Master of Science in Policy Research

at University of Bristol - Clifton Campus United Kingdom

If you enjoy the satisfaction of applying real-world mathematical knowledge and are interested in a career in finance, this practical course will help you stand out to top employers.

Our lecturers are passionate about their subject, with modules informed by cutting-edge research; you'll learn statistical skills from leading mathematicians.

Shape your degree to suit your interests and pick from an extensive range of topics alongside your core units in Financial Mathematics and Financial Risk Management.

The first year provides a broad background in pure, applied and statistical mathematics via a range of compulsory units. You'll cover material in lectures and small-group tutorials, with the freedom to explore a range of topics in collaboration with your personal tutor and fellow students.

From year two you will focus more on units that relate to statistics for use in finance, although there is still scope to take some units from other areas.

As you move through the course you will gain academic independence, moving from small-group tutorial teaching in year one to an optional, independent project in your final year.

This programme is designed for anyone involved in conceptualising or administering policies related to the Global Development Challenges. It is especially suitable if you are already involved in planning development strategies, currently working for non-governmental or governmental organisations in the development field or planning for a career in development.

The programme combines an intellectual and academic approach with policy-oriented and empirical studies of development. It addresses three separate, but related, facets of the development process:

• Analysing what development means;
• Studying the processes of planning (external aid, regional disparities, environmental factors, poverty and industrialisation);
• Examining how development policies may be delivered and administered, analysing the importance of effective political and bureaucratic structures, and evaluating the contributions of NGOs and other external bodies.

MSci Chemistry with Industrial Experience will deepen your understanding of the subject and prepare you for a variety of career options, especially in the chemical industry. It is also a good pathway into postgraduate study.

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

In your third year you will gain invaluable experience in industry working in a paid position for a major chemical company. Our students have worked for AstraZeneca, Bayer Crop Science, Croda, GlaxoSmithKline and Johnson Matthey in recent years.

Working in industry will allow you to develop real-world expertise and specialise in an area of science that you find interesting. The transferable skills that you gain will prove invaluable in helping to shape your future career.

Your final year includes a 20-week research project in which you will work with an academic member of staff and their research team on a current challenge in chemistry.

This course provides an exciting intellectual challenge from the outset. In year one you will study physics, mathematics and philosophical topics such as metaphysics, the theory of knowledge and ethics.

Subsequent years allow you to study the overlap between physics and philosophy in depth. You will study the philosophy of science and the foundations and philosophy of physics.

The course gives you the opportunity to develop a physicist's broad range of skills, including problem-solving, numeracy and communication, and to supplement these with a philosopher's ability to rigorously analyse complex texts and form coherent arguments on complex subjects.

You will join a friendly department with a very active, award-winning student society. The course is accredited by the Institute of Physics.

Physics is a truly international venture. This degree generally follows the structure of the MSci Physics course, offering a comprehensive grounding in physics and mathematics, practical work in the laboratory, and computational physics, alongside the study of a language to prepare you for your third year in Europe.

You will be placed at a partner university in Europe for an academic year, studying units that parallel, as far as possible, the third year of the Bristol degree programme. For further details of year, abroad opportunities visit Global Opportunities.

In your final year back in Bristol you will undertake a major project or dissertation, working in a research group with a member of staff. Our students' final-year projects address questions at the frontier of our research fields, and the most successful have been published in scientific journals.

You will join a friendly department with a very active, award-winning student society. We encourage you to develop a broad range of skills, including problem solving and communication while experiencing life as a physicist in a different culture.

Our physics graduates have an excellent record of employment, a testament to the value that employers place on these skills.

Biomedical engineering is an emerging field in the UK that involves applying physical, chemical, mathematical, computer science and engineering principles to the analysis of biological, medical, behavioural and health-related problems. Biomedical engineers develop innovative devices and procedures to help prevent, diagnose and treat diseases. It relies on an in-depth understanding of science and engineering fundamentals, combined with a broad knowledge of physiological and anatomical systems.

This program will enable you to gain expertise in this exciting field and covers both theory and practical applications. You will acquire analytical tools and a broad physical knowledge of modern engineering and science. This is combined with a fundamental understanding of anatomical and physiological systems, and familiarity with recent technological breakthroughs.

BSc Economics and Politics combines an enriching experience with exciting intellectual challenges in two schools with strong reputations for teaching and research. By studying these two social sciences you will develop a deep understanding of global markets and political systems.

Economics follows a series of core units in the first and second years, covering micro- and macro-economics, mathematics, statistics and econometrics. This lays the foundations for specialising in the areas of economics that most interest you in your third year. Popular unit options previously have included Development Economics, Behavioural Economics, History of Economic Thought and International Economics.

You will also study the politics of individual countries and governments and the relationships between countries, communities and individuals. Politics is organised around three themes: political theory, comparative and national politics, and international relations. In addition to compulsory units, which will give you a solid grounding in politics, you be able to select from a range of units that are closely linked to staff research interests and thus unique to Bristol.

Examine the interactions between the geology, biology, chemistry and physics of Earth’s surface, oceans and atmosphere and gain a deep understanding of Earth’s environment and how it can be influenced by human activities.

Learn with experts whose research feeds directly into your studies at the cutting edge of scientific developments. Recent options have included Soils and the Critical Zone, Environmental Impact Assessments, Oceans and Climates, and Environmental Radioactivity. By your final year you’ll be conducting your own independent research and exploring the questions that matter most to you.