Social Inequalities

Is this the programme you're looking for?

Why are social divisions in society increasing? Are you interested in knowing how welfare policies can help to reduce social inequality? Then this master track might be the right choice for you.

Key Facts & Figures

Type
Master
Degree
MSc
Mode of study
Full-time
Instruction language
English
Duration
1 year
Study points (EC)
60
Start date
September
Application Deadline (EEA)
17 June
View all

The study programme in a nutshell

This programme trains you to become an expert in the field of social inequality. You will examine various dimensions of inequality—such as wealth, race, gender, and spatial distribution—investigating the complex interplay among social structures, familial environments, and individual behaviors. This programme brings a unique interdisciplinary perspective on the origins and implications of social inequality, and sheds light on how social policies can reduce it. The theoretical breadth of the programme equips you with essential skills in critical analysis and methodology, preparing you to address these pressing societal challenges.

Why this study

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Student perspective - Social Inequalities

What you will learn

Each core course is composed of a series of lectures and small-scale tutorials. The lectures present the main theoretical and empirical insights about the topic of the course. In the tutorials, students learn to analyse and apply these insights by discussing and presenting various assignments in small groups.

Programme overview

Is this the right programme for you?

This master offers:

  • A unique interdisciplinary perspective on social inequalities
  • Insights into the causes and consequences of social inequality, while also shedding light on ways in which public policies can reduce social inequalities.
  • An examination of various dimensions of inequality—such as wealth, race, gender, and spatial distribution—investigating the complex interplay among social structures, familial environments, and individual behaviors
  • Renowned, active and engaged professors with extensive expertise
  • Small-scale interactive tutorials to help develop in-depth insights and analytical skills
  • An expansion of your professional network with participants from over multiple countries
  • An international MSc from top 100 university.

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Students meeting each other

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Career opportunities after graduation

Graduates of this master track can pursue careers in the government sector, journalism, public administration or at NGOs. This could be your future.

This could be your future

What do our students think?

Testimonial Yoeri de Bruin

Yoeri de Bruin - Alumnus Social Inequalities - Docent Hogeschool

Keeping the importance and broad scope of sociology in mind, the social inequality programme connects the macro with the micro, the abstract systems and the tangible effects on the individual.
ESSB Yoeri de Bruin testimonial
Keeping the importance and broad scope of sociology in mind, the social inequality programme connects the macro with the micro, the abstract systems and the tangible effects on the individual.

When considering social matters, a lot of activists have the desire to dismantle oppressing systems, but to truly bring equality to the world we need to know what systems are in place in order to do so. I think a lot of people with the drive to bring change oppressing systems tend to experience this longing but don’t always know where to begin. For me, I started this journey with a bachelor's in Social Work from the Hague University of Applied Science. After feeling the need to do even more for society in general and having new ambitions to further my academic career I completed my pre-master in Sociology and was admitted to the Social Inequalities programme.

The courses within the programme explored the many topics in which inequality is present and how these intricate systems are interconnected to be upheld by those in power and in which ways people are affected by them. This was mainly done through interactive classes in which we applied the theories to various cases, as well as contemporary events. I found this way of working very enjoyable as it immediately became clear what the actual value and practicality were of the theories which were just presented. Besides that, most assignments offered multiple options, as well as a lot of freedom in the execution of the assignment to find your own way towards a great paper. This allowed me to mainly focus on power structures and dynamics, while others may prefer topics like racism or other forms of discrimination. 

Keeping the importance and broad scope of sociology in mind, the social inequality programme connects the macro with the micro, the abstract systems and the tangible effects on the individual. The knowledge obtained will be useful in many fields of practice. For me, I have expanded my knowledge within higher education in combination with my social work background to enrich both my teaching skills and to empathise with my students in their own respect.

ESSB Yoeri de Bruin testimonial

Testimonial Najoua Lazaar

Najoua Lazaar - Alumna Social Inequalities

If you are looking for a master that will deepen your understanding of the societal issues you have at heart then Social Inequalities just might be the right match for you.
If you are looking for a master that will deepen your understanding of the societal issues you have at heart then Social Inequalities just might be the right match for you.

After finishing my bachelor in Sociology from the Erasmus University Rotterdam, I was still longing to learn more about social matters. By choosing the master Social Inequalities I got the opportunity to explore what actually interests me. The courses provide you with a broad foundation of sociological concepts, mechanisms and research tools that apply to various societal issues. The freedom to write papers on self-chosen topics contributes to deepening your understanding of a preferred field in sociology. My interests focused on educational inequalities while some of my fellow students focused their attention around health and gender inequalities. By discussing the different interests among the group a variety of knowledge and views are shared that you may have missed if the courses were more fixed. You learn to approach topics from different perspectives.  

The lecturers were very engaged with the academic development of their students. They created a safe environment that allowed students to share personal experiences, knowledge, and skills among the group. They are committed to raising you academically without the need to change the essence of your being. The small-scale groups made it possible to really create meaningful bonds among students and teachers. If you are looking for a master that will deepen your understanding of the societal issues you have at heart then Social Inequalities just might be the right match for you.

Marthe Schippers

Marthe Schippers - Alumna Social Inequalities

This small-scale programme not only allows for a great connection with classmates, but it also ensures that lecturers have the time and ability to tailor the program to your wishes.
This small-scale programme not only allows for a great connection with classmates, but it also ensures that lecturers have the time and ability to tailor the program to your wishes.

After I had completed my bachelor degree in American Studies from the University of Groningen, I was keen to learn more about complex societal issues from a sociological perspective. For that reason, I decided to start the Social Inequalities track. American Studies was an arts degree, so this new angle was both exciting and challenging for me. The Social Inequalities programme is especially interesting as you have a lot of autonomy in shaping the program to your wishes and interests.

The Social Inequalities track was also a good fit for me as it helped me translate theory to practice and taught me more about the ways in which data and people’s lived realities shape policies and how these policies influence citizen’s lives. The program was quite broad, meaning that we discussed social inequalities in a variety of topics, such as inequalities in income, gender, health and more. My classmates’ diverse backgrounds certainly added to this variety of interesting topics. This diversity also allows for students to either specialise in one area (by focusing all their assignments on this area) or to learn more about a variety of areas in which social inequalities are prominent.

I think the Social Inequalities track is very suitable for people that are interested in filling their toolbox with both theoretical and practical tools to address and counter social inequalities, whether they have a background in health, economics, arts, or science.

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