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MSc in Social Research Methods

Programme Code: TMSORM

Department: Methodology

For students starting this programme of study in 2019/20

Guidelines for interpreting programme regulations

Classification scheme for the award of a taught master's degree (four units)
Exam sub-board local rules

Full-year programme.

Part 1: Social Research Methods. Students must take courses to the value of two full units and a dissertation as shown.

Part 2: Optional courses. For all students other than those on the 'Gender,' 'Population' or 'Social Policy' streams of the MSc Social Research Methods, courses to the value of one full unit can be taken from the courses listed under the heading 'Part 2 - Optional Courses' below. Please click the 'Optional courses' link to expand the list. Students on the 'Gender,' 'Population' or 'Social Policy' streams of the MSc must select courses from the options listed under their respective headings at the foot of the 'Part 2 - Optional Courses' section below. Please click the 'Optional courses' link to expand the list.

Please note that places are limited on some optional courses. Admission onto any particular course is not guaranteed and may be subject to timetabling constraints and/or students meeting specific prerequisite requirements.

Paper

Course number, title (unit value)

Part 1 - Social Research Methods

Paper 1

Research design

 

MY400 Fundamentals of Social Science Research Design (0.5)

Paper 2


Quantitative research methods

 

MY452 Applied Regression Analysis (0.5) # A

 

Exceptionally, students who can demonstrate sufficient prior training in quantitative research methods commensurate with those covered in MY452 can substitute a more advanced MY45* course from the following list for MY452. This would be subject to the approval of the MSc Programme Director. Please note that in such cases, the substitute course will be treated as a 'course critical to assessment' in place of MY452 (see Exam Sub-Board local rules for more information):

 

MY455 Multivariate Analysis and Measurement (0.5) # *

 

MY457 Causal Inference for Observational and Experimental Studies (0.5) # *

 

MY459 Special Topics in Quantitative Analysis: Quantitative Text Analysis (0.5) # *

Paper 3


Qualitative research methods

 

MY421 Qualitative Research Methods (0.5) B

 

Exceptionally students who can demonstrate sufficient prior training in qualitative research methods commensurate with those covered in MY421 can substitute a more advanced MY42* course from the following list for MY421. This would be subject to the approval of the MSc Programme Director. Please note that in cases where a student substitutes a course in for MY421, the substitute course will be treated as a 'course critical to assessment' in place of MY421 (see Exam Sub-Board local rules for more information):

 

MY425 Case Studies and Comparative Methods for Qualitative Research (0.5) *

 

MY426 Doing Ethnography (0.5) # *  (not available 2020/21)

 

MY427 Qualitative Research with Digital and Visual Data (0.5) # *  (not available 2020/21)

 

MY428 Qualitative Text and Discourse Analysis (0.5) # *

Paper 4


Optional social research methods course

For this paper students can choose any one of the MY4** courses which are listed under the Optional courses list below, or a half-unit course in statistics (ST4**, subject to the approval of the student's Academic Mentor).  In addition, students can choose MY451 under Paper 4; if they do that, they must register for MY451M which is taught in Michaelmas Term, and must register under Paper 2 for MY452L which is taught in Lent Term.

Optional courses (click here to expand)

Paper 5

MY499 Dissertation (1.0) C


Part 2 - Optional Courses

Paper 6


Optional courses D

 

For all students other than those on the 'Gender,' 'Population' or 'Social Policy' streams of the MSc in Social Research Methods, courses to the value of one full unit can be taken from the courses listed in the 'Optional Courses' section below. Please click the 'Optional courses' link to expand the list. Students on the 'Gender,' 'Population' or 'Social Policy' streams of the MSc must select courses from the options listed under their respective headings at the foot of the 'Optional Courses' section below. Please click the 'Optional courses' link to expand the list.

Optional courses (click here to expand)

Optional courses (click here to expand)

Non-stream

DV434 Human Security (0.5)  (not available 2020/21)

MY405 Research Design for Policy and Programme Evaluation (0.5)

MY425 Case Studies and Comparative Methods for Qualitative Research (0.5)

MY426 Doing Ethnography (0.5) #  (not available 2020/21)

MY427 Qualitative Research with Digital and Visual Data (0.5) #  (not available 2020/21)

MY428 Qualitative Text and Discourse Analysis (0.5) #

MY455 Multivariate Analysis and Measurement (0.5) #

MY456 Survey Methodology (0.5) #

MY457 Causal Inference for Observational and Experimental Studies (0.5) #

MY459 Special Topics in Quantitative Analysis: Quantitative Text Analysis (0.5) #

MY461 Social Network Analysis (0.5)

MY470 Computer Programming (0.5)

MY472 Data for Data Scientists (0.5)

MY474 Applied Machine Learning for Social Science (0.5) #

PB425 Organisations, Groups and Identity (0.5) #

SO407 Politics and Society (1.0)

ST416 Multilevel Modelling (0.5) #

ST425 Statistical Inference: Principles, Methods and Computation (1.0) #

ST442 Longitudinal Data Analysis (0.5) #  (not available 2020/21)

 

Or any other Graduate level courses from across the LSE (subject the approval of your Academic Mentor and the MSc Social Research Methods Programme Director).

OR

Gender stream

One half-unit from the following:

GI402 Gender, Knowledge and Research Practice (0.5) or

GI424 Gender Theories: An Interdisciplinary Approach (0.5) or

 

And one optional half unit graduate level course (typically from the Department of Gender Studies) as agreed with your Academic Mentor.

OR

Population stream

One compulsory half-unit:

SP431 Population Analysis: Methods and Models (0.5) #

And courses to the value of 0.5 units from the following:

DV411 Population and Development: an Analytical Approach (0.5)  (not available 2020/21)

DV444 Global Health Challenges: Epidemics, Disease, and Public Health Response (0.5) #

DV456 Population, Health and Development: Evidence and Projections (0.5) #

DV457 Sexual and Reproductive Health Programmes: Design, Implementation and Evaluation (0.5)

DV461 Critical Population Health Issues in High and Middle-Income Countries (0.5) #  (not available 2020/21)

GI415 Gender and European Welfare States (0.5)

GI417 Feminist Population Politics (0.5)  (not available 2020/21)

OR

Social policy stream

One compulsory half-unit:

SP400 International Social and Public Policy (0.5) #

One half-unit from the following:

SP411 Social Policy and Development (0.5) #

SP413 Understanding Social (Dis)advantage (0.5)

SP419 Social Movements, Activism, and Social Policy (0.5)

SP434 Behavioural Public Policy (0.5)

 

Or any other half-unit Graduate level course offered by the LSE's Department of Social Policy (subject to availability and to the approval of your Academic Mentor, the MSc Social Research Methods Programme Director and the convener of the course).


Prerequisite Requirements and Mutually Exclusive Options

* means available with permission

Footnotes

A : Students may register for either MY452M which is taught in Michaelmas Term, or MY452L which is taught in Lent Term. However, if they take MY451 under Paper 4, then they must register for MY451M under Paper 4 and for MY452L under Paper 2.

B : Students may register for either MY421M which is taught in Michaelmas Term, or MY421L which is taught in Lent Term.

C : The Dissertation is due in August.

D : Students may only register for one MY47* course as part of the MSc Social Research Methods degree.

# means there may be prerequisites for this course. Please view the course guide for more information.

Note for prospective students:
For changes to graduate course and programme information for the next academic session, please see the graduate summary page for prospective students. Changes to course and programme information for future academic sessions can be found on the graduate summary page for future students.