How long is the Higher Diploma in Public Policy and Governance?

The Higher Diploma in Public Policy and Governance runs 15 to 18 months. Full-time on-campus students complete inside 15 months, while part-time, online and distance learners take up to 18.

Does the Higher Diploma articulate into a UK Bachelor's degree?

Yes. The Higher Diploma in Public Policy and Governance is a UK Level 5 credential and articulates directly into a Bachelor's top-up in a cognate discipline at LSLPE or a partner provider, with credit transfer confirmed at enrolment.

What are the entry requirements?

A relevant Diploma or Advanced Diploma, GCSE English and Maths at grade 4/C, IELTS 6.0 for non-native English speakers, and one reference. Applicants with policy portfolios are welcomed.

What are the fees and funding options?

Fees for the Higher Diploma in Public Policy and Governance are published on the LSLPE admissions page. Instalment plans, employer sponsorship and international scholarships are available.

Higher Diploma in Public Policy & Governance | LSLPE | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The Higher Diploma in Public Policy and Governance is a UK Level 5 qualification running 15 to 18 months and articulating into a UK Bachelor's top-up in a cognate discipline. The syllabus is aligned with the applied competencies referenced by the Institute for Government, the Political Studies Association and CIPFA and covers policy design, governance frameworks, evaluation, public financial management and stakeholder engagement across national, devolved and local settings.

By graduation you will have drafted a Cabinet-style policy submission, produced a business case in the format used by HM Treasury Green Book work, run a stakeholder analysis, and completed a workplace capstone project set in a live government department, local authority, NGO or think tank environment.

Key Features

Syllabus aligned with the Institute for Government machinery-of-government tradition, PSA and CIPFA competencies.
Green Book five-case business case drafting throughout the programme.
Live capstone project set in a government, local authority or NGO context.
Practitioner briefings from Whitehall alumni and think tank fellows.
Structured articulation into UK Bachelor's top-up programmes at LSLPE and partners.
Three parallel study modes for progressors and working professionals.
Weekly seminars run in the select-committee tradition, evidence-led.

What You Will Learn

Design a policy option and appraise it against feasibility, cost and equity criteria.
Draft a Cabinet-style submission and a ministerial briefing note.
Prepare a Green Book five-case business case with a monitoring and evaluation plan.
Analyse governance failure in a UK case study and propose corrective architecture.
Run a stakeholder map and interest analysis for a live policy question.
Interpret public expenditure statistics, ONS releases and OBR forecasts.
Design an outcome-based evaluation with a theory of change.
Present a policy paper in the select-committee format.

Who This Course Is For

Policy officers, analysts and researchers moving to graduate-level roles.
Local government officers and civil-service administrators seeking a Level 5 anchor.
NGO programme officers stepping into policy work.
International applicants with public administration experience seeking a UK articulation into a Bachelor's top-up.
Working professionals studying part-time or by distance.

Career Pathways

Policy Adviser in a government department.
Public Sector Consultant in a City firm or specialist consultancy.
Programme Manager in a local authority or NGO.
Political Analyst in a think tank.
Government Affairs Manager in a corporate or trade body.
Public Affairs Consultant for a lobby or communications firm.
Strategy Adviser in a public leadership team.
Civic Innovation Analyst in the digital public sector.

The LSLPE careers service maintains introductions to Whitehall, local authority, think tank and NGO recruiters for Higher Diploma graduates.

Entry Requirements

A relevant Diploma (Level 4), Advanced Diploma or comparable qualification in politics, public policy or public administration.
GCSE English at grade 4/C and Mathematics at grade 4/C or equivalent.
IELTS 6.0 overall (no band below 5.5) for non-native English speakers.
One academic or professional reference.
Working professionals moving from policy officer, research assistant or public administration roles are welcomed.

Why Study at LSLPE

LSLPE is a specialist division of Harold International College of London teaching in small tutor-visible cohorts. Whitehall, the Treasury, Chatham House and the LSE-adjacent think tank ecosystem sit within a short tube ride of the classroom, and the Higher Diploma in Public Policy and Governance uses that geography to bring live guests and current case work into every seminar.

Every LSLPE intake shares the same weekly seminar structure with a named tutor, and the careers service refreshes curriculum alignment annually against Political Studies Association, CIPFA and Institute for Government guidance so graduates step into graduate-level policy work with a current, credible skill set.

Apply for Higher Diploma in Public Policy and Governance

The Higher Diploma in Public Policy and Governance is a technician-to-graduate articulation route with a Green Book drafting spine and a live capstone project. Complete a Higher Diploma at LSLPE and articulate into a UK Bachelor's top-up in the same discipline, credit transfer is confirmed at enrolment. Enrol Now.