Master of Science in Behavioural Science for Management

at University of Stirling United Kingdom

The field of Data Science has seen rapid growth in recent years, with vast amounts of data now being generated by major companies and service providers.

Yet, there is a recognised shortage of qualified analysts, both in the UK and globally, to make the most of this data and to meet the demands of industry. In particular, the demand is for graduates who can both manage the data (the computing skills), and analyse the data to extract patterns, build models and make predictions (the mathematics skills). It is only with these analytical skills can the full value of data be extracted.

Launching in 2018, our MSc is one of the first courses to link these two key areas, making it uniquely positioned to help you meet this demand. The course focusses on the application rather than pure theory of mathematics and is assessed primarily through coursework, developing those skills which are in high demand by the data industry.

The course will provide you with a strong foundation in the mathematical analysis of data-driven systems and help you develop your computing skills, from programming Python and R, to advanced techniques including Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, to applying the techniques you learn on a large scale. You will learn the techniques used to approach data and build models using computational analysis and understand the mathematics underpinning these techniques.

How are our minds related to our bodies? Do we really have free will? What can we truly know about the world around us, about other people or about ourselves?

These questions lie at the heart of philosophy – and if you seriously want to search for the answers, this is the course for you. Our Philosophy BA will challenge you to develop a strong set of critical, imaginative and informed reasoning skills. It will also deepen your understanding of the nature of the human mind, language, morality and politics, art, science and logic. We offer breadth and variety – from modules focused on individual philosophers, to others built around specific topics such as metaphysics, moral philosophy and environmental ethics.

You’ll be introduced to key philosophical issues in your first two years, before focusing in on the areas that interest you most. Along the way, you’ll benefit from the expert insights of your lecturers and tutors, whose own cutting-edge research feeds into course content and keeps you on the frontline of academic thinking.

Our Philosophy course has consistently achieved top marks for student satisfaction, and your studies will play out in a supportive, vibrant environment with an extremely active Student Philosophy Society. If you want to investigate the burning questions that shape humanity while gaining vital employability skills, choosing Philosophy at the University of Stirling is the perfect starting point.

The Stirling Centre for International Publishing and Communication at the University of Stirling is a world-leading centre for postgraduate publishing studies, offering a comprehensive and coherent approach to all forms of publishing.

You’ll develop expert knowledge of the entire publishing process in both print and digital environments – from planning, editing and production, to marketing and publication management. We update the content of this course every year to reflect the rapid changes that transform the industry, so you’ll graduate with cutting-edge skills and knowledge of current publishing industry practice and standards.

This course is demanding, stimulating and enjoyable – which is why many publishers now consider it equivalent to a year’s worth of experience at a publishing company. Our graduates occupy senior positions in both commercial and not-for-profit publication organisations across the world.

We have excellent links with publishing businesses, and a finger on the pulse of the industry and its changing needs. That means our teaching team will equip you with all the intellectual and practical qualities needed for a successful working life in publishing and related organisations.

Mathematics is about profound beauty, the rush-like excitement of the 'ah ha' moment and finding elegant solutions. It’s the relationship in patterns, systems, big data, technologies and science.

Mathematical training develops specific skills and broad analytical expertise, which are valued across all professions. There is also a particular demand for graduates who not only have quantitative skills, but also know how to use them.

This course delivers that sought-after combination – through our teaching style, and our focus on real-world applications of both mathematical and statistical techniques. For example, you'll use the mathematics computing laboratories as an integral part of your learning process, making your study as much experimental as theoretical.

Our Computing Science and Mathematics division provides a stimulating and supportive learning environment, and we have a strong and active research group. Its primary interest is the application of mathematics to biology, economics and life sciences.

We also offer you the choice and flexibility to study Mathematics in combination with subjects such as Accountancy, Computing or Finance.

The Stirling Centre for International Publishing and Communication at the University of Stirling is a world-leading centre for postgraduate publishing studies, offering expertise in contemporary and historical publishing in the UK and beyond.

The MRes Publishing Studies is a research preparation Master’s course that offers students the opportunity for tailor-made Master’s study in the field of publishing studies. It also offers the opportunity to prepare for a PhD through concentrated research with a specialism in publishing.

This course will provide you with the core professional skills required for a rewarding career in digital media management and production. This interdisciplinary offering, bringing together Stirling’s internationally recognised strengths in media, film, and communication studies, is distinctive from competitors in offering you the unique opportunity to develop analytical, creative, and production skills; underpinned by important sociocultural understanding of human behaviour and communication in the digital context, and the complex factors influencing people’s behaviours.

We’ve developed our BSc (Hons) Software Development with Cyber Security course with our business partners in the IT sector to help solve their skills shortages and address the industry’s needs. According to the 2020 ScotlandIS Scottish Technology Industry survey, about 100,000 people are working in digital technologies professions. This is a growth of 9% since 2016. The growth has been strongest in web design and development, IT business analysts, architects and systems designers, programmers and software development professionals. Our computing graduates have an excellent track record in finding well-paid jobs because of our focus on in-depth practical expertise.

As you study, you’ll progress from the fundamentals of computer systems and software development to advanced knowledge of Artificial Intelligence and Computer Security. You’ll learn everything you need to become a highly employable and sought after software development graduate.

We deliver our BSc (Hons) Software Development with Cyber Security in partnership with Forth Valley College to combine the strengths from both sites. Classes for the first two years will be delivered at Forth Valley College’s campus in Falkirk. Classes for the last two years will be delivered at the University of Stirling campus. Our staff are active in research and work with industry to help the course evolve according to the needs of the ICT sector, both in Scotland and across the world.

Adult nursing is a challenging and rewarding profession that offers a wide range of roles caring for people and promoting health.

Stirling is a superb place for you to learn the skills of modern nursing – which are valued around the world.  Our course is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, and has also received multiple commendations.

Nursing is a dynamic profession, and we’ll give you the education and confidence necessary to fulfil your role in the healthcare teams of tomorrow. As you study, you’ll learn how to work with a range of multi-disciplinary professionals, groups and individuals to provide care and promote health. Our course is based on a philosophy that our graduates will develop values, integrity and resilience to become socially reflective practitioners  who will provide services based on excellence, compassion, safety and respect.

You’ll be allocated a personal tutor who will be a source of guidance, information and support during your studies. Whilst undertaking practice learning experiences, you’re also allocated a practice assessor and supervisor who will facilitate and support your learning in practice.

We’ll inspire and challenge you, so that you leave us as a confident and capable practitioner - ready to join a health and social care team upon graduation.

Our Masters degree will give you a solid grounding in the scientific principles that underpin Environmental Management. We cover topics including the ecological, economic, social, political and legal aspects of environmental management. We give comprehensive training in quantitative, theoretical, analytical and practical skills.

Environmental managers play a vital role in the protection and sustainable use of resources. You’ll learn to address issues such as adaptation to climate change, biodiversity and sustainable energy management. At the local level, Environmental Management focuses on conservation and protection of land and water resources and natural habitats.  

You’ll also benefit from employability skills training, a residential field skills course and the chance to carry out an environmental management related dissertation project which may include working collaboratively with a business.

Economics is the study of how people interact with others and their surroundings, and here at Stirling we look at Economics in a rich and varied way: from artificial intelligence in the labour market to addressing climate change, and from behavioural economic insights in decision making to tackling global poverty and inequality. An Economics degree from Stirling empowers you with sharp analytical tools, from experts in their field, with an ever-present emphasis on intellectual curiosity.

Our introductory teaching is delivered in a revolutionary new way of learning Economics through our commitment to the CORE Project – “Economics for a Changing World”. In using real-world data to answer real-world questions from the very beginning of your studies, you will understand global issues with historical and philosophical context.

• We focus on real-world theory instead of textbook-simple theory, which is rigorously challenged with data and evidence.
• Our specialisms of environmental economics, behavioural economics, and public policy analysis are embedded throughout the course.
• The internationally-renowned Behavioural Science Centre within the Economics Division contributes two modules in behavioural and experimental economics to our degree.
• Strategic thinking is one of the central pillars of the course, and you will be introduced to decision and game theory as part of this through a bespoke module in year three.
• The course includes a dissertation, which arms students with cutting-edge research methods, and challenges you to produce publication-quality research. The best pieces are published in our in-house journal, the Stirling Student Economic Review.
• We foster a strong staff/student community, emphasising collaboration and ensuring you’re a name and not a number from the outset.

Our expert staff will give you an insight into professional practices through their cutting-edge research, teaching practice, and links to industry. You’re also free to combine your studies with one of eight other courses, sharpening your focus on a specific area that complements your growing knowledge of economics.