Policy design has many dimensions that affect both individuals and communities. The world needs people who can connect facts and values, offering solutions to complex challenges. These abilities form the core of this programme.
By merging ethics, science, and policy, you will learn to analyse arguments, evaluate competing proposals, and develop well-grounded recommendations for change.
Core Skills Development
In this programme, you’ll develop the ability to connect scientific knowledge with real policy challenges. You will learn how to turn research findings into evidence-based decisions and to reflect critically on their ethical and social consequences.
Throughout the courses, you will strengthen your skills in:
- analysing and evaluating research in areas relevant to policy design,
- applying philosophical and ethical reasoning to complex societal problems,
- communicating research and arguments clearly to different audiences, and
- developing well-founded, theory-informed policy recommendations.
These skills prepare you to engage in policy work that is both scientifically sound and ethically responsible — qualities increasingly sought after in today’s decision-making environments.
Diverse Policy Challenges
This combination of scientific theory and normative analysis extends to a wide range of issues such as education, healthcare, risk management, the environment, finance, and migration.
For example, we examine how to measure school results from a scientific perspective and explore ethical questions within the philosophy of education. Another example is how to design healthcare policies when resources are limited — balancing values and medical evidence. You will also engage with questions such as what makes a tax system just, how research involving humans should be regulated, and whether restrictions on migration can be ethically justified.
Each course introduces new policy areas and theoretical perspectives in ethics and the philosophy of science.
Who are you?
The programme is designed for students with a bachelor’s degree who want to develop or influence policy.
If your background is in the social or natural sciences, you will gain the tools to become a generalist in policy development. If you come from ethics or philosophy, you will have the opportunity to put theory into practice.
This diversity of perspectives creates a dynamic learning environment where ideas are challenged and enriched. You will also connect beyond the classroom — engaging with researchers and potential employers through elective courses, study abroad, or internships during the third semester.
