Government, Policy and Society with Quantitative Methods MA (Hons)

Level: Undergraduate

Subject: Social Policy

Year of entry: 2026

Key facts

UCAS Code

L231

Award

MA (Hons)

Duration of study

4 years

Delivery

Full-time

Study location

Central Area

Start date

September 2026

School

School of Social and Political Science

College

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Study abroad

Available

Placement

Available

Open days and events

About the degree programme

Government, Policy and Society with Quantitative Methods is based on social policy, the study of societies and the way they change through policy-making. It will equip you with advanced quantitative skills that allow you to engage at a high level with evidence-based policy-making.

Social policy is relevant to many areas of everyday life, including:

  • housing
  • employment
  • income
  • health
  • education

This programme is designed for students interested in:

  • the content of social policy
  • the process by which policy is made
  • the impact of policy on society

You will study these topics at local, national and global levels. You will examine the ways in which public policies, social institutions and market forces affect how contemporary societies operate, and how they are affected by debates about social justice.

How long it takes to complete this degree programme

This programme is studied over 4 years.

A key benefit to studying a 4-year degree programme is that you have the flexibility to study a range of subjects, outside your chosen degree programme, in Year 1 and Year 2.

This allows you the opportunity to study other courses that interest you or enhance your degree. By the end of Year 2, you can decide which of these subject areas you want to focus on in the honours years of your programme.

How long it takes to complete our degree programmes

Programme rankings

  • We are ranked in Europe's top 4 universities for social policy in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025.

Programme benefits

  • We have close relationships with the Scottish and UK governments, as well as European and global institutions. You will have the opportunity to be immersed in a diverse range of contemporary policy developments.
  • 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 mathematics.

Find your entry requirements

Use the dropdowns to find out your entry requirements.

  1. Select the country or region where you are studying or where you studied your qualification.
  2. Select the qualification you are studying or studied.
United Kingdom,

Tuition fees for MA (Hons) Government, Policy and Society with Quantitative Methods

View the tuition fees for one academic year of MA (Hons) Government, Policy and Society with Quantitative Methods.

Tuition fees for this programme

Accommodation and living costs

You need to cover your accommodation and living costs for the duration of your programme.

We estimate that a single student can potentially spend £1,023 to £2,043 on living costs each month, depending on your accommodation.

This estimate covers the costs of:

  • accommodation
  • food
  • utility bills
  • travel within Edinburgh
  • health and wellbeing costs

See a breakdown of living costs

Scholarships and funding

Funding information

You can find detailed information on financial support available, based on where you are living, in our funding section.

Funding

What you will study

You will take the following compulsory courses:

  • Social Policy and Society
  • Mathematics for Social Science
  • Introduction to Statistics for Social Science
  • Understanding Public Policy
  • Politics of the Welfare State
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).

Understanding Public Policy

In this course, you will develop the skills needed to analyse specific policies created by governments with regard to their goals, structures and effectiveness.

You will engage with external practitioners to understand the practical implications of their academic knowledge to the world of real policy-making.

Politics of the Welfare State

In this course we introduce you to the politics of welfare.

In many countries this area constitutes one of the largest sets of government expenditure. You will be confronted with debates about different ways of delivering welfare, and the interplay between the state and the private sector.

Option courses

You will take further option courses from across the University to broaden your perspectives. These may include courses within social and political science, such as:

  • social anthropology
  • international relations
  • sociology
  • political science
  • social work

You can also choose options from other disciplines, such as:

  • economics
  • philosophy
  • history
Find courses

The courses you can study will vary from year to year and may be different for your year of entry.

You can get an idea of what you might study by viewing the latest course information for this programme.

Find Year 1 courses (2025-2026 academic year)

You will take three compulsory courses:

  • Comparative Social Policy: Global Perspectives - In this course, you will compare different approaches to social policy in European and non-European countries
  • Research Skills for Social Policy - This course equips you with core research training and provides a forum for subject-specific learning and community-building
  • Evidence, Economy and Social Policy - This course will focus on the economic dimension of social policy, and the (mis)use of underlying evidence
Option courses

You will take further option courses from across the University to broaden your perspectives. These may include courses within social and political science, such as:

  • social anthropology
  • international relations
  • sociology
  • political science
  • social work

You can also choose options from other disciplines, such as:

  • economics
  • philosophy
  • history
Find courses

The courses you can study will vary from year to year and may be different for your year of entry.

You can get an idea of what you might study by viewing the latest course information for this programme.

Find Year 2 courses (2025-2026 academic year)

You must take three core courses:

  • Qualitative and Quantitative Research: Principles and Practicalities for Social Policy
  • Analysing and communicating Social Policy
  • Statistical Modelling

During Years 3 and 4, two or three courses must be in advanced quantitative methods. The remainder can be in a variety of topics in public policy, such as:

  • social inequality
  • labour markets
  • childhood
  • health policy
  • education policy
Find courses

The courses you can study will vary from year to year and may be different for your year of entry.

You can get an idea of what you might study by viewing the latest course information for this programme.

Find Year 3 courses (2025-2026 academic year)

You will continue to take social policy courses and will complete an individual research project (dissertation).

Find courses

The courses you can study will vary from year to year and may be different for your year of entry.

You can get an idea of what you might study by viewing the latest course information for this programme.

Find Year 4 courses (2025-2026 academic year)

Study abroad

You may apply to spend Year 3 abroad in one of many institutions 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?

Placements

You will have the opportunity to apply for a summer internship which takes place during the summer of Year 3. Placements are designed to allow you to apply your data skills in a real world setting.

Our previous placement hosts have included prestigious institutions such as:

  • the Scottish Government
  • National Health Service (NHS) Scotland
  • Scottish Funding Council
  • charities
  • museums of Scotland
  • private sector employers

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

Gain an insight into the summer 2024 internship experience of one of our students who worked with the charity Parenting across Scotland by reading their blog post.

Student blog post on the Parenting across Scotland summer placement

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

You will be taught through a combination of:

  • lectures
  • tutorials
  • seminars
  • individual supervision

Assessment

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

Our assessments include traditional academic essays and exams, as well as:

  • policy analyses and briefs
  • policy blogging
  • analyses of political actors
  • project work
  • seminar engagement

Support for your studies

You will have access to a range of support services if you need them throughout your degree.

We will assign you to a student adviser, and this should be the first person to contact if you need help. They can guide you to other University service teams depending on what support you need.

Support for your studies

Our academic staff

Our people are the most important thing about our subject area. It takes a team of academics, professional services colleagues and PhD students working together to deliver our teaching, carry out our research and keep the department running. Together, they form a supportive community covering a range of professional expertise.

You can search for academic staff by name or role on our school website.

Search academic staff by name or role

Where you will study

Study location

Most of the teaching for this programme takes place in the University's Central Area.

Academic facilities

You will also have access to the University's library and computer facilities.

Career paths

Quantitative skills in social science are in very short supply in the UK and further afield. Graduating from this programme can open up a wide range of fulfilling careers in areas such as:

  • government
  • voluntary organisations
  • pressure groups
  • commercial organisations

The programme also equips you with skills and knowledge that could be applied to teaching or to the management and delivery of services, whether public or commercial.

We offer bespoke career advice tailored towards the strengthened employability associated with studying quantitative methods.

Careers Service

Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals.

The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies.

With the Careers Service, you can:

  • access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengths
  • try different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you develop
  • get help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobs
  • attend careers events and practice interviews
  • get information and advice to help you make informed decisions

Visit the Careers Service website

Further study

After you complete your programme, you may want to go onto further study at Edinburgh or a different university. You could progress to:

  • a masters degree
  • a postgraduate diploma or certificate
  • a PhD
  • a second undergraduate degree

Find out about options for further study

How to apply

You must submit a full application through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) before the relevant deadline.

Guidance on applying through UCAS

What you need to apply

As part of your application, you will need:

  • your academic qualifications
  • a personal statement
  • evidence of your English language skills (with relevant qualifications)
  • a reference

How we select

If you have met, or are predicted to meet, all our entry requirements by the relevant deadline, then your application will go into our selection process.

As part of this selection process, we will review all the information you submit in your UCAS application when we decide who to select for this degree programme.

How we select applicants

When to apply

  • 2026 entry UCAS deadline: 14 January 2026 (6:00pm GMT)

This is the deadline for all UK, EU and international applicants to non-medicine and veterinary medicine programmes.

To find out if any degree programmes have spaces after 14 January 2026, search the University of Edinburgh on the UCAS website.

Search degrees that are open on the UCAS website

Key application dates and deadlines

After you apply

After you have applied for your degree programme, we suggest you have a look at the following information to help you prepare for university:

Applying as an international student

As an international student, you apply for this degree programme through UCAS.  

Find out more about applying through UCAS  

Visas and immigration 

If you do not have the right to live in the UK, you will need to apply for and secure a Student visa before the start date of your degree programme.  

Our Student Immigration Service can help you with the Student visa application process. 

Applying for a visa  

Agents  

An education agent is someone who can help you with the application process as an international student. 

We work with education agents around the world and have a list of local offices you can contact.  

Find contact details for an education agent

What our students say

Student testimonials

Hear about what it is like to study with us, and about life in Edinburgh from those who know it best: our students and graduates.

Testimonials from our students and graduates

Check out our student blog

Our team of School of Political Sciences (SPS) student writers share their experiences and thoughts on the things that matter to them on our student blog, for example:

  • writing your first assignment
  • what to do in Edinburgh on the weekend
  • what to expect in Welcome Week
  • living away from home
  • hybrid learning
  • living sustainably

Our SPS student blog

Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of University accommodation for all new, single undergraduate students from outside Edinburgh. To be eligible, you need to meet all criteria and apply for accommodation by 16 August in the year of your entry to the University.

University accommodation website

Accommodation guarantee criteria

If you prefer to live elsewhere, we can offer you advice on finding accommodation in Edinburgh.

Accommodation information from the Edinburgh University Students' Association Advice Place

Societies and clubs

Our societies and sports clubs will help you develop your interests, meet like-minded people, find a new hobby or simply socialise.

Societies

Sports clubs

Additionally, most of the departments in the School of Social and Political Science (SPS) have associated student societies, which are designed to offer you the best chance to develop your interests, network and meet like-minded people.

Edinburgh Political Union

Sustainable Development Association

Sociology Society

Social Anthropology Society

Social Policy Society

Q-Step Society

The city of Edinburgh

Scotland's inspiring capital will form the background to your studies — a city with an irresistible blend of history, natural beauty and modern city life.

Find out more about living in Edinburgh

Health and wellbeing support

You will have access to free health and wellbeing services throughout your time at university if you need them.

The support services we offer include:

  • a student counselling service
  • a health centre (doctor's surgery)
  • support if you're living in University accommodation
  • dedicated help and support if you have a disability or need adjustment

Health and wellbeing support services

Contact us

Contact us through our enquiry team if you have any questions about this programme.

Open days, events and visits

Find out when our next open days will be taking place

Open days, events and visits

Chat to our students on Unibuddy

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It is one of many sources of information which will enable you to make an informed decision on what and where to study.

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