Government

About the Department

The Department of Government at LSE is one of the largest political science departments in the UK and covers almost all areas of politics. We offer a comprehensive range of academic approaches, from political theory, political economy, rational choice theory, public policy, nationalism, conflict studies, and comparative government to the history of institutions and policy. Many faculty members have particular regional expertise on Europe, the Middle East, Asia and or Latin America.

Being based within the only UK institution that specialises solely in the social sciences is a great benefit and our graduate programmes involve close collaboration with other departments and institutions in the School, including the European Institute, the Methodology Institute, Urban and Regional Planning (in the Geography Department), International Relations, International Development, and Law.

Our students come from all corners of the globe, as do our academic visitors and faculty. Accordingly, the Department has a strongly cosmopolitan character and its alumni are to be found in some of the leading departments of political science and in journalism, commerce, central and local government, and non-governmental organisations in the UK and across the world. 

MRes/PhD Political Science

Visiting Research Students

The MRes/PhD Political Science provides world-leading methods training, participation in a lively and open research culture, and the opportunity to be part of one of the best departments in political science and political studies in the world. You will join a small and highly selective entering class, of about 8–12 students from a wide range of universities around the world. Together you will embark on the MRes portion of the programme, which is a structured route to the PhD.

In the first year, you will take a series of courses and prepare a Research Prospectus. You will be trained in research design and research methods and also take courses from a broad range of graduate specialisms in our Department and across LSE. You will study with acknowledged leaders in their fields and learn what political scientists know (and don’t know), what the key debates have been and where the discipline is going. Subject to satisfactory performance, you will be ‘upgraded’ to the PhD programme and will implement your research plan. 

Taught programmes

• MSc Comparative Politics
• MSc Conflict Studies
• MSc EU Politics 
• MPA European Public and Economic Policy
• MSc Global Politics
• MPA International Development
• MSc International Migration and Public Policy
• MSc Public Policy and Administration
• MSc Political Science and Political Economy
• MSc Political Theory
• LSE-PKU Double Degree in Public Administration and Government
• MSc Public Policy and Administration
• MSc Regulation 
• MPA Public and Economic Policy
• MPA Public Policy and Management
• MPA Public and Social Policy