Master of Science in Economics and Public Policy

at University of York United Kingdom

Astrophysicists look to the skies to discover more about the nature of our Universe.

From the nuclear reactions that power our sun to the mysteries of dark matter, you'll study the great challenges of cosmology in topics aligned with our active research.

To explore the cosmos you'll need grounding in many disciplines of physics, from optics to electromagnetism, quantum physics to classical mechanics. You'll gain foundational understanding of fundamental physics, scientific principles and methods. You'll learn key skills for analysing real-life problems, write scientific reports to industry standards, communicate complex concepts, and solve mind-bending astronomical puzzles.

This course will equip you with the skills to analyse social policy in a way that enables you to understand how policies are developed and the role they play in people's lives.

The course offers a combination of taught coursework and supervised independent study. You'll develop the skills required to carry out your own research in an area of social policy that interests you.

This MA is especially suited to you if you are considering a career in social policy analysis, advocacy or research in the public sector or socially-focused NGOs. You'll cover topics such as the welfare state in the UK and other countries, the impact of globalisation on social programmes and why patterns of social inequality persist.

Physics is the study of the fundamental forces of the Universe, understanding the nature of waves and particles, and the structure of matter.

You will develop advanced techniques for researching fundamental physics, scientific principles and methods. You'll investigate subjects like nanosystems, semiconductors, fusion plasmas, biophysics, and quantum computing.

You'll learn to analyse real-life problems, write scientific reports, communicate complex concepts, and design and perform experiments.

Work with world-renowned physicists with access to unique facilities like our Astrocampus and the York Plasma Institute giving you unprecedented opportunities to observe and experiment, helping you develop skills essential for higher-level research.

Develop advanced knowledge and transferable skills in the design, modelling, implementation and evaluation of digital systems, enabling you to contribute effectively to the increasingly complex and rapidly evolving technologies that are prevalent in industry and research.

The advances of digital technology over the past 50 years have paved the way to highly-integrated complex digital systems in a wide range of industrial sectors from automotive to communications and consumer electronics to entertainment systems.

The course will enable you to become an attractive candidate to a wide range of employers due to the vast application domains of digital systems such as autonomous vehicles, data centres, IP-core development, industrial automation, instrumentation, transportation, security, entertainment system, the internet of things and many more.

The world needs better politics: better ways of distributing resources and resolving conflicts.

How can we do this when our engagement with politics is most often local and national? The politics of the future is haunted by those of the past. In order to imagine and move towards building a new future, an understanding of history must underpin national and international politics.

This interdisciplinary MA seeks to address these problems by bringing together politics and contemporary history, with a particular focus on transnational ideas and institutions.

Biomedical Sciences is about understanding human health and human disease. We study these areas so that, ultimately, we can develop new therapeutic strategies and refine government policy to prolong life and improve the quality of people’s lives.

Biomedical Sciences at York will open up your potential to become a future leading researcher, policymaker or administrator in biomedical sciences. You will learn how to critically assess information to gain a balanced understanding, how to develop and test scientific hypothesis and how to present your findings clearly and concisely to experts and non-experts alike. This degree will provide you with the skills required to tackle current and future challenges to human health.

Our course is delivered by four University departments with outstanding biomedical research activity: The Department of Biology, The Department of Health Sciences, The Department of Psychology, and the Hull York Medical School. The combined teaching across these departments ensures you have the latest understanding of the most important topics in human biology and disease, infection and immunity, epidemiology, and neuroscience.

Chemistry is often referred to as the 'central science'. It covers topics as diverse as quantum mechanics and the study of atomic particles, to the molecular nature of biological systems and the Human Genome Project.

Learning about the fundamental basis of chemistry - the analysis of molecules, their structures and shapes and how they react - is vital for our modern society. Chemists can really make a difference in the world.

For thousands of years, maths and philosophy have occupied the same ground.

From Pythagoras to Bertrand Russell, both disciplines developed their own cultural identities, but naturally remained unified. Our contemporary maths and philosophy degree applies that marriage of logic and reasoning to the meaning of life and society.

Philosophy is not a body of knowledge, but an activity: the activity of seeking a reflective understanding of ourselves and of the natural and social worlds we inhabit. Your maths and philosophy degree will reflect that body of knowledge and range of thinking.

Cyber security covers concepts, policies, guidelines, tools and technologies used to protect the cyber environment, organisational assets and users.

Our integrated Masters helps you develop as a multi-skilled, highly competent practitioner. The course provides a solid foundation in computer science and cyber security, including coding, mathematics and basic engineering.

You will then undertake advanced training, informed by our world-class research, in topics such as secure systems, cryptography and forensic analysis, gaining a solid theoretical foundation to take full advantage of emerging new technologies.

On graduation, you’ll be prepared for a career in cyber security or related fields across industry and government.

Study a language that is spoken on every continent. Spend a year abroad studying, working or teaching in a French-speaking country, consolidating your language skills.

Combine the study of French with investigations into the nature of language itself. You'll be taught your French modules in the target language, so you'll become confident using French as a means of communication, and for critical thinking. You'll gain an understanding of French-speaking culture and society which will underpin your abilities as a high-level communicator.

Your communication skills will be complemented by studying linguistics. This will enable you to understand and interpret language, and to learn the science behind how we communicate. You’ll engage with the study of language on a conceptual level as well as the detailed level of raw linguistic data.

The course has flexibility in terms of how much French and linguistics content you study over the four years. Your knowledge and understanding of how a language works, and how we communicate, will give you a solid foundation for many careers.