The University of Edinburgh
Social Policy and Economics MA (Hons)
The University of Edinburgh

Key Course Facts

Student Reviews

Below you can see course specific reviews of 25 graduates of Social Policy and Economics MA (Hons) and other courses in Social Policy at The University of Edinburgh for each of the survey questions in comparison to the average for all UK degree courses in Social Policy.

Overall student satisfaction
76 /100
25 total respondents

Primarily based on data from undergraduate degree students.

The NSS is commissioned by the Office for Students

Salary

Salary of Graduates in Economics

Important: Salary data below is not course specific, but contains data of all students of Social Policy at the university. Due to data collection methodology, salary data is mainly based on data related to undergraduate students.

  15 months after graduation 3 years after graduation 5 years after graduation
Median salary £33500 £35000 £46000
25-75 percentile range £28000 - £40000 £28500 - £45000 £32500 - £58000


Salary of all UK Graduates of Economics

  15 months after graduation 3 years after graduation 5 years after graduation
Median salary £29397 £29466 £38415
25-75 percentile range £24499 - £34361 £22980 - £38520 £27548 - £51071

Course Description

This popular joint degree programme provides a grounding in both Social Policy and Economics, two subjects which complement and enrich each other.

Social Policy

Social Policy at the University of Edinburgh will enable you to engage with confidence in many of the political debates of our time.

We deal with a wide array of policy areas, for example:

  • health
  • welfare
  • labour markets
  • education
  • family and childhood

We discuss how policies affect our civic culture through studying political engagement and citizen participation.

Our programme will equip you with the knowledge to understand how policies affect society and the economy. It will also enable you to critically assess how policies are made and what actors and processes influence the policy-making process.

Economics

In Economics, you will examine the incentives that shape and reconcile the important decisions made by:

  • individuals
  • businesses
  • governments
  • societies

You will also explore the macroeconomic outcomes that may arise from those decisions, such as:

  • economic fluctuations
  • growth
  • unemployment
  • crises

Who is the programme for?

Our degrees are for students who are interested in how political actions affect the real lives of people.

Our programmes are designed to foster critical thinking about policy to ensure our graduates are able to look beyond news headlines and understand in detail why certain political decisions are taken and what their impact may be.

Why Edinburgh?

You will be taught by staff members who are passionate about conducting research that has strong applications to the world outside academia.

We work closely with:

  • governments
  • NGOs
  • third sector and interest representation groups
  • international organisations
  • other external actors

International comparative analyses are one of our main strengths. We place a strong emphasis on providing you with empirical research skills, so that you can become a critical researcher yourself.

Take a Social Policy degree at the University of Edinburgh and you will be challenged to re-evaluate how you look at politics, society and the economy with the ability to improve others' understanding as well.

Jobs & Career Perspectives

15 months after graduation, graduates of this course were asked about what they do and, if they are working, about their current job and their perspectives.

Current jobs

Required skill level of job after 15 months

Jobs of graduates of this course (15 months after graduation)

Example below based on all graduates of Social Policy and Economics MA (Hons) at The University of Edinburgh

20% Business and Financial Project Management Professionals
20% Conservation and environment professionals
15% Customer service occupations
10% Protective service occupations
10% Business and public service associate professionals
5% Administrative occupations
5% Sales occupations
5% Finance Professionals
5% Elementary occupations
5% Managers, directors and senior officials

Grading & Study Time

Entry Requirements / Admissions

UCAS Tariff of Accepted Students for Social Policy

English language requirements

test Grade Additional Details
IELTS (Academic) 6.5

Total 65 with at least 5.5 in each component.

TOEFL (iBT) 92

Total 92 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.

Cambridge English Advanced

Total 176 with at least 162 in each component

Cambridge English Proficiency

Total 176 with at least 162 in each component

Trinity ISE

ISE II with distinctions in all four components

PTE Academic 62

Total 62 with at least 54 in each component

Get advice on which foundation courses are best for you to still study Social Policy and Economics, MA (Hons), if you do not meet the minimum requirements in terms of UCAS score, A levels, or English language requirements.

Costs

Tuition Fees Social Policy and Economics MA (Hons)

Channel Islands £9250 year 1
Ireland £9250 year 1
Scotland £1820 year 1
England UK £9250 year 1
Northern Ireland £9250 year 1
Wales £9250 year 1
EU £26500 year 1
International £26500 year 1

Additional fee information

Scottish students must apply to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) for payment of their tuition fees.

EU On 9th July 2020 the decision was made by the Scottish Government to end free university tuition for European Union (EU) students starting in 2021-22. Funding policy for EU nationals and associated groups starting a course of study in academic year 2022-23 or later will be in line with international fees.

Full time international and EU students will pay a fixed annual fee rate for the duration of their programme.

Average student cost of living in the UK

Rent £518
Water, gas electricity, internet (at home) £50
Supermarket shopping £81
Clothing £35
Eating out £33
Alcohol £27
Takeaways / food deliveries £30
Going out / entertainment (excl.alcohol, food) £24
Holidays and weekend trips £78
Transport within city £17
Self-care / sports £20
Stationary / books £13
Mobile phone / internet £13
Cable TV / streaming £7
Insurance £51
Other £95
  
Average student cost of living £1092

London costs approx 34% more than average, mainly due to rent being 67% higher than average of other cities. For students staying in student halls, costs of water, gas, electricity, wifi are generally included in the rental. Students in smaller cities where accommodation is in walking/biking distance transport costs tend to be significantly smaller.

How to apply

Application deadline:

January 1, 2025

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Possible Entry Points:

  • year 1 (Default entry point)

University Rankings

Positions of The University of Edinburgh in top UK and global rankings.

Rankings of The University of Edinburgh in related subject specific rankings.

Business

    • #1 
    • #46 
    Public Administration
    GRAS Global Ranking of Academic Subjects - ShanghaiRanking
    [Published 19 July, 2022]

Social Studies & Humanities

    • #1 
    • #40 
    Social Sciences
    NTU Rankings by Subject
    [Published 11 July, 2023]

See all 38 university rankings of The University of Edinburgh

About The University of Edinburgh

The University of Edinburgh is located in the Scottish city of the same name, and is one of the oldest universities in the entire United Kingdom, having opened in the year 1583. The university enjoys a strong reputation for its contributions to international research efforts, which is reflected in their inclusion in the Russell Group, Universitas 21, and Una Europa. Edinburgh offers its residents a historic yet modern city, with a lively nightlife scene, reliable public transport, and friendly locals.

List of 686 Bachelor and Master Courses from The University of Edinburgh - Course Catalogue

Where is this programme taught

Central area campus
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