12 monthsProgramme duration
18 Aug, 2027Application Deadline
SepStarting Month
Programme overview
Main Subject
Sociology
Degree
MSc
Study Level
Master's
Study Mode
On Campus
Course summary
Why do inequalities persist? How does globalisation reshape societies? And what can we do when social change creates new challenges for people, communities and governments?
If you want to understand how societies work – and how evidence can help change them – MSc Global Sociology: Challenges, Interventions and Action is for you.
At Southampton, you’ll take a research-first approach to sociology and social policy. Explore the theories that help us understand contemporary society, then use them to investigate issues including inequality, globalisation, class, gender and social change.
You’ll look beyond individual problems to the systems and structures behind them. Examine the major debates shaping sociology and social policy, explore the philosophy of social science and develop the critical thinking to question how evidence is produced, interpreted and used.
Your perspective will be global. Compare societies across richer and poorer regions, investigate global inequalities and explore how different countries and institutions respond through policy and social action.
Research methods are central to the programme. You’ll develop qualitative and quantitative skills, learn techniques for analysing data and build the confidence to design and conduct independent research in sociology or social policy.
You’ll join a close-knit and diverse community where small-group teaching gives you space to question ideas, test different perspectives and explore topics in depth.
Our Social Work and Social Policy research is ranked 5th nationally for impact (Research Excellence Framework 2021), while Sociology research quality at Southampton is ranked among the top 5 in the UK (Complete University Guide 2026).
Find your place in a community that doesn’t just study society. Develop the research skills and critical perspective to understand its challenges and contribute to what happens next.
Key features of this course
**Question how societies work.** Explore fundamental sociological concepts and theories and use them to investigate contemporary social problems, inequalities and processes of change.
**Make research part of your toolkit.** Develop qualitative and quantitative research skills, explore approaches to data analysis and learn how to design independent social research.
**Take a global perspective.** Compare societies around the world and investigate how globalisation, inequality and social change affect people differently across geographical and economic contexts.
**Choose the direction that fits you.** Follow one of 3 pathways, allowing you to focus your studies around your interests, research ambitions or career plans.
**Focus on contemporary social policy.** The Substantive pathway explores fundamental ideas in sociology and social policy and considers how they connect with current policy challenges.
**Go deeper into global inequality or research methods.** Choose International Social Policy to examine global social inequality, policy responses and governance, or the Research Methods pathway for more extensive qualitative and quantitative methods training.
Your future career
Understanding social problems is only part of the challenge. Organisations also need people who can investigate them rigorously, work with evidence and communicate what that evidence means.
You’ll graduate with an in-depth understanding of sociology and social policy alongside skills in research design, qualitative and quantitative methods, data analysis, critical thinking and communication.
The programme can prepare you for careers in social research, public administration and public policy across the public, private and voluntary sectors.
Your ability to analyse social issues from different perspectives and work confidently with evidence can also be valuable in organisations responding to inequality, social change and global challenges.
If you want to take your research further, the course also provides a foundation for PhD study in sociology and/or social policy.
Wherever your next step takes you, you’ll leave Southampton better equipped to ask sharper questions about society, investigate them rigorously and turn evidence into understanding.
Student support
You’ll become part of a close-knit and diverse learning community in a friendly, stimulating and research-led environment.
Small-group teaching gives you opportunities to explore ideas in depth, discuss different perspectives with fellow students and receive support as you develop your academic and research skills.
Further information
The programme offers 3 study pathways:
**Substantive pathway** – focus on fundamental concepts in sociology and social policy and how they relate to contemporary policy issues.
**International Social Policy** – explore global social inequality, policy responses and governance.
**Research Methods pathway** – develop more extensive training in quantitative and qualitative research methods.
Across the programme, you’ll explore sociological theory, the philosophy of social science, conceptual debates in social policy, qualitative and quantitative research methods, data analysis and independent research design.
You’ll also develop the skills to design and conduct your own research in sociology or social policy.
Why do inequalities persist? How does globalisation reshape societies? And what can we do when social change creates new challenges for people, communities and governments?
If you want to understand how societies work – and how evidence can help change them – MSc Global Sociology: Challenges, Interventions and Action is for you.
At Southampton, you’ll take a research-first approach to sociology and social policy. Explore the theories that help us understand contemporary society, then use them to investigate issues including inequality, globalisation, class, gender and social change.
You’ll look beyond individual problems to the systems and structures behind them. Examine the major debates shaping sociology and social policy, explore the philosophy of social science and develop the critical thinking to question how evidence is produced, interpreted and used.
Your perspective will be global. Compare societies across richer and poorer regions, investigate global inequalities and explore how different countries and institutions respond through policy and social action.
Research methods are central to the programme. You’ll develop qualitative and quantitative skills, learn techniques for analysing data and build the confidence to design and conduct independent research in sociology or social policy.
You’ll join a close-knit and diverse community where small-group teaching gives you space to question ideas, test different perspectives and explore topics in depth.
Our Social Work and Social Policy research is ranked 5th nationally for impact (Research Excellence Framework 2021), while Sociology research quality at Southampton is ranked among the top 5 in the UK (Complete University Guide 2026).
Find your place in a community that doesn’t just study society. Develop the research skills and critical perspective to understand its challenges and contribute to what happens next.
Key features of this course
**Question how societies work.** Explore fundamental sociological concepts and theories and use them to investigate contemporary social problems, inequalities and processes of change.
**Make research part of your toolkit.** Develop qualitative and quantitative research skills, explore approaches to data analysis and learn how to design independent social research.
**Take a global perspective.** Compare societies around the world and investigate how globalisation, inequality and social change affect people differently across geographical and economic contexts.
**Choose the direction that fits you.** Follow one of 3 pathways, allowing you to focus your studies around your interests, research ambitions or career plans.
**Focus on contemporary social policy.** The Substantive pathway explores fundamental ideas in sociology and social policy and considers how they connect with current policy challenges.
**Go deeper into global inequality or research methods.** Choose International Social Policy to examine global social inequality, policy responses and governance, or the Research Methods pathway for more extensive qualitative and quantitative methods training.
Your future career
Understanding social problems is only part of the challenge. Organisations also need people who can investigate them rigorously, work with evidence and communicate what that evidence means.
You’ll graduate with an in-depth understanding of sociology and social policy alongside skills in research design, qualitative and quantitative methods, data analysis, critical thinking and communication.
The programme can prepare you for careers in social research, public administration and public policy across the public, private and voluntary sectors.
Your ability to analyse social issues from different perspectives and work confidently with evidence can also be valuable in organisations responding to inequality, social change and global challenges.
If you want to take your research further, the course also provides a foundation for PhD study in sociology and/or social policy.
Wherever your next step takes you, you’ll leave Southampton better equipped to ask sharper questions about society, investigate them rigorously and turn evidence into understanding.
Student support
You’ll become part of a close-knit and diverse learning community in a friendly, stimulating and research-led environment.
Small-group teaching gives you opportunities to explore ideas in depth, discuss different perspectives with fellow students and receive support as you develop your academic and research skills.
Further information
The programme offers 3 study pathways:
**Substantive pathway** – focus on fundamental concepts in sociology and social policy and how they relate to contemporary policy issues.
**International Social Policy** – explore global social inequality, policy responses and governance.
**Research Methods pathway** – develop more extensive training in quantitative and qualitative research methods.
Across the programme, you’ll explore sociological theory, the philosophy of social science, conceptual debates in social policy, qualitative and quantitative research methods, data analysis and independent research design.
You’ll also develop the skills to design and conduct your own research in sociology or social policy.
Programme overview
Main Subject
Sociology
Degree
MSc
Study Level
Master's
Study Mode
On Campus
Course summary
Why do inequalities persist? How does globalisation reshape societies? And what can we do when social change creates new challenges for people, communities and governments?
If you want to understand how societies work – and how evidence can help change them – MSc Global Sociology: Challenges, Interventions and Action is for you.
At Southampton, you’ll take a research-first approach to sociology and social policy. Explore the theories that help us understand contemporary society, then use them to investigate issues including inequality, globalisation, class, gender and social change.
You’ll look beyond individual problems to the systems and structures behind them. Examine the major debates shaping sociology and social policy, explore the philosophy of social science and develop the critical thinking to question how evidence is produced, interpreted and used.
Your perspective will be global. Compare societies across richer and poorer regions, investigate global inequalities and explore how different countries and institutions respond through policy and social action.
Research methods are central to the programme. You’ll develop qualitative and quantitative skills, learn techniques for analysing data and build the confidence to design and conduct independent research in sociology or social policy.
You’ll join a close-knit and diverse community where small-group teaching gives you space to question ideas, test different perspectives and explore topics in depth.
Our Social Work and Social Policy research is ranked 5th nationally for impact (Research Excellence Framework 2021), while Sociology research quality at Southampton is ranked among the top 5 in the UK (Complete University Guide 2026).
Find your place in a community that doesn’t just study society. Develop the research skills and critical perspective to understand its challenges and contribute to what happens next.
Key features of this course
**Question how societies work.** Explore fundamental sociological concepts and theories and use them to investigate contemporary social problems, inequalities and processes of change.
**Make research part of your toolkit.** Develop qualitative and quantitative research skills, explore approaches to data analysis and learn how to design independent social research.
**Take a global perspective.** Compare societies around the world and investigate how globalisation, inequality and social change affect people differently across geographical and economic contexts.
**Choose the direction that fits you.** Follow one of 3 pathways, allowing you to focus your studies around your interests, research ambitions or career plans.
**Focus on contemporary social policy.** The Substantive pathway explores fundamental ideas in sociology and social policy and considers how they connect with current policy challenges.
**Go deeper into global inequality or research methods.** Choose International Social Policy to examine global social inequality, policy responses and governance, or the Research Methods pathway for more extensive qualitative and quantitative methods training.
Your future career
Understanding social problems is only part of the challenge. Organisations also need people who can investigate them rigorously, work with evidence and communicate what that evidence means.
You’ll graduate with an in-depth understanding of sociology and social policy alongside skills in research design, qualitative and quantitative methods, data analysis, critical thinking and communication.
The programme can prepare you for careers in social research, public administration and public policy across the public, private and voluntary sectors.
Your ability to analyse social issues from different perspectives and work confidently with evidence can also be valuable in organisations responding to inequality, social change and global challenges.
If you want to take your research further, the course also provides a foundation for PhD study in sociology and/or social policy.
Wherever your next step takes you, you’ll leave Southampton better equipped to ask sharper questions about society, investigate them rigorously and turn evidence into understanding.
Student support
You’ll become part of a close-knit and diverse learning community in a friendly, stimulating and research-led environment.
Small-group teaching gives you opportunities to explore ideas in depth, discuss different perspectives with fellow students and receive support as you develop your academic and research skills.
Further information
The programme offers 3 study pathways:
**Substantive pathway** – focus on fundamental concepts in sociology and social policy and how they relate to contemporary policy issues.
**International Social Policy** – explore global social inequality, policy responses and governance.
**Research Methods pathway** – develop more extensive training in quantitative and qualitative research methods.
Across the programme, you’ll explore sociological theory, the philosophy of social science, conceptual debates in social policy, qualitative and quantitative research methods, data analysis and independent research design.
You’ll also develop the skills to design and conduct your own research in sociology or social policy.
Why do inequalities persist? How does globalisation reshape societies? And what can we do when social change creates new challenges for people, communities and governments?
If you want to understand how societies work – and how evidence can help change them – MSc Global Sociology: Challenges, Interventions and Action is for you.
At Southampton, you’ll take a research-first approach to sociology and social policy. Explore the theories that help us understand contemporary society, then use them to investigate issues including inequality, globalisation, class, gender and social change.
You’ll look beyond individual problems to the systems and structures behind them. Examine the major debates shaping sociology and social policy, explore the philosophy of social science and develop the critical thinking to question how evidence is produced, interpreted and used.
Your perspective will be global. Compare societies across richer and poorer regions, investigate global inequalities and explore how different countries and institutions respond through policy and social action.
Research methods are central to the programme. You’ll develop qualitative and quantitative skills, learn techniques for analysing data and build the confidence to design and conduct independent research in sociology or social policy.
You’ll join a close-knit and diverse community where small-group teaching gives you space to question ideas, test different perspectives and explore topics in depth.
Our Social Work and Social Policy research is ranked 5th nationally for impact (Research Excellence Framework 2021), while Sociology research quality at Southampton is ranked among the top 5 in the UK (Complete University Guide 2026).
Find your place in a community that doesn’t just study society. Develop the research skills and critical perspective to understand its challenges and contribute to what happens next.
Key features of this course
**Question how societies work.** Explore fundamental sociological concepts and theories and use them to investigate contemporary social problems, inequalities and processes of change.
**Make research part of your toolkit.** Develop qualitative and quantitative research skills, explore approaches to data analysis and learn how to design independent social research.
**Take a global perspective.** Compare societies around the world and investigate how globalisation, inequality and social change affect people differently across geographical and economic contexts.
**Choose the direction that fits you.** Follow one of 3 pathways, allowing you to focus your studies around your interests, research ambitions or career plans.
**Focus on contemporary social policy.** The Substantive pathway explores fundamental ideas in sociology and social policy and considers how they connect with current policy challenges.
**Go deeper into global inequality or research methods.** Choose International Social Policy to examine global social inequality, policy responses and governance, or the Research Methods pathway for more extensive qualitative and quantitative methods training.
Your future career
Understanding social problems is only part of the challenge. Organisations also need people who can investigate them rigorously, work with evidence and communicate what that evidence means.
You’ll graduate with an in-depth understanding of sociology and social policy alongside skills in research design, qualitative and quantitative methods, data analysis, critical thinking and communication.
The programme can prepare you for careers in social research, public administration and public policy across the public, private and voluntary sectors.
Your ability to analyse social issues from different perspectives and work confidently with evidence can also be valuable in organisations responding to inequality, social change and global challenges.
If you want to take your research further, the course also provides a foundation for PhD study in sociology and/or social policy.
Wherever your next step takes you, you’ll leave Southampton better equipped to ask sharper questions about society, investigate them rigorously and turn evidence into understanding.
Student support
You’ll become part of a close-knit and diverse learning community in a friendly, stimulating and research-led environment.
Small-group teaching gives you opportunities to explore ideas in depth, discuss different perspectives with fellow students and receive support as you develop your academic and research skills.
Further information
The programme offers 3 study pathways:
**Substantive pathway** – focus on fundamental concepts in sociology and social policy and how they relate to contemporary policy issues.
**International Social Policy** – explore global social inequality, policy responses and governance.
**Research Methods pathway** – develop more extensive training in quantitative and qualitative research methods.
Across the programme, you’ll explore sociological theory, the philosophy of social science, conceptual debates in social policy, qualitative and quantitative research methods, data analysis and independent research design.
You’ll also develop the skills to design and conduct your own research in sociology or social policy.
Admission Requirements
92+
120+
6.5+
67+
3.2+
176+
A variety of scholarships, grants and bursaries may be available to help you fund your master’s study, both from the University and from other organisations. Please check the website for more information - https://www.southampton.ac.uk/courses/funding/postgraduate.page
18 Aug 2027
1 Year
Sep
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