Program content
Courses at Universitat Pompeu Fabra
You will take the following courses in block 2: October - December
Demographic Changes and Social Dynamics
Techniques of Statistical Analysis I
Research and Data Analysis Seminar
Choose one of the following elective courses:
Fundamentals of Political and Social Research
Determinants of Health Inequalities
You will take the following courses in block 3: January - March
Analysis of Social Inequalities
Techniques of Statistical Analysis II
Family, Gender and Society
Choose one of the following elective courses:
Migration and Society
Qualitative Research Methods
Employment Policies and Labour Market
See more information on the courses offered by Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Courses at Tilburg University - Sociology: Politics, Policy and Society in a Comparative Perspective track
You will take the following courses in block 4: March – June
Politics and Society in Comparative Perspective
Develop cross-country analyses of politics and societies, particularly focusing on the rise of populistic groups and of populistic rhetoric.
Master's Seminar Sociology: From Theory to Research
You will take the following courses in block 1: August – October
Social Movements: Social Media, Democracy and Change
You get a thorough introduction into the scientific field of social movement research. In a globalizing context and the current network and information society, it has become easier than ever to connect with people, share ideas and mobilize in collective action. In the recent decade we have seen several examples in which local movements spread globally through social media.
You will take the following courses in block 2: October – January
Social Policy and Social Risks
Address social policy and welfare states and discover how various 'welfare regime types' have developed over time in different countries, reflective of different concepts of social solidarity and leading to varied outcomes in terms of economic well-being, stratification patterns, and life-course risks.
Full overview program and courses
Courses at Tilburg University - Health, Wellbeing and Society track
You will take the following courses in block 4: March – June
Health and Policy
Delve into concept and key theories in health and policy, and illustrate them with practical examples like health and wellbeing in relation to social and economic factors, policy interventions at macro/meso/micro level, illiteracy, education, poverty, housing, (un)employment, or social and physical environment.
You write a paper on a policy intervention and evaluations focusing on an actual health and wellbeing topic. Learn how to build a policy analysis proposal by describing a central problem, using evidence to substantiate and by choosing a suitable (policy) intervention.
Master's Seminar Sociology: From Theory to Research
You will take the following courses in block 1: August – October
Health, Resilience and Sustainability
You will examine the social inequalities in health in the context of western societies, using the Netherlands as a case study. You will approach the topic from a comparative and multifaceted perspective at a micro, meso- and macrolevel that is in line with the expertise of the Sociology and Tranzo departments.
Master's Seminar Sociology: From Theory to Research
You will take the following courses in block 2: October – January
Social Policy and Social Risks
You address the topic of social policy and welfare states against the backdrop of global challenges and widespred socio-economic changes. You will learn how various 'welfare regime types' have developed over time in different countries, reflective of different concepts of social solidarity and with various consequences in terms of economic wellbeing, stratification patterns and life-course risks.
Full overview program and courses
Master’s thesis
You start your Master’s thesis by drawing your Individual Research Proposal (IRP) with feedback from the thesis supervisor. This proposal will be presented within the framework of the Master Seminar Sociology in block 4.
You can choose your own research topic.
You will write your Master's thesis under the supervision of a UPF or Tilburg University faculty member. Your second reader will be someone from the other institution, who will act as a second grader.
Preferably, a Master’s thesis has a strong connection to the departmental research program.
Defend your Master’s thesis at Tilburg University in the second semester of the second academic year.
In case you do an Extended Master's program, it is preferable (but not mandatory) to connect your thesis to the junior traineeship.
You can either write a thesis with an empirical theoretical accent, or do a sociological analysis of a social or practical problem and existing interventions, leading to relevant policy conclusions.
Please note: programs are subject to change. We advise you to look up the current program in OSIRIS Student at the start of the year.
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