This course combines taught elements and research methods training with a significant level of independent research. Students admitted to this course will be those who have a strong background in Land Economy related subjects and who may already have some research experience. They will normally be those aspiring to and who have good prospects of proceeding to the PhD prior to an academic career. The course aims to provide students with a broad grounding in social science research methods and to apply this in some area of Land Economy. The course provides strong research training through the Social Science Research Methods Centre (SSRMC) Training programme. This includes coursework across both quantitative and qualitative research methods and other aspects of research training. The aims of this programme are: to enable students of a high calibre to pursue their education at an advanced applied level drawing on the primary disciplines of economics, planning and environmental policy, with additional specialisms in finance and law; to provide students with opportunities both to build on and develop material which they may have studied at undergraduate level as well as to broaden their knowledge base; to equip students with the necessary skills to pursue careers at a high level in a range of areas, including business and finance, civil service, public service, property professions, environmental agencies and organisations, national/international agencies and further study; to provide opportunities for education in a multidisciplinary environment so as to advance the understanding of cognate disciplines and their applications; to provide opportunities for learning with colleagues from different social, economic and legal systems; to provide students with appropriate skills and experience to enable them to use information and resources critically and to equip them with the means to undertake their own research and to provide an educational environment with a strong research ethos that brings together students from a wide variety of backgrounds and fosters an international approach to common problems.