How long is the MA in Public Administration?

The MA in Public Administration runs one year full-time or two years part-time, with online and distance routes available. All variants deliver the same MA in Public Administration dissertation and seminar programme.

Can I take the MA in Public Administration online?

Yes. The MA in Public Administration is available on-campus in central London, by live online seminar and by distance learning, with named tutor and dissertation supervision in all modes.

Is the MA in Public Administration recognised in the UK?

The MA in Public Administration is a UK Level 7 postgraduate degree aligned with Institute for Government, PSA and CIPFA competencies and is valued across senior civil service and consultancy employers.

What are the entry requirements?

A UK Bachelor's degree (2:2) or international equivalent, IELTS 6.5, one academic and one professional reference, and a 500-word proposal. Portfolio applicants with senior public sector experience are considered.

What are the fees and funding options?

Fees for the MA in Public Administration are published on the LSLPE admissions page. Instalment plans, employer sponsorship, alumni bursaries and international scholarships are available.

MA in Public Administration | LSLPE London | Harold International College of London

Course Overview

The MA in Public Administration is a UK Level 7 postgraduate degree running one year full-time or two years part-time, with online and distance routes available. The syllabus is aligned with the applied competencies referenced by the Political Studies Association, the Institute for Government tradition, CIPFA and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, and it treats UK public administration as a senior-track discipline combining machinery-of-government understanding with delivery and reform practice.

By graduation you will have drafted Cabinet-style submissions and Green Book five-case business cases, produced a delivery reform strategy, written policy briefs on live UK administrative reform questions, and completed a supervised dissertation or sponsor consulting project for a government department, local authority or international body.

Key Features

Aligned with Institute for Government, PSA, CIPFA and CIPR senior competencies.
Green Book five-case business case drafting as a spine skill.
Delivery reform methodology drawn from live UK practice.
Supervised dissertation of 12,000 to 15,000 words.
Practitioner sessions from civil service alumni and Institute for Government fellows.
Weekly case-room seminars in the select-committee tradition.
Three parallel study modes for progressors and working professionals.

What You Will Learn

Analyse the machinery of UK government at senior track.
Draft Cabinet-style submissions and ministerial briefings.
Prepare a Green Book five-case business case with monitoring and evaluation.
Design a delivery reform strategy for a public administration challenge.
Interpret CIPFA financial standards in public administration.
Apply Nolan Principles and ethical frameworks in senior practice.
Present research findings in the case-room seminar tradition.
Deliver a Master's dissertation to research-informed senior-practice standard.

Who This Course Is For

Bachelor's graduates in politics, public administration or PPE moving to senior roles.
Serving civil servants moving into senior civil service tracks.
Local authority officers progressing to service directors.
NGO and international body programme managers stepping into senior practice.
Portfolio-route applicants with senior public administration experience.

Career Pathways

Senior Policy Adviser in a government department.
Public Sector Consultant in a specialist practice.
Programme Manager in a local authority or NGO.
Public Leadership Fellow in a devolved administration.
Strategy Adviser in a public administration team.
Government Affairs Manager in a corporate team.
Public Affairs Consultant in a lobbying or communications firm.
Civic Innovation Analyst in the digital public sector.

The LSLPE careers service maintains standing introductions to Whitehall, local authority, think tank and NGO recruiters for MA students.

Entry Requirements

A UK Bachelor's degree (2:2 or above) or equivalent international qualification in politics, public administration, public policy or a cognate discipline.
IELTS 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0) for non-native English speakers.
Applicants without a Bachelor's degree but with five or more years of senior public sector experience are considered on portfolio.
One academic and one professional reference.
A 500-word research proposal or professional practice statement.

Why Study at LSLPE

LSLPE places the MA in Public Administration within a short tube ride of Whitehall, the Treasury, the Institute for Government and Chatham House. Guest sessions and dissertation supervisors draw directly on live UK public administration reform debate.

Every intake shares the same weekly seminar structure with a named programme tutor. The LSLPE careers service refreshes curriculum alignment annually against Institute for Government, PSA and CIPFA guidance so MA in Public Administration graduates step into senior public leadership work with a current, credible skill set.

Apply for MA in Public Administration

The MA in Public Administration is the Master's-level credential for senior UK civil servants and public leaders. Enrol on an LSLPE Master's programme, dissertation, capstone or sponsor project supervised by practising barristers, policy advisers and City economists. Enrol Now.