University College London (UCL)

Social Policy (Evidence Synthesis) MSc

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, practical sessions, tutorials and research supervision, and is taught by scholars who have carried out research in the field. Students are expected to take part in both guided and self-guided personal work. Seminar sessions are where students discuss and apply their learning from their lectures and other activities. In research methods courses, lectures are often mirrored by a practical workshop seminar in a computer lab where students will put the analytical techniques introduced that week to use.

Most modules are offered as campus-based and fully online courses, with both versions of the module running in parallel. For distance-learning students, all lectures, activities and exchanges between students and tutors take place within Moodle (UCL's digital learning environment) and integrated platforms such as Zoom. In place of the face-to-face group seminars held on campus, students taking modules at a distance participate in various e-learning activities, facilitated by the tutor leading this group.

For Student visa holders, all study that is part of your course is expected to take place on the university’s premises, with Tier 4 conditions preventing selection of modules taught entirely through online study.

Assessment is carried out through a blend of formative and summative assessment methods. Module assessments on the programme vary, and may include coursework (for example, essays and written assignments), presentations, or a form of examination. You may be expected to complete both individual and group assessments. UCL’s module catalogue details individual module assessments, but please note these may be subject to change on an annual basis.

On average, it is expected that a student spends 150 hours studying for each 15-credit module. This includes teaching time, private study and coursework. The 60-credit dissertation module requires a notional learning time of about 600 hours.

Outside of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials, full-time students typically study the equivalent of a full-time job, using their remaining time for self-directed study and completing coursework assignments. Part-time and modular/flexible students will need one day per week for each 15-credit module, plus additional time to prepare for assessments.

Modules are taught over 10 weeks each term. For campus-based students, this is usually in the form of either a one-hour lecture followed by a one-hour seminar or workshop, or a two-hour practical workshop. Distance learners have access to the same information delivered to students studying on campus through a range of online teaching tools.

For full-time students studying on campus, typical contact hours are around 10 hours per week. In terms one and two, full-time students can typically expect between 8 and 12 contact hours per teaching week through a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials. In term three and the summer period, students will be completing the dissertation research, keeping regular contact with their supervisors.

For distance-learning students, most learning activities are self-paced and asynchronous. Online discussion boards are used to help foster a sense of community, and to allow you to keep in touch with peers and academics throughout your studies. There will be opportunities for weekly one-to-one contact with your tutors. Live sessions can also be arranged where time zones permit.

Modules

Full-time

The programme consists of eight compulsory modules (120 credits) and a dissertation (60 credits).

Four taught modules are taken in term one and another four modules in term two. Dissertation teaching commences in term one and includes workshops and individual supervision, with the research and writing conducted in terms two and three and the summer.

Part-time

Over the two years, students take eight compulsory modules (120 credits) and a dissertation (60 credits).

In the first year of the programme you will take Understanding the Policy Process and a further three to five of the 15-credit modules. Where relevant, you will be required to take introductory modules before moving on to the more advanced ones. The number of modules that you take in each academic year will depend on your commitments outside UCL, such as employment and family responsibilities. In the second year, you will take the remaining 15-credit modules, bringing the total number to eight, and commence work on the 60-credit research dissertation.

Flexible

The programme consists of eight taught compulsory modules (120 credits) and a dissertation (60 credits).

Modular/flexible students have between two and five years in which to complete the programme, with Understanding the Policy Process taken in the first year and the 60-credit research dissertation taken in the final year of study. The number of modules that you take in each academic year will depend on your commitments outside UCL, such as employment and family responsibilities. Where relevant, you will be required to take introductory modules before moving on to the more advanced ones. You do not have to take modules every year.

Compulsory Modules

• Policy Engagement for Researchers 
• Understanding the Policy Process 
• Inclusive Research: Theory for Policy and Practice 
• Digital Technologies for Research Evidence Synthesis 
• Systematic Reviews for Policy: Taking a Complexity Perspective 
• Social Problems and Intervention 
• Comparative Social Policy 
• Approaches to Systematic Review Synthesis 
• Individual Dissertation Project (Social Policy) 
• Collaborative Dissertation Project (Social Policy)

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Architectural Computation. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a PG Dip in Architectural Computation.

Fieldwork
Students may choose to organise and undertake fieldwork in relation to their research for their dissertation, but this is not a requirement. If undertaken, fieldwork must be self-funded.

Accessibility
Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

What this course will give you

The Social Policy (Evidence Synthesis) MSc students offers students the opportunity to study methods for systematic reviews of both qualitative and quantitative data. The programme emphasises challenges and innovations in evidence synthesis methods, including the use of AI and machine learning tools.

The programme provides a robust foundation in understanding social policy and policymaking processes. It will enable you to plan and appraise systematic reviews of research in any policy area, and to develop a critical appreciation of the full diversity of review approaches and types of research use. It will also equip you with understanding and skills to help ensure perspectives from the public, practitioners, policymakers and researchers are all considered in research and policy development.

With its core focus on theoretical knowledge and practical methodological skills for planning and conducting systematic reviews and other types of evidence synthesis, the programme fosters development of disciplinary knowledge and transferable skills that are in high demand in the labour market and will be competitive in a broad range of occupations. Our interdisciplinary approach will give you the confidence to apply your analytical and methodological skills in a wide range of settings. Graduates go on to successful careers in academia, policy and beyond.

The programme is located in the UCL Social Research Institute, a research-intensive department with an outstanding international reputation for policy-oriented social science. It is taught by an interdisciplinary team, all with specialist expertise across a wide range of policy areas. Students will learn from research-active tutors based at UCL’s Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating Centre (EPPI-Centre), which is recognised worldwide for its development of methods for diverse kinds of evidence synthesis, for the production of policy-relevant research, and for research into perspectives and participation. Our central London location and network of partners and alumni give students access to nationally and internationally prominent guest speakers who provide insight into policy as it is formed.

The foundation of your career

Students completing the programme are equipped with enhanced critical thinking skills and skills for research design and appraisal, spanning a full range of research purposes and problems. Graduates from this MSc programme have gained sought-after skills that allowed them to pursue professional careers in academia or policy research, policy analysis, policy development and implementation, programme management, and policy advocacy within the public, private, and non-profit sectors.

Employability

Graduates of previous versions of this programme are currently working across a broad range of areas:

• project director
• social research manager
• senior editor of systematic research reviews
• doctoral studies

As a Social Epidemiology MSc alumnus, you’ll join a growing global network of graduates. You’ll have access to the UCL alumni network – with the chance to attend networking and social events around the globe.

Networking

Our students come from a range of backgrounds from all over the world, providing great networking opportunities within the programme. Students encounter academics, researchers, alumni, and visiting speakers at seminars, lecture series, career events, workshops, and other department and student organised events. Students are kept up to date with opportunities to participate in events and apply for internships or jobs.