Computing Science/Politics

Computing science and politics is a combination that has become increasingly meaningful as digital technology reshapes every dimension of political and civic life, from election campaigns and disinformation to algorithmic governance and the regulation of platform companies. At the University of Glasgow, the MA Computing Science and Politics is a four-year full-time programme that includes a year abroad, developing expertise in both disciplines within one of Scotland's leading research universities.

As the current programme description notes, computing science is wide-ranging: from programming and engineering large software systems through to human-computer interface design, algorithms, artificial intelligence, information retrieval, and big data systems. The degree develops your technical knowledge and problem-solving abilities across this range, providing a rigorous foundation in the science and engineering of computing systems. The politics component introduces you to political theory, comparative government, international relations, and the analytical methods that political science uses to study power and institutions.

Together, the two subjects open up the emerging field where computing and politics intersect most directly: the use of data analytics in political campaigns, the governance of AI and digital platforms, the cybersecurity dimensions of national security, electronic voting, digital public services, and the political economy of the technology sector.

Graduates of computing science and politics are positioned for careers in public policy connected to technology, in technology firms working on regulatory and policy affairs, in think tanks and research institutes examining digital governance, in journalism covering technology and politics, and in the growing field of civic technology. The technical skills the computing component provides are also directly valuable in software engineering, data science, and product management roles in the technology sector. Some graduates go on to postgraduate study in computing, politics, policy, or law, particularly in areas where digital governance is central.

The year abroad deepens both academic development and personal versatility. The combination of rigorous technical training and political analytical skills is genuinely distinctive in the graduate labour market.