Social Inequalities

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.

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.