Sociology with Quantitative Methods

Sociology with Quantitative Methods is a degree that takes a distinctive approach to one of the most contested methodological questions in the social sciences: how should we study society, and what role do numbers play in that endeavour? Sociology investigates the patterns of social life, the structures of inequality, the dynamics of institutions and the forces that produce social change. Quantitative methods provide the tools to study those phenomena at scale, using surveys, administrative data, statistical modelling and data visualisation to identify patterns and test hypotheses.

At the University of Glasgow, the four-year full-time programme is delivered through the university's Q-Step Centre, which is specifically designed to develop students' quantitative skills alongside their sociological understanding. This is a degree that takes seriously both the interpretivist traditions of sociology and the value of numerical evidence, producing graduates who can move between different methodological frameworks with confidence. You will study sociological theory, research methods, social stratification, inequality, race, gender and the sociology of contemporary institutions, while also developing skills in statistical analysis, survey design and data handling that are in high demand from employers.

The degree includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to study sociology in a different national context.

Graduates who can combine sociological understanding with quantitative analytical skills are particularly sought after by employers in government, market research, public health, policy organisations, the third sector and the technology and data industries. Academic research, statistics agencies and consultancy firms also value this combination. Postgraduate study in sociology, social research methods, data science or public policy is a natural continuation.