Unlock the potential of big data with our MSc Applied Social Data Science.
Employability
Students enrolled on our BSc programmes and the Proficiency in Social Data Science will be given the opportunity to undertake a work placement with one of our industry partners. For more information please contact the C2S2 team.
There are wide variety of placements to choose from locally, nationally and in Europe with a variety of public sector organisations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and industry.
What you do during your work placement will depend or the individual business or organisation that you undertake your experience with; however, it will give you an opportunity to put in to practice the skills that you have gained during your programme. It will provide you with an opportunity to see data analysis tools and techniques being used in the real world. Furthermore, it will greatly boost your career prospects as the quantitative skills that you will develop are interdisciplinary and transferable.
We believe that work placements give students invaluable experience of the professional world; allowing them to build networks and utilise analytical skills learnt in the classroom in ways that would not otherwise be possible whilst making themselves more employable. But don’t just take our word for it! See what the students and organisations themselves say about our placements.
Contact the C2S2 team for more information about our placements and how to get involved.
Jed Green
BSc Politics and International Relations
Placement: The Ditchley Foundation
During my placement at The Ditchley Foundation, I immersed myself in the fascinating realm of data analytics within international relations. Engaging extensively with graphical datasets and collaborating with expert speakers, I sharpened my ability to derive pivotal insights crucial for well-informed policy decisions. Moreover, this experience expanded beyond honing analytical skills; it provided a dynamic team-oriented work environment, diverging significantly from the sometimes more individualistic focus of university work. This exposure to professional collaboration prepared me for the complexities inherent in global challenges. The highlight was participating in a conference with luminaries like Bill Burns, head of the CIA, offering invaluable insights and networking opportunities. Secured with the indispensable support of the university, this placement not only enriched my academic journey but also serves as a standout feature on my CV. It underscores my practical expertise in data-driven diplomacy, shaping my commitment to contribute meaningfully to impactful global policy-making.
Guy Bailey
Head of Analytics
Verisk Maplecroft
All of the students were substantially more quantitative than the average politics/social science student in the UK, and brought with them solid technical skills in data analysis. We have been very impressed with the fact they have all arrived determined to apply themselves to the topics in question, and learn technical skills to help them get to an authoritative and useful answer. This kind of growth mind-set is what makes an applicant for a job stand out. We’re building links with people who will become job applicants in the future. All of the candidates to date have done themselves credit, and we have maintained contact with them for when opportunities present themselves.
Constantinos Christou
BSc Politics and International Relations
Placement: ComRes
From my placement I gained experience in qualitative data analysis, networks in the political research and consultancy field, and an insight into the kind of job that my degree programme feeds into. I would absolutely consider doing a BSc, because it opens far more doors than a conventional BA. I’m about to start third year, but having such a unique degree with substantial work experience has already enabled me to stand out from other applicants. I can go into conventional research/think tank-type roles, but I can also apply for STEM jobs that require a background in statistics.
Jenna Thomas
Strategic Analyst
Devon and Cornwall Police
The students provide us with a valuable resource and we value their input. It is often insightful to gain a different perspective and to discuss alternative techniques or approaches. Devon and Cornwall Police have committed to an ongoing involvement in the Q-Step programme, hosting students both at Easter and in the Summer vacation.
Hopefully what all of the Q-Step students who come to us gain is an insight into how data is used in a working environment. Data is often messy or incomplete, the tools we have to work with can be limited, and we sometimes have to find creative ways to work with the data to get meaning from it. It also hopefully shows them how the results of data analysis can be applied in a practical setting to make a difference to people’s lives.
Dorset Police Force
Dorset Police Force
Having a Q-Step student with us enabled us to develop our understanding of an area which we have wanted to explore for a long time but have never had the capacity within our existing staff structure so their placement was highly beneficial to us.
Niamh Coburn
BSc Criminology
Placement: Ditchley Foundation
I completed a six-week placement at the Ditchley Foundation, where I primarily researched individuals and their networks, utilising the coding programme Neo4j to explore and investigate Ditchley’s large database. The placement at Ditchley not only enabled me to broaden my data analysis skills but also provided a tangible application of what I had learned at university to a real-life work setting. The internship was thoughtfully structured, placing interns at the centre of impactful projects. Collaborating with diverse interns and the dedicated Ditchley team provided an engaging and dynamic team-oriented environment. I am very grateful for the experience I had at Ditchley and the support I received from C2S2, I learnt so much, and I now feel more confident in my data analysis skills.
Xena Stewardson
BSc Criminology
Placement: Devon & Cornwall Police (Middlemoor HQ)
My placement emphasised the extent of current police issues such as child sexual exploitation, modern slavery and human trafficking. Quantitative analysis highlighted recurring themes and patterns which can be used to guide policing of these issues. It has given me an in-depth insight into how data analysis is used within the police to inform and develop law enforcement.
I am going into my third year feeling a lot more confident about not just the data analysis related modules, but my degree in general. The Q-Step experience really builds independence, time management skills and motivation to succeed.
Vlad-Ionut Podobea
BSc Politics and International Relations
Placement: Verisk Maplecroft (Bath Spa)
There is a high demand for statistics and identifying ground risks. I learned how to be open-minded, identify business needs and apply my knowledge in a context that goes beyond theory. Studying data analysis was very useful and offered me a very good introduction of statistics. However, the placement taught me how to put my knowledge into practice and bring about actionable insights and added-value to an organisation.
Data analysis offers the technical skills that can rule out the uncertainty of pursuing a career in the politics field. It is specific and can offer measurable value to a company. It has doubled my career opportunities for when I graduate. I now want to gain more experience in the data analysis field and therefore have secured an internship with Kantar Public Brussels, also working on quantitative tasks.
Adina Pintilie
BSc Politics and International Relations with Proficiency in German
Placement: Kantar Public Brussels
From the placement I learned how an organization as huge as the EU works at polling level and I’ve learned not to be afraid to ask for more responsibility. I am currently an Open Source Intelligence Intern for Ridgeway Information. I was accepted on this scheme because I tailored my degree towards quantitative knowledge, allowing me to be competitive with other candidates who held degrees at the postgraduate level. I will be starting a MA in Applied Security Studies at Exeter and I am keen to look more into OSINT and its applications.
