The University of Sheffield
Prospective Postgraduates

MA Governance and Public Policy

Ailin Martinez Alvarez, postgraduate in the Department of Politics

Key facts

  • Department of Politics, Faculty of Social Sciences
  • 1 year full-time/2 years part-time

Fees and funding

Financial information for postgraduate taught courses

Entry requirements

For all our courses you'll need a 2:1 honours degree, plus references from previous tutors. If you have different qualifications, we'll look at your application on its individual merits.

English language requirements: overall IELTS grade 6.5 with a minimum of 5.5 in Reading, 6.5 in Writing, 5.5 in Listening and 5.5 in Speaking, or equivalent.

Entry requirements for international students

Any questions?

If you'd like to know more about any aspect of our courses, contact us:

E: pol.grad@sheffield.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)114 222 1642

Apply now

About the course

You'll explore the tensions between domestic and international pressures in making policy. As the process is increasingly influenced by globalisation and other international developments, you'll analyse the practical and complex challenges faced by policy makers.

Core modules

  • Comparative Governance and Public Policy
  • Global Governance

Optional modules

Choose two from a range including:

  • Advanced Political Analysis
  • Contemporary Global Security
  • Democratisation
  • The Politics of Development
  • Contemporary Ethnic Conflict
  • Europeanisation
  • Global Politics of the Environment and Climate Change
  • Human Rights
  • Political Economy of Globalisation
  • Politics of International Law
  • Research Methods in Politics and International Relations
  • The Governance and Politics of the European Union
  • Theories and Issues in International Political Economy
  • Theory and Practice of International Relations
  • United States Hegemony
  • Wars, New Wars and the Liberal State

Teaching

All taught modules (not the dissertation) are taught in seminars.

Assessment

You'll be assessed continuously through essays.

To complete the MA successfully you must earn a total of 180 credits. Most core and optional modules count for 30 credits each. Your dissertation, produced over the summer after the taught element, counts for 60 credits.

For the module assessments and the dissertation, you'll need a mark of 50 per cent or above. If you don't complete the dissertation, achieving 120 credits in taught modules will get you a Graduate Diploma.

Where your masters can take you

Our graduates work for government and other public sector organisations, private sector companies, consultancies and think-tanks. They are directors, private secretaries, managers, political advisers, barristers, parliamentary clerks, senior civil servants and administrators.

Our department

We work with the UK government Cabinet Office, central departments and House of Commons Select Committees. We also carry out research within Whitehall and Westminster. Our teaching is informed, policy-relevant and reflects current government debate. You’ll be part of a close-knit community of 200 postgraduate students. It’s a cosmopolitan community of students from around the world. The Politics Society runs regular activities and events. You may also get involved with our Canvas e-journal.

Apply now

You can apply for postgraduate study using our Postgraduate Online Application Form. It is a quick and easy process.

Postgraduate Online Application Form