SP401 Half Unit
Understanding Policy Research
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
Dr Thomas Biegert
Availability
This course is compulsory on the MSc in International Social and Public Policy, MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Development), MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Education), MSc in International Social and Public Policy (LSE and Fudan), MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Migration), MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Non-Governmental Organisations) and MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Research). 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.
All Social Policy Courses are ‘Controlled Access’.
Other than for students in the first category below, when applying for a course all students are required to provide a written statement explaining why they wish to take that course.
Statements are considered by the Course Convenor and, where merited by the statement, places are offered in the following priority order:
1. Students for whom the course is a ‘core course’ on their Programme Regulations (these students should already be allocated to the course in LSE for you – i.e. no written statement is required).
2. Students for whom the course appears as an ‘optional core course’ on their Programme Regulations (where students have to choose between a small number of core options).
3. Students for whom the course appears as an optional course on their Programme Regulations.
4. Other Social Policy students.
5. LSE students from Departments other than Social Policy.
Please note: The number of students that can be accommodated on most courses is limited. If a course is over-subscribed, places will be allocated at the Convenor’s discretion, based on student statements. Therefore, you are advised to have an alternative course in mind in case you are unable to secure your first-choice course selection.
If offered a place on a Social Policy course, please accept the place as early as possible. NB: Offers will ‘time-out’ after 48 hours and the place will be offered to another student. If you wish to reject an offer, please do so as early as possible so that the place can be offered to one of your fellow students.
Close of Course Selection is on the 10 October 2025 (dependant on availability of course places).
Please Note: No places will be offered on Social Policy courses UNTIL 1pm on 29th September 2025.
For queries contact: socialpolicy.msc@lse.ac.uk
Course content
This course aims to provide an understanding of issues associated with the research process, in the context of the MSc in International Social & Public Policy. The course includes an examination of philosophical issues underpinning research methods in social & public policy; the place of different research methods (qualitative and quantitative) in international social & public policy; the use of research; and the role of evidence in informing social & public policy.
This is not a ‘how to’ methods course. Instead, students will be equipped to become critical readers and users of research. Students will gain an understanding of the role of research in the policy process, and of the philosophical underpinnings of different approaches to ISPP research, both quantitative and qualitative; they will scrutinise which research designs are appropriate for different kinds of policy investigation; and learn to critique the validity of the implications for policy drawn by researchers, given the methods they have used.
Please note: MSc ISPP (Research) students MUST pass SP401 AS WELL AS the Dissertation (SP499) to graduate. This applies to students commencing the Programme from Academic year 2025/26 onwards.
Teaching
15 hours of lectures and 15 hours of classes in the Autumn Term.
This course has a reading week in Week 6 of Autumn Term.
All teaching will be in accordance with the LSE Academic Code which specifies a minimum of two hours taught contact time per week when the course is running in the Autumn Term (AT) and/or Winter Term (WT). Social Policy courses are predominantly taught through a combination of in-person lectures and In person classes/seminars. Further information will be provided by the Course Convenor in the first lecture of the course.
Formative assessment
Continuous assessment
Students will be expected to answer a set of broad questions every week, which will be similar to the exam questions and related to the lecture and seminar material covered in that week.
Indicative reading
- Alan Bryman (2012) Social Research Methods, 4th edition Oxford University Press;
- C Robson & K McCartan (2015) Real world research: A resource for social scientists and practitioner-researchers, 4th edition. Oxford University Press;
- Justin Parkhurst (2016) The Politics of Evidence: From Evidence-Based Policy to the Good Governance of Evidence, Routledge.
Assessment
Exam (100%), duration: 180 Minutes in the Spring exam period
The course is intended to inform the student’s dissertation in terms of underpinning issues, concepts, methodological choices and the role of research in social and public policy implementation. Assessment is a 3-hour in-person ST exam comprising questions requiring relatively shorter answers, which aims to test the skills outlined above and reflects the breadth of issues covered throughout the course (100%).
Key facts
Department: Social Policy
Course Study Period: Autumn Term
Unit value: Half unit
FHEQ Level: Level 7
CEFR Level: Null
Total students 2024/25: 201
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.
Personal development skills
- Self-management
- Team working
- Problem solving
- Communication