- UCAS course code
- L900
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Bachelor of Arts (BAEcon)
BAEcon Development Studies
In-depth study into the problems and options faced by the developing world.
- Typical A-level offer: AAA including specific subjects
- Typical contextual A-level offer: ABB including specific subjects
- Refugee/care-experienced offer: BBB including specific subjects
- Typical International Baccalaureate offer: 36 points overall with 6,6,6 at HL, including specific subjects
Fees and funding
Fees
Tuition fees for home students commencing their studies in September 2025 will be £9,535 per annum (subject to Parliamentary approval). Tuition fees for international students will be £29,500 per annum. For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.
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
Scholarships and bursaries, including the Manchester Bursary , are available to eligible home/EU students.
Some undergraduate UK students will receive bursaries of up to £2,000 per year, in addition to the government package of maintenance grants.
You can get information and advice on student finance to help you manage your money.
Course unit details:
Public Policy Problems
Unit code | POLI30292 |
---|---|
Credit rating | 20 |
Unit level | Level 3 |
Teaching period(s) | Semester 2 |
Available as a free choice unit? | Yes |
Aims
The unit aims to: teach students key ideas in the field of public policy and give them an
authentic experience of researching a public policy problem for government. The core of the course is learning the latest theories of public policymaking and governing. This will cover debates about the nature and scope of public policy problems, theories of the policy process, symbolic meaning and narratives in policy, theories of policy change, and the political power of government, business and non-government activists in policymaking. The research aspect of the course involves analysing a contemporary public policy problem,
from its causes and effects through to possible solutions. Students will learn how to
research a policy problem, devise a policy response and write a policy Briefing Paper based on real-world practice. They will produce practical recommendations to government for policy change. They will relate theories learnt in the lectures to the case study, linking theory and practice. The course aims to give students a strong knowledge of public policy studies and also to train them to become policy analysts after graduation.
The case study for 2025-26: The UK Water Pollution Problem
Teaching and learning methods
The course is taught by two different means. First, is a conventional one-hour lecture focusing on scholarly theory and empirical research on public policy. The second means is a 2-hour workshop format, replicating a real-world experience of researching, discussing and writing a policy Briefing Paper for government. This is based on a real-world guide to Cabinet submissions. Students develop their own policy idea and learn how to justify and argue for it in a political context. The workshops are mainly students working together in small groups and as a whole class. The key approach is learning through practice. Students find this type of task is exactly what is required of them when applying for policy-related jobs in government and other sectors, so there is a strong employability dimension.
Knowledge and understanding
Understand and critically analyse theories of public policy
Understand the institutional and political context of UK governance
Understand the dimensions and causes of a contemporary policy problem
Understand contemporary public policy solutions to that problem
Understand the political process of policymaking
Intellectual skills
Critically analyse a social problem
Critically analyse government policy on that problem
Discover knowledge for policymaking and assess its quality
Identify and reflect upon the exercise of power in public policymaking
Develop persuasive arguments for policy proposals
Understand and strategise for political contingencies
Practical skills
Conduct research into policy problems
Work collaboratively on a policy research project
Devise and justify a practical recommendation to government for policy change
Transferable skills and personal qualities
Present ideas effectively to an audience of their peers
Use digital sources and software in research and collaboration
Work autonomously in an independent manner
Acquire skills in public policy analysis
Acquire skills in collaborative work and project planning
Assessment methods
Method | Weight |
---|---|
Written exam | 50% |
Written assignment (inc essay) | 50% |
Study hours
Scheduled activity hours | |
---|---|
Lectures | 10 |
Practical classes & workshops | 20 |
Independent study hours | |
---|---|
Independent study | 170 |
Teaching staff
Staff member | Role |
---|---|
Nicholas Turnbull | Unit coordinator |
Additional notes
Total Learning Hours = 200