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University of Glasgow · Undergraduate
MA(SocSci) (Hons) Politics/Social & Public Policy Master's degree at the University of Glasgow
MA(SocSci) (Hons) Politics/Social & Public Policy at University of Glasgow. You'll study core theory alongside rigorous research methods, apply what you learn to real-world contexts, and undertake an independent project that lets you pursue your own research question.
MA
Award
4
Years
Full-time
Study mode
90%
in work/study (15m)
About this course
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MA(SocSci) (Hons) Politics/Social & Public Policy is a Master's degree (MA) at the University of Glasgow, based in Glasgow Campus. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Social policy graduates from this provider, 90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 65% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £28,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Politics & International Relations, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
8.4
/ 10
Excellent
3 of 3 official measures
Student satisfaction
What students say in the National Student Survey
Solid63
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Graduate outcomes
In work or further study 15 months after graduating
Exceptional90
Limited evidence Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 90% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Continuation
Students who continue past their first year
Exceptional100
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 100% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 2 modules
- Introduction to Politics
Module details
introduces the fundamentals of politics from core concepts and theories to the key components of political institutions and their relationship to individuals
- Introduction to International Relations
Module details
uses the ideas of important writers to explain key aspects of the international order
Year 2 2 modules
- History Of Political Thought
Module details
examines political thought from the ancients, primarily Aristotle, through Machiavelli, Hobbes and Locke to Rousseau and Karl Marx
- Introduction to Comparative Politics
Module details
explores and compares different countries to introduce students to the variety of political regimes that exist in the contemporary international system
Honours Semester 1 25 modules
- African Politics in Global PerspectiveOptional
- American PoliticsOptional
- Authoritarianism: Concepts, Theories and Comparative AnalysisOptional
- British Prime Ministers since 1945Optional
- China's International RelationsOptional
- Comparative Perspectives on PopulismOptional
- Government and Public Policy in the UKOptional
- Egalitarianism and its CriticsOptional
- Global Environmental PoliticsOptional
- Global Inequality and International DevelopmentOptional
- Texts and Contexts in the History of Political ThoughtOptional
- Human Rights In Global PerspectiveOptional
- International OrganizationsOptional
- International Political CommunicationOptional
- International Political EconomyOptional
- Politics of the Middle EastOptional
- Narratives of War and ConflictOptional
- Political Parties, Instituions and SocietyOptional
- Politics Of The European UnionOptional
- Politics of TerrorOptional
- Politics and Popular CultureOptional
- The Psychology of PoliticsOptional
- Radical Politics: Marx, Marxism and AnarchismOptional
- Social MovementsOptional
- The Politics of BordersOptional
Honours Semester 2 7 modules
- Business and PoliticsOptional
- Chinese PoliticsOptional
- Citizenship And DemocracyOptional
- Challenges to DemocracyOptional
- Comparative European PoliticsOptional
- Contemporary Challenges in PoliticsOptional
- Defying Dictators: Political Opposition in Authoritarian StatesOptional
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
You'll study politics and policy through a progression from core foundations to specialist research. Year 1 covers political systems, international relations theory and critical research skills. Year 2 moves into comparative politics, international security, and research methods, comparing democracies and autocracies, examining conflict and cooperation, and learning quantitative and qualitative analysis. In Year 3, you'll typically choose specialisations such as international security, global governance, human rights, political theory or public policy, and complete a supervised dissertation on a political question of your choice. Throughout, the course builds your ability to evaluate evidence and construct rigorous political argument.
Who it's for
You're drawn to understanding how power works, how policy gets made, and why societies change. You're comfortable with close reading of political texts and arguments, and you want to develop the research skills to ask and answer your own questions about the political world. You'll find the work genuinely demanding, this isn't a passive course, but if you're genuinely curious about institutions, ideas and social change, you'll find it absorbing. You should have strong analytical skills and the ability to construct evidence-based arguments across essays and projects.
Careers & job market
Nationally, 85% of graduates in Politics and International Relations are in work or further study within 15 months. Of those working, 60% are in highly skilled roles or pursuing postgraduate study. Starting salaries across the field range from £24,000 to £32,000; after five years, this typically becomes £27,200 to £38,400. These are national figures based on Graduate Outcomes data; actual outcomes vary by role and individual circumstance. The degree equips you for careers in public administration, research, advocacy, journalism, and the civil service, as well as further study at postgraduate level.
University & format
This is a 4-year full-time MA(SocSci) (Hons) degree taught in English at the University of Glasgow, a Russell Group public university founded in 1451, based on Glasgow Campus. The University of Glasgow is a nationally recognised UK degree-awarding body. Most recent entrants held A-levels or equivalent qualifications, typically with more than 240 UCAS points.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively. Overall student satisfaction: 58%.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
2027 entry deadlineCheck the provider deadline
Most postgraduate courses use provider-specific application dates. UCAS dates
2026 entryLive availability check
Opened 2 July 2026; last choice 19 October 2026. Check vacancies now. A cached page never claims a place is still available.
Entry & how to get in
Most entrants held A-levels or equivalent100% of accepted students came in with A-levels or equivalent (entrants over recent years).
Typical UCAS tariff: More than 240 pointsThe most common UCAS tariff band among accepted students. This is what entrants had, not a stated requirement.
Entry requirements are set by the universityGrades, subjects and contextual offers vary. Check the University of Glasgow's official course page for the current offer.
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 100% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Competitive entry
Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. Check how your predicted grades compare and whether a contextual offer applies.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Your UCAS points0
▾
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Add your grades to see where you land
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
Apply byCheck the provider deadlinefor this course
Typical gradesA*A*A*+A-level equivalent admitted students held
UCAS codeLG23quote this on your application
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code LG23). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by Check the provider deadline
Most postgraduate courses use provider-specific application dates. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
💡 Many universities make a contextual (reduced-grade) offer, for example based on your school’s results, time in care, or where you live. Ask University of Glasgow whether you’re eligible before you apply; it can lower the grades you need.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Internationalset by the university
Set under Scotland's student-finance system; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at University of Glasgow →If you normally live in Scotland
For eligible Scottish-domiciled students at an eligible Scottish provider, SAAS can pay tuition directly. Living-cost support can combine bursary and loan and depends on household income and student circumstances. Students from elsewhere use their home funding body.
Check the current amounts with SAAS →Paying for it
- SAAS tuition payment: paid directly to the university for eligible Scottish-domiciled students, applied for through SAAS.
- Living-cost support: a mix of bursary and loan from SAAS, depending on household income.
- Repayment: only above the Scottish repayment threshold, and written off at the end of the plan term.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
Scotland runs its own system through SAAS; check saas.gov.uk for current rates.
Funding matched to this course
All University of Glasgow funding →Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
Named awards published by the university. Compare the eligibility and application route before budgeting for one.
Amounts, exclusions and deadlines can change. An award is not guaranteed unless the university confirms it.
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Career quizApplication walkthroughSalary & CV check
Careers & earnings
What Politics & International Relations graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £28,000 | £26,000 – £31,000 | 15 |
| 3 years after | £23,500 | £21,000 – £28,500 | 40 |
| 5 years after | £29,000 | £26,000 – £36,000 | 35 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
90%
in work or further study 15 months on
65%
in highly skilled work or study
100%
continue past their first year
75%
find their work meaningful
70%
say work fits their future plans
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in politics & international relations · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Politics & International Relations nationally
Starting (15 months) HESA GO
£28,000
£24,000 – £32,000After 3 years LEO
£23,500
£21,675 – £30,600After 5 years LEO
£29,000
£27,200 – £38,400national rangethis course’s medianaxis £20,500 – £40,000
National figures for Politics & International Relations graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
90 of 100
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
55% working25% working and studying15% in further study65% in highly skilled work or study
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2021-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 15; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Politics & International Relations courses at the same study level.
This course £29,000Peer median £32,000Middle 50% £29,000–£36,000
24th percentile
Compared with 690 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
Cardiff UniversityBScEcon (Hons) Politics and Sociology£29,000Goldsmiths University of LondonBA (Hons) Sociology and Politics£29,000Oxford Brookes UniversityBA/BSc (Hons) Anthropology and International Relations£29,000The University of East LondonBA (Hons) Politics and International Relations£29,000
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Administrative occupationsSOC 2020 41 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,006
- Business and public service associate professionalsSOC 2020 35 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £38,760
- Business, Research and Administrative ProfessionalsSOC 2020 243 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £48,746
- Elementary occupationsSOC 2020 9 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £19,087
- Media ProfessionalsSOC 2020 249 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £40,895
- Welfare and housing associate professionalsSOC 2020 322 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £27,937
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 100; response rate: 60%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Politics & International Relations graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
85%
in work or further study 15 months after graduating, across Politics & International Relations courses nationally.
Graduate Outcomes60%
of working graduates are in highly skilled work or further study.
highly skilled90%
of students continue past their first year (still enrolled or completed).
continuationHow AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Politics & International Relations graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Government & civil service (FCDO)
- Think tanks
- NGOs
- Public-affairs agencies
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Politics & International Relations graduates.
Head of History & PoliticsProspero TeachingExaminer - GCE A Level Politics (2017 specification).PearsonA Level PoliticsBURNLEY COLLEGESocial & Audience Engagement Producer (Politics & World News)SkyHead of the School of Area Studies Sociology History Politics and LiteratureUniversity of PortsmouthHead of History and politicsCV-LibraryLive from the StudySmarter job board · as of 2026-08-01.See all matching jobs
Is this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
💷
Student finance
Fees for this course are set under Scotland's own student-finance system, not the England cap; check the provider's course page for the exact figure. Tuition for eligible Scottish-domiciled students is paid by SAAS directly to the university, applied for through SAAS and not Student Finance England. Living-cost support is a mix of bursary and loan, and you repay only above the Scottish threshold.
📈
Where graduates go
90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £28,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
🎯
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
⭐
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.4 out of 10: NSS 63.3% · in work or study 90% · continued 100%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Glasgow
All students38,710
International35.9%
Aged 25+26.3%
Social sciences across the UK
Students275,900
Aged 25+37%
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Is Politics & International Relations right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to University of Glasgow from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by University of Glasgow; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check University of Glasgow’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with University of Glasgow and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of Glasgow
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BA (Hons) Drama and Theatre / International RelationsAberystwyth UniversityBA (Hons) Hanes / Cysylltiadau RhyngwladolAberystwyth UniversityBA (Hons) International Relations (with integrated year in Industry)Aberystwyth UniversityBA (Hons) International Relations (with integrated year studying abroad)Aberystwyth UniversityCommon questions
How competitive is entry?
Entry is competitive. Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. The most common tariff band among recent entrants was More than 240 UCAS points. Use the calculator on this page to see where your predicted grades would put you; many universities also make lower contextual offers.
What are the entry requirements?
Set by the University of Glasgow. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent. Check the university's course page for the exact offer.
What do graduates go on to do?
For Social policy graduates from this provider, 90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 65% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £28,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
What will it cost me?
Fees for this course are set under Scotland's own student-finance system, not the England cap; check the provider's course page for the exact figure. Tuition for eligible Scottish-domiciled students is paid by SAAS directly to the university, applied for through SAAS and not Student Finance England. Living-cost support is a mix of bursary and loan, and you repay only above the Scottish threshold. See Fees & funding on this page to work out your numbers.
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