Master of Science in Politics with Quantitative Research Methods

at University of Bristol - Clifton Campus United Kingdom

Our joint honours English and Spanish degree allows you to study two complementary disciplines, both of which ask you to think carefully about culture and historical context and pay close attention to detail while comprehending and analysing language.

Students on this course will join two departments with top researchers in a great diversity of fields. You will be encouraged to develop expertise and research skills relevant to both disciplines while also considering the relationships between them.

You will explore a rich variety of texts in their social, political and historical contexts and will develop excellent critical and communication skills, both in English and in Spanish. You will also have opportunities to study aspects of history, film and linguistics as part of your Spanish programm.

Your third year is spent abroad in a Spanish-speaking environment to improve your language skills and global citizenship. You will develop excellent critical and communication skills that will prepare you for a wide range of professions. Visit Global Opportunities to find out more about where you can study abroad.

In your final year you will complete a dissertation, bringing together the skills you have developed while studying both disciplines.

Childhood studies at Bristol provides you with a holistic understanding of children, childhood and adolescence, combining elements of education, psychology, law, social work and social policy. 

This course is ideal for students interested in learning more about how to use numbers and data within childhood studies. It provides training in practical and analytical skills, which will enhance your career prospects and provide you with a strong platform for postgraduate study. No prior knowledge of statistical techniques is required.

About two thirds of your studies will follow the single honours BSc Childhood Studies, where you will consider childhood in the contexts of families, peers and society at both a national and international level. Within a framework of children's rights, you will consider their participation and protection and the provision of services for children and young people.

The remaining third of your course will provide interdisciplinary training in quantitative research methods. In year one of the quantitative pathway we discuss how numbers and data are used to tell convincing stories in the media and social research. We consider what is meant by segregation and how it can be mapped and measured.

Year two offers practical classes in social statistics and applied data analysis, which will develop your skills in numeracy and analysis and enable you to undertake your own individual research project in an area of quantitative social science in year three. 

Migration needs new thinking. The MSc in Migration and Mobility Studies offers a rigorous and exciting approach to the study of migration and its connections to other types of human movement. You will learn about migrant workers and global firms, migratory soundscapes and the relation between migration and racialisation.

Through its innovative combination of arts, social sciences, law and humanities, the MSc will enable you to understand and engage with some of the most pressing political and policy issues of our time.

The program will:

• Enable you to think critically about migration and migration policies: explore how to think about and work on human movement without turning migration into a problem;
• Learn new methodologies: broaden your research skills, break down disciplinary boundaries, think theoretically, and know why this matters;
• Be taught by leading researchers conducting groundbreaking work on themes such as human movement and freedom, mobility and justice, and histories of citizenship globally;
• Develop career opportunities: transferable skills and knowledge that will be useful in a wide variety of careers from international NGOs, local government and community organising.

The MA in Comparative Literatures and Cultures gives you the opportunity to study the encounters and exchanges between literatures and cultures across Europe and beyond. We welcome graduates of all arts and humanities disciplines.

You will become acquainted with the theory and practice of comparative cultural study, and consider how concepts of national cultures cross borders and interact with ideas of the global and transnational. You will gain a thorough grounding in cultural theory, critical reading and research skills, and put this theoretical knowledge into practice by studying topics and themes that span the disciplines, national contexts and time periods taught by experts in the School of Modern Languages.

While knowledge of a foreign language is not a requirement for this program, you will have the opportunity to learn a language at a variety of levels, from beginner to advanced, and to engage with material in foreign languages throughout the MA. The program culminates in a dissertation - an extended piece of original academic research.

As a postgraduate, you will be considered a full member of the academic community, with the opportunity to participate in the many research seminars and conferences taking place within the Faculty of Arts.

This course focuses on policy and the rights of children and young people from birth to 19 years, exploring contemporary debates within a global context. Our research-based teaching includes the expertise of lecturers from related disciplines, including education, psychology, sociology, social work and law.

You will consider childhood in the contexts of families, peers and society at both a national and international level. Topics of study include children’s rights, development, education, therapeutic work with children, safeguarding, youth justice, and child and adolescent psychology, among others.

Years one and two are identical to the three-year BSc Childhood Studies. In the first year you will develop a solid understanding of the social, psychological and historical constructions of childhood. In subsequent years you can choose optional units from a wide range of subjects, allowing you to pursue different routes through the degree to develop the career path that is right for you.

In year three you will be able to study overseas at one of our partner institutions before returning to Bristol to complete your final year. To find out more about where you can study abroad visit Global Opportunities.

The interdisciplinary nature of this course makes it ideal for students from a range of different backgrounds who want to develop a holistic understanding of childhood. Our graduates go on to careers in areas as diverse as education, children’s therapy, social work, law and social justice, children’s charities, government and the civil service.