MSc in Social Research Methods

Page contents > Optional courses (click here to expand) | Footnotes

Programme Code: TMSORM

Department: Methodology

For students starting this programme of study in 2023/24

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' or 'Population' 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' or 'Population' 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.
	Course code, 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
	MY452A Applied Regression Analysis (0.5) #
	MY452W Applied Regression Analysis (0.5) #
	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 Computational Text Analysis and Large Language Models (0.5) #

Paper 3	A
	Qualitative research methods
	MY421A Qualitative Research Methods (0.5)
	MY421W Qualitative Research Methods (0.5)
	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) #
	MY428 Qualitative Text and Discourse Analysis (0.5) # (suspended 2026/27)

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 MY451A which is taught in Autumn Term, and must register under Paper 2 for MY452W which is taught in Winter Term.
	Optional courses (click here to expand)
Paper 5	B MY499 Dissertation (1.0)
	Part 2 - Optional Courses
Paper 6	C
	Optional courses
	For all students other than those on the 'Gender' or 'Population' 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' or 'Population' 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

Courses from the list below, or other Graduate level courses from across the LSE (subject the approval of your Academic Mentor and the MSc Social Research Methods Programme Director):

DV434 Human Security (0.5) (suspended 2026/27)
MY405 Research Design for Policy and Programme Evaluation (0.5)
MY422 Participatory Research (0.5)
MY423 Interview Methods for Social Science Research (0.5) #
MY425 Case Studies and Comparative Methods for Qualitative Research (0.5) #
MY426 Doing Ethnography (0.5) #
MY428 Qualitative Text and Discourse Analysis (0.5) # (suspended 2026/27)
MY455 Multivariate Analysis and Measurement (0.5) #
MY456 Survey Methodology (0.5) #
MY457 Causal Inference for Observational and Experimental Studies (0.5) #
MY459 Computational Text Analysis and Large Language Models (0.5) #
MY461 Social Network Analysis (0.5) (suspended 2026/27)
MY466 Population Analysis: Methods and Models (0.5) #
MY470 Computer Programming (0.5)
MY472 Data for Data Scientists (0.5)
MY474 Applied Machine Learning for Social Science (0.5) #
MY475 Applied Deep Learning for Social Science (0.5) #
MY481 Generative AI for Social Science Research (0.5) #
SO407 Politics and Society (1.0)
ST416 Multilevel Modelling (0.5) # (suspended 2026/27)
ST442 Longitudinal Data Analysis (0.5) #
ST460 Statistical Inference: Principles and Methods (0.5) #

Gender stream

This stream applies only to students who are taking MSc Social Research Methods as part of a 1+3 PhD programme, in conjunction with the MPhil/PhD Gender. Other students can select these courses as standard unlisted optional courses under Paper 6 (where this is allowed by the Department of Gender Studies, and subject the approval of your Academic Mentor and the MSc Social Research Methods Programme Director).One half-unit from the following, and one optional half unit graduate level course (typically from the Department of Gender Studies) as agreed with your Academic Mentor:

GI402 Gender, Knowledge and Research Practice (0.5)
GI424 Gender Theories: An Interdisciplinary Approach (0.5)
GI429 Archival Interventions: Feminist, Queer and Decolonial Approaches (0.5) # (suspended 2026/27)

Population stream

This stream applies only to students who are taking MSc Social Research Methods as part of a 1+3 PhD programme, in conjunction with the MPhil/PhD Demography (Social/Formal). Other students can select these courses as standard unlisted optional courses under Paper 6 (where this is allowed by the host department of the course, and subject the approval of your Academic Mentor and the MSc Social Research Methods Programme Director).One compulsory half-unit:

DV456 Population, Health and Development: Evidence and Projections (0.5) # (suspended 2026/27)
EH444 Population Dynamics and Economic Growth: A Historical Perspective (0.5) # (suspended 2026/27)
MY466 Population Analysis: Methods and Models (0.5) #

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

DV411 Population, Development and Environment: an Analytical Approach (0.5)
DV444 Quantitative Analysis in Health and Sustainable Development (0.5) # (suspended 2026/27)
DV457 Sexual and Reproductive Health Programmes: Design, Implementation and Evaluation (0.5)
GI415 Gender and Welfare Regimes: Developments and Change (0.5)
GI417 Feminist Population Politics (0.5) (suspended 2026/27)

Footnotes

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

A: Paper 3: MY421A cannot be taken with MY421W.

B: Paper 5, MY499: The Dissertation is due in August.

C: Paper 6: Students may only register for one MY47* course as part of the MSc Social Research Methods degree.

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.