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Maynooth University

Sociology - Internet & Society

This M.A. aims to enable students to critically engage with the opportunities and challenges of social life online, and develop an analytical skill set that focuses on the application of both established qualitative and quantitative research methods, and new digital research methods, to this domain. It shares some substantive and methodological courses with our MA Societies in Transition course.

This one-year programme offers;

-critical examination of the political economy and cultures of the internet;
-knowledge of the latest research that engages with the social, cultural and legal aspects of internet use;
-advanced social and digital research skills that will prepare graduates for researching online and using user data appropriately.

Entry requirements

A Bachelor of Arts in sociology or cognate discipline with 2.2 or higher, or international equivalent is required. For international students for whom English is not their first language, an English language exam certificate showing IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent) is required.

Duration

MHY56 1 year Full-time

Careers or further progression

This programme offers modules with some of the best Social Science and Legal researchers in the country and enables social science and humanities students to build their capabilities and confidence in conducting social research offline and online.

The modules are designed for students who aspire to careers as researchers, or client/customer facing roles in a variety of fields from business, IT and the media to the voluntary sector. Graduates will be able to interface with programmers and designers and with those working on the statistical analysis of data. They will be able to develop, execute and report on online research projects for a range of public and private sector goals. The MA is also suitable for those who wish to bring their sociological knowledge to a new level, and potentially move on to doctoral research.

Further enquiries

Email: sociology.department@mu.ie or course coordinator Dr. Aphra Kerr aphra.kerr@mu.ie

Telephone: + 353 1 708 3659
Website: www.maynoothuniversity.ie/sociology

Subjects taught

Course Structure
Modules include understanding on-line communities and social media, advanced digital research methods and analytical reasoning in the social sciences. This programme is delivered in association with the Departments of Law, Geography and Media Studies.

Four core modules lay the foundations for this course and all students take these:

*Political Economy & Cultures of the internet
*Advanced Digital Methods
*Social Science Reasoning
*Thesis workshops

A number of options are available and allow for different pathways in methods, law or media:

*Information Technology Law
*Information Privacy Law
*Quantitative Research Methods
*Qualitative Research Methods
*Critical Data Studies
*Political Economy of Work
*Networked Publics

All MA students will produce an individual thesis project under the supervision of a member of staff but with group meetings throughout the year to support the development of the work.

A postgraduate diploma option of this course is available whereby students take 60 credits but do not have to produce a thesis.

Comment

Sociology at Maynooth University prioritises a vibrant research culture. Established over 75 years ago, Sociology at Maynooth provides postgraduate students with high quality research training in a lively intellectual atmosphere. We actively promote students' professional involvement in academic life and ensure that students will make a contribution to the advancement of knowledge and to the understanding and wellbeing of contemporary societies.

Application date

All applications should be made through the PAC system.

Closing Date : 30 June 2019

Course fee

In general, there are two levels of fees payable. EU students from EU countries including Ireland pay a subsidised level of fees for both taught courses and research programmes. Tuition fees for students from outside the EU are not subsidised and are thus somewhat higher than for EU students.