MSc Public Policy at University of Bristol

Public policy shapes how governments, organisations and communities respond to major challenges from poverty and migration to climate change and economic insecurity. How should policymakers tackle complex global problems? Who makes policy, and how?

Faculty: Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences  |  Department: School for Policy Studies  |  Duration: One year full-time, Two years part-time  |  Study mode: full-time, part-time  |  Intake: September 2027  |  Location: Bristol, England, United Kingdom

What you will study

The programme comprises six taught units plus either a Dissertation or a Policy Analysis Capstone Project, giving you a balance of structured breadth and independent depth. Four units are mandatory, and three optional units allow you to focus on policy areas that connect with your interests, experience and career plans. Teaching Block 1: Through three mandatory units (20 credit points each), you develop core analytical approaches for understanding how policy is made, implemented, evaluated, and contested: Policy Analysis Researching Public Policy Power, Politics and the Policy Process.

Career pathways

The programme will enhance your future career prospects by providing you with policy analysis tools and research methods to apply in real-world settings. You will build strong methodological foundations and combine this with rigorous approaches to understanding policy processes and problems.

Official programme page