Course description
The MSc in Public Policy is fully recognised and meets the research training requirements for the award of Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) 1+3 research studentships.
The MSc in Public Policy offers students a grounding in public policy research which they can apply in future study or employment. It provides training in:
* a range of social science research methods
* the critical appraisal of analyses of the public policy process, both in the UK and in a comparative setting.
The course is both interdisciplinary and comparative. An important feature is the exploration of different theoretical and methodological approaches and their connections to the real world of public policy.
Course Structure
The course is designed to ensure that students have a grounding in social science research methods generally, with a particular emphasis on further detailed exploration of the application of theories and methods appropriate to public policy research. The MSc comprises core and optional classes and a dissertation. The core classes provide an introduction to the theory and practice of public policy, as well as a range of skills and methodologies relevant to designing, conducting and reporting on social research.
Classes average 20 contact hours, with additional computer laboratory sessions for some methods classes. Personal transferable skills are developed in the context of Principles and Practice of Research Design.
The core courses are drawn from:
*
Policy Analysis - theoretical, practical and ethical issues involved in conducting policy analysis research, both research of policy and the policy process, and research designed to be used in the policy process.
*
Comparative Public Policy - assesses the existing theories, concepts and approaches in the field of comparative public policy research, as well as analysing contemporary developments in the field.
*
Quantitative Methods: Survey Methods - principles and practice of using survey methodology.
*
Philosophy of Social Science - introduces questions of the intellectual status of social science and debates about whether social science is a positivist, interpretative or critical discipline.
*
Quantitative Methods: Statistics and Analysis - statistical tools for the analysis of quantitative data which enable students to interpret social scientific data sensitively and sensibly.
*
Qualitative Methods - issues of qualitative research design and the range of qualitative techniques available for research.
Students choose two from a range of optional classes. The exact number on offer will change from year to year but will normally include:
*
European Governance
*
European Political Economy
*
Green Politics
*
The European Policy Process
*
Political Parties
*
Territorial Politics in Comparative Perspective
*
International Security: Concepts and Issues
*
International Relations Theory in a Global Age
*
Welfare State and Comparative Public Policy
*
Perspectives on British Governance
*
Feminism and Politics
*
Political Behaviour
*
Difference and Democracy
*
Contesting Global Governance.
Assessment
Core and optional classes are assessed by a variety of methods including essays, options papers and group projects and account for half the total assessment. The dissertation of 15,000 words also accounts for half the total assessment.
Duration of Course
12 months full-time; 24 months part-time.
Entry Requirements
Normally a first or upper second-class Honours degree in social science from a UK university, or equivalent qualification.
