Government, Policy and Politics

Our MSc Government, Policy and Politics is ideal for candidates who aspire to, or already have, a career in policy research, lobbying, journalism, the civil service, local government, further and higher education, or NGOs. It examines the day-to-day practice and reality of government by analysing post-war politics and public policy in the UK and around the world. You will develop your ability to analyse political debates and issues in a critical manner and you will be taught by academics with expertise in researching, writing about and participating in politics.

The course combines theoretical approaches with empirical knowledge and real-world case studies, and you will explore topics in political theory, political science and sociology. You will be given the opportunity to debate and engage with the everyday practicalities of politics throughout your degree.

The core module introduces you to the UK’s political and constitutional order, central ideas in political science around the nature of social cleavages and the role of party politics, as well as delving into specific aspects of the nature of the state: the organisation of the political executive and the role of the civil service and the judiciary. The compulsory module complements this with an in-depth look at how and why policy is made, as well as developments in a wide range of policy areas, including health care, social policy, migration, the environment, education and macroeconomics. You then choose option modules from a wide variety of topics including international security, Middle East politics, public services and the public sector, political theory and sociology, nationalism and religion, war and conflict, and qualitative and quantitative research methods. You will also learn research techniques that will enable you to specialise and write a dissertation on the subject that interests you most.