PP478 One Unit
Political Science for Public Policy
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
Dr Alexandra Cirone
Availability
This course is compulsory on the Double Master of Public Administration (LSE-Columbia), Double Master of Public Administration (LSE-University of Toronto), MPA Dual Degree (LSE and Hertie), MPA Dual Degree (LSE and NUS), MPA Dual Degree (LSE and Tokyo), MPA in Data Science for Public Policy and Master of Public Administration. This course is not available as an outside option to students on other programmes. This course uses controlled access as part of the course selection process.
Compulsory course for MPA, MPA Double Degree and MPA in Data Science for Public Policy Year 1 students. The course is not available as an outside option.
Students for whom this course is compulsory should select the course by 12 noon on the Friday before the start of Autumn Term.
Course content
This course develops tools to help students understand, negotiate, and (where possible) improve the political context of policymaking. The course examines a wide range of political phenomena, including political behaviour (such as voting behaviour, elections, political mobilisation and protest, and identity politics), political institutions (such as electoral systems, regimes, federalism, and decentralised governance) and political outcomes and policies (such as populism, immigration, economic redistribution, democracy in crisis, ethnic conflict, and climate change).
The course combines a review of the main empirical regularities across time and across country in each of these areas, with an introduction to key theoretical arguments about how to understand how actors interact and how institutions shape strategic behaviour. The course also uses a series of applied case studies to introduce current policy challenges and demonstrate how theoretical and empirical tools can help analyse and address them.
Teaching
15 hours of seminars and 20 hours of lectures in the Winter Term.
15 hours of seminars and 20 hours of lectures in the Autumn Term.
2 hours of lectures in the Spring Term.
This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Autumn and Winter Term.
Formative assessment
Students will complete a formative essay memo during Autumn Term in preparation for the summative essay. In Winter Term, students will participate in a mock exam exercise to prepare for the end of course exam.
Indicative reading
• W.R.Clark, M. Golder and S.N.Golder (2018), Principles of Comparative Politics, 3rd Edition, CQ Press.
• E. Bueno de Mesquita (2016), Political Economy for Public Policy, Princeton University Press
These books provide excellent starting points and can be used as references for many topics. A full reading list will be provided at the beginning of the course
Assessment
Exam (50%), duration: 120 Minutes, reading time: 15 minutes in the Spring exam period
Presentation (20%)
Essay (30%)
The essay will be due towards the end of Autumn Term. The assessed presentation will take place during Winter Term.
Key facts
Department: School of Public Policy
Course Study Period: Autumn, Winter and Spring Term
Unit value: One unit
FHEQ Level: Level 7
CEFR Level: Null
Total students 2024/25: 103
Average class size 2024/25: 15
Controlled access 2024/25: YesCourse selection videos
Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.