Key information
The MSc Social and Behavioural Research Methods programme at Heriot-Watt University provides you with excellent training in research methods and will prepare you for a career in research, whether you want to work in academics or in other fields.
- Level
- Postgraduate Taught
- Delivery type
- Full Time
- Degree qualification
- MSc
- Mode of delivery
- On-Campus
- Duration
- 1 year
- Location
- Edinburgh
- Start date
- September
During the master’s programme, you’ll develop advanced research skills and techniques relevant to your chosen field of study. You’ll understand the principles of research design and strategy and be able to formulate research questions which are amenable to empirical investigation. You’ll be able to understand and apply a broad range of research methods, including quantitative and qualitative, and will use appropriate software for their application.
Each course will equip you with highly employable expertise and skills in psychology, business management, finance and accounting. You’ll have the opportunity to choose four optional courses, including research in action, big data analysis, systems thinking and analysis, psychological interventions, advanced experimental design and international accounting theory. This will allow you to customise your learning and develop your specific interests. Your dissertation will allow you to engage in an independent in-depth critical examination based on your chosen pathway, from an independent project in psychology, business management and accounting, banking or finance.
You’ll benefit from the industry relevance of the programme, which will set you up for life after graduation. Upon completion, you’ll be able to use a significant range of professional skills, techniques and materials to understand the application of good ethical practice across the entire research process.
Your student experience
Our MSc Social and Behavioural Research Methods degree is taught by experienced, leading academics who, in many cases, have published the research which shapes their disciplines and written the books which will guide your learning. Many academics balance teaching time with continued professional practice as translators, interpreters, practitioner psychologists, tax and finance specialists and management consultants. They bring real-world experience to the classroom.
Go Global
With Go Global, Heriot-Watt's global student programme, you can carry your studies to new places and experience new cultures, expanding your horizons on the way. You'll discover what it means to be a true global citizen and emerge prepared for wherever your career journey will take you.
Inter-Campus Transfer
Course content
September Intake - Edinburgh
Mandatory September
- Research Methods 1 : An Introduction
- Research Methods 2: The Qualitative Researcher
- Research Methods 3: The Quantitative Researcher
Optional January
- Big Data Analytics
- Econometric Methods for Economic Research
- Network Analysis for Business
- Systems Thinking and Analysis
- Applying Psychology in Real-World Contexts
- Research in Action
- Empirical Financial Modelling
- Psychological Interventions
- Advanced Statistics using R
- Discourse Analysis
- Advanced Experimental Design
- Comparative Financial Reporting
- International Accounting Theory
Optional May
- Dissertation
- Accounting, Banking or Finance Dissertation
- Independent Project in Psychology
Fees and funding
| Status | Full Time |
|---|---|
| UK | £10,528 |
| International | £21,192 |
- Status: Your residency status is usually defined as the country where you have been ordinarily resident for the three years before the start of your course.
- International: 'International' includes applicants from European Union countries who do not hold Pre-Settled or Settled status in UK. (This does not include students from the Republic of Ireland - see above).
Scholarships and bursaries
Postgraduate scholarships and bursaries
We aim to encourage well-qualified, ambitious students to study with us and we offer a wide variety of scholarships and bursaries to achieve this. Over £6 million worth of opportunities are available in fee and stipend scholarships, and more than 400 students benefit from this support.
Entry requirements
We have standard entry requirements for all of our courses that you will have to meet.
A minimum of honours degree at 2:2 or non-UK equivalent in a relevant subject. Suitable degrees include Psychology, Business Management, Accounting and Finance, Languages and Intercultural Studies, Political Sciences and Sociology.
We welcome applications from international students and accept qualifications from around the world. Please refer to the entry requirements for your country for more details.
Why Heriot-Watt
We're the top university in Scotland for graduate outcomes which means that more of our graduates are employed or in postgraduate education than any other institution in the country and we ranked 5th in the UK.
We're also rated number one in the UK for CEO or MD roles, meaning more of our graduates go on to become CEOs or MDs than any other university in the whole of the UK. On top of that, we have beautiful campuses, across the globe, so you'll get a truly international education. Our Edinburgh Campus is home to Oriam, Scotland's National Sports Performance Centre combined with plenty of wellbeing resources, prioritising fitness and mental health for all students. Our Global Research Institutes look at solving real world issues such as climate change and saving our oceans as well as working on the next medical technological breakthrough and the future of AI and robots.
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