Programme Description

The MSc programme consists of a set of taught courses followed by a dissertation. The PgDip follows the same programme of courses but has no dissertation component.

All core courses are compulsory; in addition students are able to choose from some optional courses, thereby tailoring their training programmes according to their own interests. The programme in 2011-12 will offer optional specialist pathways in Scientific Research Methods, Crime and Social Statistics, Statistical Methods for Health Research, and Teaching Statistics.

The MSc is also taken by students who intend to continue postgraduate study towards a 1+3 ESRC funded PhD .

Students who only wish to study a small approved selection of courses from the MSc programme can gain a Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) in Quantitative Methods.

The pathway in Teaching Statistics is also available as a standalone PgCert by distance learning.

Substantive and methodology courses

These courses cover the main methods of data collection, fundamental aspects of research design, and statistical methods of data analysis. Included is Methodological Debates which explains how and why the other courses come together to form a coherent whole.

Software courses

Non-credit software-based courses are available to supplement the substantive and methodology courses, some of which require knowledge of particular software packages. The available software courses cover mainstream statistical packages such as R, STATA and SPSS and also Atlas.ti.

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