Public Policy (Taught)

Our MSc Public Policy programme is theory-led, empirically-informed and practice-oriented.

With a particular focus on the social and economic policy fields that are at the heart of modern welfare states the programme is geared to development of critical, creative thinking about public policy and the challenges presented by the scope and complexity of a range of issues across multiple policy sectors.

The programme facilitates exploration of how policy makers interpret, experience and respond to various socio-economic and political problems at local, national, and international levels; and consideration of the organisational resources, both governmental and non-governmental, which might be mobilised to address them.

To this end the programme draws on an interdisciplinary understanding of the field of public policy, informed by insights from

• social policy

• politics

• sociology

• economics

We aim to enable you to:

• acquire policy relevant skills in the acquisition and sophisticated use of information

• be able to articulate and warrant a given understanding or position

• know how to contribute to a collective strategic project

Our teaching is grounded in contemporary policy concerns, and our students get to connect cutting-edge social and political science with the challenges of governing.

See the University of Edinburgh website for detailed programme information.