Program Requirements
The Master of Social Research Methods requires completion of 48 units, of which:
6 units must come from completion from the following foundational statistics courses:
SOCR8001 Statistics for Social Scientists
STAT7055 Introductory Statistics for Business and Finance
LING8027 Quantitative Research Methods in Linguistics
24 units must come from completion of the following compulsory courses:
SOCR8002 Survey Data Analysis
SOCR8008 Qualitative Data Collection
SOCR8082 Social Research Practice
DEMO8008 Principles of Population Analysis
12 units must come from completion of courses from one of the following lists:
Social Research Methods
SOCR8004 Special Topic in Social Research
SOCR8006 Online Research Methods
SOCR8010 Advanced Survey Data Analysis
SOCR8011 Mixed Methods Social Research
SOCR8015 Human Research Ethics & Integrity: Principles & Practice
SOCR8201 Introduction to Social Science Methods and Types of Data
SOCR8202 Using Data to Answer Policy Questions and Evaluate Policy
SOCR8203 Advanced Techniques in the Creation of Social Science Data
SOCR8204 Causal Inference
SOCY8020 Qualitative Research Analysis
Demographic Analysis
DEMO8024 Population and Society: Theory and Empirical Perspectives
DEMO8047 International Migration
DEMO8048 Sex, Gender, and Population
DEMO8090 Population Issues in Asia and their Implications for World Development
DEMO8091 Special Topics in Population Change
DEMO8092 Life Course Analytics
6 units must come from completion of a 6000-, 7000-, or 8000-level course from the following subject areas:
ACST Actuarial Studies
ANIP Australian National Internship Program
ANTH Anthropology
CHMD Culture, Health and Medicine
COMP Computer Science
CRIM Criminology
DEMO Demography
ECON Economics
EMDV Environmental Management & Development
EMET Econometrics
IDEC International and Developmental Economics
INDG Indigenous Studies
INTR International Relations
LING Linguistics
MGMT Management
PASI Pacific Studies
POGO Policy and Governance
POLS Political Science
POPH Population Health
PSYC Psychology
REGN Regulation
SCOM Science Communication
SOCR Social Research
SOCY Sociology
STAT Statistics
Admission Requirements
Applicants must present one of the following:
- A cognate Bachelor degree or international equivalent with a minimum GPA of 5/7
- A Bachelor degree or international equivalent AND a Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma in a cognate discipline with a minimum GPA of 4/7
The GPA for a Bachelor program will be calculated from (i) a completed Bachelor degree using all grades and/or (ii) a completed Bachelor degree using all grades other than those from the last semester (or equivalent study period) of the Bachelor degree. The higher of the two calculations will be used as the basis for admission.
All applicants must meet the University’s English Language Admission Requirements for Students.
Ranking and English Language Proficiency: At a minimum, all applicants must meet program-specific academic/non-academic requirements, and English language requirements. Admission to most ANU programs is on a competitive basis. Therefore, meeting all admission requirements does not automatically guarantee entry.
In line with the University's admissions policy and strategic plan, an assessment for admission may include competitively ranking applicants on the basis of specific academic achievement, English language proficiency and diversity factors. Applicants will first be ranked on a GPA ('GPA1') that is calculated using all but the last semester (or equivalent) of the Bachelor degree used for admission purposes. If required, ranking may further be confirmed on the basis of:
- a GPA ('GPA2') calculated on the penultimate and antepenultimate semesters (or equivalent) of the Bachelor degree used for admission purposes; and/or
- demonstrating higher-level English language proficiency
Prior to enrolment in this ANU program, all students who gain entry will have their Bachelor degree reassessed, to confirm minimum requirements were met.
Further information: English language admission requirements and post-admission support
Diversity factors: As Australia’s national university, ANU is global representative of Australian research and education. ANU endeavours to recruit and maintain a diverse and deliberate student cohort representative not only of Australia, but the world. In order to achieve these outcomes, competitive ranking of applicants may be adjusted to ensure access to ANU is a reality for brilliant students from countries across the globe.
Assessment of qualifications: Unless otherwise indicated, ANU will accept all Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) qualifications or international equivalents that meet or exceed the published admission requirements of our programs, provided all other admission requirements are also met.
Where an applicant has more than one completed tertiary qualification, ANU will base assessment on the qualification that best meets the admission requirements for the program. Find out more about the Australian Qualifications Framework: www.aqf.edu.au
ANU uses a 7-point Grade Point Average (GPA) scale. All qualifications submitted for admission at ANU will be converted to this common scale, which will determine if an applicant meets our published admission requirements. Find out more about how a 7-point GPA is calculated for Australian universities: www.uac.edu.au/future-applicants/admission-criteria/tertiary-qualifications
Unless otherwise indicated, where an applicant has more than one completed tertiary qualification, ANU will calculate the GPA for each qualification separately. ANU will base assessment on the best GPA of all completed tertiary qualifications of the same level or higher.
Cognate Disciplines
Anthropology, Criminology, Development Studies, Economics, Geography, Marketing, Media and Communication, Political Science, Psychology, Social Policy, Sociology
Indicative fees
Domestic Tuition Fees (DTF)
For more information see: http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/costs-fees
- Annual indicative fee for international students
- $53,110.00
For further information on International Tuition Fees see: https://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/fees-payments/international-tuition-fees
Fee Information
All students are required to pay the Services and amenities fee (SA Fee)
The annual indicative fee provides an estimate of the program tuition fees for international students and domestic students (where applicable). The annual indicative fee for a program is based on the standard full-time enrolment load of 48 units per year (unless the program duration is less than 48 units). Fees for courses vary by discipline meaning that the fees for a program can vary depending on the courses selected. Course fees are reviewed on an annual basis and typically will increase from year to year. The tuition fees payable are dependent on the year of commencement and the courses selected and are subject to increase during the period of study.
For further information on Fees and Payment please see: https://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/fees-payments
Scholarships
ANU offers a wide range of scholarships to students to assist with the cost of their studies.
Eligibility to apply for ANU scholarships varies depending on the specifics of the scholarship and can be categorised by the type of student you are. Specific scholarship application process information is included in the relevant scholarship listing.
For further information see the Scholarships website.
In a world increasingly reliant on data (big and small), a Master of Social Research Methods from the ANU will give you the skills and experience to understand a changing Australian and global society, as well as the political, demographic and economic forces that shape and drive these changes.
A Master of Social Research Methods from POLIS: The Centre for Social Policy Research will equip you with the practical skills to conduct, commission and evaluate research in the social sciences, and give you the opportunity to extend your skills in advanced research methods, and/or apply your skills to real-world policy and societal issues.
The program’s expert teaching staff are active researchers who can draw upon their wealth of local and international experience, as well as their connections with government and industry.
Graduates from ANU have been rated as Australia's most employable graduates and among the most sought after by employers worldwide.
The solid grounding in research methods at the heart of the Master of Social Research Methods will open up a range of research career options within government, research organisations and in the private sector.
Career Options
ANU ranks among the world's very finest universities. Our nearly 100,000 alumni include political, business, government, and academic leaders around the world.
We have graduated remarkable people from every part of our continent, our region and all walks of life.
Learning Outcomes
- summarise and critically review key studies in a particular substantive area of research;
- use theory and existing literature to formulate social research questions and hypotheses;
- construct and critically assess quantitative and qualitative social research designs;
- identify the key stages of the social research project, how the components within each phase fit together, and be able to apply this knowledge to real-world research projects;
- undertake basic statistical analysis appropriate for answering a stated research question; and
- present and interpret basic statistical research results.