MA Social Policy with Quantitative Methods

UCAS code: 4T6H

Duration: 4 years

Delivery: Full-time

School: Social and Political Science

College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Study abroad

Placements

Introducing MA Social Policy with Quantitative Methods

Social Policy with Quantitative Methods at the University of Edinburgh will enable you to engage with confidence in many of the political debates of our time.

We deal with a wide array of policy areas, for example:

health
welfare
labour markets
education
family and childhood

We discuss how policies affect our civic culture through studying political engagement and citizen participation.

Our programme will equip you with the knowledge to understand how policies affect society and the economy, but it will also enable you to critically assess how policies are made, and what actors and processes influence the policy-making process.

Quantitative skills underpin effective evidence-based planning in government, in the private sector and in international non-governmental organisations. As a graduate, your combined skills set will be in demand.

Who is this programme for?

Our programmes are for students who are interested in how political actions affect the real lives of people.

They are designed to foster critical thinking about policy, to ensure you are able to look beyond news headlines and understand in detail why certain political decisions are taken and what their impact may be.

Why Edinburgh?

You will be taught by staff members who are passionate about conducting research that has strong applications to the world outside of academia.

We work closely with:

governments
non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
third sector and interest representation groups
international organisations
other external actors

International comparative analyses are one of our main strengths. We place a strong emphasis on providing you with empirical research skills, so that you can become a critical researcher yourself.

Take a social policy degree at the University of Edinburgh and you will be challenged to re-evaluate how you look at politics, society and the economy, with the ability to improve others’ understanding as well.

Q-Step support and funding

This programme receives support and funding from the UK-wide Q-Step initiative. This means you will benefit from small class sizes and be able to develop your skills in close proximity to experts.

There is also plenty of support available if you are less confident with maths.

What you will study

You will take core courses to understand how social policy affects different parts of society. You will learn how different systems of social policy can result in very different relationships between the state and other actors.

One quarter of your study time will be devoted to quantitative methods. You will learn how to research policy by using data in a practical setting.

You will gain insights into particular methods of understanding society (for example, through the lens of legal studies or economic perspectives), but apply those to real-world problems that stretch beyond the reach of those disciplines to understand the impact particular decisions have on different parts of society.

You will be able to choose from a range of specific social policy courses that cover particular policy areas or processes.

Year 1

You will take Social Policy and Society.

In this course we will introduce key ways to analyse how government policies affect society. We use a variety of important concepts like power and inequality to make sense of societal structures.

This allows us to look at the impact of policy on different groups of people (for example, based on class, gender or race).

You will also study Politics of the Welfare State.

This course examines social policy as a political issue in the UK. It introduces you to the politics of welfare, an area that constitutes one of the largest sets of government expenditures.

You will be confronted with debates about the different ways of delivering welfare and the interplay between the state and the private sector.

You can also choose option courses from other academic areas.

In addition to the social policy compulsory courses, you will take Mathematics for Social Science and Introduction to Statistics for Social Science.

Year 2

You will take Comparative Social Policy: Global Perspectives.

In this course, you will compare different approaches to social policy in European and non-European countries.

This course compares different approaches to social policy in European and non-European countries.

In addition, you will take two social policy courses, which are likely to focus on research skills and the use of evidence in politics and the economy. Further details are subject to our current review of our pre-honours curriculum for Year 2 students.

Year 3

You will select optional courses that cover a wide array of policy fields such as:

family policy
labour market policies
social inequalities
criminal justice
health policy
education policy

You will also take courses in quantitative and qualitative research methods, and a course that will enable you to analyse policies from multiple lenses (economic, political and sociological).

In addition to the social policy compulsory courses, you will take Statistical Modelling for Social Scientists.

You may also select from a range of advanced methods options. You may study abroad and/or take a placement in Year 3.

Year 4

You will complete a dissertation.

You can also select optional courses to deepen your knowledge of quantitative methods.

Programme structure

Find out more about the compulsory and optional courses in this degree programme.

To give you an idea of what you will study on this programme, we publish the latest available information. However, please note this may not be for your year of entry, but for a different academic year.

Programme structure (2024/25)

Where you will study

Our facilities

Most of the teaching on this programme takes place in the University's Central Area. You will have access to the University's computer facilities and libraries.

Take a virtual tour

You can take a closer look at the School of Social and Political Science and explore our facilities and campus on the University's Virtual Visit site.

Take a virtual tour of the School of Social and Political Science

Placements

You will have the opportunity to apply for a placement with a range of host institutions. Placements are designed to allow you to apply your data skills in a real world setting.

Work placements are offered during the summer of Year 3.

Our Careers Service can offer advice and support on your application to the host institution.

Study abroad

You may apply to spend Year 3 abroad in one of many universities where the University has special links, in locations such as:

Europe
North America
Central and South America
Australia
Asia

We also have a dedicated European exchange scheme with Leuphana University Lüneburg in Germany.

What are my options for going abroad?

Learning and assessment

How will I learn?

You will be taught through a combination of:

lectures
tutorials
seminars
individual supervision

How will I be assessed?

You will be assessed through a wide range of methods that will enable you to develop different academic and practical skills.

Our assessment methods include:

traditional academic essays and exams
policy analyses and briefs
policy blogging
analyses of political actors
project work
seminar engagement

Career opportunities

A good understanding of quantitative methods helps you develop skills that allow you to handle data and use numerical evidence systematically. These skills are valued in the job market.

There is currently a lack of graduates with advanced quantitative skills in the UK. This means graduates with broad numerical skills are prized by employers.

This programme equips you with the skills employers need, opening doors to a wide range of exciting and highly-paid careers.

Entry requirements

Standard entry requirement

The standard entry requirement is:

SQA Highers: AAAB by end of S5 or AAAA by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6.
A Levels: AAA.
IB: 37 points with 666 at HL.

Minimum entry requirement

The minimum entry requirement for widening access applicants is:

SQA Highers: ABBB by end of S6. BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6.
A Levels: ABB.
IB: 34 points with 655 at HL.

More information for widening access applicants

Required subjects

The grades used to meet our entry requirements must include:

SQA: Highers: Mathematics at B. Higher Applications of Mathematics is not accepted in place of Higher Mathematics. National 5s: English at C.
A Levels: Mathematics at B, or AS Mathematics at A. GCSEs: English at C or 4.
IB: HL: Mathematics at 5. SL: English at 5 and Mathematics at 6 (if not at HL).

Find out more about entry requirements

International applicants

We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.

Entry requirements by country

International Foundation Programme

If you are an international student and your school qualifications are not accepted for direct entry to the University you may be eligible for admission to this degree programme through our International Foundation Programme.

International Foundation Programme

Mature applicants

We welcome applications from mature students and accept a range of qualifications.

Mature applicant qualifications

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

SQA, GCSE and IB

For SQA, GCSE and IB students, unless a higher level is specified in the stated entry requirements, a pass is required in English at the following grades or higher:

SQA National 5 at C
GCSE at C or 4
Level 2 Certificate at C
IB Standard Level at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry)

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

IELTS Academic: total 6.5 with at least 5.5 in each component.We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 176 with at least 162 in each component.
Trinity ISE: ISE II with distinctions in all four components.
PTE Academic: total 65 with at least 54 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
Oxford ELLT: 7 overall with at least 5 in each component.*

We also accept a wider range of international qualifications and tests.

Unless you are a national of a majority English speaking country, your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start of the month in which the degree you are applying to study begins. If you are using an IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL, Oxford ELLT, or Trinity ISE test, it must be no more than two years old on the first of the month in which the degree begins, regardless of your nationality.

English language requirements

(*Revised 24 May 2024 to change PTE Academic requirement from total 62 with at least 54 in each component, and to clarify that we do not accept PTE Academic online. Revised 29 August 2024 to add Oxford ELLT requirements.)