to live elsewhere, we can offer you advice on finding accommodation in Edinburgh.

Accommodation information from the Edinburgh University Students' Association Advice Place

Societies and clubs

Our societies and sports clubs will help you develop your interests, meet like-minded people, find a new hobby or simply socialise.

Societies

Sport Clubs

The city of Edinburgh

Scotland's inspiring capital will form the background to your studies — a city with an irresistible blend of history, natural beauty and modern city life. 

Find out more about living in Edinburgh

Health and wellbeing support

You will have access to free health and wellbeing services throughout your time at university if you need them.

The support services we offer include: 

  • a student counselling service
  • a health centre (doctor's surgery)
  • support if you're living in University accommodation
  • dedicated help and support if you have a disability or need adjustments

Health and wellbeing support services 

Disability and Learning Support