Computing Science/Economic & Social History

Computing science and economic and social history is an unusual but increasingly relevant pairing that brings together the technical discipline of computing with the historical and social sciences approaches to understanding how economies and societies have changed over time. Computing science encompasses programming, software engineering, artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, algorithms, and the design of complex information systems. Economic and social history applies quantitative and qualitative methods to the study of how living standards, work, trade, inequality, and social structures have evolved over centuries.

At the University of Glasgow, this four-year full-time programme allows you to develop genuine expertise in both fields. Computing science at Glasgow is broad, covering programming, software engineering, AI, human-computer interfaces, algorithms, computer and network systems, and information retrieval. Economic and social history brings the tools of economic analysis and historical research to bear on long-run patterns of development, inequality, and change.

A year abroad is incorporated into the degree, giving you the opportunity to study at a partner institution overseas. The combination is particularly interesting in a world where historical data is increasingly available in digital form and where computational methods are transforming historical research.

You will develop the programming and algorithmic skills of a computing scientist alongside the research and analytical capabilities of a social historian, and the ability to move between these modes is itself a distinctive strength.

Graduates go on to work in data science, digital humanities, technology and information management, historical research, policy analysis, and a range of other sectors where the combination of technical and humanistic skills is valued. Postgraduate study in computing, economic history, digital humanities, or data science is a natural next step.