MSc Sociology
- MSc
Overview
Sociology is the study of the social world, focusing on how social life is patterned and stratified. What are the ways in which society is organised - what do we share in common and in what ways are we different? How is power and wealth distributed? How are our identities shaped by the world around us? You will have the opportunity to study all these aspects of the social world.
At Bristol we have specialist expertise in migration, family, health, culture, gender, class, and the digital world, and study these issues from local and global perspectives. We are 12th in UK for Sociology (QS World Rankings by Subject, 2026).
Our research and teaching investigates questions such as:
- How does climate change impact different groups of people in different ways?
- What drives migration and why has it become a controversial issue?
- How will AI shape our future lives, and how does it already?
- How are ideas of family, gender and sexuality changing?
- What is the potential of social activism?
Beyond these specific areas, sociology provides the opportunity to investigate all aspects of social life - from music festivals to modern slavery. This programme will give you:
- an opportunity to learn about and apply contemporary sociological theories to current events, trends, and challenges
- a grounding in cutting-edge sociological debates
- training and application in advanced research methods skills
- the opportunity to complete an in-depth piece of independent research on an area of social life of your choosing
- skills in writing, critical thinking, research, analysis, project management, oral presentation, communication of complex ideas, independent and teamwork
- the opportunity to learn from experts in the field and engage with researchers in the school, through seminars, workshops, lectures, and dissertation supervision
- a collegial, welcoming, and supportive space that celebrates students and staff across all levels.
We offer research-led teaching that grapples with the complex, moving body of sociological thought developing today. We offer a diverse space to study and research sociology, hosting the following Research Centres, all of whom have nested research groups:
- Gender and Sexuality Research Centre
- Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Citizenship
- Global Insecurities Centre
Students come to us from different disciplines, some have been trained in sociology before, whereas others have studied engineering, biology, English, and many other subjects. The diversity of our students' backgrounds makes discussions in the classroom all the more exciting. We're proud that 94% of our postgraduate students reported overall satisfaction with their education (PTES 2026).
Programme structure
You will take a combination of mandatory (40 credits) and optional taught units (80 credits). The mandatory units firmly ground you in the central issues within the discipline, while optional units enable you to discover more specialised topics connected to the sociological research that we carry out at Bristol. This diversity allows you to tailor your MSc to your academic interests and career goals.
Each unit is delivered via variable combinations of lectures, workshops, and seminars. Unit assessments range from essays to presentations to other innovative forms of assessment. We pride ourselves on our assessment diversity as a means for you to develop skills for your future careers.
The taught section of the programme is followed by working on a dissertation during the summer term (60 credits). We offer two dissertation routes. In both cases you will be researching for your dissertation under the supervision of one of our scholars with whom you will meet regularly to discuss your progress:
- The first option is a research dissertation, where you will develop and complete a project on a subject of your choosing with expert supervisory support.
- The second dissertation option (subject to availability) is an applied dissertation, working with external organisations to deliver a research project that supports the organisations' work. We offer support in accessing an external organisation and the process offers practical UK-based research experience.
Visit our programme catalogue for full details of the structure and unit content for our MSc in Sociology.
Entry requirements
You will typically need a strong second-class honours degree (55% or higher) or an international equivalent in any discipline.
If you are currently completing a degree, we understand that your final grade may be higher than the interim grades or module/unit grades you have achieved during your studies to date.
We will consider your application if your interim grades are currently slightly lower than the programme's entry requirements and may make you an aspirational offer. This offer would be at the standard level, so you would need to achieve the standard entry requirements by the end of your degree.
We will also consider your application if your final overall achieved grade is slightly lower than the programme's entry requirement.
If your achieved grade is lower than our entry requirements, your application may be more likely to receive an offer if you have additional qualifications. If you have additional qualifications, please include your CV (curriculum vitae / résumé) when you apply, showing:
- a postgraduate qualification in any discipline.
See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.
Read the programme admissions statement for important information on entry requirements, the application process and supporting documents required.
If English is not your first language, you will need to reach the requirements outlined in our profile level E.
Further information about English language requirements and profile levels.
Fees and funding
- Home: full-time
- £15,200 per year
- Home: part-time (two years)
- £7,600 per year
- Overseas: full-time
- £31,600 per year
Fees are subject to an annual review. For programmes that last longer than one year, please budget for up to an 8% increase in fees each year.
More about tuition fees, living costs and financial support.
Alumni discount
University of Bristol students and graduates can benefit from a 25% reduction in tuition fees for postgraduate study. Check your eligibility for an alumni discount.
Funding and scholarships
Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students.
Career prospects
Sociology enhances your understanding of all aspects of the social world, as well as the specific skills needed to research, produce, analyse, interpret and present data. The course prepares students for a diverse range of careers, for example:
- Organisations including local government, the Foreign Office, the Home Office, Defence, Justice, Parliament, journalism, consultancy.
- Job roles such as business analyst, policy researcher, recruitment consultant, research executive, operations manager, project executive, housing caseworker and social researcher.
Our Careers Service provides bespoke support to MSc students. This includes one-to-one appointments, job talks, mock assessment centres, employer-led events, funded internship schemes, entrepreneurial support and advice, and panels to learn more about different industries.
The Careers Service provides extensive support for international students, with dedicated resources on labour markets in mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Southeast Asia and Africa. There are regular training sessions on finding work opportunities in the UK as well as overseas. International students also receive free access to Student Circus - a leading job readiness platform for international students, with pre-filtered visa-sponsored jobs as well as careers advice. All students can use the full resources of the Careers Service, including one-to-one appointments, for three years after graduation.
Contact us
- Contact
- Enquiries Team
- Phone
- +44 (0) 117 394 1649
- choosebristol-pg@bristol.ac.uk