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Social Policy (Research Methods) MSc

London, Bloomsbury

The Social Policy (Research Methods) MSc explores contemporary social problems, policy intervention, and policymaking processes across different sectors and countries, combined with rigorous training in traditional and innovative research methodologies required in the study of social policy. The relationship between research and policy is a key programme theme. It can be studied on campus or online, giving you the flexibility to engage with the programme from anywhere in the world. 

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£16,000
£8,000
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£33,000
£16,500
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
5 academic years
Programme starts
September 2025
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 27 Jun 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelors' degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard in a social science subject, such as sociology, psychology, social policy, economics, or history. If you do not meet these requirements, other considerations, such as relevant work experience, may be taken into account.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 4

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

The Social Policy (Research Methods) MSc offers an  opportunity to study social policy and the ways in which research, along with other forms of evidence and knowledge, connects with and impacts on policy-making and professional practice. Training is also provided in social research methods relevant to people working in policy or academic contexts. It is structured to allow students to customise their degree according to their preferred area of study and future career plans. 

This master's degree has ESRC 1+3 training recognition, meaning it stands alone as an MSc but can also prepare students for doctoral research. Information on ESRC studentships is available here. Prospective candidates can apply to the Knowledge, Evidence and Policy pathway. The programme can be studied on campus or fully online, and it is available full-time (one year), part-time (two years) or via flexible/modular study (taking a maximum of five years to complete). Find out more about each of these ways of studying.

Who this course is for

The Social Policy (Research Methods) MSc is aimed at recent graduates and early career professionals from around the world who are interested in social policy and policy-orientated research. It is suited to those who want to start a career in social policy analysis, advocacy or research within the public sector or a socially orientated NGO, and those already working in policy environments who want to improve their skills and career prospects. It is also useful preparation for study for a postgraduate research degree, such as a PhD, EdD or MPhil. 

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

The Social Policy (Research Methods) MSc equips students with the conceptual tools and empirical evidence necessary for investigating social policy and policymaking, including critical assessment of the role of research evidence in policy development and implementation. There are opportunities to specialise in qualitative or quantitative research and to choose an individual dissertation project or one involving collaboration with an external organisation. Graduates will be able to apply their knowledge and understanding and analytical and methodological skills in conducting social research in different policy contexts. 

The programme is located in the UCL Social Research Institute, a research-intensive department with an outstanding international reputation for policy-oriented social science. It is taught by an interdisciplinary team with specialist expertise across a wide range of policy areas. Our central London location and network of partners and alumni gives us access to nationally and internationally prominent guest speakers who give insight into policy as it is formed.

The programme provides a gateway to careers in academia, policy, and beyond. It fosters development of disciplinary knowledge and transferable skills that are in high demand in the labour market and will be competitive in a broad range of occupations.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

Graduates from this MSc programme have gained sought-after skills that allowed them to pursue professional careers in academia or policy research, policy analysis, policy development and implementation, programme management, and policy advocacy within the public, private, and non-profit sectors.

Employability

As a graduate of this programme, you will be equipped to work in a broad range of roles, such as social policy researcher, advisor to government, or as NGO personnel. You will also have the methodological background to move into doctoral research.

Networking

Our students come from a range of backgrounds from all over the world, providing great networking opportunities within the programme. Students encounter academics, researchers, alumni, and visiting speakers at seminars, lecture series, career events, workshops, and other department and student organised events. Students are kept up to date with opportunities to participate in events and apply for internships or jobs.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, practical sessions, tutorials and research supervision, and is taught by scholars who have carried out research in the field. Students are expected to take part in both guided and self-guided personal work. Seminar sessions are where students discuss and apply their learning from their lectures and other activities. In research methods courses, lectures are often mirrored by a practical workshop seminar in a computer lab where students will put the analytical techniques introduced that week to use.

Most modules are offered as campus-based and fully online courses, with both versions of the module running in parallel. For distance-learning students, all lectures, activities and exchanges between students and tutors take place within Moodle (UCL's digital learning environment) and integrated platforms such as Zoom. In place of the face-to-face group seminars held on campus, students taking modules at a distance participate in various e-learning activities, facilitated by the tutor leading this group.

For Student visa holders, all study that is part of your course is expected to take place on the university’s premises, with Tier 4 conditions preventing selection of modules taught entirely through online study.

Assessment is carried out through a blend of formative and summative assessment methods. Module assessments on the programme vary, and may include coursework (for example, essays and written assignments), presentations, or a form of examination. You may be expected to complete both individual and group assessments. UCL’s module catalogue details individual module assessments, but please note these may be subject to change on an annual basis.

On average, it is expected that a student spends 150 hours studying for each 15-credit module. This includes teaching time, private study and coursework. The 60-credit dissertation module requires a notional learning time of about 600 hours.

Outside of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials, full-time students typically study the equivalent of a full-time job, using their remaining time for self-directed study and completing coursework assignments. Part-time and modular/flexible students will need one day per week for each 15-credit module, plus additional time to prepare for assessments.

Modules are taught over 10 weeks each term. For campus-based students, this is usually in the form of either a one-hour lecture followed by a one-hour seminar or workshop, or a two-hour practical workshop. Distance learners have access to the same information delivered to students studying on campus through a range of online teaching tools.

For full-time students studying on campus, typical contact hours are around 10 hours per week. In terms one and two, full-time students can typically expect between 8 and 12 contact hours per teaching week through a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials. In term three and the summer period, students will be completing the dissertation research, keeping regular contact with their supervisors.

For distance-learning students, most learning activities are self-paced and asynchronous. Online discussion boards are used to help foster a sense of community, and to allow you to keep in touch with peers and academics throughout your studies. There will be opportunities for weekly one-to-one contact with your tutors. Live sessions can also be arranged where time zones permit.

Modules

The programme consists of four compulsory modules (60 credits), four optional modules (60 credits), and a dissertation (60 credits).

Four 15-credit modules are taken in term one (two compulsory modules and two research methods modules selected from the available options). Another four 15-credit modules are taken in the second term (two compulsory modules and two optional). Where relevant, you will be required to take introductory methods modules before moving on to the more advanced ones. Dissertation teaching commences in term one and includes workshops and individual supervision, with the research and writing conducted in terms two and three and the summer.

Over the two years, students take four compulsory modules (60 credits), four optional modules (60 credits) and a dissertation (60 credits).

In the first year of the programme you will take Understanding the Policy Process and a further three to five of the 15-credit modules (compulsory and/or optional). Where relevant, you will be required to take introductory research methods modules before moving on to the more advanced ones. The number of modules that you take in each academic year will depend on your commitments outside UCL, such as employment and family responsibilities. In the second year, you will take the remaining 15-credit modules, bringing the total number to eight, and commence work on the 60-credit research dissertation.

Students take four compulsory modules (60 credits), four optional modules (60 credits), and a dissertation (60 credits).

Modular/flexible students have between two and five years in which to complete the programme, with Understanding the Policy Process taken in the first year and the 60-credit research dissertation taken in the final year of study. The number of modules that you take in each academic year will depend on your commitments outside UCL, such as employment and family responsibilities. Where relevant, you will be required to take introductory modules before moving on to the more advanced ones. You do not have to take modules every year.

Compulsory modules






Collaborative Dissertation Project (Social Policy)


Optional modules







Intersectionality and Critical Qualitative Research

Understanding Data for the Social Sciences

Researching Childhoods






Data Science using International Data

Digital Methods


Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Fieldwork

Students may choose to organise and undertake fieldwork in relation to their research for their dissertation, but this is not a requirement. If undertaken, fieldwork must be self-funded.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £16,000 £8,000
Tuition fees (2025/26) £33,000 £16,500

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

Additional costs

Fee deposit information to be confirmed.

The purchase of books may constitute an additional cost, but there is no requirement to purchase any book as part of the programme. 

Students are responsible for covering any travel, accommodation, and other expenses involved in conducting research for their dissertation and should account for these costs when planning their finances. Fieldwork is not compulsory to complete a dissertation. If fieldwork is conducted, this is at the student’s own expense and should be estimated according to the type and length of fieldwork proposed. The exact cost to the student will depend on the location, prevailing exchange rates, and the price of travel and accommodation.

UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Next steps

When we assess your application, we would like to learn:

  • Why you want to study Social Policy and Research Methods at graduate level.
  • Why you want to study Social Policy and Research Methods at UCL.
  • What particularly attracts you to the chosen programme.
  • How your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging programme.
  • Where you would like to go professionally with your degree.

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

Any late applications will only be considered after all those received by the closing date.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2025-2026

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Social Research Institute
Social Research Institute

mscsp@ucl.ac.uk

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