How is the MA Contemporary Society different from an MA Sociology?

MA Sociology is the classical disciplinary degree. The MA Contemporary Society is interdisciplinary by design — sociology at its core, but with cultural analysis, applied policy and current-affairs analysis. It suits students whose interests sit between disciplines.

Can I take the MA Contemporary Society part-time?

Yes. The MA can be taken over 24 months part-time. Online and distance routes are available for working professionals. Most working students complete the MA Contemporary Society in two years.

Does the MA Contemporary Society include quantitative training?

Yes. Quantitative methods are core at MA level — survey design, basic statistics, data interpretation and the discipline of reading published quantitative research critically. The MA Contemporary Society does not assume mathematics background beyond GCSE level.

Is the MA Contemporary Society good preparation for a career in policy?

Yes. The advanced research methods, applied policy and digital-society modules map closely to the skills senior policy roles look for. Many MA Contemporary Society graduates enter government, third-sector or consultancy roles directly after the degree.

What sort of dissertation will I write on the MA Contemporary Society?

A 12,000-to-15,000-word empirical or analytical study on a topic you agree with your supervisor. Past examples include qualitative work on cost-of-living experiences, comparative policy analysis on housing, and digital-ethnography studies of online communities.

MA Contemporary Society in London | LSJHML | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The MA Contemporary Society at the London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages (LSJHML) is a one-year UK postgraduate degree for graduates and senior practitioners who want advanced study of how modern Britain works — and how to research it credibly. The MA blends sociology, cultural analysis and applied social research, grounded in current British Sociological Association and British Academy scholarship.

You will produce a 12,000-to-15,000-word dissertation on a topic of contemporary social significance and graduate with the analytical, methodological and writing skills that policy, research and editorial employers recruit for at senior level.

Key Features

BSA-aligned curriculum covering advanced sociology and current contemporary-society debates.
Advanced research methods — qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods at MA level.
Cultural analysis seminars drawing on the live British cultural-studies tradition.
Applied social policy module — current UK policy debates and the evidence base behind them.
Industry-led masterclasses from think-tank researchers, broadcasters and policy specialists.
12,000–15,000 word dissertation supervised by an active academic or senior practitioner.

What You Will Learn

The MA Contemporary Society is structured around the questions that shape modern Britain — power, culture, identity, inequality, change. You graduate able to design and execute a piece of empirical research, read the social science underpinning a contemporary debate, and write at the standard senior research and policy employers expect.

Advanced sociological theory — classical and contemporary at MA level.
Advanced research methods — qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods, computational.
Class, race and gender in contemporary Britain at MA level.
Cultural analysis — the cultural-studies tradition, media culture, everyday culture.
Social policy — welfare, health, housing, immigration, the live debates of 2026.
Work and economic sociology — the changing labour market, automation, the gig economy.
Urban sociology — London as a case study and the wider UK urban question.
Digital society — platform power, data, the sociology of the online environment.

Who This MA Is For

BA Sociology, Social Policy, Cultural Studies or related graduates moving into MA-level study.
Working researchers, policy professionals and editorial staff seeking a postgraduate credential.
Career-changers from journalism, the public sector or campaigning moving into research-grounded social work.
International graduates seeking a UK Master's in contemporary society taught in central London.

Career Pathways

Graduates of the MA Contemporary Society move into senior research, policy, programme and editorial roles across the public, third and private sectors, or progress to doctoral study. Typical post-MA destinations include:

Social Policy Researcher (think tank, government department, charity)
Cultural Programmer (museum, festival, arts organisation)
Editorial Researcher (longform journalism, broadcaster current-affairs)
Community Affairs Officer (local authority, NHS trust)
Senior Research Executive (consultancy, polling firm)
Programme Officer (international NGO, UK charity)

The MA also serves as a launchpad for doctoral study in sociology, cultural studies or social policy.

Entry Requirements

A UK 2:2 honours degree (or international equivalent) in a related subject, OR a 2:2 in any subject with two years of relevant professional experience.
IELTS 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0) for non-native English speakers.
Personal statement (max 1 page) outlining your motivation, relevant experience and intended specialism.
Two academic or professional references.
Applicants without a related undergraduate degree may be considered with significant industry experience and a written sample.

Why Study at LSJHML

The London School of Journalism, Humanities & Modern Languages is a specialist higher-education provider based in central London. Our programmes are designed in dialogue with working professionals — journalists, translators, civil servants, academics, broadcasters, editors, publishers and policy researchers — so what you learn in seminar on Monday is what your future employer is using on Tuesday. We deliberately keep cohorts small, give every student named tutor support, and treat employability as a structural part of every programme rather than an optional add-on.

London is the work — politics, courts, capital markets, theatre, broadcasting, publishing, public service, the global press. Your studies are taught in the same square mile where the stories you read about happen. Whether you join us on-campus, online or by distance learning, the city is your classroom and our industry network is your launchpad.