How I Expanded My Knowledge of Sociology & Data Analytics at UL

What made you study at UL?

I decided to take a small break from my job at various multinational companies as a Data Scientist and return to academia after seven years to gain  a fresh perspective on how to use technology and AI efficiently. I had a strong interest in countries such as Norway, UK, and Ireland. While researching different universities in Ireland, I came across two interesting Podcast channels: “Research Impact” and “UL Connect”. These podcasts gave me good confidence about the level of research initiatives at UL, and the unique course offering combining data analytics with Sociology. The UL campus also impressed me with its natural beauty, particularly the River Shannon flowing through it. I have seen pictures of the UL campus and its surroundings from a friend who lives with her family. She often visits UL, and her child loves playing on this campus. So both these factors contributed to my decision to come to UL.

What did you learn on the course?

The MSc in Sociology and Data Analytics has given me a good overview of some of the crucial themes within the discipline of Sociology whilst also incorporating the development of computational (statistics) and data analysis. The course is designed to deep dive into a few key sociology topics along with different sociologists' theories & frameworks and to analyse the given data, model it and come to further conclusions based on the data and information presented. The focus of the programme is mostly geared towards research methods, both qualitative and quantitative, we also had subject-oriented papers like researching social exclusion, selected issues in gender culture and society and urban sociology. Every week we had readings and tutorials, where we discussed required reading and academic articles. These discussions helped us understand the research papers much better, as some of them were very complex. The concepts of stratification, class, and social stigma, which are prevalent in our society and among individuals are explained in depth, along with other key social issues like othering, stigma, and gender inequality. Currently, we have a focus on selected gender issues and urban sociology. On the computation side, we have continuous modules on quantitative research methods focusing on statistical data modelling and hands-on lab with Stata. The assignments and coursework help us to learn many of these analytical methods, programming, and analysis of quantitative data.

What is unique about the programme?

Not many universities offer this sort of a program which has a combination of sociological and computational skills development along with data analysis. Along with the subjects we have a 6–8-month span of structured research we have to complete, which is an in-depth qualitative or quantitative or mixed method project. I took a mixed methods approach and, I am getting to learn both quantitative and qualitative research skills. I am currently researching "Societal attitudes towards Immigration in Ireland," and I have two supervisors, Dr Brendan Halpin and Dr Emily Murphy, who are guiding me through the process. They are supporting me in gathering data, choosing the appropriate methods, analysing the results, and determining how to conduct the research. In addition to the course, we have the opportunity to attend discussions with other departments and conferences.

Recently, I attended the Sociological Association of Ireland conference. It was an incredible experience, as I got to interact with many PhD students and professors from different Irish universities. These interactions allowed me to learn a lot, and I am always impressed by the support my professors provide in attending these programs. Recently we had a combined session with Architectural students of UL, organised by the Course Director of the programme, Dr Mary O’Donoghue where Dr. Anna Ryan and her students discussed and demonstrated some of their socially impactful research, which is very much related to what we learn and understand in urban sociology.

Can you take us through a typical week on the MSc programme?

We have 3 main papers and a supplementary paper this Spring semester, along with a research thesis which needs to be completed over the Summer. On Mondays, we have a pretty relaxed schedule. We have 2 hours of Quantitative Research Methods, which follows on from our foundational learning  in this area in the first semester. After that, I go to Scholars with my classmates for a cup of coffee. Then we attend the next one-hour Dissertation lab where our lecturer walks us through some of the important steps in conducting a research thesis.

Tuesdays are often hectic as we have classes the whole day. In the morning 3-hour slot, we have a class with our Course Director, Dr. Mary O’Donoghue, where we discuss gender topics and some significant qualitative works done in that area. In between, we go for a cup of coffee with Mary in the courtyard and grab some snacks from the food stalls that visit the campus every Tuesday during the Semester. After the session, we have lunch from either the  Scholars restaurant or from one of the stalls in the student courtyard.

If I have tutorials to take, I join my classmates for the next session with our lecturer Dr Ross MacMillan in the evening. Ross takes us through three research papers in the class and we then have discussions on the papers presented during the class. On Wednesdays, we have a quantitative research lab led by Dr. Brendan Halpin, which is a 2-hour session where we practice what we learned during Monday’s lecture.

Can you tell us about your own personal experience of the course, the benefits/challenges etc?

I believe that it was the best decision I made last year to come to this university and join this course. I am learning a lot about topics in Sociology, especially how to conduct social science research in a structured manner. I have a great relationship with the faculty teaching on the programme, and they are supporting me a lot in my research. Both Dr. Brendan Halpin and Dr. Emily Murpy offer me space to work on my ideas and support me with input on analysis and methodological approaches. On the professional side, I feel that I am gaining more knowledge and learning about how to use technology to enable research and analysis of social science problems. Some of the assignments and topics are really shaping me personally. For example, we had an assignment where we had to write a diary based on social exclusion topics and experiences, which made me start observing things in more depth and analysing and reflecting on them differently. I feel that I am challenging my own thinking and becoming more open-minded in life.

Would you recommend the MSc to others?

I would definitely recommend this course to anyone who wants to extend their understanding of sociology as a discipline, especially if they have experience with research, data handling and analysis. This course provides direction on multiple career areas to pursue post-graduation.

What do you plan to do after graduation?

I have been working as a Data Scientist for 7+ years now, where I mainly work with topics related to Environmental Science, ESG, and Sustainability. There have been upsides and downsides in my career, and at some point, I had to question whether this is what I want to do in my life. With this course, I feel like I have many new pathways open to me, either in research or teaching or joining a company that aligns with concepts I have learned in my sociology lectures or research. I think that I have more opportunities in my career than before, and it is just a matter of choosing the one that aligns with my goals and that I am happy with.