The paper aims to teach students how to construct rigorous and testable sociological explanations. The Research Methods course is particularly strong on quantitative methods and statistical modelling. In addition to the two core papers, students write a dissertation of up to 7,500 words and take a third paper from a list of options. The optional papers include Advanced Social Statistics, Criminology, Game Theory, Health and Health Care, Social Behaviour, Social Stratification, Sociology of Economic Life, Sociology of Education, Sociology of Law, Sociology of Politics and Sociology of Religion. This is an extended version of the MSc.
Students take the same two core papers as they do for the MSc in Sociology.
The MPhil thus provides a broad training in sociology and also enables the student to explore a particular problem in depth. It is possible to convert the MPhil thesis into a doctoral thesis in one further year of study. This is feasible for students who are analysing existing datasets, but students who wish to undertake their own fieldwork for the doctorate are advised to take the shorter MSc course. The MLitt and DPhil are degrees examined solely by thesis, prepared under the guidance of a supervisor appointed by the Gradute Studies Committee. For general information on these degrees, see the types of degree section.