The programme ensures all students receive a thorough grounding in core areas of research method and more focused training in advanced methods. However, the programme is designed to allow students considerable flexibility to cater to specific training requirements and substantive interests, through a wide range of optional courses and for those studying to MSc, in a dissertation. On both the MSc and Diploma programmes, students take eight one-semester courses, each worth fifteen credits.
Most courses involve two-hours of teaching each week, backed up with course work.
Assessment is by course work, usually in the form of a 3,000 word report on a project. To cater for the needs of part-time students, lectures all take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays. All students take the core courses, Research Design I and II, and Advanced Data Analysis. In addition students take three further courses in quantitative methods, and two courses from a wide range of optional courses. Two units from a wide set of non-quantitative options.