MA Social Policy and Economics

Year 1

You will take Social Policy & Society, which revolves around three main themes: social needs, social problems and social rights, and how different debates about welfare have been influenced by these themes.

You will study Politics of the Welfare State, which examines social policy as a political issue in the UK. It introduces you to the politics of the area that constitutes one of the largest sets of government expenditure.

You will be confronted with debates about the different ways of delivering welfare and the interplay between the state and the private sector.

You can choose option courses from other academic areas and will also take the course Fundamentals of Social Policy, which provides the key subject-specific learning skills you'll use in your further years of study.

Year 2

You will take European Social Policy, which compares different approaches to social policy in various European countries.

You will also take Evidence, Politics and Policy as well as further Fundamentals courses, which will equip you with analytical skills needed to engage with controversial policy issues in public debate.

You will also study other compulsory courses appropriate to your programme and will select one option course.

Year 3

You can study option courses that cover areas such as family policy, labour market policies, social inequalities, criminal justice, health policy and education policy. You will also take at least one course on research methods.

Year 4

You will continue to take social policy courses and will complete an individual research project. This may involve collecting and analysing data and information from sources such as the European Commission, UK Government, Scottish Government, local authorities and voluntary organisations.

Programme structure

Find out more about the compulsory and optional courses in this degree programme.

To give you an idea of what you will study on this programme, we publish the latest available information. However, please note this may not be for your year of entry, but for a different academic year.

Programme structure (2019/20)

Our facilities

Most of the teaching takes place in the University's Central Area. You will also have access to the University's computer facilities and libraries.

Study abroad

You may apply to spend Year 3 abroad in one of several universities in North America, Central and South America, Australia and Asia with whom the University has special links.

In addition, we have European Erasmus exchange schemes with Leuphana University Lüneburg and Jacobs University Bremen (Germany).

You can also apply to university-wide Erasmus exchanges in Amsterdam (Netherlands), Dublin (Ireland) and Lund (Sweden).

What are my options for going abroad?

How will I learn?

You will be taught through a combination of lectures, tutorials/seminars and individual supervision.

How will I be assessed?

You will be assessed by a combination of exams and coursework, and through a Year 4 research project.

Programme details

Find out more about this programme's aims, what you will learn, how you will be assessed and what skills and knowledge you will develop.

To give you an idea of what to expect from this programme, we publish the latest available information. However, please note this may not be for your year of entry, but for a different academic year.

Programme details (2019/20)

Most of our graduates move into careers in policy or research within government, voluntary organisations, pressure groups or commercial organisations.

These programmes also equip you with skills and knowledge that could be applied to careers in teaching or to the management and delivery of services, whether public or commercial.

Some graduates have gone on to study for professional qualifications in housing management, social work or human resource management.

Standard entry requirement

The standard entry requirement is:

• SQA Highers: AAAA - AABB by end of S5. If you haven’t achieved this by the end of S5 we may consider your application based on a strong performance in S6. A minimum of BBB must be achieved in one year of S4-S6.
• A Levels: ABB.
• IB: 40 points (grades 766 at HL).

Minimum entry requirement

The minimum entry requirement for widening access applicants is:

• SQA Highers: ABBB by end of S6, with a minimum of BBB achieved in one year of S4-S6.
• A Levels: ABB.
• IB: 34 points (grades 655 at HL).

More information for widening access applicants

Required subjects

The grades used to meet our entry requirements must include:

• SQA: Higher: Mathematics at grade B. National 5: English at grade C.
• A Levels: Mathematics at grade B, or AS Mathematics at grade A (if A Level is not taken). GCSEs: English at grade C or 4. (Revised 18/3/2019 to provide more accurate information).
• IB: HL: Mathematics at grade 5. SL: Mathematics at grade 6 (if not taken at HL) and English at grade 5. Mathematical Studies is not accepted for any of our Economics programmes. (Revised 18/3/2019 to provide more accurate information).

Find out more about entry requirements

International applicants

We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.

Entry requirements by country

International Foundation Programme

If you are an international student and your school qualifications are not accepted for direct entry to the University you may be eligible for admission to this degree programme through our International Foundation Programme.

International Foundation Programme

Mature applicants

We welcome applications from mature students and accept a range of qualifications.

Mature applicant qualifications

You must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies, regardless of your nationality or country of residence.

SQA, GCSE and IB

For SQA, GCSE and IB students, unless a higher level is specified in the stated entry requirements, a pass is required in English at the following grades or higher:

• SQA National 5 Grade C

• SQA Standard Grade 3

• SQA Intermediate 1 Grade A

• SQA Intermediate 2 Grade C

• GCSE Grade C or 4

• Level 2 Certificate Grade C

• IB Standard Level Grade 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry)

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic module overall 6.5 with 5.5 in each component

• TOEFL-iBT 92 or above with 20 in each section

• Cambridge English: Advanced or Proficiency overall 176 with 162 in each component

• PTE Academic: Total 61 with at least 51 in each "Communicative Skills" section

• Trinity ISE: ISE II with a distinction in all four components

We also accept a wider range of international qualifications and tests.

English language qualifications must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, PTE or Trinity ISE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

English language requirements

(Revised 05/06/2019 to provide more accurate/comprehensive information.)

This information is part of a government initiative to enhance the material that higher education institutions provide about their degree programmes.

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

Please note that some programmes do not have Unistats data available.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees for MA Social Policy and Economics

Additional costs

None.

Funding

For more information on how much it will cost to study with us and the financial support available see our fees and funding information.

Fees and funding

• College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Undergraduate Admissions Office
• Email: CAHSS.UGAdmissions@ed.ac.uk
• Phone: +44 (0)131 650 3565
• Web: Social Policy website
• International enquiries