20May
PostgraduateCourse summary
Overview Sociology helps us understand how society works, connecting the dots between individual lives and the structures they live in. Studying a Master's in Sociology can completely change the way you view the world around you, developing you as a skilled researcher, excellent critical thinker, robust theorist and agent for change. On this MSc Sociology degree, you'll explore all aspects of social life, because it all matters. You'll cover topics such as identity, intimacy, wellbeing, popular culture, consumption, colonialism, global inequalities, social media, feminism, racism and sustainability. You don't need to have studied sociology before, but we hope you'll have a passion for understanding social issues and a desire to make a difference. You'll use qualitative and quantitative research methods to generate reliable data and insights, and ultimately deepen your knowledge on these issues. Once you graduate, you'll have skills and awareness to succeed further in a huge range of careers, such as social research, policy making, law, social work, charity or community work, marketing, advertising, teaching or human resource management. Course highlights
- Study with a Sociology team whose research has helped make us the top modern UK university for research quality and research power in Area Studies - Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021
- Discover how to use data and research to explore social issues and widely-held societal beliefs, across topics such as poverty, gender and the climate crisis
- Learn from active sociological researchers, in areas including trans and non-binary inclusion at work (included in guidance from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development), and the sociology of migration (resulting in free legal advice and casework on complex immigration applications)
- Develop sustainable and durable critical thinking and problem-solving skills you can apply in your career
- Have the opportunity to take part in short placements supporting staff research activity, such as in immigration advice and migrant homelessness
- Become ready to take the next steps in your career with a deep understanding of the structural basis of inequality in contemporary society and gain insight into how to address some of our more pressing social injustices
- informing fairer teaching or admissions policies in education
- pioneering hiring initiatives to dismantle bias in recruitment and HR
- providing insights into wellbeing, welfare and safety online
- supporting community organisations to obtain funding for local initiatives by writing research proposals
Modules
The University of Portsmouth is passionate about creating career-focused modules that do more than support your studies, they empower your academic journey and prepare you for what comes next. We design modules that have: • Clear themes and skills development as you progress through each year • Assessments that feel meaningful, often based on real-world tasks rather than isolated exams • Career-enhancing opportunities such as placements, live projects, enterprise and volunteering For a full list of the modules you will study on this course, please visit https://www.port.ac.uk/study/courses/postgraduate-taught/msc-sociology#modules
Entry requirements
A minimum of a second-class honours degree in Sociology or other relevant subject.
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | English language proficiency at a minimum of IELTS band 6.5 with no component score below 5.5. | |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 91 with a minimum of 18 in Reading, 17 in Listening, 20 in Speaking and 17 in Writing. | |
| PTE Academic | An overall score of 65 with a minimum of 59 in each skill. | |
| Cambridge English Advanced | Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) (taken after January 2015). An overall score of 176 with no component score less than 162. | |
| Cambridge English Proficiency | Cambridge English: Advanced (CPE) (taken after January 2015). An overall score of 176 with no component score less than 162. |
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| EU | £9300 | Year 1 |
| England | £4850 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £4850 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £4850 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £4850 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £4850 | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £4850 | Year 1 |
| International | £9300 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
If you're an EU student you may be eligible to receive our EU Scholarship. More information about this scholarship can be found here: port.ac.uk/study/international-students/tuition-fees/tuition-fees-for-eu-students
Fees are accurate at the time of publishing and are subject to change at any time without notice. Please check the course page on our website for the most up to date fee information.
All fees are subject to annual increase.
For more information about fees, go to port.ac.uk/study/masters-and-postgraduate-taught/fees-and-funding
Provider information
University of Portsmouth
University of Portsmouth
Mercantile House
Hampshire Terrace
Portsmouth
PO1 2EG