Program Overview

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MPA Master of Public Administration

Overview

The MPA offers the opportunity to develop the skills that managers need to address and respond to complex problems in the public sector and beyond. Our focus is on the challenges facing government but the analytical and decision-making skills you will develop will be valuable in other sectors.

We focus on practical and problem-centred teaching, informed by high quality research. The MPA offers a range of tailored modules which are designed to fit together in terms of content and teaching style.

The MPA is suitable for students who want to build a career in government or related fields but you will also develop generic analytical skills which are useful in other sectors. It is also suitable for students who already have experience in a managerial role in government or beyond. If you are more interested in an academic career (for example continuing to a PhD) then the MSc in Public Policy would be more suitable.

We welcome students from the UK and over the last decade we have also welcomed students from, among other places, the Republic of Korea, China, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the US and Turkey.

Many of our students do not have experience in the UK university system and so support for academic skill development is integrated into the MPA degree’s core module. There is also support for English language skills available through INTO. The teachers on the MPA modules are accustomed to working with students from various backgrounds.

The MPA degree is available full-time (1 year) or part-time (up to 3 years).

If you are currently in a government role with a training sabbatical you can also consider the MPA with Applied Study (21 months full-time). This entails taking the standard MPA for the first year (worth 180 credits) and then completing a further in-depth policy project and additional training and learning (worth 60 credits) over the following 9 months. This is only available full-time.

Entry Requirements

We will consider applicants with a 2:2 Honours degree or above in a social science subject. While we normally only consider applicants who meet this criteria, if you are coming from a different academic background which is equivalent to degree level, or have relevant work experience, we would welcome your application.

Please also see our guidance on essential documentation required for an initial decision on taught programme applications.

Accepted social science subjects include:

• Anthropology
• Archaeology
• Area and Development Studies
• Criminology
• Demography
• Development Studies
• Economics
• Economic and Social History
• Education
• Environmental Planning
• Human Geography
• International Relations
• Law
• Linguistics
• Management and Business Studies
• Media and Communication Studies
• Philosophy
• Politics and International Studies
• Psychology
• Science and Technology Studies
• Social Policy
• Social Statistics, Methods, and Computing
• Social Work
• Socio Legal Studies
• Sociology

Please note, if we receive an application which we deem more suitable for one of our other programmes, such as the MSc Public Policy, we may make an offer for that alternative programme instead.

The MPA with Applied Studies programme is designed for public officials who are sponsored by the organisation they work for (for example their department). If you do not have sponsorship from a public sector employer please apply to the one year MPA.

Please also see our guidance on essential documentation required for an initial decision on taught programme applications.

Entry Requirements for International Students

Please visit our entry requirements section for equivalencies from your country and further information on English language requirements.

Course Content

You will study a range of modules specifically designed for the MPA. The modules will address key challenges in modern public management and policymaking. You will engage with big questions of how government should respond to public pressure, and improve your ability to understand and solve policy problems while at the same time getting into the details of policy issues. The degree is flexible enough to allow you to develop some of your specialised interests within its framework.

Small group teaching provides opportunities to work collaboratively with students from a variety of backgrounds to explore a range of challenges. As well as providing you with a strong background in the study of government and policy the programme offers the opportunity for you to explore cutting edge ideas in academic debates about government.

The part-time route is suitable for UK students working in the public sector who want to develop skills relevant to their roles and earn a higher level qualification. It is also suitable if you wish to change career or if you are working to support your studies. In the first year of part-time study you will complete the core module in term 1 (‘Management and Governance’) and typically select one further module in term 2. In the second year you will complete two further modules and you can either complete your dissertation in the second or third year. There is some flexibility about this schedule.

Mid-career professionals with government sponsorship can take the extended MPA with Applied Studies which provides you with further opportunity to research and seek solutions to issues and challenges you face in the workplace. The MPA with Applied Studies is only available full-time.

Modules

Compulsory Modules

• POLM220M: Management and Governance: Comparing Public Administration around the World (30 credits)
• POLM013M: MPA Dissertation (60 credits)

Optional Modules

90 credits from the listed MPA thematic cluster optional modules or 60 credits from below and up to 30 credits from other modules in the Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences.

• POLM342M: Public Accountability and Governance (30 credits)
• POLM228M: Leadership, Equality and Diversity (30 credits)
• POLM887: Public Policy Process (30 credits)
• POLM237M: Collaborative and Participatory Governance (30 credits)
• POLM222M: The Politics, Policy and Practice of Sustainable Development (30 credits)
• POLM897: Surveys and Experiments: Design, Implementation and Analysis (15 credits)
• SPAM002: Security, Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies (30 credits)
• SSIM912: Introduction to Social Network Analysis (15 credits)
• POLM168: From Oppression to Resistance: Exploring the Intersections of Race, Class and Gender (30 credits)
• POLM173: Theories of International Development (30 credits)
• POLM343: Gender, War and Militarism (30 credits)
• POLM502: International Relations: Power and Institutions (30 credits)
• POLM503: Foreign Policy Decision-Making (30 credits)
• POLM651: State and Society in the Middle East (30 credits)
• POLM140: Qualitative Methods in Social Research (30 credits)
• POLM809: Applied Quantitative Data Analysis (15 credits)
• POLM156: The Transformation of Politics in the Global Age (30 credits)
• POLM158: Digital Politics and Policy (30 credits)
• POLM803: Sources in Modernity and Post-Modernity (30 credits)
• POLM231: State Crime (30 credits)
• POLM246: The Politics of the Future (30 credits)
• SOCM021: Food Systems, Alternative Food Networks and Ethical Consumption (30 credits)
• SOCM054: Food Systems, Alternative Food Networks and Ethical Consumption (15 credits)
• SOCM045: Food and Sustainability: Economy, Society and Environment (30 credits)
• SOCM044: Food and Sustainability: Economy, Society and Environment (15 credits)
• SPAM007: Which Policies Work? Causal Methods for Policy Evaluation (15 credits)
• POLM344: Empire and Hierarchy in Russia and Eurasia (30 credits)

Fees

2025/26 Entry

• UK fees per year: £12,500 full-time; £6,500 part-time
• International fees per year: £25,300 full-time; £12,650 part-time

With Applied Study

Prospective students enrolling in 2025/26 will pay £31,300 tuition fees in total. Year 1: £25,300, Year 2: £6,000 (9 months).

Scholarships

The University of Exeter has many different scholarships available to support your education, including £5 million in scholarships for international students applying to study with us in the 2025/26 academic year, such as our Exeter Excellence Scholarships. For more information on scholarships and other financial support, please visit our scholarships and bursaries page.

Teaching and Research

Programme Structure

Your course will normally be delivered in a mix of intensive teaching blocks and weekly sessions, this depends on the specific module selected.

Intensive modules will consist of:

• A preparation period (guided readings and preparatory research)
• Three to four days of intensive seminars, lectures/talks and workshops spread over up to three weeks
• Post-teaching period (reflection, task completion, preparation of assessed work)

Non-intensive modules meet once a week through term time.

Teaching Methods

Content and delivery will include not only traditional teaching methods, such as lectures, seminars and workshops, but depending on your choice of modules may involve:

• Task-oriented work including case-study work
• Reflective journals, presentations from visiting speakers with public sector experience
• Field trips to local or regional public bodies

You will benefit from excellent online learning resources including lecture notes, articles, and presentations.

Induction

The programme includes an induction to welcome you to the Exeter MPA and help you adjust to postgraduate study. We will provide practical help and advice on subjects such as study and research skills and be available to answer any of your questions.

Information for Employers and Sponsors

Employer Benefits

The range of opportunities offered by the core and elective modules allows participants to plot a course which best matches your immediate business priorities as well as individuals’ professional development needs. Your organisation will benefit from:

• Increased knowledge and skills relevant to management competencies
• An understanding of key skills that underpin the requirements of modernising public sector organisations
• Enhanced knowledge and skills in policy making and delivery
• The latest thinking on issues faced by public sector organisations in the UK and overseas

Working Together

We are keen to work with you to help you and your managers get the best out of the Exeter MPA and have a good track record of collaborating with sponsors and employers. In each year of the degree, we have welcomed students with extensive experience working in the public sector and on policy issues.

How We Can Support Your Organisation

We aim to take a flexible approach to programme delivery and will be happy to discuss any specific requirements of sponsoring organisations such as:

• Agreeing learning outcomes
• Negotiating work-based projects to deliver business improvements
• Tailoring assessment around specific management competencies
• Single module delivery or bespoke training
• Competitive fee packages for groups of students from the same employer

Careers

Who is This Course For?

This degree is most suitable for applicants with experience of working in public management or governance broadly defined, for example:

• National, regional and local governments and their partner organisations
• Not-for profit bodies
• Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
• Charities
• Companies working with government
• Consultancies
• Think tanks
• Research institutes
• Campaigning organisations

Many of our students have already embarked on a career in public service, but we do accept students who have demonstrated a commitment to a role and career in public governance, NGOs, and international organisations.

Careers

We have a long history of teaching public administration and public policy to postgraduates at Exeter. Students have gone on to careers in regional governments, ministries, embassies and other organisations around the world.

Employer-Valued Skills

The need to develop management and leadership skills is being recognised as increasingly important within the public sector and this has been reflected by the introduction of management competencies and a growing demand for formal qualifications for senior management positions.

There are many reasons to study for the Exeter MPA including:

• Enhancing your opportunities for career progression
• Obtaining a wider perspective of the environment in which you work
• Developing strategic decision making and leadership skills
• Improving your confidence and credibility in the workplace
• Gaining more knowledge about other people and other organisations
• Networking and sharing experiences with public sector colleagues

Careers Support

Our careers advisory service provides expert guidance to all students to enable them to plan their futures through psychometric testing, employer presentations, skills events, practice job interviews and CV preparation.