School of Social and Political Science

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Our programmes

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Sociology at the University of Edinburgh is ranked in the UK's top six and in Europe’s top 7 universities for sociology in the Q.S. World University Rankings by Subject 2022.

On our single and joint undergraduate degree programmes we place a strong emphasis on doing rather than just reading about sociology. Students are trained and supported to carry out your own research. We also emphasise research-led teaching; our lecturers are all active researchers who bring to their teaching the most contemporary ideas and knowledge about their topics of interest.

We have a thriving and cosmopolitan community of postgraduate students across our taught and research degrees. Students are integral to our department’s vibrant intellectual culture, so you’ll find a welcoming place here to carry out your studies.

We offer four-year undergraduate MA degrees in Sociology and in Sociology with Quantitative Methods, as well as leading combined programmes in Sociology and Politics, Sociology and Psychology, and Sociology and Social Anthropology. Sociology staff also have a leading role in the MA Sustainable Development degree programme.

At postgraduate level, as well as PhD programmes in Sociology and in Socio-Cultural Studies, we also offer one-year (full-time) and two-year (part-time) Masters (MSc) degrees in Digital Society, Nationalism Studies, and Sociology and Global Change.