Newcastle University Postgraduate programs
Public Policy MSc
Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
MSc
DURATION
24 months
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2027
TUITION FEES
GBP 27,450 / per year **
STUDY FORMAT
* no application closing date for this course
** international students | GBP 11,700 - home students full-time | GBP 5,850 - home students part-time
Key Summary
About: Studying the Public Policy MSc at Newcastle University (a Global Top 150 university) develops analytical and practical skills for policymaking across local, regional, national and global levels. You’ll learn policy analysis, evidence-based decision-making, ethics, data skills, and creative problem-solving through theory and practice, research-led teaching, and case studies with policymakers. The programme covers public administration, governance, policy design, assessment, and the geopolitical, social and economic factors shaping decisions.
Career Outcomes: You’ll graduate with enhanced knowledge of the policy process and transferable research and analysis skills. Potential roles include Civil Servant, Policy Advisor, Policy Analyst, NGO or Non-Profit Manager, Researcher.
A Global Top 150 university (QS World University Rankings 2027), Newcastle is home to 28,000 students from over 130 countries.
Studying for a masters in Public Policy at Newcastle University will help you gain the analytical and practical skills to succeed in the world of policymaking, whether in government, for international organisations, the third sector and beyond. You’ll work with world-leading academics and policymakers at the cutting edge of public policy research. Helping you gain the expertise to shape real-world solutions to complex public problems and address questions, such as:
- What drives policymaking at local, regional, national, and global levels?
- How are impactful decisions shaped, and what ethical considerations guide them?
- What role does evidence-based decision-making play, and what data and skills do we need that inform this approach?
Studying our Public Policy MSc will position you at the forefront of emerging trends and innovations. You'll gain a critical understanding of what is required to develop practical solutions that drive meaningful change. It will give you the knowledge and skills to tackle complex public policy challenges helping you:
- Develop creative problem-solving skills
- Create forward thinking solutions for the policy challenges of tomorrow
- Gain a comprehensive understanding of the policy-making processes at local, national, and international levels
- Examine the impact of ethics, data, and evidence on policy decision-making
You’ll benefit from learning alongside world-leading academic staff in a dynamic research-led environment. Strong connections with policymakers within the UK and internationally mean we can bring real-world, contemporary case studies into the classroom and enable you to engage directly with policymakers.
This MSc blends theory and practice, giving you the skills to analyse, design, and assess public policies at local and global levels. You’ll master navigating the complex geopolitical, social, economic, and ethical factors that shape policy decisions. You’ll also gain the expertise needed to address real-world policy challenges in a fast-evolving global landscape.
What you'll learn
The Public Policy MSc will help you gain a thorough understanding of how policies are developed, implemented, and evaluated across diverse settings from the local to the global. You will delve into key themes such as:
- Public Policy and Governance in Practice
- Ethics, Morality, and Philosophy in Public Policy
- Theories of International Relations, Globalisation and Geopolitics
- Political Economy, Development, and Global Justice
Compulsory modules
- POL8065: Principles of Data Science for Political Research
- POL8071: The Moral Limits of the Market: Theory and Public Policy
- POL8072: Public Policy in Practice: from the Local to the Global
- POL8099: Dissertation
Optional modules
- GEO8013: Housing Questions for the 21st Century
- GEO8029: City Futures
- GEO8030: Geographical Inequalities & Policy
- POL8003: Integration in Europe
- POL8005: Theories and Theorists of International Political Economy
- POL8006: Theories of International Relations
- POL8025: Autocratisation in Global Politics
- POL8026: Security: Politics, Space and Society
- POL8039: Global Justice and Human Rights
- POL8043: Globalisation, Poverty and Development
- POL8044: Critical Geopolitics
- POL8048: World Politics and Popular Culture
- POL8059: The United Nations and Global Governance
- POL8066: Environmental Global Governance
- POL8069: Studying International Relations: Key Analytical Challenge
- POL8070: Problem-Solving for Defence
- POL8073: Project in Public Policy
- SOC8006: Perpetual Wars? Crime, Policing and (in)Security
- SOC8034: Social Divisions and Inequality
- SOC8038: Embodied Health: Social and Cultural Constructions
- SOC8046: Cities, Economies, Cultures
Optional modules taken may include those offered by another School in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, up to a maximum credit value of 20. The modules listed below may be selected if appropriate to your degree programme:
External modules
- LAW8230: Global Security Law
- LAW8577: Law and Emerging Technologies
- MPH8010: Public Health Protection
After completing this course you’ll graduate with an enhanced knowledge of the public policy process. You’ll have developed transferable skills in research and analysis that will help you to succeed in a range of organisations in the public, private or third sector.
Our Public Policy MSc will prepare you for a career in any field where advanced policy expertise is essential.
Some of these roles may include:
- Civil Servant
- Policy Advisor
- Policy Analyst
- NGO or Non-Profit Manager
- Researcher