MA Political Science - Governance and Public Policy Pathway (Standard Route) / Overview
Year of entry: 2026
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- Degree awarded
- Master of Arts (MA)
- Duration
- 1 year
- Entry requirements
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We require a UK bachelor's degree with a First or Upper Second classification or the overseas equivalent, in any discipline.
When assessing your academic record we consider your degree subject, grades you have achieved and the standing of the institution where you studied your qualification.
- How to apply
- Apply online
Course options
| Full-time | Part-time | Full-time distance learning | Part-time distance learning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MA | Y | Y | N | N |
Course overview
- Study a master’s in Political Science at a university ranked top 10 in the UK and top 40 worldwide for Politics (Times Higher Education World Rankings by Subject 2025).
- Specialise in the study and research of governance and public policy.
- Engage in unique opportunities to get hands-on with the field through contact with politicians and policy makers through Policy@Manchester , and placements with policy makers in and around the city.
- Join one of the UK’s largest and most prestigious politics departments, internationally renowned for its public policy research centre.
- Tailor your studies to your interests with a broad choice of optional course units.
- Graduate from one of the UK’s most targeted universities by top employers (High Fliers, The Graduate Market Report 2024).
- Seamlessly transition from master's to PhD study through a fully-funded 1+3 pathway with our prestigious ESRC North West Social Sciences Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP).
Open days
During the open day, you will learn more about the School of Social Sciences, our resources, and meet academic and admissions staff who will be able to answer any questions you have.
For more information, see open days and visits .
Fees
For entry in the academic year beginning September 2026, the tuition fees are as follows:
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MA (full-time)
UK students (per annum): £16,300
International, including EU, students (per annum): £29,400 -
MA (part-time)
UK students (per annum): £8,150
International, including EU, students (per annum): £14,700
Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.
The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition, administration and computational costs during your studies.
All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of courses lasting more than a year for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for International students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit: postgraduate fees . Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.
Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Scholarships/sponsorships
For information on available scholarships please visit: Master’s Fees and Funding
Contact details
- School/Faculty
- School of Social Sciences
- Contact name
- School of Social Sciences Admissions Office
- Telephone
- +44 (0) 161 306 5500
- pgt-politics@manchester.ac.uk
- Website
- http://www.manchester.ac.uk/politics
- School/Faculty overview
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See: School Subjects
Courses in related subject areas
Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.
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You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website.