Politics and Public Policy (MSc Econ)

To enable you to develop advanced expertise in public policy and political analysis, as well as sophisticated research skills.

What governments do – public policy – has a huge impact on the economy, society and the way we live. This programme is designed to enable you to develop a comprehensive understanding of the nature of public policy, how public policy is made, and how the power to make public policy is won and lost. Integral to this is the development of skills necessary to conduct advanced research in these areas. You will also have the opportunity to focus on areas of particular interest at Welsh,national, EU and/or international levels. The course is taught by leading experts and is intended to help prepare you for careers in government and in organization that deal with government on a regular basis, such as business firms and NGOs. It also opens the way to study for a PhD.

Special Features:
Vocational relevance
Covers Welsh, British, European and global levels of governance
Develops advanced research skills
Small classes.
Course Description
This programme of study is designed to enable you to develop a comprehensive understanding of the nature of public policy, how public policy is made, and how the power to make public policy is won and lost, along with the skills necessary to conduct advanced research in these areas.

This involves:
A core of modules designed to provide a solid foundation of knowledge and understanding
Specialization in areas of politics and public policy of particular interest to you at Welsh, national, EU and/or international levels
Learning by means of small group sessions designed to assist you to analyse and evaluate ideas and information from guided reading and integrate what is valuable about these into your model of the world. Student presentations develop communications skills. Questions, discussion and debate hone logical skills and enable deeper insight into the subject matter. Group problem solving helps to develop collaborative skills
Assessment by coursework and unseen written examinations, accompanied by personalized feedback designed to enable you to improve your performance over the course of the programme.

Researching and writing a 20,000 word dissertation, which gives you the opportunity to investigate a topic of particular interest to you and develop your research skills

Course Structure:
Full time: The first semester programme for full-time students consists of four modules. These cover the main approaches to political analysis, research design, political parties, and British politics. In the second semester you take four optional modules. The dissertation, which is researched and written over the summer and comprises a third of the overall assessment, provides an opportunity to undertake research in an area of politics and public policy of particular interest.

Part time:
Part-time students in the first semester of their first year of study take two modules. These cover public policy, and British politics. In the second semester you take two optional modules. In the first semester of your second year you again take two modules, this time on research design, and political parties. In the second semester you take two optional modules before researching and writing a dissertation, which comprises a third of the overall assessment and provides an opportunity to undertake research in an area of politics and public policy of particular interest.

Available Modules:

Core Modules:
PLT062 Research Methods: Approaches to Knowledge (15 credits)
PLT068 The Public, Parties and Democracy (15 credits)
PLT069 Public Policy (15 credits)
PLT116 Governing and Policy-Making in Britain (15 credits)
PLT025 Dissertation (60 credits)
*For the part-time course the PLT025 Dissertation module will be replaced by:

Optional Modules:
PLT052 Public International Law (15 credits)
PLT064 Parties, Party Systems and Democracy (15 credits)
PLT074 Devolution and Public Policy in Wales (30 credits)
PLT114 European Political Economy (15 credits)
PLT421 Contemporary British Politics: Key Trends (15 credits)

Skills Acquired:
Research design
Collection and analysis of information
Presentation skills

Career Prospects:
For employers a Master’s degree in Politics and Public Policy means that you have an excellent understanding of government that will be of use whether you work in government or in the private and voluntary sectors, both of which need staff who know how to deal with government. It also means that you have sophisticated analytical, research and communications skills. For these reasons the degree opens the way for careers in a wide range of fields. These include public service at local, Welsh, national, EU and international level, business (including multinational corporations), journalism, and policy research and consultancy. The stress on research skills means that graduates are also well-placed to undertake PhDs.

Entry Requirements:
Suitable for graduates who normally possess a 2:1 degree classification in a relevant subject area.

In addition, applicants whose first language is not English must obtain an overall IELTS score of 6.5 with 6.5 in writing and 6.0 in all other components, or an equivalent English language qualification.

Note: International students pursuing part-time programmes of study are not eligible for Tier 4 (General Student) visas and must have alternative leave to remain in the UK if they intend to study at the University in person.