About Us · Manchester Metropolitan University

About Us

Manchester Metropolitan University’s Department of Sociology provides undergraduate, postgraduate, short and professional development courses in the areas of Sociology, Criminology, Global Change and Quantitative Methods.

The department’s academic staff are actively involved in high-quality research, Manchester Metropolitan University are in the top 20 UK universities for the quality of Sociology research.

Read more about our research

The department is home to the Policy and Evaluation Research Unit (PERU) and Centre for Transitions in Society and Space, advising national and local policy-makers, and holds major roles in several significant national and European projects.

Policy and Evaluation Research Unit

The department is one of only 15 Q-Step Centres of Excellence in Undergraduate Quantitative Methods, and the only Post-92 University to have this status. This is recognition of the department’s commitment to pedagogic innovation and excellence in research methods teaching.

Q-Step Centre (old)

The department is located on Manchester Metropolitan University’s Manchester campus, and offers well-equipped study facilities including a new mock crime scene.

In the Sociology REF2014 submission, more than 2/3 of research was ranked either internationally leading or world-leading (3* and 4*) while Sociology is ranked in the top 10 of Sociology submissions for Impact. Meanwhile, in the Social Policy and Social Work submission 60% of research was also ranked of 3* or 4* star quality.
The Policy and Evaluation Research Unit advises national and local government policy makers including HM Prisons and the European Union
The Centre for Transitions in Society & Space (CTSS) encompasses broad and cross-disciplinary research engaging with a contemporary world in constant transition.
Q-Step Centre (old) for Excellence in Undergraduate Quantitative Methods, funded by the Nuffield Foundation-ESRC-HEFCE (£1.15m). We are one of only 15 national centres and the only Post-92 University to have this status.
ESRC Applied Quantitative Methods Network (AQMeN II) (£3m, 2013-17): we operate the ‘Crime and victimisation’ strand of Manchester Metropolitan University’s research programme
MYPLACE project (€7.9m): lead partner of a 17-member international consortium
MYWeB project (€1.5m EU-funded, 2014-16): lead partner of a 13-member European consortium completing a feasibility study for a longitudinal study into the well-being of children and young people.