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Politics and International Relations at UEA
Find out more about studying Politics and International Relations at UEA, and browse our other courses.
Find out moreMA Public Policy and Public Management
Key details
- Attendance
- Full Time
- Award
- Degree of Master of Arts
- Course Length
- 1 year
- Course Start Date
- September 2026
Course options
Other Start Dates
Gain a competitive edge with a placement year
This course is also available with an integrated placement year, giving you the opportunity to gain valuable UK industry experience alongside your master's degree
Other Start Dates
14th
UEA is ranked 14th overall for research quality Politics and International Studies
Times Higher Education REF 2021 AnalysisTop 20
UEA is ranked top 20 in the UK for Research Quality
UEA is ranked top 20 in the UK for Research QualityTop 51-75
institutions in the world for Public Administration
Shanghai Global Ranking of Academic Subjects (GRAS) 2024Course Overview
How do governments respond to climate emergencies? Who shapes migration policies? What drives the decisions that impact our daily lives? In today's rapidly evolving global landscape, understanding these complex processes is more crucial than ever.
Our MA in Public Policy and Public Management equips you with both theoretical insights and practical tools to address these challenges. You'll analyse how policies addressing housing crises, healthcare reform, and environmental regulation move from ideas to implementation. Through case studies of successful and failed initiatives, you'll uncover the forces that shape public decision-making and develop strategies to navigate complex governance systems.
This programme welcomes students from diverse academic and professional backgrounds. Whether you've studied politics, economics, sociology, law, humanities, or have professional experience in the public or private sectors, our curriculum provides accessible entry points while offering depth for those with prior knowledge. The multidisciplinary approach allows you to connect your existing expertise to new frameworks while developing specialised knowledge through optional modules in areas such as environmental policy, international governance, or digital transformation in the public sector.
The dissertation represents a great opportunity to conduct independent research under expert academic supervision, applying theoretical frameworks to real-world policy challenges. Beyond the classroom, we offer enriching experiences including internships, placements, and our popular speaker series featuring leading academics, policymakers and politicians discussing contemporary political issues.
You'll develop essential transferable skills including critical thinking, analytical reasoning, presentation abilities, teamwork, and independent research capabilities. These competencies prepare you for diverse career paths in government, the Civil Service, NGOs, international organisations, media, and further academic study.
Join a vibrant community where theory meets practice, preparing you to navigate and influence the complex world of public policy both in the UK and internationally.
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Placement Year
You have the option to choose a variant of this course with an integrated placement year. This gives you valuable UK industry experience as part of your Master’s degree.
In year one, you’ll complete your academic studies, including your dissertation, alongside an employability programme preparing you for UK work.
In year two, you’ll secure an industry placement or complete three employer-led industry projects with different UK organisations. This extra year lets you apply your learning professionally, strengthen your CV with UK experience, and boost your global career prospects.
You’ll lead the search for your placement, supported by employability workshops, coaching, and guidance from our specialist placement partner.
If you don’t secure a placement, you’ll complete three employer-led industry projects with organisations across different UK sectors.
For more information, check out our Postgraduate Placement Year page.
Careers
Career Pathways
Examples of careers that you could enter include:
- Policy analyst
- Lobbyist
- NGO staff
- Civil servant
- Researcher
- Consultant
After the Course
Our MA equips you with versatile skills valued across multiple sectors. Whether you specialise in a specific policy area or develop broader expertise, you'll be prepared for diverse career paths.
Recent graduates have secured roles as policy analysts, consultants, business executives, subject specialists, lobbyists, advisers and civil servants in local and national government, media organisations, think tanks, and NGOs.
The analytical and research capabilities you'll develop also provide an excellent foundation for further academic study, with many graduates successfully pursuing PhDs and research positions. Our programme's emphasis on both theoretical understanding and practical application ensures you'll be well-positioned for professional advancement.
Study and Modules
Entry Requirements
- This course is open to
This course is open to UK and International applicants. The annual intake for this course is in September each year.
- Typical UK Entry Requirements
Degree classification
Bachelors degree - 2.2
Degree Subject
Any subject area
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.
- This course is open to
This course is open to UK and International applicants. The annual intake for this course is in September each year.
- Typical International Entry Requirements
Degree classification
UK Bachelors degree - 2.2 or equivalent
Degree Subject
Any subject area
- English Foreign Language
Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading):
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IELTS: 6.0 overall with minimum 5.5 in each component
Test dates should be within 2 years of the course start date.
We also accept a number of other English language tests. Review our English Language Equivalencies(opens in a new window) for a list of qualifications that we may accept to meet this requirement.
If you do not meet the English language requirements for this course, our UEA International Study Centre offers a variety of English language programmes which are designed to help you develop the required English skills.
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- UEA International Study Centre
If you do not meet the academic requirements for this course, you may be able to study the International Pre-Masters programme offered by our partner UEA International Study Centre. This programme guarantees progression to selected Master's degrees if students achieve the appropriate grade. For more details, please click here:
International Pre-Masters in Business, Economics and Social Sciences
- Admissions Policy
Our Admissions Policy applies to the admissions of all postgraduate applicants.
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Fees and Funding
Tuition fees for the Academic Year 2026/27 are:
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UK Students: £11,200
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International Students: £23,850
If you choose to study part-time, the fee per annum will be half the annual fee for that year, or a pro-rata fee for the module credit you are taking (only available for Home students).
If you choose to take this course with a placement year, your tuition fees for the first year will be as shown above. An additional fee of £3,500 will apply for the placement year (see our FAQs page for further details).
We estimate living expenses at £1,171 per month.
Further Information on tuition fees can be found here(opens in a new window).
Scholarships and Bursaries
The University of East Anglia offers a range of Scholarships(opens in a new window); please click the link for eligibility, details of how to apply and closing dates.
Course Related Costs
Please see Additional Course Fees for details of course-related costs.
How to Apply
How to apply
Applications for Postgraduate Taught programmes at the University of East Anglia should be made directly to the University.
To apply please use our online application form(opens in a new window).
Further information
If you would like to discuss your individual circumstances prior to applying, please do contact us:
Postgraduate Admissions Office
Tel: +44 (0)1603 591515
Email: admissions@uea.ac.uk(opens in a new window)
International candidates are also encouraged to access the International Students(opens in a new window) section of our website.