UCL's MSc Data Science and Public Policy, co-taught by UCL Economics and Political Science, will equip a new generation of policymakers to solve the biggest problems in today's society through data science.
UK students International studentsA minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in Economics with a significant quantitative component from a UK university, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Applicants with a qualification of an equivalent standard in another quantitative discipline, e.g. statistics, mathematics, or physics, may also be considered. Applicants whose studies for their undergraduate degree have been undertaken wholly or mainly at a university located outside the UK must supply GRE General Test scores and demonstrate competence in English at UCL’s Advanced level before the start of the course and preferably at the time of application. The quantitative GRE score must be 162 or above (post-August 2011 scores). If you studied either an undergraduate or postgraduate degree wholly or mainly at a university in the UK you do not need to provide a GRE score. Relevant practical or work experience in a related field may also be taken into account. For example, this might include: i) at least two years of experience working in a public sector organisation, a think tank, an international-governmental organisation, or in a public-policy consultancy role; or ii) at least two years of experience working in a data-science role English language requirements The English language level for this programme is: Level 4 UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level. Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.
Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website. International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.
The rapid expansion and increased availability of quantitative data in recent years provides policymakers with both important opportunities and great challenges. The vast size and complexity of digital information can improve how we understand, design, implement, and evaluate effective public policy. However, translating this wealth of information into useful insight requires a deep understanding of cutting-edge data-science methods, rich technical skills, and detailed knowledge about economic and political processes. The Data Science and Public Policy MSc is defined by two routes: the Economics route and the Political Science route. You’ll receive training in applied data-science methods and insight into economic and political processes on both routes via three shared compulsory modules. The Economics route further explores modern quantitative economic analysis, while he Political Science route (see the separate Graduate Prospectus entry) delves deeper into public policy formation and implementation. Each route has its own set of entry requirements to reflect the emphasis of that route . You can apply for a place on either the Economics or Political Science route of this programme.
Taught by experts in quantitative social science, the degree is designed for people who are passionate about studying public policy, and who want to develop the skills required to play a leading role in the quantitative analysis of policymaking in the years to come.
This programme will provide you with intensive training in applied data-science methods, computer programming, statistics, and machine learning, with a focus on applying these tools to questions in public policy. You will also take specialised modules in economics through which you will develop a strong understanding of key issues in public policy formation, development and analysis using economic theory. The programme features a combination of compulsory modules and options, enabling you to chart your own path.
As this is a new programme there are no alumni yet. However, alumni from the existing MSc programmes in UCL's Political Science and Economics departments have gone on to attain employment in diverse areas, including in the civil service (e.g., HM Treasury, local government), international institutions (e.g., the European Commission, the UN), central banks (e.g., Bank of England and European Central Bank), research (e.g., Institute of Fiscal Studies, the Institute of Government), consultancy (e.g., Accenture, KPMG, PWC, Frontier Economics and Charles River Associates), and the financial sector.
The programme is designed to teach you the knowledge and skills required to provide insight into important questions in public policy using advanced statistical methods. A series of in-depth substantive modules, delivered by economists and political scientists, will provide you with the analytical tools to think deeply about important questions in policymaking. The methodological training will enable you to understand and, crucially, apply cutting-edge quantitative methods to real-world problems. Our research-based curriculum promotes a variety of research skills, which will enable you to understand, and contribute to, quantitative analyses of public policy.
Students will have the opportunity to meet leading academics and experts in the subject field during their studies.
The programme includes a variety of teaching and learning methods, designed to develop different critical skills. This includes lectures, small-group and faculty-led seminars and technical training through regular computer labs. You will produce essays, policy briefs, presentations, and research papers that make use of cutting-edge approaches in data science. You will undertake a range of formative and summative assessments. Formative assessments include in-lecture practical exercises and discussions; applied problem-sets; and in-class quizzes. The programme will also make use of extensive computer-lab-based problem sets which will help to develop and test your practical coding skills. Summative assessments include essays, reports and exams. Each module on the programme will involve approximately three hours of contact time (spread across lectures and seminars), and at least 8 hours of private study per week.
Term 2
In the second term, you will write your dissertation proposal and continue to study in the Statistical Learning module. In addition, you will take Machine Leaning in Economics where you will apply the skills obtained from Statistical Learning to important economic issues. You will also be able to further explore the particular data-science area that interests you the most through a data science options module. Finally, you will continue with the economics pathway you had chosen in Term 1, by taking an economics options module in the sub-field of your choice:
Dissertation
Alongside your selected modules, you will complete an independent research project under the supervision of an academic in the Department of Economics. Your project will apply the data science skills developed throughout the year to answer a substantive question of public policy of your own choosing, subject to the agreement of your dissertation supervisor.