Funding for research

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Two young adult students, one a black woman and one a white man, sit next to each other and work on a report. They are discussing and looking at papers and notes.

Explore the impact of the student programmes we have funded, access teaching resources, and connect with the organisations now delivering them.

For many years, we have invested in education programmes that gave students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, the chance to build confidence and skills in research, science, and quantitative methods.

Teaching resources

We also supported major curriculum projects and the creation of a wealth of teaching and learning resources across subjects from science and maths to languages, history, and design. These initiatives continue today, run by partner organisations and our resources remain available below.


Nuffield Research Placements

About Research Placements

For over two decades, we funded Nuffield Research Placements: two-week, hands-on projects where students worked alongside researchers and industry professionals to make a meaningful contribution to the work of an organisation. 

The placements give young people the chance to: 

  • Apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges 
  • Build subject understanding and transferable skills 
  • Learn more about higher education and different career paths 
  • Strengthen UCAS applications and career prospects 

The programme is now delivered by STEM Learning, where it continues under the name Research Placements and Experiences. 

Impact

  • Over 16,000 students took part between 1996 and 2016 
  • Independent evaluation shows participants are more likely to study STEM at a Russell Group higher education institution. 

Read the independent report on Nuffield Research Placements


Q-Step

About Q-Step

Launched in 2013, Q-Step delivers quantitative skills training to help students understand the quantitative research methods needed to evaluate evidence and analyse data. Co-funded with the ESRC, it created 17 university centres across the UK that offer new courses, work placements, and pathways to postgraduate study. 

The programme continues today, funded directly by universities. It equips students to: 

  • Design experiments and surveys 
  • Analyse and interpret data with confidence 
  • Evaluate the quality of data collection and analysis from other sources 
  • Take on internships and research placements 

Impact

Q-Step centres

Universities were selected to become Q-Step Centres through an open application process, with a panel of international peer reviewers and an independent selection board.

  • University of Bristol Q-Step Centre

    BSc / MSci Childhood Studies with Quantitative Research Methods (L522/L523)
    BSc / MSci Geography with Quantitative Research Methods (F802 / F804)
    BSc / MSci Politics with Quantitative Research Methods (L202 / L203)
    BSc / MSci Social Policy with Quantitative Research Methods (L402 / L403)
    BSc / MSci Sociology with Quantitative Research Methods (L302 / L303)

    Visit Bristol Q-Step Centre
  • Cardiff University Q-Step Centre

    BSc Social Analytics (J3G5)

    Visit Cardiff Q-Step Centre
  • City, University of London Q-Step Centre

    BSc Criminology with Quantitative Methods (4T82)
    BSc Sociology with Quantitative Methods (L300)
    BSc Criminology and Sociology with Quantitative Methods (L390)
    BSc Media, Communication and Sociology with Quantitative Methods (PL33)

    The with Quantitative Methods courses are available to students at the end of their first year of study.

    Visit London, City Q-Step Centre
  • University of Edinburgh Q-Step Centre

    MA (Hons) Government, Policy and Society with Quantitative Methods (L231)
    MA (Hons) International Relations with Quantitative Methods (2W3A)
    MA (Hons) Politics with Quantitative Methods (8M9D)
    MA (Hons) Social Policy with Quantitative Methods (4T6H)
    MA (Hons) Sociology with Quantitative Methods (5S9K)

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  • University of Essex Q-Step Centre

    BSc Accounting and Finance (Applied Quantitative Methods) (N420)
    BSc Banking and Finance (Applied Quantitative Methods) (N390)
    BSc Finance (Applied Quantitative Methods) (N300)
    BA International Relations (Applied Quantitative Methods) (L258)
    BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Applied Quantitative Methods) (L0V0)
    BA Politics (Applied Quantitative Methods) (L200)
    BA Sociology (Applied Quantitative Methods) (L300)
    BA Sociology and Criminology (Applied Quantitative Methods) (LM39)
    BA Sociology with Social Psychology (Applied Quantitative Methods) (CL83)

    The Applied Quantitative Methods (AQA) pathway is available for over 30 different degrees at the University of Essex.

    Visit Essex Q-Step Centre
  • University of Exeter Q-Step Centre

    BSc Politics and International Relations (L292)
    BSc Sociology with Applied Data Analysis (L303)
    BSc Criminology (M900)

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  • University of Glasgow Q-Step Centre

    MA (Social Sciences) Sociology with Quantitative Methods (L292/L293)
    MA (Social Sciences) Politics with Quantitative Methods (L302/L303)
    MA (Social Sciences) Social and Public Policy with Quantitative Methods (L430)
    MA (Social Sciences) Central and East European Studies with Quantitative Methods (RL84)
    MA (Social Sciences) Economic and Social History with Quantitative Methods (V300)

    The with Quantitative Methods courses are available to students at the end of their first year of study.

    Visit Glasgow Q-Step Centre
  • University of Kent Q-Step Centre

    BSc (Hons) Statistical Social Research (3+1 option) (L9G3)

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  • University of Leeds Q-Step Centre

    BA Politics with Quantitative Methods (L200)
    BA Politics and Parliamentary Studies with Quantitative Methods (L242)
    BA International Relations with Quantitative Methods (L254)
    BA International Development with Quantitative Methods (L920)
    BA Geography (with Quantitative Research Methods)

    All programmes are offered as a four-year variant including either a study abroad year or a placement year between years two and four. The with Quantitative Methods courses are available to students at the end of their first year of study.

    Visit Leeds Q-Step Centre
  • Manchester Metropolitan University Q-Step Centre

    BSc Sociology with Quantitative Methods (S5Q7)
    BSc Criminology with Quantitative Methods (C268)
    BSc Criminology and Sociology with Quantitative Methods (C2S7)
    MSc Applied Quantitative Methods

    Visit Manchester Metropolitan Q-Step Centre
  • University of Manchester Q-Step Centre

    BA Sociology and Quantitative Methods (52L8)
    BA Politics and Quantitative Methods (P467)
    BA Criminology and Quantitative Methods (C856)
    BA Philosophy and Quantitative Methods (P567)
    BA Social Anthropology and Quantitative Methods (S456)

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  • University of Nottingham Q-Step Centre

    BA Criminology with Quantitative Methods
    BA Geography with Quantitative Methods
    BA Law with Quantitative Methods
    BA Politics and International Relations with Quantitative Methods
    BA Sociology with Quantitative Methods

    Visit Nottingham Q-Step Centre
  • University of Oxford Q-Step Centre

    BA Philosophy, Politics and Economics (L0V0)
    BA History and Politics (LV21)

    Revised curriculum in Politics contains a compulsory Quantitative Methods component.

    Visit Oxford Q-Step Centre
  • University of Sheffield Q-Step Centre

    BA Quantitative Social Sciences (L435)
    BA Applied Social Sciences (L431)
    BSc Applied Social Sciences (L305)
    MA Social Research

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  • Queen’s University Belfast Q-Step Centre

    BA Sociology and Quantitative Research (L301)

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  • University College London Q-Step Centre

    BA Geography with Quantitative Methods (L700)
    BSc Philosophy, Politics and Economics (4V86)
    BSc Population Health (170C)
    BSc Social Sciences with Quantitative Methods (LG33)
    BA European Social and Political Studies (R990)

    Visit UCL Q-Step Centre
  • University of Warwick Q-Step Centre

    BA Sociology and Quantitative Methods (52L8)
    BA Politics, International Studies and Quantitative Methods (7L29)

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