MSc Data Science (Social Analytics)

Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.

• Social Statistics

High 2:1 honours degree (or overseas equivalent) 

You are expected to have a degree with a substantial proportion of social science content; as a minimum you should have completed two degree level units on topics from any of the following: sociology, psychology, anthropology, economics, history, human geography, political science, public health.

The following includes other skills/experience that would increase the chances of being selected:

• Evidence of applying statistical modelling to social sciences
• Non-academic experience with the application of statistical models to social issues
• Experience working on public policy issues or similar

 In your application, you should demonstrate aptitude, knowledge and/or interest in three areas: 

• data analytics and/or statistics;
• computational subjects; and
• pathway specific requirements.

These can be demonstrated by course units taken at undergraduate level and high school level, or professional experience.

Please see our application and selection page for more detailed information.

Applicants whose first language is not English should meet the following language requirements:

• IELTS Academic test score of 7 overall with no component score below 6.5
• TOEFL IBT 100 with no score below 22 in each section. TOEFL code for Manchester is 0757
• Pearson Test of English (PTE) score of 76 overall and no component score below 70

Pre-Sessional English Courses

We will consider applicants who do not meet these scores but you may be required to complete a pre-sessional English language course at the University of Manchester prior to the start of the course.

To be considered for a pre-sessional English language course for this programme we require the following minimum IELTS (Academic) scores:

6 Week Pre-Sessional Course : IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each sub-skill  

10 Week Pre-sessional Course : IELTS 6.0 overall with 6.0 in three sub-skills, and 5.5 in no more than one sub-skill  

If you have not yet completed your current academic study and are interested in studying a pre-sessional course, you must hold an IELTS for UKVI (Academic) test certificate to ensure that you are eligible for a separate visa for the English language course.

Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.

Applicants from Majority English-speaking countries

If you are a national of a   majority English-speaking country   (or have studied for a full bachelor's degree or higher from one of these countries) you may be exempt from submitting further evidence of English language proficiency.

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2026, the tuition fees are as follows:

• MSc (full-time)
  UK students (per annum): £17,300
  International, including EU, students (per annum): £35,200

The fees quoted above are fully inclusive of tuition, administration and computational costs.

Fees for entry are subject to yearly review. The University reserves the right to increase your tuition fee by up to 7% each year for courses lasting more than one year, including to reflect rising costs associated with delivering our educational and wider student experience. Postgraduate fees information .

Always contact the admissions team if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.

International student CAS deposit

Self-funded international applicants are required to pay a deposit of £2500 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. Some applicants will be required to pay a higher deposit. More information on tuition fee deposits .

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

We know that student finance can be complicated. The links below provide further information to help guide you.

• Learn more about - student finance options for UK students.
• Learn more about - fees and finance for international students.
• Graduates of The University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University can receive a 10% discount on their master's degree tuition fees as part of our Manchester Alumni Loyalty Discount scheme.

In your application, you should demonstrate aptitude, knowledge and/or interest in three areas:

• data analytics and/orstatistics;
• computationalsubjects;
• pathway specific requirements.

These can be demonstrated by course units taken at undergraduate level and high school level, or professional experience.

Staged Admissions

As there is a high demand for our courses, we operate a staged admissions process with selection deadlines throughout the year. Due to the competition for places and high quality of applications that we receive, we give preference to students from high ranking institutions and with grades above our minimum entry requirements.

Please ensure you submit all supporting documentation with your application to avoid a delay in processing.

Applications for 2026 entry:

Stage 1: Application received by 7th December 2025 ; Application update by 20th February 2026

Stage 2: Application received by 1st March 2026 ; Application update by 1st May 2026

Stage 3: Application received by 3rd May 2026 ; Application update by 19th June 2026

Stage 4: Application received by 5th July 2026 ; Application update by 31st July 2026

Whilst we aim to give you a decision on your application by the deadline date, in some instances due to the competition for places and the volume of applications received, it may be necessary to roll your application forward to the next deadline date.

Applications received after our final selection deadline will be considered at our discretion if places are still available.

Please note: All places are subject to availability and if you apply at one of the later stages, some courses may already be reaching capacity or be closed to further applications. We, therefore, recommend that you apply early in the cycle to avoid disappointment.

A master’s degree is formed of 180 credits.

On the MSc Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (Social Analytics pathway), there are six mandatory course units, including an extended research project worth 60 credits. This project is a compulsory research component of around 8,500-words, including replication code and an accompanying overview video. Your project must be within the area of one of the course units you have chosen and will mirror a real-world data science investigation. Your research will be supported by weekly methodology lectures designed to improve your academic, research and writing skills.

You will also choose three optional course units, which range from statistical foundations to social-based data analysis and GIS, preparing you with a varied and strong foundation in data and social analytics.

The availability of individual optional course units may be subject to change. Information that is sent to you in August about registration onto the course will clearly state the course units that are available in the academic year ahead.

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: dass@manchester.ac.uk