Public Policy

Program Overview

Public Policy MA

Key Information

Study mode: Full time, Part time Duration: One year full-time, September to September, two years part-time Credit value (UK/ECTS equivalent): UK 180 / ECTS 90 Application status: Open Start date: September 2025

Course Description

The Public Policy MA is a multi-disciplinary course that covers policy making and analysis, comparative public policy, public sector economics, governance and public management, and ethics and public policy. You will focus on the critical issues and key developments relating to public policy, such as governance, globalisation and policy evaluation. This course will equip you with the analytical and critical skills relevant for understanding the challenges relating to the design, evaluation and implementation of public policies.

Key Benefits

• You will learn to think analytically and independently about key issues in public policy.
• You will be trained to integrate theories and evidence from political science, ethics and political economy.
• You will develop essential skills to master qualitative and quantitative research methods.
• Project placement (internship) providing you with future employment opportunities and the chance to study different public service areas.
• A highly flexible study programme, drawing on a broad range of professional experience and disciplinary expertise.
• Regular speakers from UK-based government departments, public sector bodies, NGOs and policymaking units who discuss the implementation and evaluation of public policies.

Course Essentials

Base Campuses

• Strand Campus: Located on the north bank of the River Thames, the Strand Campus houses King's College London's arts and sciences faculties.
• Waterloo Campus: Waterloo campus is home of the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery and facilities for other faculties

Regulating Bodies

• King's is regulated by the Office for Students

Entry Requirements

UK Applicants

• Standard requirements: A minimum 2:1 undergraduate Bachelor’s (honours) degree
• Programme-Specific Requirements: Applicants with degree/professional qualification and at least three years experience in government or NGO service may also be eligible.
• English language requirements: English language band B

International Applicants

• Equivalent International qualifications: Select a country to view equivalent qualifications
• English language requirements: English language band B

Teaching and Structure

Teaching Methods

• Lectures
• Seminars
• Self-Study

Location

• This course will be primarily taught at the King’s College London Strand Campus.

Assessment

• Written Examinations
• Coursework
• Dissertation

Structure

• Programmes are divided into modules. You will take modules totalling 180 credits as outlined below.
• Required modules:
  • The Policy Process (15 credits)
  • Comparative Public Policy (15 Credits)
  • Dissertation (60 credits)
• Optional modules:
  • Evaluating Public Policy (15 credits)
  • Public Policy Internship (15 credits)
  • Liberty, Equality and Justice: Political Theory and Public Policy (15 credits)
  • Media, Elections and Campaigning (15 credits)
  • The Political Economy of Corruption (15 credits)
  • Gender, Politics and Public Policy (15 credits)
  • The New Political Economy of the Media (15 credits)
  • Ethics and Public Policy (15 credits)
  • Business and Politics (15 credits)
  • Comparative Political Economy (15 credits)
  • Quantitative Methods in Political Economy (15 credits)
  • Institutions and Economic Development (15 credits)
  • Economic History (15 credits)
  • Political Economy of Discrimination (15 credits)
  • Climate Change Economics and Policy (15 credits)
  • Climate Policy and Global Energy Transitions (15 credits)
  • The Political Effects of Climate Change (15 credits)
  • Policymaking in Non-Democracies (15 credits)
  • Parties, Voters and Political Culture in Britain, (15 credits)
  • Democracy in the United Kingdom (15 credits)
  • Theories of Politics (15 credits)
  • Britain and Europe Since 1945 (15 credits)
  • Anglo-American Relations Since 1945 (15 credits)
  • African Crisis and Opportunity (15 credits)
  • Development Economics (15 credits)
  • Health Economics and Policy (15 credits)
  • Using Economics in Government (15 credits)
  • Law and Politics of Regulation (15 credits)
  • Constitutional Political Economy (15 credits)
  • Managing the UK economy: Fiscal and monetary policy since 1945 (15 credits)
  • Islam, Politics and Society (15 credits)
  • The Political Economy of Authoritarianism in the Middle East (15 credits)
  • Political Economy of Violence (15 credits)

Employability

Our graduates go on to work in a variety of public sector management and policy-oriented positions. Typical career destinations include:

• Policy Advisor in the Civil Service
• Research Assistant at Boston Group Consulting
• Policy Analyst at Homes England
• Trainee at The European Commission's Humanitarian Action Service (ECHO)
• Press Officer for an MEP
• PhD student at Hertie School in Berlin
• Working in the policy and analysis section of a large London embassy
• Policy Adviser to the Chairperson of a major transport organisation
• Senior Analyst in the Ministry of Industry and Trade of a developing country
• Health service leadership positions with responsibility for multi-million-pound budgets

Fees and Funding

Tuition Fees

• UK: Full time £19,550 per year (2025/26), Part time £9,775 per year (2025/26)
• International: Full time £35,800 per year (2025/26), Part time £17,900 per year (2025/26)

Deposit

• Home deposit: £500
• International deposit: £2000

Additional Costs

• Books
• Clothing for optional course related events and competitions
• Library fees and fines
• Personal photocopies
• Printing course handouts
• Society membership fees
• Stationery
• Travel costs for travel around London and between campuses
• Graduation costs

Funding

• Bursaries
• Scholarships
• Grants
• Tuition fees
• Living expenses
• Student loans
• Other financial help available at King's