Msocsc in Sociology

mozzermark

Hey just wondering if anyone else is starting the Msocsc in Sociology this September? Or if anyone had done it if they could give some reviews on modules etc. Thanks

Snako

Yo yo yo,

Snako BA MSocSc in da house, well pending, writing this is actually a product of procrastination, as tomorrow two weeks is deadline day for the dissertation and assignments.

Not sure which modules you are most interested in so I will go with my two favourite and the top two that broke my heart, this is all based on the assumption that you are taking sociology: 1)Sociological Research (Sem;1) great module get stuck in. 2) Economic Globalisation and social change, (Sem; 2) another well structured and insightful module.

And the hates 1) Advanced Quantitative Data Analysis, essential if you wish for a career in research but not for the feint hearted, overly complicated and poorly supported, guaranteed to stress. (sem 2) 2) Irish culture and society (sem 2) a module that hasn't really found itself yet, could be reincarnated by next year, but beware, either love Bourdieu already or be prepared to embrace him.

BO

mozzermark

Advanced Quantitative Data Analysis sounds horrible but I think I'll make myself do it. Is it semesterised or are all your assignments all due in the next few weeks?

Snako

Yes originally it was three semesters, the final one being over the summer, with the purpose of finishing the dissertation, but for some reason they decided to allow us to hand in some of our semester two assignments on the same deadline as the dissertation, great at the time but in retrospect would have been nice to get them out of the way earlier.

The whole thing is over 90 credits, each module consisting of 10, and the dissertation worth 30. Some of the clever cats in the class took 40 in the first semester, difficult but manageable, and 20 in the second, as to afford more time to the dissertation. I by cancellation of modules did this the opposite way around, wasn't the end of the world!!

A module I regretted not taking was the urban environments one (not correct title) with Dr Michael Punch, heard it was good. But in the end I suppose its all down to what you are into.

Contemporary Sociological Theory was also one of the tough ones, try to be decisive about picking a theoretical perspective early on, hesitance will result in a mega ton of reading, before you choose an essay topic, which then requires another mega ton of reading in very abstract theory, must say found that essay quite challenging.

Advance Quantitative Data Analysis was a cruel mistress, they try to pack it all into ya in about three days, then expect you to concoct a theory, and then try to prove it statistically by employing information from data sets. Tricky to get the noggin around at first, then what can only be described as incredibly frustrating tedium.

But heed not budding sociologist, always contextualise, I tend to be quite dramatic, about these things, and emerged relatively unscathed, with a good grade I might add, but there were low points where I found my self quietly weeping, rocking back and forth in the foetal position under my desk.