Programme Specification – MPhil/PhD Social Research Methods
1. Awarding Body
LSE
2. Details of accreditation by a
professional/statutory body, e.g. ESRC;
BPS etc
3. Name of final award
4. Programme Title
5. Duration of the course
6. Based in the Department/Institute:
7. Relevant QAA subject benchmark
statements
8. UCAS Code
9. First written/last amended
The Department is recognised by ESRC for
FT+3 research training.
MPhil/PhD
Social Research Methods
MPhil/PhD 3-4 years (minimum 2)
Department of Methodology
N/A
L9ZM
December 2008 / November 2012
10. The programme aims to:
First, deliver research training to a level appropriate to the submission of a PhD thesis to the
standard required by the University of London within the bounds of a four year programme of
study.
The second aim is to produce original research which is either methodologically innovative or
substantively important (or both). This means, at the very least, the application of a technique
or methodology not previously applied to a particular body of substantive research, or the
improvement of methodology within a body of substantive research. Apart from the
methodological innovation, the research may cover any substantive area of the social
sciences. The MPhil/PhD is designed to produce sophisticated empirical researchers from a
number of different disciplines. Individuals who receive an MPhil or PhD in Social Research
Methods will therefore have demonstrated strong methodological skills in the social sciences,
and have contributed methodologically and/or substantively to a particular research literature.
This will enable students to go directly into both academic careers as teachers and researchers,
and non-academic careers (e. g. government, the voluntary sector, international organisations,
business and media), and to become articulate, clear thinking individuals who are able to
critically (and with imagination) analyse complex bodies of material.
11. Programme outcomes: knowledge and understanding; skills and other attributes
While the knowledge and understanding and the skills and other attributes required for a
successful PhD thesis vary from student to student, the outcomes of the MPhil/PhD
programme as a whole comprise the successful delivery of research training to a level
appropriate to the submission of a PhD thesis to the standard required by the University of
London within the bounds of a four year programme of study. Students will also gain
proficiency in the following transferable skills:
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skills in IT for general and academic purposes;
use of software for statistical and/or qualitative analysis ;
library and Internet research skills;
research-report writing, through writing of thesis and research publications;
oral presentation and commentary, through participation in seminars and
workshops (the student’s own work of their own and/or that of other
contributors in the field);
teaching experience gained within the Department.
For further information relating to careers.
12. Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be achieved
and demonstrated
In the first year, candidates will typically spend over half their time taking a range of methods
and specialist courses. These are selected in discussion with their supervisor and dependent
on their needs. They will take some of the courses taught by the Department of Methodology,
which are currently:
MY500 Fundamentals of Social Science Research Design
MY521 Qualitative Research Methods
MY526 Doing Ethnography
MY527 Non-Traditional Data: New Dimensions in Qualitative Research
MY529 Special Topics in Qualitative Research Methods: Qualitative Text Analysis
MY530 Advanced Qualitative Research Workshops
MY551 Introduction to Quantitative Analysis
MY552 Applied Regression Analysis
MY555 Multivariate Analysis and Measurement
MY556 Survey Methodology
MY557 Causal Inference for Observational and Experimental Studies
MY559 Special Topics in Quantitative Analysis
MY560 Workshop in Advanced Quantitative Analysis
A typical selection would be to take MY552, MY555, MY500 and MY521 in the first year, but a
student may be excused some or all of them if s/he has previously taken graduate-level
courses covering the same material.
Beyond the courses mentioned in the previous paragraph, in their first or second year,
students are also encouraged to take more advanced MY courses and workshops in the types
of (qualitative and/or quantitative) methods that they use in their research..
The courses candidates take may also include ones from other institutes or departments at
LSE, dependent on their needs.
The supervisors may advise or require that the student be formally assessed for such courses,
and the results of these assessments may be included as part of the conditions for
progression to the second year and/or upgrade to PhD.
Assessment strategies:
In the Summer Term of their first year, candidates will produce a 10,000 word ‘first year
review’ that outlines the aims and methods of their thesis: this means summarising the key
literature(s), motivating their specific research questions, and highlighting the planned
contributions of their work. A first year review document typically includes a general
introduction, a comprehensive literature review (covering relevant empirical and theoretical
work), a motivation of the research questions and hypotheses, and an indication of the
literature(s) that the candidate is seeking to contribute to (i.e. the gaps in knowledge that will
be addressed). Candidates will also give an oral presentation of their proposal at the
Department of Methodology PhD day.
Written and oral work will be assessed by two academics (not on the supervisory team),
normally members of Department of Methodology staff. This work has to reach an acceptable
standard to enable them to progress to the second year. It is particularly important that the first
year review clearly states the objectives of the doctoral research ands indicate how the
empirical work will be carried out. If the panel deems the first year review to be not suitably
clear, they can choose not to accept the submitted document and give the candidate up to a
month to clarify. This decision will be taken maximum one week after the Department of
Methodology PhD Day. Examples of unclear work might include (but not be limited to):
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A first year review that does not state clear research questions;
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A first year review that does not adequately review the specific literatures that the
empirical work is contributing to;
A first year review that does not give enough methodological detail, showing how the
design will produce data that allows the candidate to address the theoretical issues at
stake in a systematic and rigorous way.
After the first year candidates will spend more time on independent study under the guidance
of their supervisor(s). This will involve the collection, organization and analysis of data, and
writing up the results.
All research students are initially admitted to doctoral program as MPhil students. Full-time
students are normally upgraded to PhD sometime during their second year of study. During
their second year of registration, they will typically submit (at least) three draft chapters of their
thesis plus a short introduction and a detailed plan for its completion. The three draft chapters
will typically include a detailed literature review, specification of research problem(s) and two
empirical chapters. If candidates are pursuing a paper-based thesis, their upgrading
documents will typically include a short introduction, a literature review and at least two
empirical papers. Whether a traditional or paper-based thesis, the material will be evaluated
by an upgrading committee (two academics, not necessarily of the Department of
Methodology or even the LSE) who will recommend transferal to PhD registration if their work
is judged to be of sufficient quality and quantity.
If the upgrade panel decides that the student’s performance is not of sufficient quality to merit
an upgrade, the student will be allowed to resubmit the materials. Resubmission for upgrade
must take place within six months of the first upgrade viva. The upgrade panel may choose at
its discretion to conduct another viva or to base their decision solely on the resubmission of
the written material. Each student is allowed only two attempts at upgrading.
Throughout the MPhil/PhD and PhD, candidates will attend the Institute's research seminar
and other specialist workshops and seminars related to their interests. The student must give
a presentation at every annual Department of Methodology PhD day.
13. Programme structures and requirements, levels, modules and awards
See the MPhil/PhD Methodology programme regulations.
Additional information
14. Criteria for admission to the programme
To be eligible for admission to MPhil/PhD programme in MI, an applicant should, normally,
have an upper second class honours degree from a UK university or its equivalent abroad,
and a Master’s degree that provides a training broadly similar to our MSc Social Research
Methods (SRM). The applicant is normally expected to have achieved 65% or better (pass
mark, 50%) in their Master’s degree.
For an applicant who has been admitted to a 1+3 programme of MSc Social Research
Methods followed by the MPhil/PhD programme at the Department of Methodology,
progression to the MPhil/PhD part of the programme is normally conditional on satisfying the
following conditions:
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An overall mark of 65% or better (pass mark, 50%) in the MSc;
A mark of 65% or better (pass mark, 50%) in the MSc dissertation;
Availability of a suitable supervisor;
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That, during the MSc year, the student has discussed his/her proposed research to a
satisfactory extent with the proposed supervisor(s).
Different conditions may be set if appropriate. In such cases, the student will be informed of
the conditions in writing by the end of Lent Term.
15. Indicators of quality
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The School participates in the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES)
which provides indicators of student satisfaction with various aspects of their research
degree programme. Results from this survey have been positive for the School.
Examiners’ reports from viva examinations are considered centrally within the School
and provide indicators on the quality of the research student experience and
supervision quality.
The LSE Careers Centre website provides data on career destinations of LSE
research graduates.
The principal indicators of quality are the outcomes of successful theses and subsequent
publication drawing on and building on the thesis research. Secondary indicators are:
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Admission requirements and strong demand for the programme
Members of the department are authors of key texts in the programme subject area
Members of the department are recipients of research grants in the programme
subject area
Publication in journals or in book form of work deriving from graduates’ theses
16. Methods for evaluating and improving the quality and standard of teaching and
learning
School-wide mechanisms:
 The Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) runs the Postgraduate Research
Experience Survey (PRES) and distributes results to departments. Survey results
are considered by School Committees (Research Degrees Sub-Committee &
Teaching, Learning and Assessment Committee) as well as within academic
departments. Any issues arising from the PRES would be addressed by the
appropriate body/department;
 Taught courses on MPhil/PhD programmes are included in the School’s internal
student satisfaction survey, where such courses are provided at the Masters’
level, as conducted by the Teaching Quality Assurance and Review Office;
 Departments review their programmes according to their own system of periodic
review;
 The Institute offers methodological training across all MPhil/PhD programme and
transferrable study skills training courses are offered by the TLC for all MPhil/PhD
students: this central resource enhances the standard of teaching and learning
for all research students across the School;
 induction programme and mentoring scheme for new members of staff;
 regular staff appraisal and review;
 improvements in teaching technique by the TLC through observations, advice
and further training;
 student evaluations of courses and teachers;
 the Teaching Learning & Assessment Committee is responsible for overseeing all
aspects of teaching quality;
 TLAC review of the Institute once every 5 years.