Data Science for Politics & Policymaking

Study with us

• develop the skills to use big data to solve complex political and social problems
• understand the mechanics behind capturing and organising large amounts of data
• undertake a research or client-based project

Why this course?

The MSc in Data Science for Politics & Policymaking is designed to meet the growing demand for graduates with the ability to use big data to solve complex political and social problems. It's perfectly suited to those looking for careers in political campaigns, think tanks, interest groups associated with shaping public policy and the civil service.

This Masters-level course equips you with the ability to design, commission, and implement projects that capture and analyse large quantities of online data from a diverse set of sources. It combines advanced training in social science research design and policy analysis with classes that enable you to understand the mechanics behind capturing and organising large amounts of data.

The course looks to solve the key challenge of the use of big data in the public sphere, the lack of specified research and policy goals, by providing you with the know-how via core classes in Research Design, Public Policy and Qualitative Methods. Alongside these classes, you'll receive training that allows you to understand the mechanics behind capturing and organising large amounts of data.

What you'll study

A distinguishing feature of this degree is that it is taught in collaboration with academic experts from both the School of Government & Public Policy and the Department of Computer & Information Sciences.

In Government & Public Policy, you'll take classes in Research Design and Quantitative or Qualitative Methodology (depending on past experience). You'll have the flexibility to choose from a list of courses in public policy, international relations, or comparative politics that best meets your needs and future career aspirations.

In Computer & Information Sciences, you'll take classes covering the ethics of 'big data' and the information society and classes on database management, the technology behind 'big data' and machine learning.

Learning & teaching

The course is delivered in various ways. Classes will be a mixture of regular lectures, tutorials and hands-on software sessions. This unique MSc is designed not only to give you research skills but also to enhance your ability to choose appropriate research methods and confront the issues of research design, implementing projects in a data-intensive environment.

As with other MSc courses offered by Government & Public Policy and Computer & Information Sciences, you'll receive training with a strong empirical focus, and supervision in small-group seminars and in individual sessions. As class sizes are small, you'll receive considerable time and attention from our staff.

Assessment

Methods of assessment include written assignments, blogs, podcasts, practical team projects, presentations, individual projects, and exams. Most classes involve more than one method of assessment to help you realise your potential.

Taught classes make up two thirds of the total assessment. Your dissertation, produced over the summer, accounts for the remaining third.

Work placement

You may apply to do a client-based project as part of your dissertation research. Following a career workshop session, and on the advice of the School, you can contact host organisations including local, city, and national governmental organisations to arrange a work-based MSc dissertation.

These projects will normally be unpaid and may need to be developed further to meet the requirements of an MSc dissertation.

Careers

The world is in the midst of a 'big data' revolution, with many companies and organisations seeking personnel who are able to interpret datasets that often appear as by-products of human-computer interaction.

Political campaigns, think tanks and interest groups associated with shaping public policy, and the civil service increasingly need graduates with the ability to design, commission, and implement projects that capture and analyse large swaths of online data from a diverse set of sources.

The expert training you will receive on this degree is in high demand as graduates of data analytics programmes often do not have the research design skills necessary to ensure successful project implementation while those trained in policy analysis lack the skills necessary to analyse the newer types of large, disconnected datasets that now are possible to mine. This course provides you with both skill sets.