Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation

The MPhil in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation emphasises research methods for evaluating interventions and policies, as well as the advanced study of evidence-based practice, with, for example, children and families, peoples with mental health problems, refugees, drug users, HIV prevention, and young offenders.

Recent graduates from the MPhil have gone on to study for doctorates in a range of high quality universities. Many of the department’s graduates go on to pursue academic careers in world-leading research universities, while others hold influential positions in government, non-governmental and international organisations, such as the World Bank, the World Health Organisation and the UN.

The main aim of the MPhil in Evidence-based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation is to develop critical analysis, problem solving and research skills in the field of evidence- based interventions and policies for social problems, which will allow you both to be a critical consumer of research, and to carry out evaluations and other research designs.

The core element of the programme comprises a course on evaluation methods, which trains students to be good consumers and producers of research on evaluation of social policy and interventions; and other methods courses including statistics and qualitative analysis. There is a particular emphasis on appraisal and design of randomised controlled trials, quasi-random experimentation and systematic reviews, and their application to social interventions and policy evaluation. Systematic review training is embedded throughout the methods teaching, which helps you to develop your own review as part of your degree.

You will then select one of two available pathways, the evidence-based social intervention pathway or the policy evaluation pathway.

The evidence-based social intervention pathway covers theories underlying intervention (eg cognitive behavioural, ecological), ethical issues, major applications of evidence-based approaches, challenges in applying and disseminating research into practice and policy, and methods to evaluate social interventions. 
A specialist systematic reviewing course is also on offer, which will help you to develop your own review, as part of your degree.

The policy evaluation pathway will introduce you to social policy analysis and to different research methods for evaluating policies. Policy analysis examines the process of policy making, the setting of objectives, the choice and design of policy and the mechanisms of implementation, while the methods training provides you with the methodological tools to determine how effective policies are in practice or prospect.

In addition, you will take two specialist courses from a list of options focusing on a particular social policy area or the application of evidence-based intervention with specific client groups. These may include children and families, prevention of HIV and AIDS, community analysis and intervention, and options offered by the MSc and MPhil in Comparative Social Policy.

Whichever pathway you have chosen, you will write a thesis on a topic agreed with your supervisor.  Assessment of the taught courses is based on project work and two three-hour written examination papers.

The MPhil course is an extended version of the MSc in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation. In the first year you will study together with the MSc group and in the second year you will primarily focus on your research project, under individually-tailored supervision.

Applicants are normally expected to be predicted or have achieved a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours (or equivalent international qualifications), as a minimum, in any discipline. There is no requirement on subject area and students from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds are considered.

However, entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a first-class degree or the equivalent,

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.7 out of 4.0.

If you hold non-UK qualifications and wish to check how your qualifications match these requirements, you can contact the National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (UK NARIC).

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

• Official transcript(s)
• CV/résumé
• Statement of purpose/personal statement:Up to 1,000 words
• Written work:Two essays of 2,500 words each
• References/letters of recommendation:Three overall, generally academic

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Higher level

• Global Education
• Hill Foundation Scholarships
• A number of Research Council awards are available each year from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), and Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).