How long is the BA in State and Government Studies at LSLPE?

The BA in State and Government Studies runs three years full-time, with part-time and accelerated routes available. Online and distance routes follow the same seminar structure as the on-campus BA in State and Government Studies.

How is the BA in State and Government Studies delivered?

The BA in State and Government Studies is delivered on-campus in London, online and by distance learning. All three modes include the embedded placement, comparative workshops and a final-year dissertation.

Is the BA in State and Government Studies UK-recognised?

Yes, the BA in State and Government Studies is a UK Level 6 honours degree aligned with Political Studies Association, British International Studies Association and Institute for Government guidance.

What are the entry requirements for the BA in State and Government Studies?

The BA in State and Government Studies expects A-levels at BBB or above, an Access to HE Diploma with 45 Level 3 credits, or an equivalent international qualification for entry to the BA in State and Government Studies.

What does the BA in State and Government Studies cost and is funding available?

The BA in State and Government Studies is quoted on the LSLPE fees page with staged payment plans and employer sponsorship documentation. Admissions issues a personalised funding letter for the BA in State and Government Studies on request.

BA in State and Government Studies | LSLPE | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The BA in State and Government Studies at LSLPE is a UK Level 6 honours degree running three years full-time, with part-time and accelerated routes available. The programme is aligned with Political Studies Association benchmarks on public administration and government, British International Studies Association guidance on comparative government, and Institute for Government analytical practice. Teaching is based in central London within short reach of Parliament, Whitehall and the constitutional courts.

By graduation you will have annotated a bill through both Houses, produced a machinery-of-government reform paper, drafted a select committee briefing, written a comparative essay on federal, unitary and devolved states and completed a final-year dissertation. A year-two placement in a government department, Parliament, an arms-length body or a governance think tank is embedded in the degree.

Key Features

Curriculum aligned with PSA public administration benchmarks, BISA comparative government guidance and Institute for Government analytical practice.
Case-room seminars using Erskine May references, IfG Whitehall Monitor and comparative government literature.
Comparative government workshops covering UK, US, German and Indian systems.
Embedded year-two placement in Whitehall, Parliament, an arms-length body or a governance think tank.
Named programme-tutor support across all three study modes.
Final-year dissertation supervised by a practising political scientist.

What You Will Learn

The UK constitution, its unwritten conventions and its statutory pillars.
Whitehall departmental structures, arms-length bodies and civil service reform.
Parliamentary procedure, bill stages and select committee practice.
Comparative government including presidential, parliamentary and hybrid systems.
Devolution and the UK's asymmetric territorial constitution.
Local government structures across the UK.
State capacity, public administration reform and governance indicators.
Research methods for a final-year dissertation.

Who This Course Is For

School leavers and Access to HE progressors targeting careers in the civil service or Parliament.
Career changers moving from journalism, teaching or the third sector into professional government analysis.
Working practitioners in NGOs and campaign groups engaging with government.
International applicants studying UK and comparative governance for domestic practice.
Aspiring diplomats, parliamentary researchers and public administrators.

Career Pathways

Political Analyst
Parliamentary Researcher
Public Affairs Officer
Government Relations Manager
Political Consultant
International Relations Analyst
Election Analyst
Foreign Policy Adviser

The LSLPE careers service holds at least one careers day each academic year connecting BA in State and Government Studies students with employers across Whitehall departments, Parliament, arms-length bodies and Westminster think tanks.

Entry Requirements

A-levels (or equivalent) at BBB or above, OR a UK Access to HE Diploma with 45 credits at Level 3.
GCSE English at grade 4/C and Mathematics at grade 4/C (or equivalent).
IELTS 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0) for non-native English speakers.
Two academic references and a personal statement.
International applicants receive dedicated visa and accommodation support from LSLPE admissions.

Why Study at LSLPE

LSLPE is the specialist law, politics and economics division of Harold International College of London, teaching in small tutor-visible cohorts within a short tube ride of Parliament, Whitehall and the Institute for Government. The BA in State and Government Studies reads its subject through the working papers, machinery-of-government submissions and comparative reform reports that shape live UK public authority.

Three parallel study modes let progressors, working practitioners and portfolio-route applicants complete the BA without leaving employment, and the LSLPE careers service refreshes curriculum annually against Political Studies Association and Institute for Government guidance.

Apply for BA in State and Government Studies

Applications for the BA in State and Government Studies open with rolling intakes and admissions responds within one working day. Apply for the LSLPE Bachelor's programme with a placement year in Whitehall, Parliament or a governance think tank included, and take a credentialed UK step into government studies practice. Enrol Now