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Master of Philosophy in Sociology and Demography

The Course shall be under the supervision of the Graduate Studies Committee of the Department of Sociology, which is under the supervision of the Social Sciences Divisional Board.

The regulations are as follows:

Qualifying test

In the first year, every candidate must offer four compulsory papers. 

1. Methods of Social Research, will be assessed by written examination and two written coursework submissions. 

2. Sociological Analysis, will be assessed by a written examination.

3. Demographic Analysis, will be assessed by two written coursework submissions. 

4. Life Course Research, will be assessed by two written coursework submissions. 

In addition, candidates must also offer one option paper. Details of the option papers available including the method and timing of the assessment will be published annually in the Course Handbook. 

Full details of the methods of assessment and timings will be set out in the Course Handbook. 

Where coursework forms a part of any assessment for an option paper, an electronic copy must be uploaded to the University approved online assessment platform by the time and date specified in the Course Handbook. 

Candidates who fail the qualifying test are allowed to retake the test before the beginning of the first week of the next academic year. Such candidates are required to retake only those elements of the qualifying test that they have failed. Candidates who fail only one out of the five papers may, by permission of the Sociology Graduate Studies Committee, proceed to the second year of the course and re-sit the failed paper at the same time as the final examination. No candidate will be permitted to re-sit any of the compulsory papers more than once.

Final Examination

Every candidate must offer:

  • 1. One further option paper from the list of option papers specified by the Department of Sociology;

  • 2. A paper in the Replication Project as specified in the Graduate Studies Handbook;

  • 3. A thesis of not more than 30,000 words on a topic within the subject of the course, to be specified jointly by supervisor and student; an electronic copy to be uploaded to the University-approved online assessment platform by noon on Friday of week 6 of Trinity Term. Candidates are warned that they should avoid repetition in their theses of material used in their option papers and that substantial repetition may be penalised.