Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literatures and Cultures

at University of Bristol - Clifton Campus United Kingdom

Epidemiology is the study of disease and health outcomes in populations. It is about finding causes—the reasons why some people become ill, and the reasons why some populations are healthier than others—and what we can do to remove or control these causes. It is the science underpinning public health, clinical research and healthcare evaluation. The MSc in Epidemiology will enable you to engage with the complex population health challenges facing the global community in future decades, providing high-quality training in epidemiological methods that are applicable to low-, middle- and high-income settings. The programme is suitable for students from both clinical and non-clinical backgrounds.

The MSc will introduce the principles of modern epidemiology and its role in public health and other health-related disciplines. You will learn how to design and analyse experimental and observational studies covering aetiology, interventions, diagnosis and prognosis. There will be opportunities to learn about cutting-edge methods in causal inference and molecular epidemiology.

Your dissertation, on a research topic of your choice, will take the form of a journal article and a poster presentation, opening the possibility of submission for publication.

The Department of Population Health Sciences is a large and thriving department, with numerous opportunities for PhD study and employment on research projects. We are internationally recognised for our excellence in developing epidemiological methods and applying these to a broad spectrum of population health topics. Our research ranges from discovery science in molecular and genetic epidemiology to innovative clinical trials, policy-influencing activities and robust evidence assessments. Our MSc in Epidemiology is founded on this expertise.

A-level standard offer

AAA including an essay based subject

This degree offers an enriching experience with exciting intellectual challenges. You will study the politics of individual countries and governments and the relationships between countries, communities and individuals.

This course follows the same structure as BSc Politics and International Relations but with an additional year spent abroad.

The year abroad is an exciting opportunity to experience and study a different society and culture. For further details on year abroad opportunities, please see Global Opportunities.

Econometrics is the application of statistical methods to data to estimate economic models. It is used by economists to verify or disprove theories and analyse the impacts of policies and events on the health of the economy. This course combines the study of economics and econometrics with a wide range of optional units.

Econometrics is a vital tool for economists because, unlike natural sciences, where controlled experiments are used to determine the effect of one thing on another, it is impossible to hold the economy constant while tinkering with a single variable. Econometrics provides the scientific means to overcome the issue using empirical observations.

Alongside additional mandatory modules in econometrics and the applied economics dissertation, you will be able to select from a wide range of optional modules from the Schools of Economics, Finance and Management during all three years of your degree.

BSc Economics and Mathematics combines high-level mathematics with a technically rigorous economics programme that emphasises the use of mathematical tools, including econometrics.

Mandatory economics units develop your understanding of micro- and macro-economics, while the mathematics part of the degree builds your mathematical ability and allows you to explore applied topics that are particularly relevant to economics.

Having built a solid grounding in the fundamentals of both disciplines in your first year, the second and third years allow you to choose optional units to tailor your degree to your specific interests, including the option to complete an applied economics dissertation.

Previously, economics options have included Industrial Economics, International Economics and Macroeconomic Theory and Policy. Mathematics options have included Complex Networks, Financial Mathematics and Time Series Analysis.

The MSci Physiological Science is focused on an extended research project, which provides the opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of how to plan and perform experimental research in a specialised subject area. The course provides valuable day-to-day experience of what it is like to be a researcher and develops the skills required to embark on a career in research.

The first three years follow the BSc Physiological Science. During years one and two you will learn how the major organ systems in the body function together to maintain health. Alongside physiology, you will have the opportunity to study complementary subjects, including pharmacology, anatomy and psychology, broadening your knowledge of the biomedical sciences.

By the third year you will be getting to grips with the latest cutting-edge research on topics such as neurological and psychiatric disorders and the heart in health and disease, taught by staff who are internationally recognised in their research area.

The majority of your fourth year will focus on an extended research project in a research laboratory environment. Alongside this you will develop valuable skills in communicating science to the public and will develop a portfolio of public engagement activities. You will also learn how to work effectively in groups and how to create and develop ideas to solve specific scientific challenges.

This final year will instil a range of skills essential for understanding how to plan and conduct research projects; these skills are widely applicable to future employment and benefit those considering future PhD training.

Graduates in MSci Physiological Science are ideally equipped to embark on a career in research and have skills that are suitable for a wide variety of careers, including education, healthcare and management.

Numerical models and satellite observation are fundamental to understanding environmental systems and change. The MSc in Environmental Modelling and Data Analysis will provide you with the skills to go on to a career in this exciting area. You will learn how models of environmental processes are developed and applied across a range of areas including climate change, flooding, biogeochemistry and glaciers. You will gain an appreciation of all aspects of environmental modelling ranging from the philosophy of model development, focussing on links to observations and uncertainty analysis, through to more practical aspects such as numerical approximation and algorithm development and testing.

The programme has close links to its twin MSc in Geographical Data Science and Spatial Analytics, which allows students to develop skills in Geographical Information Systems, analysis of satellite observations and Data Science techniques more widely. This will be complimented by hands-on teaching aimed at developing your coding skills in scientific programming and high-performance computing (with access to Bristol’s unique supercomputing facilities).

The MSc is taught by world-leading researchers from the School’s Hydrology, Glaciology and Earth System Modelling research groups. It is closely linked to the School's Geocomputation research strand, which hosts seminars and workshops aimed at consolidating links between environmental modelling and Data Science.

The course is designed for students who seek to broaden their knowledge on the economy and understand the linkage with accounting. Therefore, it combines two courses, economics and accounting.

The economics aspect provides students with insight into economic institutions (eg banks), actors, and policies that underpin and influence the financial market. The accounting aspect explores accounting institutions (eg audit firms), accounting regulations, and accounting techniques that are used by and support organisations that actively participate in and outside the market.

This course is unique as it offers students access to an interdisciplinary perspective that includes psychology and sociology. Students learn from academic experts in the field, who work with businesses in the financial industry. The knowledge acquired from the field is used to design and shape the curriculum, thereby enabling students to keep abreast with commercial and contemporary issues.

This course provides students with rewarding opportunities to participate in a summer internship and the Bristol PLUS Award. You'll also benefit from the Professional Liaison Network, which runs a professional mentoring scheme with alumni, insight talks and internships.

The course is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA), the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) by way of exemptions from some professional examinations enabling students to fast-track their careers. 

Previously, graduates have gone on to work for the Bank of England, JP Morgan, UBS, PwC, KPMG, EY, Microsoft, IBM and many other blue-chip organisations.