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Social Sciences Research Methods Programme | SSRMP

 

We are perpetually updating our FAQ page. If you have a question that you think should be added to it, let us know...


 

Q. Why can't I make a booking?

This depends on the time of year...

The programme goes live and bookings usually open at the end of the first week of term. Students must go to the induction page on Moodle and read through them before making a booking. The induction usually goes live in late September.

If you are trying to make a booking in summer, the likely answer is that you are trying to make a booking before the programme has been put together, and the course you are trying to book onto hasn't been scheduled yet.  

If term has started it might be that module creation is still in progress so we haven't opened bookings until we are happy with the content online. We may have still published a few details of the course because we want you to know that it is going to run. Our advice would be to check back a little later on.

Q. Can I make a booking on a module that has already started?

We prefer students to book well in advance of their module starting in order to allow them time to enrol on Moodle and do any preparatory reading or activities. In addition to this, the booking system prevents self-enrolment after the first session has started.

We expect students to attend every session for a module that they have booked onto: joining a module after the first session has already taken place means that students don’t get the full benefit of the module, and it also may be disruptive to others.

If you are convinced that attending part of a certain module will benefit your studies - after the module has started - please email the SSRMP Administrator (admin@ssrmp.group.cam.ac.uk) to request a booking, but please note that you may not get access to all the content. 

Q. Can I attend a module without making a booking?

No. Students attending any SSRMP module are required to book a place via the UTBS (also accessible via the SSRMP website). 

Attending our modules without making a booking damages our capacity to plan and deliver the next year’s provision, and can have financial ramifications for your Department.

Q. Can I cancel my booking?

If you are doing this before your module is due to start, you can find instructions on how to cancel bookings, here.

If the module has already started we can cancel your booking but your Department will still be charged. If this is the case, your best course of action may be to stay enroled and to take advantage of the learning materials at your disposal. 

All cancellations should ideally be made at least 2 full working days before the module is due to commence, so that we have time to offer the place to another student. Our modules are highly subscribed, so every place matters.

Q. I have taken the Skill Check but cannot seem to make a booking for Basic Statistics Stream (BSS) modules. Why?

If you are attempting to make a booking for Basic Statistics Stream (BSS) modules during the period between the end of the Lent Term and the start of the Michaelmas Term in the new academic year, you will find that you cannot do so. This is for two reasons:

  • This time period is when the planning for the next academic year takes place, so scheduling may not have been finalized, yet;
  • Some students who haven't looked at our website, or taken the induction (which is mandatory for all students who want to study with us) assume that bookings need making for BSS via the UTBS. Booking requests and amendments for these modules should be made via the SSRMP website.

NB. If you have a made a BSS booking request but haven't had a confirmation, yet, please note (as per the induction) that the processing of these bookings takes time. It is a complex exercise, so please only email the SSRMP Administrative Team if your course is due to start imminently and you haven't had a confirmation.

Q. Why can't I access the Moodle page for my module?

If you have a confirmed booking and you are trying to log into a module's Moodle page:

  • After the Lent Term has finished...
    It may be that you no longer have access to this Moodle page, as all SSRMP Moodle course pages are archived and created new for each academic year. If this is the case, your course may have been archived - you will be able to access it from then on in the Course History section of Moodle, here (although please note that Panopto videos are not archivable, so will not be available).
     
  • Early in the academic year (eg. October)...
    Please remember that your lecturer may still be uploading content onto the Moodle page, and that putting this content together takes a lot of time. If the page is not live 1 week prior to the module you may contact the lecturer and/or the SSRMP Administrator and they will help you.

If you have any queries about the content hosted on the page, please contact the lecturer, directly.

You may also contact the Moodle Helpdesk for any technical issues. 

Q. How can I check the status of my bookings?

You can check the status of your bookings for all your courses booked via the University Training Bookings System (UTBS) by:

  1. Visiting https://www.training.cam.ac.uk/person;
  2. Entering your CRSid into the person Search bar, and clicking Search;
  3. On the page that comes up, clicking on your name;
  4. Clicking on the Bookings tab. This shows you all the courses you have registered for, and their status. If it says Booked under their status, it means you have a place and can attend the module. 

    Clicking on the Training history tab shows you all the past modules for which you made a booking, cancelled a booking, etc. 

Q. Do you issue certificates or confirmation of attendance?

In short, no.

If you need proof of attendance because the module is mandatory for your course of study - your degree handbook or Postgraduate Administrator should be able to tell you whether this is the case - you should take the assessment, if one is offered. Your examination results will act as proof of attendance for your department.

If you are a visiting student who needs proof of attendance you may be able to get it by getting a special attendance sheet template from your Postgraduate Administrator, and getting the lecturer to sign it. This is only allowed in very specific circumstances. If needs be, please check with the SSRMP Administrator.

More information

Q. Do you ​​​​​​provide one-to-one teaching?

No.

Lecturers may choose to see you individually if you have questions relating to the module, on a case-by-case basis, but are under no obligation to do so.

We may be able to find you a Tutor (usually PhD students or postdoctoral researchers) to give one-to-one support on Stata, R, or Atlas.Ti. Tutoring is by private arrangement between them, and students or departments. 

We recommend that tutors are paid a minimum of £15 per hour, but this may vary by arrangement, and is ultimately at the discretion of the tutor and department involved.

Q. Can you advise me on the implementation of methods for my thesis?

No.

Your own department should have provided a supervisor who can help you.

Q. Can anyone take SSRMP training courses?

The short answer? In theory, yes, anyone. But there may be a cost involved.

Our courses have a primary focus on training from the social sciences and scoped to postgraduates, but we also have students who attend from across the University of Cambridge, and beyond.

  • Postgraduates
    Most postgraduate students who book onto SSRMP modules simply choose to take our courses because they look interesting or relevant to their studies. Other students may have to take one of our modules as a mandatory part of their degree. Make sure you know which group you fall into.

  • Undergraduates
    In exceptional circumstances undergraduates may attend by special arrangement. If this applies to you, please ask your supervisor to email us to confirm. There will be a cost associated with your attendance (usually £80).

  • Staff
    Staff are welcome to attend SSRMP modules.


Generally there are 3 groups that our prospective students, regardless as to whether they are Undergraduate, Postgraduate, or Staff, fall into:

  1. UoC Participating Departments

  2. UoC Non-Participating Departments and Affiliated Organisations

  3. External Attendees


Participating Departments

Students from Participating Departments can attend any of our modules, for free. 
Students should take the induction and look at our website for details on how to book. 

Non-Participating Departments and Organisations

To attend SSRMP modules, staff and students from non-participating departments and organisations at the University of Cambridge must pay a fee (usually £80) for each module that they take. 

Non-participating departments include:

  • All departments in the School of Clinical Medicine
  • Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership
  • College staff, or academics with only a college affiliation
  • Organisations affiliated with, but not part of, the University of Cambridge

If you are a member of one of these non-affiliated organisations and wish to enrol on an SSRMP module, please check with your department, organisation, or funding body to make sure the funds are available to cover the course fee.

Students and staff from non-participating departments and organisations should make a booking for our modules in the usual way, but should note that we will contact them for payment and that their booking will be cancelled if they do not make it within the time-frame specified.