MSc Politics and Public Policy

University of Aberdeen

The MSc Politics and Public Policy equips students with the necessary expertise and skills for careers in politics and policymaking in government, business, third-sector organisations, the media, the research sector, and international institutions. You will gain a deep understanding of key problems and issues in UK and international politics, the processes of policy making, the limitations of public policy responses, and how to bring about good public policy. Public policy responses to the world’s political problems tend to disappoint. In this programme you will gain the theoretical knowledge, frameworks and tools to analyse, evaluate and develop policy relating to key political contemporary issues and challenges including poverty, human rights, migration, climate change and energy transition. Through examining pressing issues in contemporary politics and the complexity of the public policy process in a variety of economic, social and cultural settings, you will develop an understanding of how public policy can resolve these immense challenges, in the UK and internationally. This programme will equip you with knowledge of policymaking process and their strengths and limitations. You will explore how key actors, such as politicians, experts, corporate interests, campaign groups, the media, social movements, activists and the public, set the agenda and shape the development of public policy at various levels, from the local to the global. You will consider how to bring about change and develop successful public policy and learn how policymaking can meet the challenges of modern multi-level governance in a rapidly changing world. You will have the unique opportunity to study specialist courses on political issues like migration and climate change, and courses which consider how campaigns and movements apply pressure on political systems to change. The MSc Politics and Public Policy is suitable for students from a wide range of backgrounds, including politics, business, economics, international relations, law, and sociology, who seek to develop the skills necessary for a career in politics and public policy at local, national or international levels. Join us to learn how to understand and evaluate the policy process, undertake research, and communicate your knowledge and findings on some of the world’s most taxing social and political problems.

School of Social Science