Programme Specification – MSc Political Science and Political Economy

1. Awarding Body / LSE
2. Details of accreditation by a professional/statutory body, e.g. ESRC; BPS etc / N/A
3. Name of final award / MSc
4. Programme Title / Political Science and Political Economy
5. Duration of the course / 12 months
6. Based in the Department/Institute: / Government
7. Relevant QAA subject benchmark statements / N/A
8. Application Code / L2U9
9. First written/last amended / February 2008/ December 2010
Political economy is a fast growing area of research and teaching at the intersection of political science and economics. The LSE is a global centre of excellent in political economy and political science. A large number of people in the School conduct research and teach on various aspects of political economy and political science, in the Government, International Relations, Economics, and Geography and Environment departments, and in the European Institute and DESTIN. The Political Science and Political Economy (PSPE) research group was launched in the Government Department in October 2006, and now involves 24 faculty members from four departments in the School, 19 PhD students, a working paper series, a research seminar, and a doctoral workshop. See (
The MSc in Political Science and Political Economy makes use of the School’s broad talent in this area and covers both the micro/formal side of political economy as well as the broad set of macro and empirical issues in this field. It provides a key route for one of the Government Department’s most active research groupings to attract top quality graduate students,
The programme does three things: (1) introduce students to some of the core substantive issues in both ‘micro’ and ‘macro’ political economy and political science (in a dedicated core course for the programme); (2) train students in the basic quantitative and formal methods in modern political economy; and (3) enable students to take courses from across the School that either use these methods or cover an aspect of theoretical, empirical or policy-related political economy and political science.
11. Programme outcomes: knowledge and understanding; skills and other attributes
Programme Outcomes:The programme does three things: (1) introduce students to some of the core substantive issues in both ‘micro’ and ‘macro’ political economy and political science (in a dedicated core course for the programme); (2) train students in the basic quantitative and formal methods in modern political economy; and (3) enable students to take courses from across the School that either use these methods or cover an aspect of theoretical, empirical or policy-related political economy and political science.
Knowledge and understanding:
Sound knowledge of modern political science methods and approaches, especially public choice theory, game theory and either political science data analysis or econometrics at a good level.
Skills and other attributes:
Strong development of formal reasoning and argument capabilities and ability to apply knowledge gained to analyse specific political science issues and problems. Familiarity with modern quantitative methods and their rigorous application to political science problems.
12. Teaching, learning and assessment strategies to enable outcomes to be achieved and demonstrated
Teaching and learning strategies:
Summaries of the teaching and learning strategies for the component courses appear under their existing Calendar entries.
Assessment strategies:
The MSc will be assessed and monitored in the standard way for all Government Department MScs, with regular programme reviews, its own Staff Student Liaison Committee, and a senior and well-known political scientist as External Examiner
13. Programme structures and requirements, levels, modules and awards
See MSc Political Science and Political Economy programme regulations.

Additional information

14. Criteria for admission to the programme
Current Government Department MSc admission requirements, as at present -
essentially a degree at 2.1 or better, plus strong English language capability.
We shall additionally look for some experience with quantitative methods and some training in areas relevant to public choice/game theory, and/or a keenness to study modern political science methods and approaches at a good level.
15. Indicators of quality
The Political Science and Political Economy (PSPE) group which is proposing the MSc has an exemplary RAE track record, including many recent publications in top political science journals. Government provides a strong research environment for PhD and MRes/PhD students.
The MSc separates out the public choice stream from the existing MSc Public Policy and Administration and this has had consistently strong applications and recruitment, to the MSc and to the specific pathway.
16. Methods for evaluating and improving the quality and standard of teaching and learning
The MSc will be assessed and monitored in the standard way for all Government Department MScs, with regular programme reviews, its own Staff Student Liaison Committee, and a senior and well-known political scientist as External Examiner.
- School mechanisms
- student survey by TQARO
- external examiner check-up system by TLAC
- review of all new courses and programmes, and major modifications, by GSSC
- full departmental TLAC review every 5 years

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