Bachelor of Science in Philosophy and Economics

at University of Bristol - Clifton Campus United Kingdom

This course is ideal for students interested in learning how to use numbers and data within sociology. 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 Sociology course. You will study society’s structures, forms of action and cultural practices, and understand changes in social life. You will gain a thorough grounding in sociology, as well as opportunities to specialise in new areas of research conducted by academics at the forefront of the discipline.

The remaining third of your course will provide interdisciplinary training in quantitative 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.

From crowdfunding to cryptocurrencies, and from automated trading to Alipay, recent innovations in financial technologies have revolutionised the way we spend, save, borrow, and invest. Companies in the financial services sector are now able to intelligently harness data to provide tailored products and services; big technology corporations offer financial services to customers through their social media accounts; and disruptive technology start-ups have quickly scaled to challenge the dominance of traditional banks by developing new forms of finance from the ground up.

This new MSc offers an opportunity to join the financial technology revolution. Students will learn the key design features of a number of financial technology applications and will develop skills to implement, assess, and engineer these technologies. Students will also develop an understanding of the computational, statistical, and machine learning principles necessary for insightful large-scale data analysis used in data-driven finance.

Hosted by a world-leading engineering faculty, this is a technology-focused MSc and not a finance or accounting programme that is traditionally provided by a business school. Therefore, we expect applicants to have a strong background in computer science, engineering, or a numerate science; a background in economics or finance is not expected or required.

This MSc is likely to appeal to applicants looking to start or advance their careers in data-driven finance and technology. The UK is a world leader in financial technology and the Bristol region has the largest fintech ecosystem outside of London. The programme has been co-designed with industrial partners and will offer opportunities to engage with industry on real-world commercial projects.

There are a growing number of new threats in international security, ranging from civil war, terrorism and transnational crime to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

This program provides you with a theoretical and empirical understanding of the international security environment of the post-Cold War era, including the origins of conflicts and peace, the emergence of new security threats and the many different agencies involved in conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacemaking today.

The MSc aims to be empirically relevant by teaching you how to apply theoretical concepts to contemporary conflicts and current affairs.

Our LLM in Human Rights Law reflects an area of law that is critical in providing the frameworks necessary to protect the dignity of human beings around the world. It offers you an opportunity to graduate and meet a growing demand for specialist lawyers that have human rights experience and knowledge – and a determination to tackle human rights violations.

The LLM in Human Rights Law offers in-depth, intensive study of institutions and mechanisms at the international and regional levels, as well as more specialist areas such as employment law, mental health law and law around migrant workers, with a variety of related optional units to choose from.

Get ready for a career in finance with this programme. It will provide you with a thorough grounding in both the theoretical and practical sides of the discipline.

You will be taught by world-leading experts in the discipline, regularly publishing in the best finance journals in the world such as the Review of Financial Studies and the Journal of Financial Economics. This means that the programme is frequently updated in line with recent advances in academic literature, so you will be learning about cutting-edge finance methods and theory.

This programme is aimed at students with good undergraduate degrees in finance, economics or accounting, as well as those with more scientific backgrounds (e.g mathematics, engineering or natural sciences).

Our MSci Chemistry with Study Abroad in a Modern Language course is suited to you if you want to deepen your understanding of the subject and broaden your experience by studying chemistry in a foreign language during your third year.

The first two years are common to all of our degree courses. You will study fundamental concepts in inorganic, organic and physical chemistry, and applications in areas such as analytical, environmental, materials and theoretical chemistry.

You will also develop your ability to design experiments and interpret results and gain key skills through our chemistry-specific communications and mathematics units.

Our education master's degrees give you the opportunity to design a tailored program of study that suits your cultural and learning needs. You will be able to specialise and receive an award in a particular disciplinary area.

The Policy and International Development pathway focuses on the relationship between education policy and practice and international development. It probes the influence of global policy agendas on education and the contribution that education makes to social justice, economic growth and sustainable development.

In line with the sustainable development agenda, development is treated as an international issue and the pathway considers case studies from countries around the world as well as from within Bristol. It examines formal and informal education through diverse institutions and organisations, including schools, universities and community organisations.

This MSc takes a critical look at ideas about social development, such as human rights, the capability approach and peace building, and their implications for education policy and practice. There will be opportunities to explore how educational theories and practice travel between and are adapted to specific contexts. You will analyse the role of key organisations involved in the global governance of education, including civil society, international non-governmental organisations, development agencies and commercial bodies.

The Policy and International Development pathway develops your skills in using international and comparative research, both in education and in analysing education policy. You will be supported to develop your own reasoned position and distinctive critical voice for commenting on education policy and education’s role within social development at international, national and local level. You will have access to first-class library and information services, allowing you to study the specific ideas, issues, initiatives and policies you are interested in.

The Department of Philosophy has exceptional research strength in philosophy of physics, and very strong links with the University's School of Physics. The latest Philosophical Gourmet Report ranked Bristol as the fourth strongest department in the UK for Philosophy of Physics and the joint strongest for General Philosophy of Science. The department is home to the Centre for Science and Philosophy and regularly hosts major research projects in philosophy of science (see our research pages)..

This MA draws on these outstanding research strengths. It is intended both for students who wish to specialise in philosophy of physics at a higher level, and for individuals with a background in physics or mathematics who wish to make a transition to philosophy and foundations of physics.

The MA is an exciting programme consisting of taught components in philosophy and physics, as well as a dissertation which is an opportunity to work on an extended and original piece of research on a topic of your choosing, with guidance from a research supervisor.

The importance of addressing the climate emergency has never been clearer. Climate change experts are needed in government, business, research, and non-governmental organisations, to help drive sustainable transformation in changing environments.

The University of Bristol's MSc in Climate Change Science and Policy trains highly skilled graduates with a solid grounding in climate change science, alongside a critical understanding of the context for action on climate change. The programme is designed for students with a background in science (through their undergraduate or work experience) and includes hands-on quantitative training with climate models and climate data. Graduates of the programme have experience in the tools and methods of climate science, and an understanding of the role of scientific evidence in policy, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches to governing the environment.

This degree develops analytical and quantitative skills applicable to a wide range of careers in economics and beyond.

We teach economics in a technically rigorous way. Econometrics - the application of statistical methods to data to estimate economic models - is a central component of the course.

In your first two years, mandatory units in macro and micro-economics, mathematics, statistics and econometrics provide you with a strong foundation. You will complement this with optional modules from a wide range of choices both within the Schools of Economics, Finance and Management and from other parts of the University. The number of options increases as you progress through the degree, so you have the flexibility to select units from the areas of economics that most interest you.

In the final year most students choose an applied economics dissertation. You will also also select from a wide range of optional units; in recent years these have included Behavioural Economics, Corporate Finance, Development Economics, Environmental Economics, Industrial Economics, International Economics and Operations Management.

The Study Abroad in a Modern Language course allows you to extend your degree to four years, spending your third year studying economics at a university in Europe or farther afield before returning to Bristol for your final year. You will study in the language of your host country and take language courses in your first and second years in preparation.

This course combines the challenging, broad academic content of our economics degree with an overseas dimension that reflects the international nature of the economy.