Programme Specification – MPA International Development
1. Awarding Body
2. Details of accreditation by a
professional/statutory body, e.g. ESRC;
BPS etc
3. Name of final award
4. Programme Title
5. Duration of the course
6. Based in the Department/Institute:
7. Relevant QAA subject benchmark
statements
8. UCAS Code
9. First written/last amended
LSE
N/A
MPA
International Development
21 months
Programme is managed via the MPA
Director’s Home Department, in partner with
all the Departments which contribute to the
core curriculum. (Government, Economics,
Management, International Development, the
European Institute and Social Policy).
N/A
L9U1
June 2008 / December 2010
10. The programme aims to:
Intended Programme Aims
To create a top-level, multi-disciplinary education for future policy makers in the field of
International Development, that is internationally competitive with other leading courses (e.g.
Harvard University MPA ID)
To foster inter-disciplinary learning about the political economy of international development
and related public policies.
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to provide an academically challenging education, in a research-active environment
to intellectually enable students from a wide range of countries
to provide access to the wider context of the social sciences
to enable students intending to pursue higher degrees to develop the necessary
analytical and theoretical sophistication, and breadth and depth of understanding,
within their field of study, thus enabling all students, whatever their chosen career, to
be come articulate, clear-thinking individuals able to critically analyse complex bodies
of material
to provide advanced post-graduate education and research training in the social
sciences of the highest academic standards
to provide specialist study opportunities to students with a first degree in a cognate
area
11. Programme outcomes: knowledge and understanding; skills and other attributes
Programme Outcomes:
This is an interdisciplinary degree, devised to meet the needs of government departments and
public agencies in many countries for highly skilled and professional policy makers. It also
meets the needs of people working with governments but in the private sector, for instance in
consultancy, public-private partnerships, public affairs, media non-governmental organisations
and interest groups.
Knowledge and understanding:
This stream focuses on the analysis of economic and public policies for developing countries.
By equipping students with a strong set of analytical tools that can be applied to development
problems the stream will produce students that are uniquely suited to work in international
development organizations, government development agencies, NGOs, development
consultancies and private sector companies.
Students completing the MPA degree should possess:
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an advanced, critical understanding of the main theoretical and policy debates within
public and economic policy
specialist knowledge of at least one sub-field of their chosen area
the ability to work independently, employing an empirical and analytical knowledge of
their field in the planning and presentation of succinct, precise arguments – written
and oral
the ability to design and independently execute a dissertation on an approved subject
of their own choice within the field
a critical understanding of the main methodological and philosophical problems
involved in research in their field
knowledge of the skills appropriate to research in their fields, and detailed knowledge
of the main findings and theories associated with the particular focus of their degree
12. Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be achieved
and demonstrated
Teaching and learning strategies:
1.1 Design
This programme has three branches. Branch 1 is a full-time, 21 month programme at LSE.
Under Branches 2 and 3, students can enrol in the full-time LSE/SIPA (Columbia University),
LSE/Sciences Po, LSE/Hertie School of Governance, or LSE/Lee Kuan Yew NUS Dual
Degree MPA programme whereby students spend one academic year at each institution.
Students admitted to this programme through LSE must spend their first academic year at
LSE and their second academic year abroad.
Branch 1 – 21 Month Programme at LSE
Over the course of two academic years, students take 5.5 MPA core courses and 2 units of
option courses.
In addition:
i) all students are required to complete a dissertation worth one unit designed to test their
ability to do a high-quality piece of independent research and analysis;
ii) in their second year students undertake a Capstone project worth 1.5 units, working in a
group on a specific project in a public sector organisation.
Branch 2 - LSE/ Columbia, LSE/Sciences Po, LSE/Hertie School of Governance, or
LSE/Lee Kuan Yew NUS Dual Degree MPA Programme
Students applying and accepted through LSE spend their first year at LSE and their second
year at one of our partner institutions, following their second year MPA curriculum.
In the first year they complete 4 MPA core courses and one unit of option courses
Branch 3 - Columbia/LSE, Sciences Po/LSE, Hertie School of Governance/LSE or Lee
Kuan Yew NUS / LSE Dual Degree MPA Programme
Students applying and accepted through one of our partner institutions spend their first year
there and their second year at LSE, following LSE’s second year MPA curriculum.
In the second year they complete:
1.5 units of MPA core courses, 1 unit of option courses, a dissertation worth 1 unit and the
Capstone project worth 1.5 units
1.2 Modes of Delivery
Students are taught through Lectures, Seminars and Classes, depending on subject matter.
Options courses are designed and implemented according to the regulations of the Master’s
Programmes throughout the School to which they are attached as core courses.
Of the MPA core courses:
i)
Micro and Macro Economics (for Public Policy), Quantitative Approaches and
Policy Analysis and Development Economics are covered in a combination of
lectures (during which students are introduced to material) and classes (during
which students apply their knowledge of the material covered).
ii)
Political Science and Public Policy, Development Policy and Management and
Group Working and Leadership are taught via Lecture and Seminar
1.3 Staff Expertise
Core Course teaching is conducted by members of LSE’s Department of Government,
Department of Economics, and the International Development Department. Guest lecturers
from elsewhere in LSE, as well as public sector organisations, contribute seminars at various
points in the two academic years.
2.
Learning
2.1 The role of lectures, seminars and classes
Lectures play an important role in teaching, providing as overview of the syllabus and
supplementing/updating the literature on the subject. Most lecture series are associated with
examination courses. Attendance is not compulsory, although students are strongly advised to
attend lectures associated with their courses.
Seminars are a key feature of teaching. Most seminars involve student presentations as a
way of starting discussion and teaching students the art of presenting succinctly a body of
complex material. Seminars are compulsory, attendance and participation is noted.
The primary purpose of classes is to deepen and broaden student understanding of core
material taught in lectures, to enable application of principles as appropriate and to enable
students to learn in an interactive environment. The nature of the subject matter and the level
of the module for which it is provided largely dictate the format of classes. Accordingly, both
classrooms and computer rooms are used.
2.2 Support
Each student is allocated as their personal tutor a member of academic staff from one of the
departments that contributes to the MPA.
All teachers hold regular office hours for student consultations.
Information on study skills, IT training, library resources and language support is given to
students during induction and is available on the LSE website.
Reading lists, lecture notes, articles and other readings are provided for each of the MPA core
courses, mainly via Moodle.
Material for options courses is provided via the department under whose regulations the
course falls.
Scheduled support classes and drop-in sessions are held throughout the year for students
who need extra support with mathematics and statistics.
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Assessment strategies
3.1 Formative Assessment and Feedback
Students are encouraged to consult class teachers about specific queries either during regular
office hours or by e-mail. Class teachers and faculty hold weekly (at least) office hours
throughout term. In addition MPA core modules provide tailored formative assessment.
For Group Working and Leadership, through the MPA Moodle site, discussion pages are
created for each week’s session, enabling both seminar leaders and peers to provide
feedback on presentations.
All MPA students have a supervisor from one of the MPA-owning departments, who maintains
an overview of their progress and offers advice on dissertations.
3.2 Summative Assessment
This Programme conforms to the most recent version of the “Scheme for the award of MPA
Degrees
All written components of summative assessment are double-blind marked, with samples and
borderline cases moderated by the external examiner. Option courses are managed by the
department that owns the course.
As of December 2010, the summative assessment is as follows:
Micro and Macro Economics (for Public Policy)
A three-hour written examination in the summer term (100%).
Quantitative Approaches and Policy Analysis
Data analysis exercise submitted by the end of the eighth week of LT (25%) A group project,
to be developed and presented (10%). A three-hour examination in the ST (65%)
Political Science and Public Policy
Four applications exercises, presented in groups accounting, in all, for 25% of the overall
mark; An essay of 3,000 words submitted by the second week of ST responding to one of a
list of specified questions, accounting for 25% of the overall mark; A three-hour written
examination in the ST, accounting for 50% of the overall mark
Development Economics
A three-hour written examination in the ST (100%).
Development Policy and Management
A three-hour unseen examination in the ST (75%), and a Development Policy Application
consisting of an individually-authored 750-word policy memo on the topic (5%) and a more
detailed 2,000-word policy brief outlining and defending the group’s preferred policy (20%)
Group Working and Leadership
An essay of 4-5,000 words counts for 75% of overall marks), a group presentation counts for
10% and the student's structured participation in the seminars, including preparation of
briefing notes, presentations and oral contributions counts 15%.
Capstone
The project work is conducted in teams, and the assessment is based on a collective group
mark for each component, except in exceptional circumstances. Following a presentation and
submission of the project report to the client organisation, the client organisation awards a
mark worth 20% of the total Capstone mark. The project report of 12-15,000 words is marked
by academic markers and worth 60% of the final mark. The Capstone supervisor awards the
remaining 20% of marks based on (i) scoping and project development and (ii) group working
and self-management as a team
Dissertation
An abstract, title, contents page and five page synopsis submitted during Michaelmas Term
counts for 10% of the final mark. The remaining 90% is awarded on the basis of the final
dissertation.
Options Courses
Assessment of options courses is as per the Departmental regulations under which the course
falls.
13. Programme structures and requirements, levels, modules and awards
Programme regulations can be viewed here:
MPA International Development and MPA Options List For 1st year students in 2010-11
MPA International Development and MPA Options List For 2nd year students in 2010-11
Additional information
14. Criteria for admission to the programme
A minimum of an equivalent of an upper second class honours degree is required.
GRE/GMAT is not required, but will be considered if provided. Proof of English language
ability if English is not the native language or if applicant did not complete undergraduate
work where English was the language of instruction is required. The MPA Programme
requires a minimum TOEFL score of 627 (paper-basedtest) or 107 (internet-based test) or an
IELTS scores of 7.0 or higher.
15. Indicators of quality
1. High demand for the programme, and high qualifications required for admission.
2. The high fees paid by students taking the programme.
3. Consistently good examination results and very favourable remarks by external examiners.
4. Student questionnaires and feedback via staff-student liaison committees.
5. The LSE Careers Centre website provides data on career destinations of LSE graduates.
16. Methods for evaluating and improving the quality and standard of teaching and
learning
Departmental mechanisms:
- MPA Student Representatives Meetings: 3-4 per year.
- Postgraduate Teaching Review: 5 yearly cycle per programme.
- The MPA Teaching Committee meets regularly, and teaching issues are also reviewed at
internal examiners meetings in February and at the annual MPA Exam Board meeting in July.
School mechanisms:
- regular staff appraisal
- student survey by TQARO
- Consideration and approval of all new courses and programmes, and major modifications,
by GSSC
- full departmental TLAC review every 5 years
- The Teaching and Learning Centre is available to monitor and observe teaching and offers
constructive advice on how to improve the standard of teaching and quality.
- The Teaching Learning and Assessment Committee which regulates all aspects of teaching
quality;
- external examiner check-up system by TLAC