Sociology and Social Inequalities MSc

UCL (University College London)

The Sociology and Social Inequalities MSc offers advanced sociological training with a dedicated focus on understanding and addressing social inequalities. Through a curriculum that combines rigorous methodological training with an interdisciplinary approach, you will explore the roots, mechanisms, and impacts of inequality across individual, community, national, and global contexts. Topics that may be covered include intersections of race, gender, social class, social justice, the climate crisis, AI and new technology, and the paths towards creating a more equitable future. The Sociology and Social Inequalities MSc offers a comprehensive approach to understanding society and the pervasive impact of social inequalities. The curriculum includes foundational modules in Advanced Social Theory, Global Sociology, Principles of Sociological Explanation, and Social Change in Contemporary Society, alongside the specialised module, Sociological Approaches to Inequalities. In this module, students critically explore the intersecting dimensions of inequality, focusing on how disparities in power, resources, and representation shape life outcomes, from individual wellbeing to national stability in the face of global crises like climate change. Students can tailor their studies with a wide range of optional modules, exploring topics especially relevant to inequalities in today’s world. You will learn to analyse inequality through tools such as computational methods, systematic reviews, and impact evaluation, but also through qualitative, critical, and intersectional approaches. The dissertation component provides an opportunity to conduct an independent research project on a topic of your choosing, demonstrating your understanding and application of sociological tools to the inequalities of today. Graduates of the course leave with a nuanced understanding of contemporary inequality, critical and analytical skills, and hands-on research experience highly sought after in today’s labour market. The course is one of four postgraduate sociology degrees offered by UCL Social Research Institute. Others are Sociology MSc, Sociology and Data Science MSc, and Sociology of Childhood and Children's Rights MA. It is available full-time (one year), part-time (two years) or via flexible study (taking a maximum of five years to complete). This degree is likely to be of interest to students with a sociology background wishing to expand their sociological training or those from other social science backgrounds who wish to switch to sociology. It will appeal to people with an interest in how the real world works, and those who work in jobs related to understanding and improving society, including policy makers, teachers, journalists, and those working in NGOs and charities.