Public Policy (MPP)

Course Overview

The MPP is a full-time, 12-month, professional taught programme. Two semesters of intensive academic work, Students complete two intensive semesters of academic courses and skills workshops at the Academy of Government. The first semester gives students a robust foundation in public policy, economics, and various analytical methods. The second semester allows students to select from a wide range of optional courses, offered by Schools across the University, focused on specific policy areas. Students can thus pursue their own interests in semester 2 using the broad-based skills and knowledge acquired in semester 1. The focus is on policy specialisation. The Capstone project: Following this, students complete a Capstone project where the focus is on the application of the skills acquired in a professional policy environment. The Capstone project consists of a placement in a public policy organisation (typically 8-10 weeks in length) and a period spent writing up a 10,000-word Analytical Report. Students then present their research orally to Academy faculty and students. Teaching philosophy, As a student on our MPP you will be taught and assessed in a variety of innovative ways. The focus is on providing a strong, practice oriented programme. Teaching sessions in the first semester are three-hours and typically divided into three components. The first is academic-led, the second is student-led, and the third is practitioner-led. An academic lecture will build on readings, which students will be expected to have completed before class, and identify key issues for debate and discussion. The student-led hour will pick up on these themes and develop further debate either through a classroom discussion, presentations, group exercises, or practical activities/simulations. The practitioner-led hour will put the learning into practical context, using specific case studies where possible and appropriate. The MPP is assessed through a variety of mechanisms, including written policy briefs, short policy memos, problem-solving tasks, individual and group presentations, written analytical reports, self and peer assessment, and crisis response simulations. Why study with us? The Academy of Government offers a distinctive approach to the teaching of public policy and international affairs, built around the concept of multi-level governance. The University of Edinburgh is one of the leading institutions globally for the study of multi-level governance. Increasingly, leaders have to engage with policy problems at the sub-national, national, and international levels. Our curriculum is designed to capture the essence of this complexity. Furthermore, the Academy of Government provides interdisciplinary training that blends insights and literature from political science, public policy and administration, business, law, and economics to create a solid foundation. From this foundation students can develop policy-specific expertise in a range of areas, from global health policy to international development, from social and welfare policy to foreign and security policy. Finally, the teaching of public policy at the Academy of Government is committed to bridging theory and practice. The majority of seminars include a public policy practitioner, alongside an academic. In addition our strong connections to the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament allow for numerous activities outside of the curriculum - including visits to government offices, parliamentary committees, parliamentary debates - that add an all-important practical component to the study of public policy.