PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
Programme title:
MSc in Public Policy
Final award (BSc, MA etc):
(where stopping off points exist they should
be detailed here and defined later in the
document)
UCAS code:
(where applicable)
Cohort(s) to which this programme
specification is applicable:
(e.g. from 2015 intake onwards)
warding institution/body:
MSc
Teaching institution:
University College London
Faculty:
Social and Historical Sciences
Parent Department:
(the department responsible for the
administration of the programme)
Departmental web page address:
(if applicable)
Department of Political Science
Method of study:
Full-time/Part-time/Other
The programmes can be taken either full-time or part-time.
Criteria for admission to the
programme:
Requires a good 2.1 degree or GPA 3.5 or country equivalent
An IELTS of Advanced level with 7.5 overall with min of 6.5 in all
subtests.
In certain cases, some applicants with a 2.2 may be considered with
substantial relevant work experience
Length of the programme:
(please note any periods spent away from
UCL, such as study abroad or placements
in industry)
Level on Framework for Higher
Education Qualifications (FHEQ)
(see Guidance notes)
Relevant subject benchmark statement
(SBS)
(see Guidance notes)
Brief outline of the structure of the
programme
and
its
assessment
methods:
(see guidance notes)
One calendar year full-time, two calendar years part-time
From 2014-15 intake onwards
University College London
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/spp/
Level 7
No subject-specific benchmark available for Political Science at
Masters level
Students must take four compulsory core courses assessed by
coursework and unseen written examinations, optional courses
equivalent to three one-term long courses (assessed by either
coursework or unseen written exam), and submit a 10,000-word
dissertation.
Board of Examiners:
Name of Board of Examiners:
PUBLG – Public Policy Board of Examiners
Professional body accreditation
(if applicable):
N/A
Date of next scheduled
accreditation visit:
EDUCATIONAL AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME:
The MSc degree in Public Policy aims to contribute to the education of a new generation of public policy-makers
and policy analysts, familiarising them with the necessary concepts, theories, methods and principles involved in
the formulation and analysis of public policy. The course aims to equip students with the theoretical tools and
empirical evidence necessary for an in-depth understanding of policy-making in liberal democracies, including the
changing nature of governance and the theoretical, practical and ethical questions surrounding the future role of the
state. The course draws on the disciplines of political science, economics, law, public administration and public
health, among others.
PROGRAMME OUTCOMES:
The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding,
qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas:
A: Knowledge and understanding
Knowledge and understanding of:
1. Those aspects of political science
theory that are particularly relevant to
understanding how public policies are
formulated, especially rational actor
models and pluralist approaches.
2. Economic approaches to public policy
analysis, including market equilibrium,
cost benefit analysis and the economic
approach to questions of public provision
and regulation
3. Theories of regulation, the range of
approaches available to address social
problems, and the reasons to apply one
approach rather than another in a
particular situation.
4. The concepts of economic efficiency
and equity as societal objectives and the
relationship between them, awareness of
the ethical dilemmas raised by modern
public policy analysis and public
management reform, such as uncertainty,
risk, justice and issues of life and death.
5. Theories of public administration and
public management, which illustrate the
issues that arise when bureaucracies
implement public policy, across a variety
of issues and governmental contexts.
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
Acquisition of 1 through one-hour or two-hour lectures
and seminars as part of the compulsory course
component: “Theories and Actors of the Policy Process”
(TAPP).
The course looks at generalisable models and theories
of the public policy-making process from a political
science perspective.
Acquisition of 2 and 4 through the compulsory course
component “Public Policy Economics and Analysis”
which provides an understanding of the economic
approach to public policy analysis, evaluation and
implementation. Through a mixture of lectures and case
studies it provides practical as well as theoretical
understanding to the student with little economic
background.
Acquisition of 3 through the core optional course
component “Law and regulation” which examines the
factors that shape the creation and implementation of
government regulations. It provides the student with a
theoretical understanding of the differences between
forms of regulation, and regulatory institutions.
Acquisition of 5 through the core optional course
component “Public Management: Theories and
Innovations”, as well as through the compulsory
component “Theories and Actors of the Policy Process”.
Acquisition of 6 through the optional courses provided.
6. At least one area of public policy in
depth, which may cover aspects from the
following: health policy; environmental
policy; public management; politics and
political theory; economic approaches to
policy analysis; legal issues in public
policy.
Assessment:
Students will be assessed by a variety of methods:
‘unseen’ examinations, long essays and a dissertation.
The last mentioned is a required method of assessment.
B: Skills and other attributes
Intellectual (thinking) skills: able to:
The programme aims to help students:
(a) approach the study of politics in a
rigorous, systematic and theoretically
informed way, and to read scholarly
research in a critical fashion.
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
Acquisition of (a), (b) and (c) is fostered in all courses
offered in the Programme, and through the preparation
of the dissertation
(b) collect and use empirical evidence in
a selective and systematic way, and to
question the explanatory power and
reassess the validity of the most
authoritative works in political science,
particularly in comparative politics and
public policy
(c) develop a normative approach to
important political issues
Assessment:
Through ‘unseen’ examinations, course work, longessays, dissertation. The latter is a required method of
assessment.
C: Skills and other attributes
Practical skills (able to):
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
This programme aims to help students
with the following practical skills:
(a) communicate effectively in writing
(b) improve their knowledge of politics,
public policy, and the legal and economic
framework within which policy is
formulated and implemented
(c) use data-bases, digital and web
resources, word-processing programmes,
statistical packages
(d) present (non-assessed) seminar
papers
(e) listen, discuss and debate ideas,
interpretations and evidence introduced
during seminars
(f) practice research and data collection
of documents of governments and
international organisations
(g) maintain a constant rhythm of learning
and research
(h) choose their own long-essay and
dissertation topics
(i) develop a research strategy and a
working hypothesis
(j ) learn a methodology for hypothesis
testing
(k) adapt the working hypotheses
developed in the long-essay and
dissertation in light of the empirical
evidence and its interpretation
(a-c) through the writing of long essays and dissertations
(b) through weekly lectures
(d) through instructions in the seminars
(e) through regular seminar presentations and
discussion
(f) through visits to the UCL Library and other libraries
(g) through individual programmes of study
(h) through individual discussions with students
(i-k) through the production of long-essays and
dissertation
Skills will be taught mainly in the required courses by
scholars that have carried out theoretical and empirical
research in the field. The compulsory research methods
course will also provide general instructions on research
design and practical instructions on data sources,
collection and analysis.
Assessment:
(a)-(c), (f)-(k) by ‘unseen’ examination, course work,
long-essays and dissertation. The latter is a required
method of assessment.
D: Skills and other attributes
Transferable skills (able to):
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
The programme will encourage students
to:
(a-c, f-n) long-essays, course work, dissertation
(b) reading academic works on politics, public policy,
economics and law
(c) submitting word-processed written work, using data
bases, consulting on-line library catalogues, using website material
(d-f, i-l) seminar presentations and discussion
(a) write good essays and dissertations
(b) improve their knowledge of politics
and public policy in general
(c) use computer resources and
information technology
(d) present (non-assessed) material orally
(e) listen and contribute in class
(f) understand and assess contending
ideas and arguments
(g) study a variety of written and digital
materials available from libraries
(h) familiarise themselves with documents
of governments and of international
organisations
(i) reflect on their own normative ideas by
becoming acquainted with alternative
points of view
(j) make original contributions to the study
of politics, public policy, economics and
law
(k) understand and assess critically
empirical evidence and develop methods
to test predictions
(l) think both positively and normatively
about politics
Assessment:
(a)-(c), (f)-(k) ‘Unseen’ examination, long-essays and
dissertation.
The following reference points were used in designing the programme:
 the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications:
(http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/qualifications-frameworks.pdf);
 the relevant Subject Benchmark Statements:
(http://www.qaa.ac.uk/assuring-standards-and-quality/the-quality-code/subject-benchmark-statements);
 the programme specifications for UCL degree programmes in relevant subjects (where applicable);
 UCL teaching and learning policies;
 staff research.
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the
learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes
full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided. More detailed information on the learning outcomes,
content and teaching, learning and assessment methods of each course unit/module can be found in the
departmental course handbook. The accuracy of the information contained in this document is reviewed annually
by UCL and may be checked by the Quality Assurance Agency.
Programme Organiser(s)
Dr Colin Provost
Name(s):
Date of Production:
May 2014
Date of Review:
December 2014
Date approved by Head of
Department:
December 2014
Date approved by Chair of
Departmental Teaching
Committee:
Date approved by Faculty
Teaching Committee
December 2014
January 2015