Enter OTP
The MA Political Economy at KCL is a one-year full-time (or two years part-time) master’s degree anchored in the Department of Political Economy, a rare UK unit that pulls together politics, philosophy, and economics. It’s designed to help you deeply understand how political institutions, markets, ethics, and power interact—both in the UK and globally. You’ll dig into both mainstream and heterodox theoretical approaches in political economy. That means thinking about how political choices shape markets, how economic outcomes influence public policy, and how values and justice factor into institutional design and governance.
The teaching blend includes solid theory + empirical work. Core modules focus on “Key Concepts in Contemporary Political Economy” and may cover institutional analysis, distributive justice, comparative political systems, public choice, regulation, business ethics, and development. Because you’re in London, you tap into policy debates, guest lectures by politicians and industry movers, and a research-led environment. On top of classes and seminars, you write a dissertation that lets you choose a topic—say, corruption, regulation, constitutional change, or global governance—and research it with faculty support.
By graduation you shouldn’t just know theory—you’ll know how to apply it: how markets and state policies combine (or clash), how institutional legacies matter, how economic power gets legitimated. Employers and academia both value that mix of theoretical insight, empirical awareness, and normative reasoning.
Hands-on is baked in. Early on, seminars, case studies, and empirical modules require you to analyze real institutions or policy regimes. Workshops and guest‐led sessions expose you to practitioners—people who’ve worked in government, policy, or public advocacy. Throughout, you’re expected to engage with empirical evidence: statistical analysis, comparative institutional examples, ethical evaluation.
Dissertation is your lab: you define a question, gather data or draw from case comparative work (qual or quant), analyze, write, defend. Expect supervisor feedback, peer review through seminar presentations, and iterative work. Also, options exist for elective modules that deepen empirical or philosophical methods. Because of King's location, you often get exposure to policy environments, external talks, maybe connections to think tanks or civil service, giving you a feel beyond the classroom.
After finishing this MA, there are solid pathways. Many grads head into policy-centred roles: government agencies, public affairs, regulatory bodies, and advisory roles. Some join consulting or NGOs, think tanks focusing on institutions, governance, corruption, or public sector reform. The skill in both theory and empirical methods can make you competitive in civil service or financial regulation too.
If you lean academic, this MA sets you up for PhD level study (in political economy, public policy, governance). Your dissertation gives credibility. Over time, you might gravitate toward leadership in policy units, advisory councils or academic research with policy impact.
Because KCL is in London, networking options are strong. You meet people doing real work, access policy debates, develop visibility—helping your career path both immediately after the MA and longer term in strategy, consultancy, or research leadership.
An honours degree at 2:1 standard or above in political science/government, economics or any relevant social science. In order to meet the academic entry requirements for this programme you should have a minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree with a final mark of at least 60% or above in the UK marking scheme. If you are still studying you should be achieving an average of at least 60% or above in the UK marking scheme. IELTS 7.0 overall with a minimum of 6.5 in each skill. Personal Statement and References required.University accept the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales in place of one A levelNationals of majority English speaking countries (as defined by the UKVI) who have permanently resided in this country are not usually required to complete an additional English language test. This is also the case for applicants who have successfully completed an undergraduate degree (of at least three years duration), a postgraduate taught degree (of at least one year), or a PhD in a majority English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI) within five years of the course start date.Policy Analyst – shaping public policy in government departments or regulatory bodies
Political or Economic Consultant – advising on regulatory reformgovernanceor institutional change
Government or Civil Service Advisor – working on public policyethical regulationpublic institutions
Think Tank / Research Specialist – analyzing political economywriting reportsinfluencing public debate
Public Affairs / Advocacy Executive – engaging mediaNGOslobbyingor civil society for institutional change
Financial / Economic Analyst – applying political economy perspective in financerisk assessmentor business regulation
Academic / PhD Researcher – continuing in doctoral studies or university teaching / research roles
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Kings College London
