Government, Policy and Society with Quantitative Methods

Government, policy and society with quantitative methods sits at the meeting point of social science and data, preparing graduates to understand how societies are organised and how policy shapes people's lives, while also equipping them with the advanced analytical skills needed to work rigorously with evidence. Social policy, the foundation of this degree, asks how welfare states are constructed, how public services are designed and delivered, and who benefits and who is left behind by the choices governments and institutions make. Adding quantitative methods to that foundation gives you the tools to engage with the data and statistical analysis that increasingly drive evidence-based policy-making at national and international levels.

At the University of Edinburgh, this four-year programme develops your knowledge of government, political institutions, social change, and policy-making alongside advanced skills in quantitative research, including statistics, data analysis, and the use of large datasets. You will study societies and the mechanisms through which they change, examining policy questions with both qualitative insight and quantitative rigour. A year abroad is built into the programme, broadening your academic perspective and your understanding of how different countries approach the governance challenges that the degree explores.

Graduates in this field are well placed for careers in government, the civil service, policy research institutions, international organisations, NGOs, and analytical roles in the private sector. The combination of social science knowledge and quantitative skills is increasingly sought after in organisations that need to interpret complex data about society and evaluate the impact of policy interventions. Many graduates also go on to postgraduate study in social policy, public administration, economics, or data science, deepening their analytical capabilities for specialist research or senior policy roles.