Objectives and competences

The main objective of the master's degree in in Sociology: Social Transformations and Innovation is to train scientists and professionals capable of leading the study of social change and the creation of social technologies, and of proposing new solutions to collective challenges and improving our institutions and societies.

Against a backdrop of rapid structural change, sociology provides the models and methods to diagnose and analyse the full complexity of the social transformations taking place, allows for the identification and evaluation of options for change, and enables the proposal and evaluation of positive intervention strategies that can shape future possibilities and foster creativity and innovation.

This master's degree provides an overview of current social change and the strategic challenges it poses, develops students' transferable skills for the scientific analysis of processes of social transformation and innovation, and builds on their ability to design and evaluate intervention models.

Basic information

TypeMaster's degree
Faculty or schoolFaculty of Economics and Business
Branch of knowledge
  • Social sciences, social work, industrial relations and human resources, sociology, political science and international relations
Mode of delivery
  • Face-to-face
Credits90
Number of places available30
Length of course2 academic years
Language(s) of instructionSpanish: 75%, English: 25%
Approximate price per credit27.67 euros per credit (75 euros for students who are not EU or China nationals and do not currently reside in Spain). Fees for the academic year 2023-2024.
CoordinationJORDI MUNDO BLANCH
E-mailmastersociologia@ub.edu
Course detailsIndicators
Open pre-enrolmentYes
Open enrolmentNo
Lead to doctoral studiesYes
Admission for applicants not holding a degree qualificationNo
Bridging coursesYes

Objectives and competences

Objectives

The master's degree in Sociology: Social Transformations and Innovation aims to train scientists and professionals capable of leading the study of social change and the creation of social technologies, and of proposing new solutions to collective challenges and improving our institutions and societies.
Students admitted to the course will:
  • Become experts in social and organizational change, with the knowledge and skills to take on leadership roles as effective analysts and managers in the public, private or tertiary sector.
  • develop the skills to become innovative social researchers capable of working in any type of centre for social research or of pursuing further study and research at doctoral level.
  • Acquire specialized training for the planning, design and implementation of social transformation and innovation initiatives.
  • Develop the skills acquired in other areas of study and professional practice and build a solid base of theoretical knowledge and technical competences in the field of sociology and analysis of social transformation and innovation.

Competences

On completion of the master's degree, students will be able to:
  • Display the creativity and entrepreneurial skills to conceive, design and manage projects and to combine knowledge and positive approaches in the development of proposals for change and innovation.
  • Develop the capacity for leadership, organizational creativity, teamwork and adaptation to dynamic environments of social transformation;
    apply the acquired knowledge to problem-solving in new or relatively unknown environments within broader multidisciplinary contexts related to research and professional practice in sociology.
  • Integrate theoretical knowledge of different areas and apply it to tasks in a range of professional areas.
  • Formulate original research questions and develop skills in the analysis of problems from different theoretical and methodological perspectives in order to devise alternative approaches and intervention strategies for existing social challenges.
  • Acquire the ability to find information, make pertinent use of sociological data, apply quantitative and qualitative methods, and work with different software applications to critically examine information related to social issues.
  • Independently develop and manage professional projects to contribute to social innovation in different institutional contexts.

Access and admission

Applicant profile and access requirements

Recommended applicant profile

Prospective students of the university master's degree in Sociology should ideally hold a bachelor's degree in sociology, in any other discipline that encompasses study of areas of sociology, or in related disciplines in the social sciences and humanities. In general, holders of bachelor's degree in social sciences or an equivalent undergraduate degree should have the basic knowledge required to take this master's degree (the Coordination Committee may request that certain candidates supplement their existing knowledge with specific bridging courses before starting the master's programme). Positive consideration is therefore given to candidates with previous studies in the social sciences (in particular, sociology) and also in economics, law, political science, social work and humanities (in particular, anthropology, geography and history). Candidates with other degrees, in particular in the health sciences, education and psychology, are also welcome to apply. In this case, the selection process will focus particularly on their professional experience and potential to obtain the maximum benefit from the degree programme.

Access requirements and conditions

General requirements
In accordance with Article 16 of Royal Decree 1393/2007, of 29 October, students wishing to be admitted to a university master's degree must hold one of the following qualifications:

  • Official Spanish university degree.

  • A degree issued by a higher education institution within the European Higher Education Area framework that authorizes the holder to access university master's degree courses in the country of issue.

  • A qualification issued by an institution outside the framework of the European Higher Education Area. In this case, applicants must request homologation of the degree to its equivalent official Spanish university qualification or obtain express approval from the University of Barcelona, which will conduct a study of equivalence to ensure that the degree is of a comparable level to an official Spanish university qualification and that it grants access to university master's degree study in the country of issue. Admission shall not, in any case, imply that prior qualifications have been recognized as equivalent to a Spanish master's degree and does not confer recognition for any purposes other than that of admission to the master's degree course.

Specific requirements
Applications will be accepted from any candidate in possession of the necessary qualifications to enrol in a university master's degree in Spain, according to the current regulations. To be eligible for admission to this programme, students must hold an official undergraduate degree that grants access to master's degree study and be able to accredit knowledge of English (level B1 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, or its equivalent) and Spanish (level B2, or its equivalent). Students who cannot provide documentation accrediting their language skills may be asked to attend an interview or complete an online test organized by the Admissions Committee.
Students should have at least a basic understanding of the fundamental aspects of sociology. Students who have not completed an undergraduate degree in sociology or in another discipline providing training in aspects of sociology must take the 5-credit bridging subject Principles of Sociological Analysis, which has been specifically designed as an introduction to the master's degree content. This subject is offered in the weeks before teaching begins for the main subject areas.

Pre-enrolment

Calendar

- First period: 29 January - 30 June 2024.

- Second period (to fill available vacancies): 3 July - 10 September 2024.

Notes:

  • Pre-enrolment fee: A pre-enrolment fee of 30,21 euros is charged. Students who apply to more than one master's degree must pay the fee for each pre-enrolment request. Pre-enrolment requests cannot be processed until this fee has been paid.Fees will only be refunded if the master's degree in question is suspended.
  • Reserved places: A maximum of 5% of the new places of the master's degree are reserved for students who meet the general and specific access requirements and accredit the recognition of a degree of disability equal to or greater than 33%.

Required documentation

Selection criteria

Applications from candidates who meet the general admission requirements will be evaluated on the basis of the following criteria, weighted as shown:
  • Strength of academic record from previous studies (40%). The Committee will take into account the universities at which the candidates' previous studies were completed and their positions in national and international rankings.
  • Academic and professional record, as summarized in the curriculum vitae (30%).
  • Statement of interest and interview (20%).
  • Other merits: experience of academic mobility and internationalization, successful grant or scholarship application for the master's degree, etc. (10%).

Notification

The body in charge of resolving applications is the master's degree Admissions Committee. This procedure is carried out in the period established in the pre-enrolment calendar. Once the Committee has met and the corresponding resolution has been reached, electronic confirmation is sent. The faculty's Master's and Doctoral Office will contact admitted students to inform them of the steps to take to complete enrolment.

Enrolment

As a general rule, at the UB you will be required to enrol online. Remember that you can lose your place if you do not enrol on the day you have been assigned

Course curriculum

Subjects and course plans

Distribution of credits

Type ECTS
Compulsory 25
Optional 45
Compulsory placements 0
Compulsory final project 20
TOTAL 90

List of subjects

Subject Type Language Credits
Specialization: BC for admission to the Master's Degree in Sociology: Social Transformations and Innovation
Principles of Sociological Analysis Optional 1st semester 5

Bridging courses

Subject Type Language Credits
Specialization: Sociology: Social Transformations and Innovation
Advanced Research Optional 1st semester 5
Art, Culture and Creativity Optional 2nd semester 5
Citizenship and Social Innovation Optional 2nd semester 5
Economic Sociology and Policies of Well-Being Optional 1st semester 5
Final Project Compulsory 1st semester
2nd semester
20
Gender Violence and Feminist Theory Optional 2nd semester 5
Life Quality and Safety Optional 1st semester 5
Overcoming Educational Inequalities Optional 2nd semester 5
Professional Placement Optional 1st semester
2nd semester
5
Safety, Technologies and Social Exclusion Optional 2nd semester 5
Seminar Compulsory 2nd semester 5
Social Futures: Prospects and Social Innovation Optional 1st semester 5
Social Movements, Public Opinion and Social Conflict Optional 2nd semester 5
Social Research Techniques I Compulsory 1st semester 5
Social Research Techniques II Compulsory 2nd semester 5
Social Structure and Change Compulsory 1st semester 5
Sociological Theories Compulsory 1st semester 5
Sustainable Development Optional 2nd semester 5
Territory, Population and Migrations Optional 1st semester 5
Time, Labour and Families Optional 1st semester 5
Women, Control and Social Exclusion Optional 1st semester 5

Previous years

Placements

These placements are an opportunity to apply the knowledge acquired in the Master's degree on social change and development trends, inequality dynamics' evolution, and strategic planning's importance in contemporary societies. Professional internships are a unique opportunity to apply that knowledge in a natural environment. 

During professional internships in companies, for example, they can help improve corporate communication strategies, evaluate future challenges or identify inequalities in terms of gender and diversity in the organisation. In internships in administrations or public institutions, students usually participate in tasks to evaluate policies, improve their communication strategies or analyse social inequalities and barriers to access to public services. Regarding placements in civic organisations, the established training agreements tend to focus on analysing the needs of a specific community or a particular group or improving the communication strategies of a campaign or initiative.
The duration of the internship training projects with students of the official Master's degree in Sociology at the UB is established for between 187,5 to 375 hours of work in the entity, and they have curricular recognition and support from an academic tutor. This period can be extended into two more training projects and 375 hours of extracurricular practices.

If you would like more information about the administrative procedure, please don't hesitate to contact practiques.fee@ub.edu directly or consult the frequently asked questions on the internship website of the Faculty of Economics and Business of the UB. The academic managers of the placements for the Master's degree in sociology are Professor Ana Belén Cano and Professor Santi Eizaguirre.

Career opportunities

What can you work on ?

Students who complete the master's degree will be suited to a wide range of professional roles in the public, private and service sectors.
In the private sector, opportunities are available in strategic planning, consultancy and studies services for major companies, and in a number of marketing and market research positions.
In the public and service sectors, opportunities are available in strategic planning and the design and evaluation of public policies; management roles in the framework of social intervention or prevention programmes; specialist positions at local development agencies; social, environmental and cultural consulting; urban planning; and the management of documentation and resource centres.

Access to the labour market

Data from the university system in Catalonia

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