Quantitative Social Science (QSS)

QSS is a group of economists, sociologists, data scientists and social policy researchers within the UCL Social Research Institute.

Director: Nikki Shure

We work on a wide variety of topics including inequality in education, society and the workplace, religiosity, youth and child development, and climate change. There is one key common theme bringing our work as a centre together – the application of quantitative skills to address these social problems. Together we have a range of quantitative, data science and statistical expertise, including in the use of administrative databases, longitudinal surveys, and new forms of social data. Our research is international in scope, using data from – and having an impact on policy in – multiple countries across the world.

QSS is the home of UCL’s flagship undergraduate degree programme Social Science with Data Science BSc. It is unique in teaching students about a range of social science theories spanning across disciplines – economics, sociology, psychology – while at the same time building skills in data science that are highly valued in the workplace. This is complemented by our Social Research Methods with Data Science MSc – where we focus on developing students’ skills so they too can become quantitative social researchers. Our degree programmes not only aim to broaden students’ understanding of the society that surrounds them, but also to develop the skills they need to embark on exciting careers.

Our research as a centre has a strong focus on public policy – we are trying to make a difference to the world by informing how government, charities and businesses think and act. We have a sustained history of success in doing so. Findings from our research have influenced how student loan programmes are designed and driven changes in how data and evidence are reported by governments. Academics from the centre have won prizes for the real-world impact they have had, and are widely recognised as world-leading experts in their respective fields.

Current research ongoing in QSS includes investigations into the gender wage gap, socio-economic inequality and social mobility, climate change, international comparisons of educational achievement, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and youth development. Our research is supported by a range of organisations, including the Nuffield Foundation, the Economic and Social Research Council and various government departments.

News

IOE academics among newest Fellows of the Academy of Social Sciences

Professors Lisa Calderwood, John Jerrim and Dick Wiggins have been recognised in the 2025 Academy of Social Sciences Fellowships for their contributions to the social sciences for public benefit.

01 Apr 2025

Two fifths of people have chronic pain by their 40s, with consequences for later life

Chronic pain is widespread among those in their mid-40s in Britain, with those who experience it more likely to report pain, poor health - including COVID-19 infection - and joblessness later in life, according to a new study by researchers at IOE and Dartmouth College, US.

02 Nov 2022

IOE academics elected as Fellows of the Academy of Social Sciences