About Q-Step
As a response to a nationwide shortage of numerically-skilled social science graduates, Q-Step is a UK-wide £19.5 million programme to promote a step-change in quantitative training in the British social sciences education over a five-year period. Exeter has been chosen as one of only fifteen universities to host a Q-step Centre, developing specialist undergraduate programmes including work placements as well as pathways to postgraduate study.
Building on the University's core disciplines of Sociology, Criminology, Politics, and International Relations, Exeter Q-Step brings together a range of activities related to training as well as curriculum development in quantitative methods. The Centre has recruited academics for the delivery of undergraduate courses focused on endowing students with quantitative literacy and applied data analysis skills, so it offers challenging, exciting and career-enhancing programmes.
Through its dedicated academic staff and accompanying support programme, Q-Step provides training in industry-standard tools and personal feedback. This has enabled the Centre to forge links with industry-leading employers through guaranteed work experience placements, which are funded via work experience bursaries.
The Q-Step programme is funded by the Nuffield Foundation, the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). More information can be found on the Nuffield Foundation Q-Step website.
The Q-Step Centre can currently be found in the Clayden Building, boasting a state of the art Computational Lab providing individual PCs for up to 30 students.
