Queen's University Belfast - Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
MSc in International Public Policy
Belfast, United Kingdom
MSc
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2027
TUITION FEES
GBP 23,100 / per year *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, England, Scotland or Wales: £8,800 | EU Other and International: £23,100
Key Summary
About: The MSc in International Public Policy at Queen’s University Belfast gives academic and professional development to help you understand and influence contemporary policy challenges. You'll study policy theory and research methods, choose topics such as climate change, AI and technology, security, policing, and EU governance, and complete a supervised dissertation. The program includes a study visit to Brussels and the OECD in Paris and an optional Level 7 CMI Certificate; limited Northern Ireland Civil Service placements may be available.
Career Outcomes: Graduates enter public affairs, consultancy, NGOs, public relations, journalism, public service; alumni work in consultancies, media and government.
The MSc in International Public Policy at Queen’s offers a high-quality programme of academic and personal professional development, providing students with the tools to understand and influence the contemporary policy problems faced by governments globally.
Students undertaking the MSc programme will engage with a wide variety of theories, ideas and sources in the study of public policy both domestically and internationally and will be introduced to a variety of research methods. As they progress through the MSc programme, students can choose to examine public policy issues across a range of international policy domains including climate change, AI and technology, global ethics, security and terrorism, policing and crime, and EU governance, and write a supervised dissertation on a public policy theme of their choosing.
As well as hearing from guest speakers, there will also be a study visit to the EU institutions, NGOs, embassies and think tanks in Brussels, and the OECD in Paris to better understand the interplay of public policy between national and international levels.
The program uniquely offers opportunities for personal as well as academic advancement opportunities, and participants in the MSc can avail of the opportunity to undertake the Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). Work placements with the Northern Ireland Civil Service may be offered to a limited number of students.
International Public Policy highlights
Global Opportunities
The MSc in International Public Policy will involve a study visit to the EU institutions in Brussels and the OECD in Paris to better understand the interplay of public policy between national and international levels. Queen’s is ranked 22nd in the world for international outlook (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020).
Student Experience
During the year, there will be a number of guest lecture events and social occasions.
Professional Accreditations
Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership
Participants in the MSc programme will avail of the opportunity to undertake the Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership accredited by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).
Industry Links
During the CMI programme, students will hear from leading industry and NGO figures.
Career Development
Students in the MSc programme will be able to participate in career development training.
Internationally Renowned Experts
Students benefit from intensive teaching by a wide and varied range of QUB academics with strong publishing profiles and international reputations in their areas of expertise and will be assessed through a range of examination methods.
Students will hear from senior practitioners from national and international organisations during their time on the programme.
Student Experience
Queen’s was ranked joint 1st in the UK for Research Intensity (Complete University Guide 2021).
Queen’s is ranked in the top 170 in the world for graduate prospects (QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022).
Queen’s ranked 18 in the world for international outlook (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023).
Year 1
Core Modules
- International Public Policy
- Approaches to Research Design
- Global Political Economy
- Dissertation
Queen’s University Belfast is ranked 174th in the QS World University Rankings 2027
We offer prestigious, competitive scholarships of up to 50% off tuition fees to new international students. You must have an offer to study a full-time course with us in 2024 to apply for a scholarship.
The MSc in International Public Policy will be particularly useful for students wishing to work in public affairs, consultancy, NGOs, public relations, journalism, or the public service at national or international levels. Recent graduates have secured work in international NGOs (Peace Corps, Joseph Rowntree Trust); international consultancy firms (PwC, H/Advisors Cicero); public affairs companies (Gryphon, Minerva), the media (Financial Times) and the public service (Home Office, Central Bank of Ireland).