How long does the MA in Public Policy take?

The MA in Public Policy runs one year full-time or two years part-time. Online and distance modes of the MA in Public Policy follow the same weekly seminar and supervision timetable.

How is the MA in Public Policy delivered?

You can study the MA in Public Policy on-campus in central London, fully online or by structured distance learning. All modes of the MA in Public Policy share the same seminar and dissertation-supervision structure.

Is the MA in Public Policy recognised in the UK?

Yes. The MA in Public Policy is a UK Level 7 award aligned with Institute for Government and CIPFA senior-track standards, and is recognised across Whitehall, local government, think tanks and consultancies.

What are the entry requirements for the MA in Public Policy?

You need a UK Bachelor's degree at 2:2 or above (or international equivalent) for the MA in Public Policy. Portfolio applicants with five or more years of senior policy experience are considered for the MA in Public Policy on portfolio review.

What are the fees and funding options for the MA in Public Policy?

Fees vary by residency and study mode. LSLPE publishes a full fee sheet at application and offers structured instalment plans and early-application discounts for the MA in Public Policy; contact admissions for a personalised quotation.

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

Course Overview

The MA in Public Policy at LSLPE is a research-informed Master's programme running one year full-time or two years part-time across on-campus, online and distance routes. Sitting within the Politics and International Studies department, the syllabus is calibrated against Institute for Government (IfG), Political Studies Association and CIPFA senior-track standards, treating public policy as a working craft of options, evidence and delivery.

By graduation you will have produced a full policy option appraisal, a ministerial submission, an implementation plan for a delivery unit, and a supervised dissertation or sponsor consulting project for a Whitehall department, a think tank or a regulator.

Key Features

Case sessions on live Whitehall files anonymised for teaching.
Alignment with Institute for Government (IfG) and Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) senior-track expectations.
Weekly policy-brief writing clinics.
Guest sessions from serving policy directors and think-tank fellows.
Supervised dissertation or sponsor consulting project on a live public-policy file.
Three parallel study modes so serving policy officers and progressor graduates share the same cohort.

What You Will Learn

Framing a policy problem with options, evidence and trade-offs.
Applying the Green Book, Magenta Book and Managing Public Money.
Producing a Treasury-style impact assessment and cost-benefit analysis.
Reading select-committee reports, National Audit Office findings and Public Accounts Committee sessions.
Handling accountability to Parliament and audit.
Running stakeholder-mapping and consultation exercises.
Writing a ministerial submission and a delivery plan.
Defending a dissertation or sponsor project in an oral viva.

Who This Course Is For

Serving civil servants, local-authority officers and NHS analysts moving into policy grades.
Graduates aiming for the Fast Stream, think-tank fellowships or consulting careers.
Third-sector staff moving into structured policy analysis.
International applicants preparing for senior public-service roles in their home ministries.
Portfolio-route applicants with five or more years of senior public-policy experience.

Career Pathways

Policy Adviser at director level
Political Analyst
Public Affairs Consultant
Government Affairs Manager
Think Tank Researcher
Programme Manager in a delivery unit
Public Sector Consultant
International Development Officer

The LSLPE careers service curates introductions across Whitehall departments, local government, the NHS, think tanks and consultancies, and refreshes curriculum alignment annually against Bar Standards Board, Political Studies Association and Royal Economic Society guidance.

Entry Requirements

A UK Bachelor's degree (2:2 or above) or equivalent international qualification in a relevant discipline.
IELTS 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0) for non-native English speakers.
Applicants without a Bachelor's degree but with 5+ years of senior professional experience in the civil service, local government or a think tank are considered on portfolio.
One academic and one professional reference.
A 500-word research proposal or professional practice statement identifying your proposed dissertation or sponsor project area.

Why Study at LSLPE

LSLPE is a specialist division of Harold International College of London teaching in small, tutor-visible cohorts. Central London places Whitehall, the Treasury, Parliament, the National Audit Office and the LSE-adjacent think-tank ecosystem within a short tube ride of every seminar room, which matters when the policy files you will study are drafted nearby.

Every intake, on-campus or remote, joins the same weekly seminar structure with named programme-tutor support. Seminars are run in the select-committee tradition, evidence-led and argued in public, and the careers service connects students with employers across Whitehall, local government, think tanks and consultancies.

Apply for MA in Public Policy

Applications for the MA in Public Policy are open now, with a sponsor consulting project option available at enrolment. Enrol on an LSLPE Master's programme and complete a supervised dissertation on a live Whitehall file. Enrol Now