Social Policy with Quantitative Methods, MA (Hons)

Course summary

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 other's understanding as well. Q-Step support and fundingThis 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.

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