This innovative programme allows you to develop interdisciplinary research expertise while focusing on your topics of interest to suit your career or further study goals.
The MA in interdisciplinary Research Methods provides training in a wide range of research methods used to tackle contemporary social phenomena. It is aligned with the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) learning outcomes for the provision of suitable interdisciplinary research methods training.
This course provides the chance to study in one of the leading Research Methods Centre in the UK, with teaching delivered by highly qualified staff with a strong interdisciplinary orientation.
The programme offers participatory and interactive approaches to learning, through small group teaching, workshops, seminars and practical sessions. We encourage and support you in your pursuit of personal research interests through an independent research project and flexible, student interest-driven assessments.
The programme comprises 75 credits of core advanced methods, 45 credits specialised/open methods and a 60 credit dissertation.
Course Structure
Core modules:
Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Practices across Social Research
Qualitative Methods and Analysis
Quantitative Methods and Analysis
Current Debates in Interdisciplinarity Research
Interdisciplinarity Methods for Decision Making
Dissertation
Recent examples of optional modules include:
Systematic Review
Advanced Ethnographic Research
Multilevel Modelling
Advanced Statistics for Psychology and the Behavioural Sciences
The curriculum is delivered through a combination of taught lectures, seminars and tutorials using interactive pedagogical approaches such as discussions and presentations, critiquing existing research, analysing and interpreting data, designing research instruments, searching literature, synthesising and communicating research results.
Teaching contact hours will be supplemented by a substantial element of independent learning, including further reading and research. Support for these activities is available via access to a variety of learning resources and spaces, including Durham’s state of the art library, study and computer rooms, databases, journals and a wide range of textbooks and specialised books.
The final element of the programme is the Dissertation, a significant piece of independent research that brings together the theory, method and practices learnt through the core and option modules. Students will be assigned a dissertation supervisor who will provide support through a series of individual tutoring meetings, dissertation workshops and forums.
Assessment
The MA in Interdisciplinary Research Methods is assessed through coursework. Assessments vary depending on the modules studied. Assessment methods may include written assignments, development of research proposals, portfolio work, and/or individual and group presentations. The option module Advanced Statistics for Psychology and the Behavioural Sciences is assessed by examination.
A key assessed work will be the dissertation, a 12,000-word piece of work carried out under the guidance of a supervisor. This makes up one-third of teaching credits assigned to the programme.
Entry requirements
An honours degree at 2:1 (or equivalent). Significant relevant experience will also be considered.
The tuition fees for 2025/26 academic year have not yet been finalised, they will be displayed here once approved.
The tuition fees shown are for one complete academic year of study and are set according to the academic year of entry. Fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase and are expected to rise throughout the programme of study. The fee listed above is for the first year of the course only. More information is available here: Tuition fees - how much are they - Durham University
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