Social Science MRes (PGCert)

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Syllabus

The MRes Research Project makes up most of the course, contributing 120 of the 180 credits of the award. Two additional core modules support the research project, and you’ll also choose an option module in a subject that is of interest to you.

You will work alongside students on the Humanities MRes.

It is possible to apply direct for the Social Science postgraduate certificate – the same modules are available to PGCert students but they do not complete the MRes Research Project.

Modules

Core modules

• Philosophies of Research

  This module provides you with the philosophical, methodological and ethical tools and principles needed to engage in postgraduate research. You will gain knowledge and understanding of how these principles inform the research process and learn how to critically engage with the design and execution of research.

• Research Methods in the Social Sciences

  This module provides you with advanced training in social research methods, including research design, ethics, quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques and data analysis strategies. You will gain practical experience of employing, interpreting and presenting the findings of univariate, bivariate and multivariate data analysis techniques.

• MRes Research Project

  Supported by one-to-one supervision and workshops, you will develop, conduct, complete, write up and defend an MRes thesis based on your own research project. You will become an expert on your chosen topic and produce a written dissertation, a viva defence and a poster outlining your provisional findings. The project can involve a range of methods and approaches, including primary quantitative and/or qualitative research, desk-based and/or theory-driven research and analysis, and participatory research involving community partners.

Options*

• Advanced Research Cultures

  This module will explore contemporary methodological debates and innovative approaches to social science research. You will learn about interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches to social research and explore inventive and creative methods for collecting and analysing data. The module aims to develop your skills in applying appropriate research design and data collection methods and provide you with practical experience of employing, interpreting and presenting the findings of qualitative data analysis techniques.

• Mixed Methods in Social Research

  In this module you will examine the development of mixed methods research design and explore the advantages and disadvantages of mixed methods. You’ll look at the methodological foundations of mixed methods and debate the practices of how quantitative and qualitative methods are combined. You will analyse the operational use of mixed methods research design and experiment with a mixed methods design.

• Research Practice

  This module builds on your previous knowledge of research and gives you hands-on experience in the management and application of research methods. You will explore theoretical, practical and ethical issues related to research practice and work with research partners to apply research methods in a professional context. You will also learn how to reflect on and evaluate research practice.

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Research

Academic staff in the School of Humanities and Social Science have expertise in a range of research topics and research methodologies.

In addition, researchers work in cross-university Centres of Research and Enterprise Excellence (CORES) including the following:

• Centre for Transforming Sexuality and Gender
• Centre for Arts and Wellbeing
• Centre for Applied Philosophy, Politics and Ethics
• Centre for Design History.

The School of Humanities and Social Science has a vibrant research culture for staff and students working both within and across the disciplines of sociology, psychology, social policy, politics and criminology, as well as the practice-based fields of social work, counselling, psychotherapy and substance misuse.

Much of our research is undertaken collaboratively with agencies, organisations, groups and individuals, both in the local community and wider society, to ensure that our research has relevance and impact beyond the academy.

Lab facilities

Mithras House has a series of lab rooms which can be used for teaching on your course or in your independent research work.

Life lab
A skills-based lab for practice-based teaching, social work, psychotherapy and counselling, and employability. The Life lab is fitted with lounge furniture to provide a comfortable space for conducting qualitative research with larger groups. The lab can be used to conduct research activities with children of all ages and can be used for meetings and events. The room also contains a dedicated space to conduct assessed role play or interviews with children.

City lab
This is a qualitative research methods and creative methods resource for all students, staff and researchers, as well as research participants, including children, community groups and the general public. It can also be used for meetings and events. The City lab contains a kitchen, a teaching/meeting room with enhanced acoustic isolation and two meeting spaces that can be separated with a screen or combined to accommodate larger groups.

Design lab
Housing our extensive collection of historic dress and textiles, which are used in some teaching on our History of Art and Design courses, this has the space and equipment for you to work on textile projects. Displays created by students on these programmes are on view in the social spaces of the building.

Community lab
A space designed for collaborative student learning, this is used by students and staff involved in the university’s Global Challenges programme – our collective mission to contribute towards solutions to tackle the pressing issues facing our world.

Stats lab
A specialist workspace with computing equipment for statistical analysis and projects involving video and audio editing software. The lab contains eight acoustically treated booths for both recording and transcribing interviews undertaken as part of dissertation research and for recording and editing podcasts.

Applied cognition lab
A dedicated research space for psychological research involving measures such as electrodermal activity (EDA) and electroencephalography (EEG). The space is designed to allow the participant and researcher to sit at separate desks whilst psychophysiological data is being collected. 

VR and eye tracking lab
The VR and Eye-Tracking Lab is used for psychological research using equipment, such as eye-trackers and virtual reality headsets. The space has adjustable lighting and a blackout blind for maintaining consistent lighting conditions during eye-tracking research, as well as sensors set up in the room to allow individuals to move freely around the room during virtual reality research.

Take a video tour of the labs with technicians Andrea and Grace 

Meet the team

Dr Mary Darking, course leader

Course leader Dr Mary Darking is a social science researcher who specialises in digital innovation, public management, organisational analysis and social policy. She is a qualitative researcher who actively seeks to make a difference through working with digital, community and public service innovators who want to make positive, social and environmental change happen.

Since completing her PhD, Mary has worked in large, multi-partner UKRI- and EU-funded interdisciplinary research consortia that typically include science, business, digital, community and social science partners. She has also undertaken numerous smaller scale research and innovation projects that bring together industry, local community and public sector partners.

Mary combines her knowledge of digital innovation with her expertise in policy analysis and community partnership to create cross-sector projects that include people who experience marginalisation or are under-resourced. She uses place-based and whole system approaches to process analysis and co-production to engage people in co-creating solutions to challenging social issues. She has theoretical interests in science and technology studies and complexity theory.

Mary’s research has been funded by the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council, the Economic and Social Research Council, the European Union, the Medical Research Council, the National Institute of Health Research, The Health Foundation, Public Health England, Innovate UK and Nesta. She currently supervises seven PhD students (having previously supervised five PhD students to completion) and mentored two ESRC funded postdoctoral students.

Other key staff who teach on the course include:

• Dr James Ormrod
• Dr Chris Cocking
• Dr Sarah Leaney

Course fees

Scholarships, bursaries and loans

We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students. Bursaries and loans may also be available to you.

Find out more about postgraduate fees and funding.

The fees listed here are for the first year of full-time study if you start your course in the academic year 2025–26.

You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year.

UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (whichever is higher).

If you are studying part-time your fee will usually be calculated based on the number of modules that you take.

Find out more

• Fees, bursaries, scholarships and government funding info for UK and international postgraduate students
• Student finance and budgeting while studying
• About the university’s fees by checking our student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

Campus where this course is taught

Accommodation

Local area

Maps

Support and wellbeing

Sport at Brighton