Course summary

The information provided on this page was correct at the time of publication (November 2024). For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas. The MPhil in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation (EBSIPE) emphasises research methods for evaluating interventions and policies, as well as the advanced study of evidence-based practice and policy. The MPhil is designed for students with a specific interest in understanding the effectiveness of policies, such as regulations concerning alcohol abuse or gun control, public health or poverty policies, and social interventions, such as cash transfers, parenting education, or violence prevention programs. It prepares students for a career in, for example, development, public policy, or policy and programme evaluation. Applicants with a professional background, such as those in evaluation, public health or policy consulting, will enhance their research skills and develop a major piece of research in a world-class environment. This course aims to develop your critical analysis, problem solving and research skills in the field of evidence-based interventions and policies for social problems, which will allow you to be both a critical consumer of research and to carry out evaluations and other research designs. Your studies will consider evidence-based practice and policy in relation to, for example, children and families, poverty and inequality, mental health, refugees, drug use, violence and injury prevention, and offending. EBSIPE MPhil students will belong to the Centre of Evidence-based Intervention research group that gives an opportunity to explore topics around social intervention and policy evaluation in more depth. In their second year MPhil students will have the opportunity to present their thesis-project in the research group. The department runs several seminar series during the year providing the opportunity to hear external expert speakers. In addition, there is a bi-weekly colloquium at which members of the department present and discuss their research, creating an excellent chance for staff and students to learn more about each other’s’ ideas or receive input on their own research. The department’s research methods hub provides research students with specialist support on qualitative and quantitative research methods, as well as tailored training. Through the Oxford social sciences division a range of methods-training seminars and summer schools are offered. For the full descriptions, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas