Study
Choose a Q-Step degree
Study a social science subject—and learn how to work confidently with data. Q-Step degrees combine the questions that matter in politics, international relations, sociology, social policy or government with practical training in statistics, coding, data analysis, computational methods and research design.
Around a quarter of your degree is dedicated to quantitative methods. You graduate with substantive knowledge of society and politics, plus the ability to investigate real questions using evidence.
Which programme fits your interests?
| Programme | Choose it if you want to explore… | Programme information |
|---|---|---|
| Politics with Quantitative Methods | Power, elections, political behaviour, institutions and public opinion. | View the Politics prospectus |
| International Relations with Quantitative Methods | Conflict, cooperation, security and global political change. | View the International Relations prospectus |
| Social Policy with Quantitative Methods | Inequality, welfare, public services and how policy affects people. | View the Social Policy prospectus |
| Sociology with Quantitative Methods | Social change, identity, inequality, attitudes and communities. | View the Sociology prospectus |
| Government, Policy and Society with Quantitative Methods | How governments respond to social challenges and use evidence to make decisions. | View the Government, Policy and Society prospectus |
Why add quantitative methods?
The important word is with. You keep the social-science questions that interest you and add another way of investigating them.
- Ask stronger questions. Explore patterns in inequality, political participation, public opinion, policy, digital society and social change.
- Evaluate evidence. Learn to judge whether data and analysis really support the claims being made.
- Build practical skills. Develop experience in statistics, coding, data visualisation, research design and computational methods.
- Apply what you learn. Use your skills through projects, policy challenges, events and potential placement opportunities.
- Tell a stronger career story. Show employers that you can combine substantive knowledge with the ability to work confidently with evidence.
See Q-Step skills in action
Students use their quantitative and computational skills on real projects with research organisations, government and the third sector. Recent placements have involved analysing Scotland’s health, improving land-data workflows, researching translation and AI tools, and mapping evidence about parents and families.
Explore student placement projects | Explore Q-Step opportunities
How to apply
Applications for full-time undergraduate study go through UCAS. Entry requirements, fees and course structure are available on each programme page in the University prospectus.
Already at Edinburgh? See Current students for information about transferring onto a with-quantitative-methods degree or adding quantitative-methods courses.