THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2025/2026

Timetable information in the Course Catalogue may be subject to change.
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Degree Programme Table: Science and Technology Studies (MSc by Research) (Part-time) (PRMSCSCTST1P)

Jump to: Year 1, Year 2

Year 1 Academic year: 2025/26, Starting in: September

Notes:
Course choices should be confirmed with your Programme Director at your first meeting.


Students who can demonstrate expected levels of research skill in particular areas can, with the agreement of the Programme Director, claim exemption from particular parts of the training programme. Students who obtain exemption from core courses must substitute option courses or undertake a longer dissertation.

ESRC Funded students:
Please note that students with ESRC funding will be required to take the following ESRC accredited research training courses:

1.Research Skills in the Social Sciences: Data Collection - PGSP11016
2.Core Quantitative Data Analysis - SCIL11009
3.SGSSS Core: Becoming a Confident Social Science Researcher- PGSP11631

There are no compulsory courses in this year of this programme.

Course options

Group A

Select exactly 60 credits in this group.

Research Training Courses - MSc by Research

Select between 0 and 60 credits of the following courses
Notes:
Students must take all of these courses across the 2 year programme.
Research Skills in the Social Sciences: Data Collection
PGSP11016 20 credits
Advanced Research Design
PGSP12003 20 credits
Core quantitative data analysis 1 and 2
SCIL11009 20 credits
AND

Recommended Electives - Science and Technology Studies (MScR)

Select between 0 and 60 credits of the following courses
Notes:
Students must take 20-60 credits of these courses across the 2 year programme.
Comparative Analysis of Social and Public Policy
PGSP11104 20 credits
Analysing Qualitative Data
PGSP11110 20 credits
Energy Policy and Politics (20 credits)
PGSP11132 20 credits
Qualitative Methods and Ethnographic Fieldwork
PGSP11188 20 credits
Biobusiness
PGSP11331 20 credits
Science, Knowledge and Expertise
PGSP11352 20 credits
Understanding Technology
PGSP11353 20 credits
Innovation in Sustainable Food Systems
PGSP11400 20 credits
Controversies in the Data Society
PGSP11467 20 credits
Social Dimensions of Systems and Synthetic Biology
PGSP11476 20 credits
Innovation Systems and Risk Management
PGSP11558 20 credits
Delivering the Circular Economy and the Bioeconomy
PGSP11569 20 credits
Fundamentals of Energy Systems and Technologies
STIS11005 20 credits
Data and Society
STIS11007 20 credits
AND

Level 11 courses in Schedules A to Q, T and W

Select between 0 and 20 credits from Level 11 courses in Schedules A to Q, T and W
Notes:
Courses in this collection can only be taken with permission from the Programme Director and the Course Organiser.

Students may take up to 20 credits of these courses across the 2 year programme.

Year 2 Academic year: 2025/26, Starting in: September

Notes:
ESRC Funded students:
Please note that students with ESRC funding will be required to take the following ESRC accredited research training courses:

1.Research Skills in the Social Sciences: Data Collection - PGSP11016
2.Core Quantitative Data Analysis - SCIL11009
3.SGSSS Core: Becoming a Confident Social Science Researcher- PGSP11631

There are no compulsory courses in this year of this programme.

Course options

Group A

Select exactly 120 credits in this group.

Research Training Courses - MSc by Research

Select between 0 and 60 credits of the following courses
Notes:
Students must take all these courses across the 2 year programme.
Research Skills in the Social Sciences: Data Collection
PGSP11016 20 credits
Advanced Research Design
PGSP12003 20 credits
Core quantitative data analysis 1 and 2
SCIL11009 20 credits
AND

Recommended Electives - Science and Technology Studies (MScR)

Select between 0 and 60 credits of the following courses
Notes:
Students must take 20-60 credits of these courses across the 2 year programme.
Comparative Analysis of Social and Public Policy
PGSP11104 20 credits
Analysing Qualitative Data
PGSP11110 20 credits
Energy Policy and Politics (20 credits)
PGSP11132 20 credits
Qualitative Methods and Ethnographic Fieldwork
PGSP11188 20 credits
Biobusiness
PGSP11331 20 credits
Science, Knowledge and Expertise
PGSP11352 20 credits
Understanding Technology
PGSP11353 20 credits
Innovation in Sustainable Food Systems
PGSP11400 20 credits
Controversies in the Data Society
PGSP11467 20 credits
Social Dimensions of Systems and Synthetic Biology
PGSP11476 20 credits
Innovation Systems and Risk Management
PGSP11558 20 credits
Delivering the Circular Economy and the Bioeconomy
PGSP11569 20 credits
Fundamentals of Energy Systems and Technologies
STIS11005 20 credits
Data and Society
STIS11007 20 credits
AND

Level 11 courses in Schedules A to Q, T and W

Select between 0 and 20 credits from Level 11 courses in Schedules A to Q, T and W
Notes:
Courses in this collection can only be taken with permission from the Programme Director and the Course Organiser.

Students may take up to 20 credits of these courses across the 2 year programme.
AND

Dissertations - Science and Technology Studies (MSc by Research)

Select between 60 and 100 credits of the following courses
Notes:
Please note that the 60 credit dissertation option PGSP11097 is taken as standard.

Students who have already covered core programme courses (e.g. through one of our taught MSCs) may by arrangement opt for an 80 or 100 credit dissertation.
Selected courses must be passed at 50%
Dissertation MSc by Research Science & Technology Studies (60 credit)
PGSP11097 60 credits
Dissertation MSc by Research Science and Technology Studies (80 credit)
PGSP11098 80 credits
Dissertation MSc by Research Science and Technology Studies (100 credit)
PGSP11099 100 credits
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