New Sociology postgraduate degrees launching at UCL

Rapid globalisation has brought diverse cultures into closer contact, though this has also sparked new tensions. Even as educational opportunities expand around the world, a child’s future is still shaped by their parents' economic standing. The rise of big data and algorithmic decision-making can empower users, but recent technological growth may also reinforce existing inequalities. 

Who benefits from these developments, and who is left behind? These are some of the questions sociologists seek to answer and will be addressed by our Sociology postgraduate programmes. 

Launching in September 2025, the programmes will be led by the UCL Social Research Institute (SRI), a world-leading centre for policy-oriented social science.

• Sociology MSc
• Sociology and Social Inequalities MSc
• Sociology and Data Science MSc
• Sociology of Childhood and Children's Rights MA

Sociology is the study of how society works – situating our lived experiences within the context of broader societal structures. It bridges the large systemic forces shaping our world and the day-to-day interactions that define our lives. 

Sociology helps us understand how culture, norms, and social structures guide or constrain our choices and shape our identities, while also showing how we can resist, challenge, or transform these frameworks. 

Renowned for innovation in social science and education, the UCL Social Research Institute is committed to changing the world for the better through research, teaching and public engagement. The SRI boasts wide methodological expertise, ranging from ethnography to advanced quantitative work, which gives it a unique capacity to provide world-class teaching and generate new insights on social problems. 

Students can either choose to study a broad sociology degree, or specialise in one of three areas: sociology and social inequalities, sociology and data science, or the sociology of childhood and children’s rights. 

These programmes will provide students with advanced training in sociology, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to understand contemporary society and apply sociological theory to real-world issues.

Drs Per Engzell and Clare Stovell, Programme Leaders, say “The Sociology MSc is for anyone curious about how society works. Sociology at UCL is theoretically grounded and academically rigorous but also applied, empirical, policy-relevant, and deeply engaged with the real world. Whatever your chosen area, these programmes give you the tools you need to critically analyse our society and contribute to it.” 

Students may consider a range of topics: race and gender dynamics, climate change, mental health and wellbeing, immigration, data-empowered societies and the impact of AI, social inequalities and injustices, and LGBTQ+ rights. 

The degrees can be studied flexibly on campus or online, giving students the ability to engage from anywhere in the world. 

Graduates will leave with practical skills, a strong theoretical foundation, and the ability to apply sociological insights in their further academic work and future careers in fields like teaching, policymaking, journalism or NGOs. 

Prospective students can find out more about the range of Sociology programmes offered at UCL in the prospectus. Applications for 2025 entry into the courses are currently open.

Related links

• UCL Social Research Institute

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