Course description
Making Science Relevant to Policy and Decision-making
Science is often used to support decisions that have profound economic, social and environmental impacts. Good decision-making follows from having clear preferences for what is to be achieved (policy aims) and using science to evaluate potential means of reaching those aims (policy instruments).
This "policy-led" decision-making is in contrast to often inefficient and ineffective "data-led" decision-making that attempts to infer the correct policy aims from scientific analysis. In other words, when making decisions, science should follow policy, not vice versa.
This course will provide a practical guide to implementing policy-led science for decision-making, and will examine the benefits and potential drawbacks of following such an approach in the public, private and charitable sectors.
An emphasis on translating policy aims into tractable scientific questions is a particularly distinctive, and possibly unique, feature among the University's courses on science and policy.
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Suitability - Who should attend?
This course does not require any specific prior knowledge. However, experience of, or interest in, using or producing scientific data to help make decisions would be beneficial. Relevant organisations include, but are not limited to, the government and public sector, private companies and non-governmental organisations that need to find effective and efficient ways of supporting decision-making in a changing policy environment.
Applicants should be educated to degree level in a natural or social science or have at least a year in a job that requires acquiring scientific data to support decision-making, particularly in circumstances where decisions require judgement to select suitable options for achieving an organisation’s aims.
Outcome / Qualification etc.
20 UK University credits (level ll)
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- critically evaluate the limitations of science in support of decision-making
- critically analyse the contributions of policy uncertainty and scientific uncertainty to controversial or difficult decisions
- demonstrate a critical understanding in order to translate policy aims into decision-making criteria and testable hypotheses
- design monitoring, evaluation and communication plans to support decisions
Expenses
Course fees for 21/22 are £1,915 but funded places are available for people employed, unemployed or furloughed in Scotland who meet Scottish Funding Council eligibility criteria.
Determining eligibility for a funded place for upskilling takes a number of things into account, including fee status, but also location of employer.