Study at Cardiff | Postgraduate

Politics and Public Policy (MSc Econ)

Course Aims

To give students advanced skills in political and policy research that they can use in their subsequent careers.

Special Features

• Vocational orientation
• Research orientation, as reflected in the attention given to preparing for and writing a dissertation: graduates are well-placed not only to engage in and evaluate research in their future career, but also to undertake research for a PhD.
• Focus on understanding the main approaches to political analysis today, such as party system analysis and policy network analysis, and on applying selected techniques to contemporary problems and issues.
• Substantive focus on political parties and public policy in Britain and elsewhere.
• Access to excellent IT and library facilities.

Course Description

The first semester programme consists of modules on the main approaches to political analysis, research design, political parties and British politics. These are followed in the second semester by a compulsory module on how to research and write a dissertation, plus three 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.

Course Structure

Students will pursue four modules per semester, each with a contact time of approximately 1.5 hours per week.

For further information on the course and programme of study, please view the course handbook.

Course Modules

Students will undertake four modules in each of Autumn and Spring semesters, plus a dissertation written over the summer

Semester 1 Modules (all compulsory):

• The Public, Parties and Democracy
• Public Policy
• Research Methods: Approaches To Knowledge
• Governing and Policy-Making in Britain

Semester 2 Modules - four modules to be chosen from the following:

• Dissertation Preparation
• Contemporary Welsh Politics
• European Economic Governance And Policies
• European Political Economy
• Parties, Party Systems and Democracy
• State Crisis – Changing Governance In Italy

Skills Acquired

• Research design
• Collection and analysis of information
• Presentation skills

Career Prospects

Graduates with Masters degrees in Politics find jobs not only in national and sub-national government but also in the private and voluntary sectors, both of which need staff who know how to deal with government. The stress on research skills means that graduates are also well-placed to undertake PhDs.

Entry Requirements

Successful applicants will usually possess an initial degree in Politics, or a cognate subject with a strong Politics component. Students are normally required to have a 2:1 Honours degree classification or equivalent qualification.

In addition, applicants whose first language is not English must obtain a British Council IELTS score of at least 7.0, 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.

Next intake: September each year

More information

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