Public Policy MSc

The MSc in Public Policy is offered as a one-year full-time or two-year part-time programme.

The programme will be delivered through:

• lectures
• seminars
• group work
• guided independent study

You will complete three taught courses per semester, one of which is compulsory, the other two optional.

Compulsory courses

• Political Issues in Public Policy (Semester 1)
• Policy in Action (Semester 2)

Dissertation

After successfully completing the taught modules you will work towards an independently researched dissertation.

You can undertake a standard dissertation or potentially a placement-based dissertation, which can be undertaken in the UK or abroad.

• Placement-based dissertations in the School of Social & Political Science

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

By the end of the programme, you will have:

• a firm grounding in a broad set of literatures on policy making and public policy
• knowledge and understanding of core explanatory theories, concepts, and issues in analysing policy
• an awareness of different models of the policy process
• an understanding of the use of concepts and measures in analysing policy
• skills to analyse and evaluate policy decisions and outcomes in a wide range of policy areas
• the ability to draw on a variety of disciplinary paradigms in understanding policy and policy making.

You will also develop a range of highly transferable skills, such as communication and project management, which can be applied to roles in any field.

The MSc in Public Policy can be used as a gateway to a range of employment opportunities and further study.

Graduates from the School's postgraduate Policy programmes have gone on to employment in:

• social research organisations
• local government
• civil service
• think tanks
• voluntary and community sector organisations
• political and policy advisor roles
• work in other public and private sector bodies

Others have gone on to pursue further study at doctoral level or to take up internships.

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

A UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent, preferably in a social science or other relevant discipline. (Revised 14 November 2023 to add information on relevant degrees.)

Entrance to this programme is competitive. You can increase your chances of a successful application by exceeding the minimum programme requirements. Relevant work experience is not required but may increase your chances of acceptance.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.0 in each component.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 59 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than three and a half years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Application fee

This programme requires a non-refundable application fee.

• £50

Your application will not be processed until we have received your application fee.

• Application fee information

Living costs

You will be responsible for covering living costs for the duration of your studies.

Tuition fees

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding